Thailand's Satun to Langkawi Border Crossing
An Alternative Route for Leaving Thailand to Travel to Malaysia
Dec 1, 2008
The Thailand-Malaysia border crossing from Saturn to Langawi is a well-kept secret and an enjoyable and relatively hassle-free way to travel to this beautiful Malaysian island. It is a popular day trip for locals on both sides of the border and also an extremely scenic holiday destination.
Lovely Langkawi Island
Langawi is made up of 99 magical smaller islands and the scenery is as tranquil as it is dramatic. Many Thais and Malays cross daily on a one-day pass, along with the occasional foreign traveler. The border crossing is still very much off the beatren-track for many, due to Satun not being on the “tourist” map. Consequently there is very little information available for the foreign traveler.
Langawi island is closer to Thailand than the more heavily populated Penang. Most travelers aim for the busier Hat Yai to Penang route, particularly if they need to apply for visas. Penang has the nearest Thai Embassy.
The City of Satun
Satun is a “slightly ordinary coastal settlement,” according to the the Thailand Lonely Planet Guide, August 2007 edition. It has none of the usual tourist trappings and therefore very few hotels suitable for western tourists, and English is not so widely spoken. Satun is however, currently undergoing a facelift to make it more tourist friendly, as it has seen an increase in travelers of late. Not least because the current crisis of airport closures due to the PAD protests has brought a sudden influx of stranded tourists. Satun's main hotels are the Pinnacle Wangmai and the Sinikat Thani.
Getting to Satun
A single VIP bus leaves Bangkok for Saturn daily around 4.30pm, for the long 14-hour drive. There are also standard air con buses, although these are less comfortable. Alternatively there are air conditioned buses available from Phuket, which is a shorter 7-8-hour drive; and several tour operators run private vans. Coming up from Hat Yai, there are also frequent bus and mini van services, which is a 2-hour trip.
Ferry Tickets — Satun to Langawi
Arrival in Saturn is likely to be in the early hours, if traveling by bus. This gives plenty of time to catch the first morning ferry from Tammalang Pier to Langawi which leaves around 9am, provided tickets are available. Tammalang Pier is several kilometers away from Satun city center, so allow plenty of time - it is necessary to take a taxi to the terminal, if staying in the city.
Ferry tickets can be bought either at the Tammalang Pier terminal or through a tour operator in central Satun. The Thai Ferry Center (074 730511) on Thanon Sulakankoon, near Wat Chalathipchaloem sells tickets, so does Southern Ferry Company (074 730513), near Satun Travel. Tour operators can also arrange taxis to the terminal.
On arriving at the ferry terminal for Langkawi there is a small immigration point at Tammalang Pier, where travelers obtain their exit stamp on their Thai visa. Terminal staff are helpful and friendly.
When taking into account ferry timings, it is important to remember the 1-hour time difference. Malaysia timings are 1-hour ahead.
The Satun — Langkawi Ferry
The ferry is a medium-sized speedboat-like craft, which only takes passengers. Aboard there is aircraft-type seating inside and some passengers prefer to go up onto the small deck to see the magnificent views and take photographs. The ferry meanders through Langkawi's dramatic scenery limestone rocks and tranquil inlets. The journey takes approximately 75-90 minutes depending on the sea conditions. Arriving by ferry means passengers are able to see Langkawi's picturesque Eagle Square, situated on the Kuah Jetty, the island's most prominent landmark.
Read Arriving in Langkawi from Thailand, for more information.
If traveling onward from Langkawi, rather than returning to Thailand, Langawi has a small international airport which offers easy access to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and to Singapore.
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