Getting Around Thailand

What's the best way to get around?

Lanterns in Chiang Mai one weekend, a beach stage in Pattaya the next: getting around Thailand for a festival is simpler than it looks. Fly the long trips and drive the short ones. Chiang Mai, Phuket and Koh Samui are short flights from Bangkok, Pattaya and Khao Yai are a road trip with no flights at all, and Koh Phangan always ends on a boat.

Each route below gives the fastest way and the festival it's best for. First festival trip? Tanner's pick is Yi Peng in Chiang Mai, then down to Pattaya for the fireworks.

Ask Tanner which route fits your festival.

Plane, train, bus or boat?

Thailand transportation comes down to four choices: plane, train, bus or boat. For speed, the plane wins on every long route. The train and the bus cost less but take most of a day. Boats are the only way onto the islands.

• Plane: the quickest way to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Koh Samui.
• Train: the overnight sleeper to Chiang Mai lets you sleep on the way and wake up in the north. There's no train to Phuket.
• Bus: the cheapest way. Bus 389 runs from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Jomtien, 06:00 to 22:00.
• Boat: a short ferry or speedboat ride takes you from Koh Samui across to Koh Phangan.
• Your own van: door to door, on your own clock, for Pattaya, Khao Yai and the festival gates.

Ask Tanner which mix suits your trip.

Which city is best for your group

Getting around Thailand: every festival route from Bangkok

How do you get around Thailand once you land?

How to get around Thailand once you land depends on the town, but every festival city has a cheap ride from the airport and a private one.

• Before you fly: fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 3 days before you land. Forgot? Kiosks at the airport take it on arrival.
• Phuket: Patong is about 40 km from the airport, about an hour by road.
• Pattaya: bus 389 runs from Suvarnabhumi to Jomtien, 06:00 to 22:00.
• Your own van: a luxury van with a driver meets you at arrivals and waits at the festival gate.

Ask Tanner to have the car at arrivals when you land.

What's the quickest ride to Pattaya?

Bangkok to Pattaya is a road trip, and the road is the fastest way: there's no flight. Take your own van door to door, or bus 389 from Suvarnabhumi to Jomtien.

It's the route for Wonderfruit (3 to 7 December 2026) and Tomorrowland Thailand (11 to 13 December 2026). The party van takes up to 10 friends door to door. Read Bangkok to Pattaya for every option.

Ask Tanner for the party van on festival day.

How do you drive to Khao Yai?

Bangkok to Khao Yai is a road trip: there's no flight, so you drive out to the Pak Chong side and the hills open up around you.

It's the route for Big Mountain, on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December 2026 at Farm Chokchai 3, with doors at noon. Read Bangkok to Khao Yai for the best time to leave.

Ask Tanner for a driver who waits at the gate.

Fly or take the night train to Chiang Mai?

Bangkok to Chiang Mai is quickest by air, a short hop north. The night train is the fun way: the sleeper leaves Bangkok in the evening and pulls into Chiang Mai the next morning.

It's the route for Yi Peng and Songkran. Yi Peng is on 23 to 25 November 2026, and Songkran is on 13 to 15 April 2027. Read Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

Ask Tanner to hold your Yi Peng flights early.

How fast is the flight to Phuket?

Bangkok to Phuket is quickest by air: a short direct flight from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang. There's no train. From Phuket Airport, Patong is about 40 km, about an hour by road.

It's the route for EDC Thailand, 18 to 20 December 2026, and for the Phuket countdown on 31 December. Read Bangkok to Phuket.

Ask Tanner for a car waiting at Phuket arrivals.

Fly or take the ferry to Koh Samui?

Bangkok to Koh Samui is quickest by air, with direct flights from Suvarnabhumi. On a budget, go via Surat Thani and take the ferry across to the island.

Samui is the easy base for the Full Moon Party: your own speedboat crosses to Haad Rin and brings you back when you choose. Read Bangkok to Koh Samui.

Ask Tanner for your own Full Moon boat.

How do you get to Koh Phangan?

Every way to Koh Phangan ends on a boat. The most direct is to fly to Koh Samui and take the ferry or speedboat across. No flights? Take a bus-and-boat ticket from Bangkok, or the sleeper train to Surat Thani and a ferry from there.

The next Full Moon nights are 24 November, 24 December and the 31 December countdown, 2026. Read Getting to Koh Phangan for the piers and the party-night boats.

Already on Samui? Read Koh Samui to Koh Phangan for the piers, the boats and Full Moon night.

Ask Tanner to book the crossing for party night.

Which Bangkok airport should you use?

Which Bangkok airport you want depends on where the festival is. Suvarnabhumi is best for Koh Samui and for the drive to Pattaya or Khao Yai. Phuket and Chiang Mai flights leave from both airports.

• Suvarnabhumi: the direct flight to Koh Samui, bus 389 to Pattaya, and the start of the drive to Pattaya or Khao Yai.
• Don Mueang: flights to Surat Thani for the Samui ferry.
• Both: flights to Phuket and Chiang Mai.

Either airport works for arrival: airport fast track at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang, ฿2,400 a person: a greeter meets you at the gate and walks you through the fast immigration lane.

Ask Tanner to book it with your flights.

How do you move between festivals?

Moving between festivals in Thailand is easy because the big ones sit close together on the calendar. Plan the order, then book one base for each stretch.

• Yi Peng to Pattaya: Yi Peng ends in Chiang Mai on 25 November 2026, and the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival lights up Pattaya Beach on 27 and 28 November. Fly back to Bangkok, then drive.
• Wonderfruit to Tomorrowland: they're a week apart near Pattaya, so one Pattaya pool villa covers both.
• Tomorrowland and Big Mountain: the same weekend, with Tomorrowland on 11 to 13 December and Big Mountain on 12 and 13 December. Tanner plans the drive between Pattaya and Khao Yai.
• EDC to New Year: fly south for EDC Thailand on 18 to 20 December, then stay on in Phuket for the countdown on 31 December.

Ask Tanner to string your festivals together.

Want it all handled privately?

The private way is a driver at the airport, your own van to the festival gate, and a boat on your own clock. Tanner books the parts you need, and the table shows what each one costs.

Plan it with Tanner, and bring the festival, your dates and the size of your group.

What's the short version?

• Fly to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Koh Samui; drive to Pattaya and Khao Yai.

• Koh Phangan: fly to Samui, then a short boat across.
• Suvarnabhumi for Samui and the Pattaya drive; Phuket and Chiang Mai fly from both airports.
• December stacks Wonderfruit, Tomorrowland, Big Mountain and EDC inside 18 days.
• Yi Peng in Chiang Mai runs 23 to 25 November 2026.
• Checked November 2026.

Plan it with Tanner.