This trip we had spent our short vacation on December 2018 to travel to Tao island (Koh Tao / Thai Language : เกาะเต่า) from Bangkok. This island is located in Suratthani province, southern part of Thailand. We planned to spend 4 days 3 nights there. We had studied and found that it has many way to get there. But the way whish budget and duration have met at half way is taking flight from Bangkok to Chumphon Airport (CJM) and connect with hi-speed catamaran ferry (by Lomprayah).
For flights from Bangkok to Chumphon, it had quite limited choices due to Chumphon is not main city of Thailand. It had only Nok Air and Thai Air Asia only. But both carriers had departure flights from Don Muang Airport (secondary airport of Bangkok for low cost airlines) only. Then, when we check flight schedules, it had only first flight of Nok Air which able to arrive Chumphon and catch hi-speed ferry to Koh Tao within same day. It is flight no. DD7610 (06.30am – 07.35am). So, we decided to book this flight and also book service of Lomprapah from Chumphon airport to Koh Tao.
*THIS INFORMATION WAS CHECKED AND UPDATED AS OF 25 DECEMBER 2018
Thus, I would like to sum up our travel itinerary as follows.
1.Travel from Bangkok (Don Muang) to Chumphon by Nokair
ROUTE : BANGKOK-DON MUANG (DMK) – CHUMPHON (CJM)
FLIGHT : DD7610 – NOK AIR
AIRCRAFT : ATR72-500
ETD : 06:30AM (GMT+7)
ETA : 07:35PM (GMT+7)
DURATION : 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES
CABIN : ECONOMY
2. Connect from Chumphon airport to Koh Tao (Van and hi-speed ferry) by Lomprayah (08.00am – 14.45pm).
Lomprayah ticket can be purchased from this website : HTTPS://LOMPRAYAH.COM
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We had started by we arrived Don Muang Airport on 05.30am (1 hour prior flight departure time) to check-in our luggage and get boarding passes. We did online check-in before arrive airport to avoid long queuing.
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After check-in our luggage and get boarding passes, we passed security inspection. Our flight will be boarding at gate no. 75. It is bus gate.
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When we arrived at boarding gate, we had some time to find some coffee to drink before get in the flight. Then, Nok Air had called passengers to board the flight on-time.
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We flew with turboprop aircraft. The aircraft was quite old (It had Hindi language at EXIT sign. I guessed that it is leased from some Indian airline). The seats were arranged as 2 – 2. Seat pitch was acceptable. It was OK for me who tall 183 cm.
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The flight was pushed back and taken off on-time. When altitude was steady, flight attendances had served drinking water (150 ml) and sold food and souvenir. The flight was taken only 45 minutes and decending & landing at Chumphon airport safely. Then, we disembarked and walked to passenger terminal to claim our luggage.
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After we received our luggage, we walked out to arrival hall and seek for Lomprayah’s counter (we bought van and hi-speed ferry ticket before we travel already but this ticket still unable to use to board the van and ferry. We have to check in at this counter before).
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We bought this ticket from Lomprayah office at Bangkok before we fly here. But it unable to use to board the van and ferry yet. We have to check in at Lomprayah’s airport counter (for van) and the pier (for ferry) before.
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After we check in at Lomprayah airport counter, we will get van ticket.
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This is the van which took us from Chumphon airport to Lomprayah pier (Thung Makham Noi Pier).
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The van took 1 hour from airport to pier. It was 9.00am at that time, but our ferry will depart on 13.00pm. Actually, it had morning ferry on 07.00am but no any flight able to catch this ferry on same day unless we stay at Chumphon 1 night in advance or take night bus from Bangkok. When we arrive the pier, we headed to check in at ticket counter again to get boarding pass of ferry.
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At the pier, it had food restaurant, coffee shop, minimart and phone charger station for passenger.
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During waiting for our ferry, we spent time for our breakfast at restaurant and coffee shop. And, we had bought some snack at minimart as our supplies when we at the island. But don’t worry to stock up it much, because it had many shops and 7-Eleven at Koh Tao. The price is approx. 20% higher than mainland.
About noon, our feery was arrived from Koh Tao. After finished unload the passenger, the officers had prepared it and called us for baording on 12.45pm. We had to carry our luggage to the ferry by ourselves, no staff for luggage loading. I recommend to travel as lite-traveler becasue from terminal to boarding bridge was quite far.
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When all passengers was on-board, the ferry was departed on-time, 13.00am. The sea was rough on that date due to the rain just gone. Many passengers had seasick and vomitting. If you are prone to seasick or carsick, you can request plastic bag from the crew and cary with you during traveling.
The ferry took one and half hours to arrive first detination, Koh Nangyuan (Nangyuan Island, Thai Language : เกาะนางยวน) which is opposite Koh Tao. Then, it crossed the side to Koh Tao
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When we landed at Koh Tao, we waited to received our luggage and travel to our hotel what we booked in advanced. This trip we stayed at BLUE HEAVEN RESORT – KOH TAO which is the one of best view hotel in Koh Tao.
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When we safely arrive the hotel, we felt free to take a reat and refreshed ourselves for tomorrow activities. In overall, travelling to Koh Tao by flight and Lomprayah ferry is convenient, affordable and fast. This trip we spent air ticket for 890 THB (about 27.50 USD, included checked luggage 20 kg) and van + ferry ticket for 800 THB (25.00 USD). Total is 1,690 THB (52.50 USD) only (for one-way trip). This is one of interesting way from Bangkok to Koh Tao.
Finally, for return trip to Bangkok, we can also use ferry and flight like we travel here. But please check ferry and flight schedule carefully before booking. But we back to Bangkok by ferry and bus by Lomprayah because we did scuba diving one day before we back. Within 24 hours after scuba diving we cannot travel by flight. Lomprayah has their own bus travel from Chumphon to Bangkok which is able to connect from ferry at Lomprayah pier conveniently. We caught ferry from Koh Tao on 10.00am and arrive Lomprayah pier on 11.45am and the bus will depart from pier on 13.00pm and arrive Bangook (Khao San Road – Lomprayah Bangkok office) on 20.30pm.
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The bus of Lomprayah from Chumphon to Bangkok and interior atmosphere.
Shipy-Ship 