This is how you take the speedboat ferry from Hat Yao (Trang) to the lovely Thai island of Koh Lipe!

Hat Yao is a small port, but in some cases, a smart place to board if you're heading to Koh Lipe! For example, it’s a convenient departure point for travelers coming from the popular Khao Sok area to Koh Lipe, the other option would be Pak Bara Pier, which is a longer drive to the south. It is a shorter crossing.

You can take a taxi or minivan early in the morning from Khao Sok to Hat Yao Pier (a ride of about 4 hours and 15 minutes), after which you board the ferry around noon. If there are no major delays, you'll arrive just in time for check-in at your accommodation on Koh Lipe. But quite frankly in our experience: delays are common 🙂

That said, no matter where you're coming from, Hat Yao Pier is a nice and small place to start your crossing, which doesn’t take too long.

Here’s what you can roughly expect from this crossing:

Hat Yao Pier in Trang mainly functions as a port for boats to Ko Libong, and the number of travelers boarding here for Ko Lipe is very limited. Tigerline only makes a brief stop here for a few passengers. As a result, everything is not very well signposted, and the check-in takes place in a small shop at the pier. We found this out when the friendly lady from the shop called out to us.

It’s quite common for the speedboats to be delayed, and in our (both) cases, we had to wait about 45 minutes to an hour longer for the boat to arrive. We passed the time at a small restaurant by the harbor, where we watched trumpetfish swim by.

As the expected departure time approached, we walked to the pier, and not long after, the speedboat appeared. From the outside, you can’t really tell how many people fit inside, but the boat was quite full of backpackers.

In just under three months, two members of our (Ferrygogo) team made this crossing in Thailand from Hat Yao to Koh Lipe. Jan Willem’s experience was completely different; he was on a smaller speedboat of max 20 pax – and faced rougher seas, so he bounced his way from Hat Yao Pier to Koh Lipe in an hour and a half. We were enjoying ourselves, but some of the other people on the speedboat were turning grey from seasickness.

Jelle, on the other hand, had a calm and smooth crossing on a somewhat bigger boat. In his experience the speedboat initially seemed like a fun ride (especially since we were traveling with children), but the crossing turned out to be rather dull and purely functional. So it's a good idea to bring something to read. The 3 or 4 engines (depending on which boat you get) are quite loud, so earplugs for the kids are recommended, especially if you're sitting at the back.

Arrival in Koh Lipe

Arriving on Koh Lipe is a fantastic experience! Often referred to as the “Maldives of Thailand,” it's easy to see why the moment you step off the boat. You disembark right onto the beach, greeted by turquoise waters and soft white sand. Just note that you'll need to pay a small entrance fee for the national park, as Koh Lipe is part of a protected area. See the photo below.

Our takeaways on this crossing

• The experience of your trip largely depends on the type of speedboat and the sea conditions.
• For crossings from Hat Yao Pier to Koh Lipe, you'll be traveling by speedboat—either small or large.
• Things can feel a bit less organized compared to larger ports, but that's part of the charm here. Everything is smaller in scale, even the piers, which are often made of floating plastic drums.
• Earplugs can come in handy, especially if you're sitting near the engines.
• Bring some small cash with you for the national park entrance fee upon arrival.
• Once you arrive, it's a good idea to take a scooter taxi to your hotel or accommodation. Even though Koh Lipe is a small island, walking with luggage through the busy, often hot streets isn’t the most comfortable option – as we learned from experience.
• For more details visit our dedicated Koh Lipe ferry info page.
• Go see the beach close to Zodiac Beach club.