Hat Yai to Koh Lipe
In short
Hat Yai to Koh Lipe takes about 4 hours: the road to Pak Bara, then the speedboat across.
Every way there, side by side
- Time
- About 4 hours
- How often
- Morning and early-afternoon boats
- Booking
- Lowest cost
- Fare
- From ฿950 (Bundhaya)
Best by group size
Up to 4
- Best way:
- A luxury van for up to 4, Hat Yai airport to Pak Bara pier
Up to 10
- Best way:
- A party van for up to 10 with the bags, quoted
20 and more
- Best way:
- A coach for 20 and more to the pier, quoted
The fastest way and the easiest way
Your own van to Pak Bara is the easiest: it meets the flight, it's timed to the speedboat, and the bags go on once.
Joint van-and-boat tickets from the airport cost less and run on fixed times. Ask Tanner which suits your flight.
Joint van and speedboat
- Time:
- About 4 hours in all
- From:
- Hat Yai airport or town
- Best for:
- Lowest cost
Private taxi, then the boat
- Time:
- About 2.5 hours, then about 1 hour 30 minutes
- From:
- Anywhere in Hat Yai
- Best for:
- Your time
Our luxury van, then the boat
- Time:
- About 2.5 hours to the pier
- From:
- Hat Yai airport
- Best for:
- The easiest: up to 4, from ฿6,500 for 10 hours
When do the boats to Koh Lipe leave?
The Hat Yai to Koh Lipe ferry is really a speedboat from Pak Bara, 63 km out to the island. Boats leave from the morning to early afternoon, more of them in high season, 16 October to 31 May. The direct boat takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, from ฿700, Bundhaya's route list shows.
Insider tip: timetables differ by operator, so check the last boat on the day. A late flight can mean a night in Pak Bara.
Ask Tanner to book the boat that fits your landing time.
AI- about 4 hours from Hat Yai airport
- about 153 km to Pak Bara, about 2.5 hours
- about 1 hour 30 minutes direct from Pak Bara, from ฿700
- Tarutao, ฿200 an adult, ฿100 a child, plus a ฿20 pier fee, cash
High season or low season?
The best months are December to April (checked October 2026). Ferries from Langkawi run from 15 October to late May, and from late May to mid-October only the Pak Bara route runs, where the crossing can be rough.
There's no pier for big boats: they stop at floating platforms off Pattaya Beach and a longtail takes you in, and in the rainy season landings are often on the Sunrise Beach side.
Ask Tanner which weeks suit the group.
December to April
- What runs:
- The best months; several Pak Bara boats a day
15 October to late May
- What runs:
- Langkawi ferries run as well as Pak Bara
Late May to mid-October
- What runs:
- Pak Bara only, fewer boats; the sea can be rough
How far is Pak Bara from Hat Yai?
Hat Yai to Pak Bara Pier is about 153 km, about two and a half hours from Hat Yai airport by road. The Hat Yai to Koh Lipe bus most people mean is a joint van: Bundhaya's van and boat takes about 4 hours from Hat Yai airport and about 4 hours 30 minutes from town, from ฿950.
Your own van leaves when you land. Tanner's pick: the first flight into Hat Yai and a late-morning boat, so you're on Lipe by mid-afternoon. See every route on Getting around Thailand.
Ask Tanner to have the van at arrivals.
How much is the ferry to Koh Lipe?
The Pak Bara speedboat is a separate fare from the van. The Tarutao National Park fee and a ฿20 pier fee are paid on top, in cash at Pak Bara, Ploy Siam's travel page says.
Keep some baht handy. Ask Tanner for one price for the van and the boat.
Speedboat, Pak Bara to Lipe
- Price:
- From ฿700 (Bundhaya)
- How you pay:
- Ticket
Van and speedboat from Hat Yai (Bundhaya)
- Price:
- From ฿950
- How you pay:
- Ticket
Tarutao National Park fee
- Price:
- ฿200 an adult, ฿100 a child
- How you pay:
- Cash
Pak Bara pier fee
- Price:
- ฿20
- How you pay:
- Cash
Longtail from the platform to the beach
- Price:
- Check on the boat
- How you pay:
- Some tickets include it
Is Ko Lipe a party island?
