One highway, no airport of its own yet, and the piers that reach the Similan and Surin Islands -- here is how Highway 4, Phuket International Airport, the proposed Andaman International Airport and local transport actually work in Phang Nga.
Phang Nga has no BTS, MRT or airport of its own -- Highway 4 is the province's single road spine, and Phuket International Airport, reached via the Sarasin Bridge, is the practical air gateway for the whole province today. A proposed Andaman International Airport at Khok Kloi remains years away and still in the land-acquisition phase as of 2026, so don't plan around it. For the Similan and Surin Islands, Thap Lamu Pier near Khao Lak and Khura Buri Pier further north are the two mainland departure points. Within towns, songthaews and motorbike taxis cover local trips, but a car is the realistic way to get around the province day to day.
Highway 4 runs the length of Phang Nga province, linking Phang Nga town near the Phuket border, Khao Lak/Thai Mueang, Takua Pa and Khura Buri near the Ranong border in a single north-south corridor. As with most of the Andaman coast, there is no expressway alternative -- nearly every road journey within the province, and every trip to or from Phuket or points north, runs along this one highway.
Phang Nga has no operating commercial airport of its own, so Phuket International Airport is the air gateway almost everyone actually uses, reached via the Sarasin Bridge that connects the two provinces by road. Phang Nga town itself sits close to this crossing, while Khao Lak and points further north are a longer drive -- see journey times below.
A new international airport has long been proposed for Khok Kloi subdistrict, Takua Thung district, intended to relieve pressure on Phuket International Airport. As of 2026 it remains in the land-acquisition and feasibility phase -- roughly 40% of the planned site is already government-owned, with the rest still to be acquired via the Treasury Department. The most recent reporting points to construction starting in 2027 with an opening around 2032, though earlier sources cited 2030 or 2031, and the project has previously been paused pending other airport-transfer decisions. Treat any opening date as provisional and plan around Phuket International Airport for the foreseeable future.
Thap Lamu Pier in Thai Mueang district, roughly 15 minutes south of Khao Lak and about 70 minutes north of Phuket International Airport by road, is the closest mainland port to the Similan Islands, around 65km offshore. Most liveaboards and day-trip speedboats to the Similans depart from here, with a crossing of roughly 1.5-2 hours; boats to the Surin Islands from Thap Lamu take longer, around 2.5-3 hours.
Khura Buri Pier (also known as Lang Thung Pier), further north near the Ranong border, runs a daily scheduled passenger boat to Ko Surin departing around 09:00, with a crossing of a little over 3 hours. It is generally the more traditional, budget-oriented route to the Surin Islands, compared with the faster but pricier speedboat and liveaboard departures from Thap Lamu.
Within Phang Nga town, Khao Lak and Takua Pa, songthaews and motorbike taxis cover short local hops for a flat fare. Coverage and frequency drop off between towns and after dark, and there is no province-wide route map -- ask locally or check with your accommodation for current routes in whichever town you're based.
Ride-hailing apps have reasonable coverage in and around Khao Lak, given its tourist volume, but coverage thins or becomes unreliable in Phang Nga town, Takua Pa and Khura Buri. Outside Khao Lak, a private car, motorbike or pre-arranged transfer is the realistic option rather than an app.
Given the province stretches roughly 150km along a single Highway 4 corridor, with public transport concentrated in Khao Lak and thinning out toward Khura Buri, a car is the most practical way to actually get around Phang Nga day to day -- useful even for Khao Lak residents wanting to reach the piers, waterfalls or Phang Nga town without relying on tours.
Indicative off-peak times; confirm current boat schedules, park opening dates and traffic conditions before you travel.
Not currently. Phang Nga has never had an operating commercial airport, and Phuket International Airport is the practical air gateway for the whole province, reached via the Sarasin Bridge. A new Andaman International Airport is proposed for Khok Kloi, but as of 2026 it is still in the land-acquisition and feasibility phase, with construction targeted to start in 2027 and opening reported anywhere from 2030 to 2032 depending on the source -- don't plan a trip around it opening soon.
Thap Lamu Pier, near Khao Lak in Thai Mueang district, is the closest mainland port to the Similan Islands and the main departure point for liveaboards and day-trip speedboats, with a crossing of roughly 1.5-2 hours. The Similan Islands National Park is seasonal and typically closed during the southwest monsoon (roughly mid-May to mid-October) -- confirm current opening dates before booking.
There are two main routes: a faster speedboat from Thap Lamu Pier (roughly 2.5-3 hours), or a daily scheduled passenger boat from Khura Buri Pier departing around 09:00 (a little over 3 hours), which tends to be the more budget-oriented, traditional option.
For most of the province, yes. Highway 4 is the single road spine running its length, ride-hailing coverage is really only solid around Khao Lak, and there is no dedicated public transport network connecting the towns or reaching the island piers -- a car or motorbike is the realistic way to get around day to day.
It depends where in the province you are. Phang Nga town, near the Sarasin Bridge crossing into Phuket, is under an hour from Phuket International Airport. Khao Lak is roughly 1-1.5 hours, and Khura Buri near the Ranong border is 2-2.5 hours -- the province is long and stretched along a single highway, so travel time varies considerably by location.
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Find a place to live along the Andaman coast, then plan your transport around Highway 4 and Phuket International Airport.
Hero photo by Boonkong Boonpeng on Pexels. General information and indicative timings only, not travel-safety advice -- confirm current boat schedules, national park opening dates, airport plans and traffic conditions with official sources before you travel.