How to Get

There is now a new central minibus station to all destinations, located about 2 kilometres outside Hat Yai city center. Minibuses to Pak Barra leave every hour and take around 2 hours (price: around 150 BHT). The best way to get to the minibus station is by Tuk Tuk - expect to pay around 40 - 50 BHT for this service. If you have a lot of stuff or you're in a hurry you can take a private taxi to Pak Barra for anything between 1000 and 2000 BHT, prices at the airport tend to be even higher, so if you have the time, take a minibus.

From Southern Thailand
In high season there are daily ferry connections from Koh Lanta (2 ferries) and Trang (1 ferry). These pass by Koh Ngai, Koh Muk and Koh Bulon along the way, so daily travel between these locations and Koh Lipe is also possible.

From Bangkok & the North
Depending on your time, budget and ecological considerations the best way from Bangkok is to take a train or plane to Hat Yai. Overnight sleeper trains leave Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Train Station between 17.00h and 20.00h, arriving in Hat Yai in the morning, in time to make it to Koh Lipe on the same day. A few cheap airlines fly from Bangkok to Hat Yai these days, Air Asia alone has 5 flights a day, if you take the earliest one you can also make it to Koh Lipe on the same day.

From Malaysia
The best way to get to Koh Lipe from Malaysia is to make it to Langkawi island. Daily ferries connect Telaga Harbor with Koh Lipe. Alternatively you can travel from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai by bus, train or plane.

Thialnad Visa Information:

1. REQUIREMENT
          This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for tourism purposes

2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
          - Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
          - Visa application form completely filled out
          - One recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant
          - Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)
          - Evidence of adequate finance (10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family)
          - Consular officers reserve the rights to request for additional documents as deemed necessary

3. VISA FEE
          1,000 Baht per entry
          (Visa fee may be changed without prior notice)

4. VALIDITY OF A VISA
          The validity of a visa is 3 months or 6 months.

5. VALIDITY OF A STAY
          Upon arrival, travellers with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 30 days or 60 days.
Nationals of countries which are on Thailand’s Tourist Visa Exemption list or have bilateral agreements on visa exemption with Thailand will be permitted to stay for a period of not exceeding 60 days. Nationals from other countries who hold a tourist visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 30 days.

6. EXTENSION OF STAY
          Those who wish to stay longer or may wish to change their type of visa must file an application for permission at the Office of Immigration Bureau located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120 , Tel 02 287-3101-10 (or at http://www.immigration.go.th ). The extension of stay as well as the change of certain type of visa is solely at the discretion of the Immigration officer...

7. EXTENSION OF STAY
          Nationals of certain countries are required to apply for a visa only at the Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the designated Thai Embassy. Therefor, travellers are adivised to contact the nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate-General to find out where they may apply for a visa to Thailand before departure. (Applicants who are nationals of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Palestinian State)


TOURIST VISA EXEMPTION

          - According to the Interior Ministerial Announcements dated 1 October B.E. 2545 (2002), 20 December B.E. 2545 (2002), 18 October B.E. 2547 (2004) and 6 May B.E. 2548 (2005), passport holders from 42 countries and 1 special administrative region – Hong Kong SAR – are not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period of not exceeding 30 days on each visit. Foreigners who enter the Kingdom under the Tourist Visa Exemption category may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry.

          - Please note that Tourist Visa Exemption does not apply to foreigners holding Travel Document for Aliens issued by these 40 countries.

          - Foreigners entering Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category must possess adequate finances for the duration of stay in Thailand (i.e., cash 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family)

• List of 42 countries are as follow:

