Overview Compare via Telaga Harbour via Kuah Jetty via Satun
How to get from Koh Lipe to Langkawi
Langkawi, located off the northwest coast of Malaysia, is an archipelago of 99 islands.
Surrounded by turquoise waters, its biggest island (also called Langkawi) is made up of white-sand beaches that border the lush jungles in the middle. Dotted in between are busy towns filled with locals, tourists, and of course, the duty-free outlets Langkawi is well-known for.
Far from a quiet retreat, Langkawi does still offer some natural wonders and vibrant diving spots.
It’s an ideal place to go island-hopping, submerge yourself in waterfalls and get lost in the rice fields. All of which can be seen from the Langkawi Sky Bridge. A little tip though, go early in the morning or you’ll be sharing this view with lots of other tourists!
Ferries from Koh Lipe to Langkawi
There are 3 ways to travel the 40 km from Koh Lipe to Langkawi: by a 2.5 hour ferry to Kuah Jetty; a 2-hour ferry to Telaga Harbour; or a 4.5-hour ferry via Satun. Fares range from $36.50 to $39.
Telaga Harbour is closest to the main tourist area of Pantai Cenang in Langkawi and on the side closest to Koh Lipe, which is why we prefer this option. You’ll be able to save on time and a taxi fare! Fares start from $39.
Kuah Jetty is Langkawi’s main ferry terminal, but it’s located 20 km away from the main tourist area. Rates start from $37 for the 2.5-hour journey.
During the low season (June to October), there may be fewer direct ferries operating the Koh Lipe to Langkawi route. Another option you can consider is to take a longer 4.5-hour journey via Satun. You’ll have to take a ferry from Koh Lipe to Pak Bara and then transfer to another ferry from Satun to Langkawi. Rates start from $36.50.
Whichever option you choose to take, keep in mind that you will be crossing a timezone. Langkawi is one hour ahead of Koh Lipe.
Customs & Immigration
Much like taking the plane, travelling by ferry from Koh Lipe to Langkawi requires you to check-in for customs and immigration in both ports.
Customs in Koh Lipe
The customs and immigration office in Koh Lipe is located at either Pattaya Beach (high season) or Sunset Beach (low season). Make sure you arrive around 90 minutes before your ferry departure as you would when taking a flight.
Prepare your luggage for checking and give your passport to the immigration officers. Passport processing can sometimes take a while. To pass the time, you can wait in a nearby cafe until your name is called.
When your ferry is ready, you will be picked up by a water taxi from the beach. This will take you to the floating dock, where you can board your ferry. A water taxi ride costs around 50 THB ($1.60).
Then off you go to Langkawi in Malaysia!
Customs in Langkawi
Customs and immigration offices are at both Langkawi entry points, Kuah Jetty and Telaga Harbour. Processing is normally quick and easy. You won’t need to fill anything out and a visa is not required for most nationalities. To avoid delays, check beforehand to see if you do need a visa to enter Malaysia.
Once done with immigration, you can proceed to your destination in Langkawi.
Koh Lipe to Langkawi (Telaga Harbour) by Ferry
Compared to Kuah Jetty, Telaga Harbour is nearer to both Koh Lipe and Langkawi’s tourist hub of Pantai Cenang.
Jumping Frog and Satun Pakbara are the two companies operating this route. Travel time is 2 hours for a standard ferry and 1.5 hours if you take a speedboat. Fares start from 1,000 THB ($28.00) when you book with BookAway.
Ferry schedules from Koh Lipe to Langkawi’s Telaga Harbour
The ferries dock at Telaga Harbour, located 15 km north of Pantai Cenang. The taxi is your only option to reach your hotel. Travel time is around 20 minutes and fares for a private ride start from 30 MYR ($6.50).
If you’re alone and travelling on a budget, you can also try looking around for shared taxis. They are normally available around Langkawi’s ports.
Koh Lipe to Langkawi (Kuah Jetty) by Ferry
Kuah Jetty is Langkawi’s main ferry terminal. It is the docking port not just for ferries from Koh Lipe, but also from Penang and Kuala Perlis.
You can choose from 2 ferry companies when travelling from Koh Lipe to Kuah Jetty. These are Bundhaya Speedboat and Jumping Frog Travel. A ticket costs 880 THB ($24.50) when you book via BookAway. Travel time is 2.5 to 3 hours.
Ferry schedules from Koh Lipe to Langkawi
Kuah Jetty is located 20 km east of the main tourist hub of Pantai Cenang. From here, you can get a private taxi for around 40 MYR ($8.50). If you don’t mind sharing a ride for cheaper fares, shared taxis are also common at the port.
More ferry options during high season
Around the high season (October to June), Klook offers 1 or 2 trips daily from Koh Lipe to Langkawi’s Kuah Jetty. You’ll have to check their website for the latest schedules. They use speedboats for these trips so travel time is only 1.5 hours. A ticket costs 750 THB ($21.00).
Langkawi Ferry Service also offers direct trips from November to early June. A one-way ticket costs 883 THB ($25.00). You’ll have to contact them directly for ticket reservations. You can find their latest schedules and contact details on their website.
Koh Lipe to Langkawi (Kuah Jetty) via Satun by Ferry
Thanks to the growing number of tourists travelling from Koh Lipe to Langkawi, we can now enjoy direct ferry trips all-year-round. Up until a few years ago, these were not available during the low season from June to October.
There’s still fewer direct ferry trips if you’re visiting during this time, so if ever you find yourself without a ticket for the few available direct ferries, don’t worry! There is an alternate option, albeit longer, via Satun.
Below is a step-by-step guide for the indirect route from Koh Lipe to Langkawi:
Step 1: Koh Lipe to Satun by Ferry
First, you’ll have to take a ferry to Pak Bara, a southern coastal village in mainland Thailand. Travel time is around 1.5 hours and fares start from 515 THB ($14.50) when you book on BookAway.
There are several ferry companies operating this route from morning ’til afternoon every day. You can’t just take any ferry though! If you want a guaranteed connecting transfer to Langkawi on the same day, below are the ferry schedules you can choose from:
Ferry schedules from Koh Lipe to Satun
From Pak Bara Pier, you’ll need to take a minivan bound south for Tammalang Pier in Satun. The minivan ride takes another 1.5 hours. Keep this in mind when scheduling your ferry trips!
Step 2: Satun to Langkawi by Ferry
There are only 2 ferry trips operating from Satun to Langkawi daily. This is why it is very important to time your departure from Koh Lipe correctly.
Travel time is around 1.5 hours. Tickets cost 350 THB ($9.50) and you can buy them at the port. Below are their schedules:
Ferry schedule from Satun to Langkawi
The ferries dock at Kuah Jetty, located 20 km east of the tourist hub of Pantai Cenang. Your only option from here is a 40-minute taxi ride that costs around 40 MYR ($8.50). If you’re on a budget, shared taxis are also available at the port.
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Kate is a writer, (ex)Management Consultant and avid traveller. She recently returned from a 2-year career break exploring the world and decided corporate life wasn’t for her. She’ll soon be testing life as a digital nomad. She’s visited over 40 countries and fell in love with Latin America in particular. Her travelling has inspired a passion for yoga, salsa, hiking and Spanish.