Not a big one. It's small and relaxed, with beach bars for sunset, and quieter than Phi Phi or Koh Phangan.
For a big party, pair Lipe with Phi Phi or Koh Phangan. See our Koh Lipe guide and the Hat Yai nightlife guide, and ask Tanner to plan both.
Hat Yai to Koh Lipe in short
- The Hat Yai to Koh Lipe trip is two legs: about 2.5 hours by road to Pak Bara, then the speedboat.
- The speedboat takes about 1 hour 30 minutes direct, longer if it stops at Tarutao.
- Boats leave Pak Bara from the morning to early afternoon; check the last boat on the day.
- Best months: December to April; from late May to mid-October only the Pak Bara boat runs.
- The Tarutao park fee is paid in cash.
- For a group: your own van from Hat Yai airport, timed to the boat. See Hat Yai.
Checked November 2026.
Before you travel
Book the boat that fits your landing time
Speedboats leave Pak Bara pier, about 2.5 hours by road
Boats run morning to early afternoon: check the last one
Bring cash for the Tarutao park fee and the pier fee
Big boats stop offshore; a longtail takes you in
No alcohol at public piers or on scheduled boats
The alcohol ban at public piers and on scheduled boats runs from 12 May 2026.
Checked Nov 2026
Tanner's offer
Timed to the speedboat
Your van meets the flight at Hat Yai and has the group at Pak Bara pier before the boat leaves.
See the private option →
Written by Tanner Altman · Updated 7 November 2026
Questions
Questions about Hat Yai to Koh Lipe
How much is the ferry to Koh Lipe?
From ฿700 for the Pak Bara speedboat, or from ฿950 for Bundhaya's van and boat from Hat Yai, plus the ฿20 pier fee and the Tarutao park fee, paid in cash at Pak Bara.
How long is the trip to Koh Lipe?
About 4 hours from Hat Yai airport: about 2.5 hours by road to Pak Bara, then about 1 hour 30 minutes by direct speedboat. From Hat Yai town, allow about 4 hours 30 minutes.
Is Ko Lipe a party island?
It's a relaxed island with beach bars for sunset, not a big party island. For bigger nights, pair it with Phi Phi or Koh Phangan, a flight and a boat away.
What is the Koh Lipe park fee?
Tarutao National Park charges foreign visitors ฿200 an adult and ฿100 a child, paid in cash at Pak Bara pier with a ฿20 pier fee; neither is in the boat ticket.
When do the most boats run to Koh Lipe?
December to April are the best months, with several Pak Bara boats a day in high season. From June to mid-October, in the green season, fewer boats run and the sea can be rough.
Can we book a van from Hat Yai airport to Pak Bara?
Yes. Our luxury van for up to 4 is from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, and a party van for up to 10 is quoted. It meets the flight and runs straight to Pak Bara, timed to the boat.
What time is the last boat to Koh Lipe?
Boats leave Pak Bara from the morning to early afternoon, and timetables differ by operator, so check the last boat on the day. Land at Hat Yai in the morning to be safe.
Which pier do boats to Koh Lipe leave from?
Pak Bara pier in Satun, about 153 km by road from Hat Yai airport, about two and a half hours. Pay the ฿20 pier fee and the park fee there, in cash.
How far is Hat Yai from Koh Lipe?
About 153 km by road to Pak Bara, then 63 km by speedboat: about four hours in all from Hat Yai airport, and about 4 hours 30 minutes from Hat Yai town.
When should you avoid Koh Lipe?
From June to mid-October, the green season, when fewer Pak Bara boats run and the crossing can be rough. December to April is the calm, busy season.
Can you get to Koh Lipe from Langkawi?
Yes, from 15 October to late May, about 90 minutes by ferry, with Thai immigration on Pattaya Beach. Malaysia's clock is an hour ahead of Thailand's.
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Last checked 7 November 2026
Sources
Credits: top photo by Photo: VascoPlanet World Photography / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.