How to Get to Koh Lipe in Thailand: The Most Complete Guide

How to Get to Koh Lipe: Main Ways (Ferry, Transfer) and Important Tips

Koh Lipe in Thailand is one of the most remote and hard-to-reach resorts in the country. You can only get here by boat – there's no airport. Boats run from mainland Thailand, from other islands in the Tarutao archipelago, and also from Langkawi Island in Malaysia. Strangely enough, it's actually easiest to get here from Malaysia, since Langkawi has the closest airport.

Below we'll tell you all about the different ways and routes from our own experience, with schedules and costs. But first, here are the most important things you need to know, plus a few handy tips:

• You can only get to Koh Lipe by boat; scheduled high-speed ferries run regularly.
• If you're prone to seasickness, bring some motion sickness meds for the journey.
• Lipe doesn't have a deep-water port or a pier for large vessels to dock. So, for getting on and off the island, they use smaller long-tail boats or speedboats. Here's how it works: the passenger ferry arrives in the waters off Pattaya Beach, smaller boats come alongside, and you need to transfer to them without your luggage (the crew helps with the transfer). These boats then take you to a floating pontoon pier where you step off. Your luggage is brought ashore on the next boats after that.
• Don't pack valuables, money, or documents in your checked luggage – always keep them with you.
• It can get really cold inside the high-speed ferries – the AC is cranked up. So, a hoodie and long pants definitely come in handy. Some seasoned travelers even bring a jacket or a small blanket.
• If you're arriving from Langkawi (Malaysia), make sure to fill out the online arrival form beforehand and keep in mind other visa requirements (like an onward ticket, the completed TM6, etc.). This is a full-fledged border and customs checkpoint. For all the details, check out our guide Visas and Entry to Thailand.
• Be sure to fill out the online Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) on the website https://tdac.immigration.go.th. They don't use paper forms at immigration anymore, and there's no internet to fill it out right before passport control.
• When traveling from Koh Lipe to Langkawi, you also need to meet all the entry requirements and fill out the Malaysian digital arrival card. See All About Visas for Malaysia and Entry Procedures.
• Before your trip, save your hotel bookings, completed immigration forms, booking reference numbers, and your actual ferry tickets on your phone. You'll need to show them a few times, and there might not be internet to download them.
• Buy ferry tickets to/from Langkawi online on Trip.com. You can pay with Russian cards, and it's often cheaper than at the pier ticket offices. On Phuket, in Krabi, and at other Thai resorts, you can buy combo tickets including a transfer to the pier at any travel agency or ask at your hotel reception.
• Upon arrival on Lipe, it's a good idea to have Thai baht in cash to pay the national park entrance fee at the pier – 200 baht/person or 35 ringgit (that's about 280 baht at the official rate). Try to have the exact change, as they might not give any back.
• Keep the receipt for the entire duration of your stay, as you might be asked to show it when visiting other parts of the national park.
• When you arrive on Koh Lipe, there's a Krungsri ATM at the pier. UnionPay cards work. However, the ATM charges a 220 baht fee plus whatever your bank charges. Plus, it might be out of service, so we highly recommend having at least some cash on you.
• On the route from Lipe, your passports will be collected while still in Malaysia and given back to you just before entering the island.

Here's a photo guide to help you get a better idea:

How to Get to Koh Lipe from Thailand: Ferries, Transfers, Schedules

Ferries and combo transfers to Lipe are offered from several points (piers and resorts), and there are quite a few.

The most frequent connections are from the town of Pak Bara (Pak Bara Pier) in Satun Province. You can get to Satun and Pak Bara by bus from other Thai cities. Boats from Pak Bara to Koh Lipe run year-round, several times a day, costing from 550 baht, and the journey takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

In practice, it's often more convenient, and sometimes even cheaper, not to search for just a ferry ticket but to buy a combo transfer from street travel agencies. They are offered on Phuket, on Ko Lanta, on Ko Phi Phi, in Krabi (Ao Nang), at Hat Yai airport, in Surat Thani, on Ko Samui, Ko Tao, Ko Phangan. There are even transfers from Bangkok. They'll pick you up from your hotel or the agency's office, take you to the pier, put you on the ferry, and get you to Koh Lipe. Similarly, on Koh Lipe, you can buy combo transfers to various resorts from street agencies.

