Boat and Ferry Travel

Boats depart from the mainland to the islands from Chumphon and Surat Thani. High-speed catamarans, regular passenger ferries, and "slow boats," which are car ferries, make these trips. The main boat operators are Lomprayah, Seatran, Songserm, and Raja.

Don't take the chance of traveling on rickety or overcrowded boats. Because of lax safety standards, dangerously crowded boats are all too common. Ensure that life jackets are available and that the crew takes safety seriously. Responsible companies—and there are many—keep safety concerns front and center.

Contacts

Lomprayah. 02/629–2569; 02/629–2570; 077/427765; 077/456176; www.lomprayah.com.

Raja Ferry. 077/471151; 077/377452; www.rajaferryport.com.

Seatran Ferry & Express. 02/240–2582; 077/275060; 077/426000; 077/238679; www.seatranferry.com.

Songserm. 02/280–8073; 077/377704; 077/420157; www.songserm-expressboat.com.