Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport Information
Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport (NST)
Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport, IATA code NST, serves Nakhon Si Thammarat city and the wider province on Thailand's Gulf coast, including the Khanom district further north. Travellers sometimes search for it as "Khanom Airport" because it is the closest airport to Khanom's beaches and pier, even though the terminal itself sits near Nakhon Si Thammarat city, not in Khanom.
The airport is a domestic-only gateway, with scheduled flights connecting to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. It has no on-site ferry terminal, so anyone continuing on to the Gulf islands needs to transfer by road first.
Where to meet your transfer at Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport
Pick-ups are handled in the arrivals area of the terminal, which is small and easy to navigate on foot. Look for a driver or operator representative holding a name or company board after you collect your bags.
Facilities at the airport include onboard facilities. Because the terminal is compact, it is worth arranging your onward travel before you land rather than looking for options on arrival.
Routes and operators from Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport
Onward services from the airport are run by Lomprayah High Speed Ferries Co., Ltd. and reach 4 destinations. You can book a straight-through ticket to the coast on the Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport to Surat Thani route, or a combined road-and-boat ticket to the islands via Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport to Koh Samui, Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport to Koh Phangan or Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport to Koh Tao.
Return legs are sold separately, so book the Koh Samui to Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport or Koh Phangan to Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport direction when you plan your flight home.
Connecting to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao
Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport is not on the coast, so travellers heading to the islands transfer overland to a ferry pier before boarding a boat. The two main options are:
- Surat Thani town and Don Sak Pier, the principal gateway for ferries from Surat Thani to Koh Samui, the Don Sak to Koh Phangan ferry route, and boats from Surat Thani to Koh Tao
- Khanom Pier, further north, which also serves boats to Koh Tao and can be a shorter transfer for travellers arriving specifically for Khanom or the northern islands
Transfer distance and journey time to either pier depend on traffic and the exact route taken, so we recommend confirming current transfer options and timings when you book your onward ferry. Check the Koh Samui ferry schedules, Koh Phangan ferry connections, or Koh Tao ferry timetables for live departure times and operators from each pier.
Check-in and boarding notes
Combined tickets are timed around flight arrivals, so give the operator your flight number when you book and allow a buffer for delays or slow baggage. Have your booking confirmation ready on your phone or printed, and be at the meeting point at the time shown on your ticket — road services leave on schedule to make the boat connection at the pier.
Luggage allowances, seat assignment and any pier check-in cut-off are set by the operator and shown on your booking, so read those conditions before you travel.
Things to see near Nakhon Si Thammarat
Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan
This is the province's most important temple and one of the oldest in southern Thailand. Its tall central chedi, said to enshrine relics of the Buddha, has made the temple a major pilgrimage site for centuries and remains the city's best-known landmark.
The old city walls
Sections of Nakhon Si Thammarat's historic fortifications still stand near the city centre. Built to defend the town during its time as a regional power under the Ayutthaya kingdom, the surviving walls and gates offer a glimpse of the city's long history as a trading and administrative centre on the Gulf coast.
Yamada Nagamasa
Yamada Nagamasa was a 17th-century Japanese adventurer who rose to become governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat under King Songtham of Ayutthaya, commanding a corps of Japanese soldiers in the kingdom's service before his death around 1630. He is remembered locally with a monument in the city and remains a notable figure in Nakhon Si Thammarat's history, though he is a historical rather than a present-day figure.
Planning your trip from NST
If your journey continues to the islands, book your onward ferry in advance to match your flight arrival time, since the transfer from Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport to Surat Thani, Don Sak, or Khanom adds travel time before you reach the pier. Compare routes and operators on the Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao route pages to find the ferry connection that best fits your flight schedule.
Enter your travel date to see live departures, operators and prices for your connection, then search availability and book your seat from Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport.