Here is the schedule for ferry routes and combo transfers that you can buy online:

And here are other routes and prices we gathered from travel agencies on Koh Lipe, just to give you an idea for planning your itinerary:

The Langkawi – Koh Lipe Route: Ferry, Visa, Crossing the Border

This is an international route, so don't forget to check the visa requirements and fill out the arrival card beforehand. There's an immigration office on Koh Lipe where you can get a visa exemption stamp if you're eligible. However, you cannot get a visa on arrival on Koh Lipe. So, if you're coming from Malaysia and need a visa to enter Thailand, you'll first have to go to Satun, get your visa on arrival there, and then head to the island. Another option is to get a Thai visa in advance while still in Malaysia, either on Penang Island or in Kuala Lumpur.

Here's the practical info about the ferries from Langkawi to Koh Lipe:

• Travel time: 1.5-2 hours.

• Price: One-way 160 ringgit / 40.31 USD. It's cheaper to buy online.

• Departure/Arrival points:

  • On Koh Lipe, there are two piers on central Pattaya Beach (Koh Lipe Pier on map) and (Bundhaya Pier on map). They are close to each other, so it doesn't really matter which one you arrive at. Pay the island entrance fee right at the pier to the park rangers in cash – 200 baht (adults) / 100 baht (children) or 35 ringgit. Try to have exact change. Here you'll also go through passport and customs control. From the pier, you can walk to your hotel or take a local "taxi" for 50 baht per person to anywhere on the island.
  • On Langkawi, there are two ports: Telaga Harbour (on map) and Kuah Jetty (on map). Ferries run from both, but it's slightly more expensive from Telaga Harbour. You can choose whichever is more convenient based on schedule and location. From the main beaches like Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah, the distance is similar; a Grab taxi costs about 20 ringgit (5.04 USD).

• Where to buy tickets:

  • On the website trip.com. Accepts Russian cards
  • On the website 12go.asia. You can book tickets and pay with cash at 7-Eleven stores
  • At travel agencies in resorts, or at the pier ticket offices with cash

• Where to check the schedule: Ferries run several times a day from both jetties; the schedule can change depending on the season. See the table below for a schedule, or you can check on these websites:

  • 12go.asia – lists all ferries. You can book tickets and pay with cash at 7-Eleven stores
  • http://tropicalcharters.com.my/
  • https://telaga-terminal.com/
  • https://kohlipelgkferry.com/
  • http://www.bundhayaspeedboat.com
  • http://www.tarutaolipeisland.com/

• When to buy tickets: You can buy tickets on the day of departure at the pier ticket offices on Langkawi, but there's no guarantee seats will be available. So, it's recommended to book in advance, at least a day before, or even earlier.

How to Get to Koh Lipe from Russia and Other Countries: Route Options

If you're heading straight to Lipe from Russia or another country, there are two main route options. Whichever one you choose, getting here "non-stop" would be very tough, both physically and logistically. So, we suggest not stressing about that and instead planning your journey to Lipe with a stopover or two to rest in Thailand or Malaysia:

• Via Thailand: Phuket, Bangkok, Hat Yai – the best routes

  One of the most convenient airports in Thailand is Phuket International Airport, with many direct and connecting flights. It's also a good idea to stay on one of Phuket's beaches for a bit, rest up, and buy a combo transfer to Lipe from a local travel agency, as we mentioned above.

  If you fly into Bangkok, you can then travel or fly to Phuket, Krabi, or Hat Yai, and buy a transfer from there. At least from Hat Yai airport, there are combo transfers available right upon arrival.

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  Finally, you could fly directly to Hat Yai, the closest Thai airport to Koh Lipe, and then make your own way to Pak Bara Pier or buy a combo transfer from the airport. Combo transfers are available online, for example on trip.com

• Via Malaysia: Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur – how to get there and what to consider

  Langkawi has the closest airport, and you can even get there on direct flights from some countries. As of now (early 2026), there are no direct flights from Russia, although there's been talk about them for a couple of years. So, check for updates before your trip.

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  If you can't find direct flights, it's easy to get there with a connection via Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, or Singapore. There are plenty of options; we have a separate guide, "How to Get to Langkawi," with more details.

  It's worth spending a night or more on Langkawi – it's a great resort too. Then take the boat to Koh Lipe, as we described above.

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