     1. Australia : Commonwealth of Australia
     2. Austria : Republic of Austria
     3. Belgium : Kingdom of Belgium
     4. Brazil : Federative Republic of Brazil (****)
     5. Bahrain : State of Bahrain
     6. Brunei Darussalam : Negara Brunei Darussalam
     7. Canada
     8. Denmark : Kingdom of Denmark
     9. Finland : Republic of Finland
     10. France : French Republic
     11. Germany : Federal Republic of Germany
     12. Greece : Hellenic Republic
     13. Hong Kong : Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
     14. Iceland : Republic of Iceland
     15. Indonesia : Republic of Indonesia
     16. Ireland : Republic of Ireland
     17. Israel : State of Israel
     18. Italy : Republic of Italy
     19. Japan
     20. Korea : Republic of Korea (****)
     21. Kuwait : State of Kuwait
     22. Luxembourg : Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
     23. Malaysia
     24. Monaco : Principality of Monaco
     25. Netherlands : Kingdom of the Netherlands
     26. New Zealand
     27. Norway : Kingdom of Norway
     28. Oman : Sultanate of Oman
     29. Peru : Republic of Peru (****)
     30. Philippines : Republic of the Philippines
     31. Portugal : Republic of Portugal
     32. Qatar : State of Qatar
     33. Singapore : Republic of Singapore
     34. Spain : Kingdom of Spain
     35. South Africa : Republic of South Africa
     36. Sweden : Kingdom of Sweden
     37. Switzerland : Swiss Confederation
     38. Turkey : Republic of Turkey
     39. United Arab Emirates
     40. United Kingdom : United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
     41. United States of America
     42. Vietnam : Socialist Republic of Vietnam

(****)Thailand holds bilateral agreements on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports for a visit of not exceeding 90 days with Brazil, the Republic of Korea and Peru. Therefore, nationals of these 3 countries are exempted from visa requirements and are permitted to enter and stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 90 days.

TEMPORARY TOURIST VISA : VISA ON ARRIVAL

     - According to the Interior Ministerial Announcements, passport holders from 21 countries may apply for visas at the immigration checkpoints for the purpose of tourism for the period of not exceeding 15 days.

     - The applicant must possess means of living expenses at the amount of 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family accordingly

     - The applicant must possess a passport with at least six-month validity and must present full paid ticket which is usable within 15 days since the date of entry

     - Visa on arrival is provided at 32 designated international checkpoints and applicants should submit the application form duly filled out and to which his/her recent photograph (4 x 6 cm) is attached. The application fee is 1,000 Baht..

     - Visitors who enter the Kingdom with Visa on Arrival generally cannot file an application for extension of stay except in special cases such as illness which prevents them from travelling, etc. They can submit an application at the Office of Immigration Bureau , Immigration Division 1, Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120. Tel. 02 287-3127 or 02 287-3101-10 ext. 2264-5 or at website http://www.immigration.go.th

• List of 21 countries are as follow :

     1. Bhutan : Kingdom of Bhutan
     2. China : People’s Republic of China
     3. Cyprus : Republic of Cyprus
     4. Czech : Czech Republic
     5. Estonia : Republic of Estonia
     6. Hungary : Republic of Hungary
     7. India : Republic of India
     8. Kazakhstan : Republic of Kazakhstan
     9. Latvia : Republic of Latvia
     10. Liechtenstein : Principality of Liechtenstein
     11. Lithuania : Republic of Lithuania
     12. Maldives : Republic of Maldives
     13. Mauritius : Republic of Mauritius
     14. Oman : Sultanate of Oman
     15. Poland : Republic of Poland
     16. Russian Federation
     17. Saudi Arabia : Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
     18. Slovakia : Slovak Republic
     19. Slovenia : Republic of Slovenia
     20. Taiwan
     21. Ukraine

• List of Thailand’s Immigration Checkpoints which provides facilities for issuance of visa on arrival are as follow :

     1. Suvarnabhumi Airport
     2. Don Muang International Airport , Bangkok
     3. Chiangmai International Airport , Chiangmai
     4. Phuket International Airport , Phuket
     5. Hatyai International Airport , Songkhla
     6. U Tapao Airport , Rayong
     7. Mae Sai Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
     8. Chieng Saen Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
     9. Chieng Khong Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
     10. Betong Immigration Checkpoint , Yala
     11. Sadoa Immigration Checkpoint , Songkhla
     12. Samui Airport , Surat Thani
     13. Sukhothai International Airport, Tak Immigration Checkpoint
     14. Bangkok Harbour Immigration Checkpoint, Bangkok
     15. Sri Racha Immigration Checkpoint , Chonburi
     16. Mabtaput Immigration Checkpoint , Rayong
     17. Nong Khai Immigration Checkpoint, Nong Khai
     18. Samui Immigration Checkpoint , Surat Thani
     19. Phuket Immigration Checkpoint , Phuket
     20. Satun Immigration Checkpoint , Satun
     21. Krabi Immigration Checkpoint , Krabi
     22. Songkhla Harbour Immigraion Checkpoint , Songkhla
     23. Chiangrai Airport Immigration Checkpoint, Chiangrai
     24. Surat Thani Airport Immigration Checkpoint , Surat Thani