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All you need to know to visit Surat Thani
สุราษฎร์ธานี
Southern Thailand
530 km from Bangkok
Province of Surat Thani
Southern Thailand
530 km from Bangkok
Province of Surat Thani
Budget
Recomm. stay
0 à 1 jour
Visits
Practical guide to go and visit Surat Thani
Surat Thani is especially known for being the gate to Koh Samui and its neighboring islands Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Although it is possible to reach the islands from the city of Chumphon, hundred miles upper in North. It is also faster and more convenient from Bangkok, when you want to go to Koh Tao to take the boat to Chumphon. With an airport, the city has few tourist attractions. It has several piers, the best known and the most active is Donsak 75 km from Surat Thani from where ferries leave every hour in high season (November-March). But it is also possible to take a baot from Ta Tong (5 km from Surat Thani) with Songserm or take the very slow overnight ferry from Ban Dao in the center of the city.
Accommodations in Surat Thani
Surat Thani and its dishonest travel agencies is not a city where we really like to stay. In general, travelers don't stop to sleep here and for once we will not try to convince you that it is a shame not to spend the night in Surat Thani. The city is not very interesting or welcoming to foreign tourists. Quality and cheap hotels and guesthouses are not very numerous. But if you have to sleep in Surat Thani waiting for your ferry to the islands or your bus to Phang Nga, Phuket or Krabi, here are some addresses.Find accommodation in Surat Thani
Practical information about Surat Thani
If the city itself is not that interesting, many travelers come back from Thailand with a bad image of Surat Thani because they got scammed by a local travel agency. When you buy a bus + ferry formula from Koh Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao, you first have a big risk to have some valuable things stolen from your luggage in the bus during the ferry trip and then to get scammed by the travel agency during your transit time in Surat Thani. Most of agencies in Surat Thani are dishonest and will try to make you pay more by inventing any false reason (the bus does not go where you want or is not circuilating today or is very late but you can take another one if you pay off course...).A interesting way to come to Surat Thani from Bangkok is to take the night train. It is quite a advendture but book your sleeper in advance to be sure to get one. You can book online on this website.
How to go to Surat Thani ?
To go to Surat Thani, you can take the plane, the train or the bus. VIP or public buses leave regularly from Southern Bus Terminal of Bangkok (Sai Tai Mai). The journey by train is very long but we recommend you to take a sleeper in a night train. The atmosphere of night trains in Thailand is great ! But be sure to book in advance to get your sleeper. You can buy tickets online on this website. From Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Koh Samui islands, you can reach Surat Thani by ferry or boat (be carefull valuable things are often stolen from the luggage in the bus during the ferry trip).Festivals in Surat Thani ?
Here is a list of the main festivals taking place every year in Surat Thani. I mention their dates as soon as they are official on Thai Festivals page.
Surat Thani Chak Phra Festival and Boat Races
This festival generally takes place in the month of October
Plus d'infos sur Surat Thani Chak Phra Festival and Boat Races
Weather & climate in Surat Thani
Surat Thani has a tropical savanna climate. Temperatures are fairly stable throughout the year, although the pre-monsoon months (March-May) are ga little warmer. There is a short dry season from January to April, followed by the rainy season from May to December. The strongest rains occur in October and November.The best time to come to Surat Thani is from January to April. November is particularly rainy and therefore not a good time to come to Surat Thani.
How to ask in Thai to go to Surat Thani ?
I want to go to Surat Thani / Yak paï ti Surat Thani.Where is Surat Thani ? / Surat Thani you ti naï ?
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