What to expect when visiting Langkawi
Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands off the northwest coast of Malaysia. Its biggest island — also called Langkawi — is dotted with white-sand beaches and jungle-clad hills. Far from a quiet retreat (it is bustling with duty-free outlets), Langkawi does still offer some natural wonders and vibrant diving spots.
The so-called “Jewel of Kedah” is an ideal place to go island-hopping, submerge yourself in waterfalls and get lost in 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 exploring Langkawi!
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 ($1.50).
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.
3 ways to get from Koh Lipe to Langkawi
There are 3 ways to travel the distance of 57 kilometers (35 miles) from Koh Lipe to Langkawi by ferry to Telaga Harbour (2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours), ferry to Kuah Jetty (3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours) and ferry via Satun (3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes). The journey duration ranges between 2 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by ferry to telaga harbour. The lowest priced tickets start from 565 THB ($16.90) for the ferry via Satun.Koh Lipe to Langkawi by Ferry to Kuah Jetty
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 Travelni i. A ticket costs 880 THB ($26) when you book via BookAway. Travel time is 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 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 ($9.30). 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 ($22).
Langkawi Ferry Service also offers direct trips from November to early June. A one-way ticket costs 880 THB ($26). 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 by Ferry to Telaga Harbour
Compared to Kuah Jetty, Telaga Harbour is nearer to both Koh Lipe and Langkawi’s tourist hub of Pantai Cenang.
Jumping Frog Travel and Satun Pakbara Speed Boat are the two companies operating this route. Travel time is 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours for a standard ferry and 1.5 hours if you take a speedboat. Fares start from 1,000 THB ($30) 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 ($7).
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 by Ferry via Satun
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 1h-2h and fares start from 515 THB ($15.40) 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:
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 2 hours 30 minutes. Tickets cost 50 THB ($1.50) and you can buy them at the port. Below are their schedules:
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 ($9.30). If you’re on a budget, shared taxis are also available at the port.
Frequently Asked Questions about Koh Lipe to Langkawi
What is the distance from Koh Lipe to Langkawi?
The distance from Koh Lipe to Langkawi is 57 kilometers (35 miles).
What is the fastest way to get from Koh Lipe to Langkawi?
The fastest way to get from Koh Lipe to Langkawi is by ferry to telaga harbour and takes 2 hours 30 minutes.
What is the cheapest way to get from Koh Lipe to Langkawi?
The cheapest way to get from Koh Lipe to Langkawi is by ferry via Satun with ticket costs starting from 565 THB ($16.90).
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Koh Lipe to Langkawi. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
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.
