This route combines a city stay with two Gulf islands. The important choice is whether to fly directly to Samui or cross the mainland by train, bus or flight and continue by road and ferry.
Flying to Samui removes the mainland pier transfer but can cost more. The slower route uses a southern train, bus or flight to Surat Thani, followed by road transport to a ferry pier. Surat Thani railway station is in Phunphin, not beside the coast, so a rail arrival still needs a timed road connection.
Check every leg for the same date. A ticket to Surat Thani city, railway station or airport is not automatically a through-ticket to Samui.
Ko Phangan lies north of Samui and is reached by ferry. Compare the departure pier with your Samui accommodation and the arrival pier with your Phangan beach; road transfers at both ends can add more time than the crossing.
Two island stays make sense when each has at least a few useful days. For a shorter holiday, one island plus Bangkok usually leaves more time outside vehicles. Recheck sea conditions and ferry notices near departure, especially during the Gulf rainy period.