Can You Take a Car on a Ferry from Phuket to the Islands?
No: the speedboats and ferries from Phuket to Phi Phi, the Similans, Racha and James Bond Island carry passengers only, so your rental car stays in the car park at the pier. The safest option is the guarded car park at Rassada Pier, about ฿100 a day. The rental contract does not change for that time and costs nothing extra.
In short
- Speedboats and ferries run from Phuket to Phi Phi, the Similans, Racha and James Bond Island, and they do not take cars.
- The guarded car park at Rassada Pier costs about ฿100 a day; at Bang Rong parking is often included in the tour, but unguarded at night.
- While the car is parked at the pier, the rental contract runs as usual, with nothing extra to pay.
- You can drive to the mainland, to Phang Nga and Krabi provinces: the MonkeyCar contract allows it.
Where can the car go from Phuket, and where only by water?
Phuket is linked to the mainland by the Sarasin Bridge, and a rental car can go to Phang Nga and Krabi provinces: the MonkeyCar contract allows it. Phi Phi, the Similans, Racha and James Bond Island are reachable only by water, on a speedboat, ferry or boat from a pier. For the sea part of the trip the car stays on Phuket.
Where to leave it depends on the trip. On a day tour the car waits a few hours in the pier car park. For a 2–3 day trip, choose the spot in advance: not every car park is meant for long stays.
More: Rental with Delivery. Next on this topic: Phuket to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan by Car: Donsak Ferry.
MonkeyCar brings the car to your hotel or villa, so there is no need to collect it before heading to the pier.
Rental with DeliveryWhere do you park at the Rassada and Bang Rong piers?
The safest option is the guarded car park at Rassada Pier (Ao Makham) in the southeast of the island, the main port for ferries to Phi Phi, Lanta and Krabi. For a car the first hours cost ฿50–100 and each following day about ฿100, paid in cash on site.
Boats to Panak, Yao Yai and Yao Noi in Phang Nga Bay leave from Bang Rong Pier in the northeast. Parking there is simpler: part of the area belongs to tour operators and is included in the tour price, and the rest is open ground with no security. For several days Rassada is the safer choice, as it is fenced and lit.
- Rassada: guarded car park, about ฿100 a day
- Bang Rong: often included in the tour, unguarded at night
- Receipts are not always given, so photograph the rate sign
How many days can the car stay at the pier?
Official car parks set no formal limit on days, but they are designed for trips of 1–5 days. For 3 days or more, choose a guarded car park such as the one at Rassada Pier.
| Trip | Where to leave the car | Parking |
|---|---|---|
| Day tour | Car park at the departure pier | At Rassada ฿50–100 for the first hours; at Bang Rong often included in the tour |
| 2–5 days | Guarded car park at Rassada | About ฿100 for each day |
| A week or longer | Car park, or return the car before the trip | Compare the parking cost with the rental for the island days |
How do you plan a day tour?
For Phi Phi, James Bond Island or the Similans, arrive at the pier for the morning departure, usually 7:00–8:30. Leave the car for the whole day and collect it in the evening when the boat returns.
If you are staying in the south of the island, choose tours leaving from Rassada or Chalong: morning traffic to the piers is heavy, and the drive will be shorter. Get back to the car before sunset, as lighting in the car parks is patchy.
Do you pay for the rental while you are on the islands?
Yes, the island days are part of the rental: the contract runs while the car is parked at the pier, and MonkeyCar charges nothing extra for the parking itself. If the islands take a day or two, it is simpler not to break the rental: the economy class starts from ฿1,180 a day.
If the sea part is longer, say a week on Lanta, work out two options with the manager: leave the car parked, or return it early and take a new one when you are back. On an early return the price is recalculated for the actual term, and shorter terms get a smaller discount, so which is cheaper depends on your dates. Pick-up and return at HKT airport cost ฿0.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tell MonkeyCar the car will be parked at a pier?
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What if the car gets scratched in the pier car park?
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Which pier do ferries to Phi Phi leave from?
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Can I drive to Krabi instead of taking a ferry?
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Can I take the car on a ferry to Samui or Phangan?
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More on this topic: Where to go by car
Where to Drive in Phuket: 5 Day Routes by Car
Five day routes around Phuket by car: the south and sunset at Promthep, Big Buddha and Wat Chalong, the Old Town, the northern beaches, Phang Nga.
Read RoutesPhang Nga by Car: How to Get There from Phuket
Driving to Phang Nga in a rental car: how long it takes to the piers from different parts of Phuket, where to park, how to see the bay and what to bring.
Read RoutesPhuket to Krabi Distance by Car: 160–180 km
Phuket to Krabi in a rental car: distance and driving time to Ao Nang from different parts of the island, a day trip or overnight, and what to see on the way.
ReadWhich area of Phuket should we deliver the car to?
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