Koh Lanta Ferry Guide: Routes, Seasons and Tips

Featured image: Steven Belcher from Oakland, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Quick answer: the Koh Lanta ferry options

Two separate services share the name. Vehicle ferries sit on the road route, which runs from the Krabi mainland to Koh Lanta Noi and then across a short channel to Koh Lanta Yai. Passenger boats are a different product. They dock at Saladan Pier and link Koh Lanta with nearby islands and the mainland coast. Tourist season runs October to April, according to kolanta.net, and boat availability follows it. Koh Tao is not currently sold on Direct Ferries, so do not plan around that route. For the Krabi leg in detail, see Krabi to Koh Lanta transfers.

How the road route and vehicle ferries work

Most travelers who arrive by road cross water without noticing it is a "ferry" trip. Cars, vans and motorbikes roll on and off. Direct Ferries lists no operators taking cars from Saladan Pier, which fits the split: vehicles use the road-route crossings, while Saladan serves passenger boats. Koh Lanta Yai is about 25 km long and 3 km wide, so once you land, most resorts are a short drive from the pier area. Crossing times and waits are not supplied in our sources, so confirm them locally. A flight into Krabi works well for this route, and Krabi Airport is the nearest airport per kolanta.net. Our airport guide covers the details.

• Step 1: Reach the Krabi mainland by road, from the airport or town.
• Step 2: Drive on to Koh Lanta Noi.
• Step 3: Take the vehicle ferry crossing from Koh Lanta Noi to Koh Lanta Yai.
• Step 4: Continue toward the Saladan area and your resort.
• Verify the mainland pier name and the current crossing schedule before you set off.

Seasonal passenger boats: when they run and when they Don't

Passenger boats follow the weather. Direct Ferries states that schedules change seasonally. Peak season is October to April, with the most visitors from December to March. Green season runs May to October, and kolanta.net says daily rain then usually lasts only a few hours. Sea state matters more than rain for boats, so check the Thai Meteorological Department before a crossing. Our seasonal guide for Koh Lanta goes deeper on months.

• Peak season (October to April): expect the widest choice of passenger boats. Book ahead from December to March.
• Green season (May to October): some boats may stop or thin out. Fall back on the road route and vehicle ferries.
• Any month: treat published timetables as provisional and reconfirm with the operator.

Ferry routes from Koh Lanta to nearby islands

Direct Ferries lists sailings from Saladan Pier to many destinations. They include Koh Phi Phi (Tonsai Pier), Koh Mook, Koh Ngai, Phuket (Rassada Pier), Krabi and Langkawi. Across all those routes, it gives durations from 30 minutes to 7 hours 30 minutes. Its figure of roughly 45 sailings a day is an aggregate across routes and seasons, not a per-route promise. Individual route times are not supplied here. For island ideas, browse islands near Koh Lanta. If you are still choosing a base, compare Phi Phi and Koh Lanta.

Koh Lanta ferry route chooser

Pick by starting point and month. The table keeps trade-offs qualitative because no verified fares are available.

Cost, tickets and where to book

Our sources give no reliable Koh Lanta fares, so this page quotes none. Check the operator or pier directly, since aggregators such as Direct Ferries may show no result for local boats.

Timing, weather and holiday schedule changes

Direct Ferries says timetables may change on public holidays and in peak periods, so allow extra time. One aggregator advises arriving at least 30 minutes early at Mae Haad Pier on Koh Tao. No Lanta-specific figure exists in our sources, so ask your operator for its check-in time. Never book a flight too tightly after a boat leg. Rough seas can delay or cancel sailings. Rain days are a good moment to try rainy-day plans on Koh Lanta. From Bangkok, see Bangkok to Koh Lanta: Fastest & Cheapest Ways (2026) for the long-haul legs. Once you land at the pier, Getting Around Koh Lanta: Scooters, Songthaews & Costs covers onward transport.

Mistakes to avoid on a Koh Lanta ferry trip

Most problems come from mixing up the two services or leaving no slack. After you pick a route, return to our Koh Lanta planning hub to build the rest of the trip.

• Assuming one ferry does everything.
• Trusting aggregator results for local boats.
• Arriving at the last minute for the last boat.
• Leaving no buffer for sea conditions.
• Booking an onward flight right after a ferry leg.