Facilities
Getting to the pier
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Operators
About {operator_name}
Lomprayah High Speed Ferries Co., Ltd is a Thai ferry operator running catamaran services in the Gulf of Thailand and on the Andaman coast. The company is best known for connecting the mainland pier at Chumphon with the islands of Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui, and for its combined bus-and-boat tickets from Bangkok. Use the live schedule and fare search above for current departure times, ticket types, and prices on your chosen date.
{operator_name} is based in Bangkok, Thailand, and currently offers {routes_count} bookable routes across {destinations_served} destinations, including Bangkok, Chumphon, Chumphon Train Station, Donsak, Hua Hin and Khao Sok National Park.
Chumphon: the main hub for Gulf of Thailand routes
Chumphon is Lomprayah's key transfer point for travelers heading to the Gulf islands. Most passengers arrive at Chumphon by train, bus, or private transfer, then connect onto a Lomprayah catamaran bound for Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, or Koh Samui. Because Chumphon sits closer to these islands than other mainland piers, it generally offers a shorter crossing time than routes departing further south.
Lomprayah also sells combined tickets from Bangkok that bundle an air-conditioned coach transfer to Chumphon with the onward ferry leg, so you can book the full Bangkok-to-island journey as a single ticket rather than arranging each stage separately. Check the route options above to see which combined tickets are available for your travel date.
Popular starting points include Chumphon to Koh Tao, Chumphon to Koh Phangan and Chumphon to Koh Samui.
Connecting points on the mainland
Several mainland stops feed into the network. Chumphon Train Station links overnight rail arrivals to the pier, while Hua Hin serves travelers breaking the journey south from Bangkok. Donsak is a mainland ferry port on the Gulf coast, and Khao Sok National Park connects inland travel plans with the island network.
Routes between Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui
Beyond the mainland connection, Lomprayah's catamarans also run directly between the three islands, making it possible to island-hop without returning to the mainland first. Typical inter-island routes link:
- Koh Tao to Koh Phangan
- Koh Phangan to Koh Samui
- Koh Tao to Koh Samui
Exact journey times and departure frequencies vary by season and route, so confirm the current timetable before booking.
Through-tickets from Bangkok
If you are starting in the capital, compare through-services such as Bangkok to Koh Tao, Bangkok to Koh Phangan and Bangkok to Koh Samui to see the combinations available on your date.
Andaman Sea routes
On Thailand's west coast, Lomprayah also operates services linking Krabi with islands further south, using Pak Bara pier as a mainland connection point. If you're planning travel on the Andaman side, check the relevant route page for current pier information and connection details, since these differ from the Gulf of Thailand network described above.
Fleet and onboard comfort
Lomprayah runs high-speed catamarans, a hull design that gives a more stable ride than traditional single-hulled boats, particularly useful during the choppier weather of the rainy season. Onboard, seating is arranged in rows with air conditioning, and most boats have a cozy indoor cabin as well as open-air deck space for passengers who prefer to be outside during the crossing.
The exact {vehicle_type} assigned to your journey is shown with each departure in the search results, along with the seat class on offer.
Service standards
Departures run to a published timetable with a check-in cutoff at the pier, and staff handle boarding and luggage loading at each stage of a combined journey. Where a ticket includes more than one leg, the connection is scheduled as part of the same booking. Weather and sea conditions in the Gulf and Andaman can affect sailings, so confirm your departure on the day of travel.
Booking tips
- Book ahead during high season (December to April) and around Thai public holidays, when island-bound routes sell out faster.
- If you're traveling from Bangkok, compare the combined bus-and-ferry ticket against booking each leg separately, since the combined option is usually simpler to manage.
- Arrive at the pier with enough buffer before departure, as check-in cutoff times apply and boats depart on schedule.
- Review baggage allowances and any luggage fees at checkout before you confirm your booking.
Book with Lomprayah High Speed Ferries
For step-by-step guidance on choosing a route, use the search tool above to compare Lomprayah departures alongside other operators serving Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui. Review operator information for {operator_name}, then enter your date and passenger numbers to see live availability and confirm your booking.
