Koh Samui to Koh Phangan with your scooter (2026)
You can take a scooter from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan, but not on every boat and not always with your rental shop's blessing. This page covers which piers to go to, what to sort out before you leave, what it roughly costs, and when it is simpler to leave the bike on Samui and rent another one on Phangan.
Colour — all the routes on this site (list under the Routes button on the map), faint — every road I have ridden. GPX works in Maps.me, Organic Maps, OsmAnd, Garmin.
Which boats take a scooter, and from which pier
There are two kinds of boat to Phangan. Fast passenger boats (speedboats and catamarans) take people and luggage. Slower car ferries take cars, trucks and scooters. For a samui phangan ferry with a motorbike you want the car ferry.
- Lipa Noi (west coast). The only vehicle option is Raja Ferry from Lipa Noi pier — check at the Raja ticket office whether it runs to Thong Sala that day. Nathon is for passenger boats to the mainland.
- Bangrak (north-east, near Big Buddha). Fast passenger boats do not carry motorbikes.
- Maenam (north coast). Fast passenger boats do not carry motorbikes.
Schedules change with the season and the weather. Check departure times at the pier or with your hotel the day before, and arrive early, because vehicles load before foot passengers.
Before you leave: the rental shop
Ask the shop directly and get a yes in writing, even just a message in the chat. Then check these points:
- Does the shop's damage or theft cover still apply on Phangan? See scooter insurance for what to ask.
- Who pays if the bike breaks down there? Does the shop have anyone on Phangan?
- Do you need to extend the rental to cover a missed or cancelled ferry back?
Your licence rules do not change on Phangan. For a tourist stay of up to about three months, carry your national motorcycle licence together with a 1949 IDP showing category A, and wear a helmet. Longer stays need a Thai licence. See riding without a licence for what that risks.
Getting to the pier and what it costs
From Chaweng to Lipa Noi you cross the island or go round it on the 4169. The pier is about 23 km from central Chaweng along my track; allow roughly 35–45 minutes of riding at a relaxed pace. It is a stop on my south-west route. From Bophut or Maenam you are closer, and the north coast route takes you past Maenam and on to Nathon.
| Car ferry, you plus scooter | Ask Raja for the combined passenger and scooter fare when confirming the sailing |
|---|---|
| Scooter rental on Phangan, 125cc | Roughly 160–300 baht a day |
| Licence and helmet fines | Not carrying a licence: up to 1,000 baht. No helmet: up to 2,000 baht; the rider can face up to 4,000 baht if the passenger has no helmet. |
All of these change. Check prices locally at the ticket desk and the shop. Fuel up before the pier.
Is it worth it, or rent on Phangan?
My honest answer is that for most people it is easier to leave the scooter on Samui and rent on Phangan. Phangan has its own rental shops near the piers. The fast passenger boats take about 20–30 minutes. You also avoid the question of whether your Samui insurance and contract cover the trip.
Taking your own bike makes sense when:
- you are staying on Phangan several days and already trust this scooter's brakes and tyres;
- you rent long-term on Samui and the shop is fine with it;
- you want to arrive and ride straight off without hunting for a rental in the evening.
For a day trip, I would compare the confirmed ferry timetable and total fare with the cost of renting on Phangan before deciding. This site does not map Phangan's roads, so ride them carefully. Expect hills, and do not count on lighting at night. The general advice in rain and night riding applies there too.
Questions
Can I take a rented scooter from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan?
Physically yes, on the car ferry. Contractually, only if your rental shop agrees. Many shops limit the bike to Samui, so ask first and get the answer in writing.
Which pier on Samui has the ferry that takes motorbikes?
The only vehicle option is Raja Ferry from Lipa Noi pier — check at the Raja ticket office whether it runs to Thong Sala that day. Fast passenger boats from Bangrak and Maenam do not carry motorbikes.
How much does the Samui–Phangan ferry cost with a scooter?
Ask the Raja ticket office for the combined passenger and scooter fare when confirming whether the service to Thong Sala runs that day.
Is it cheaper to rent a scooter on Phangan instead?
For a day trip, I would usually rent on Phangan for simplicity. A 125cc automatic costs roughly 160–300 baht a day; compare that with Raja's quoted fare. Passenger boats take about 20–30 minutes.
Anton A.
I live on Koh Samui and have been riding the island for several years. Every road on these maps I rode myself — the track is a real GPS log. Spotted an error? Message me on Telegram: @abrameicev