Jolly Travel

All went smoothly with good communication from Jolly Travel. Comfortable bus and fast speedboat.

They arrived early, with the heat outside the airport, it was appreciated

On time. Dropped off at my desired destination. Van was spacious and clean with air-con. Would use again.

Ko Lipe is an amazing island in the beautiful Tarutao national park. Don't be put off by the mild complexity getting there. The English information along the way is not great but the staff will help you, just keep asking where to go and they will point you in the right direction. Here is some notes on our trip April 2022 you may find useful. --------------------- What to know in advance: -This route is not suitable for wheelchair users as is. Definitely make contact with the operator if you have access needs. -if you are prone to seasickness it can sometimes be rough on the boat. Def bring preparations like ginger tablets. -Do pack your own water and snacks, be prepared it's quite hot on the boat with the lifejackets on, and hot at the concrete areas of the pier. There may not be time to purchase water on the way. -Bring the smallest bag possible, moving large heavy bags in the heat of the pier and sand on the beach are not fun. It's also challenging to fit large bags in the minivans and motorcycle taxis. If this is part of a longer trip and you cannot avoid having a big bag then reccomend you either: --stay a night either side in hat yai and pay for a friendly hat yai hotel to look after your bigger bag, just take needed things in smaller bag --pay for an extra seat on transport to and from the island to ensure the minivan can fit your bags. -Ko Lipe has (open in April when we went) several pharmacies, a 7-11 and many other shops. Things like sunscreen, mosquito repellant, water, booze, masks, shampoo can all be purchased there. As well as hats, swimwear, sunglasses etc. Shops are open in the evenings. Prices are a little higher than the mainland but it's not crazy. -Many shops on Ko Lipe only take cash. There are ATMs but one night they were all broken, this happens from time to time apparently. Recommend you take 150 percent the cash you think you need and pay card in the places they do accept card to conserve your cash. -you absolutely do need to print the 12GO confirmation (just the first page). You use the paper several times on the trip. -take beach shoes and normal shoes. -your accomdoation on Ko Lipe should have a way to get you from the pier to them. If it involves calling a phone number on arrival ensure you have a way to do that. We had 4G reception with DTAC Sim on Ko Lipe and used Skype to make the call. --------------------------- Getting there: -Ignore the 3-4 hour travel times listed on 12GO. I would psychologically prepare that it's 3/4 of a day of a travel all up. But it's worth it as long as you plan to spend 4+ days on Ko Lipe. -We booked 0930 hotel pick up. The minivan will also go to several other hotels. It didn't come to ours until 0950. There is no text message with pickup time or anything but I think you could call the number on your confirmation if you were concerned. -The minivan is air conditioned and about a 2hr drive. If it's full you may have your small bag on your lap or between your feet The drive was smooth but as other reviews have noted the driver crossed the lines to overtake a lot. Oncoming traffic simply got out of our way. (Same driving with a different operator the other way, but otherwise I experienced good van drivers in Thailand so not sure what is different about this route) If this kind of driving makes you extremely anxious then it might be worth making your own way to Pakbara pier in a taxi. I would aim to get to the pier 30-45 minutes before your boat leaves. -At the pier we dropped our bags at the main pier entrance and one of us waited there. The driver took me to the office of the boat company (only 50m away) where they -wrote the pier number and desk number on my booking confirmation -gave me stickers to wear and for our bags that said 'Ko Lipe' -These transport company offices all have signs that should match the tour operator description on your 12GO confirmation. -Then back at the pier entrance went through vaccine control. We showed our euro vaccine confirmations no problem. -You then walk about 60m to the dock building. You go through a desk where you pay 220 baht each for your national park entrance tickets. Keep these tickets in your wallet the entire time on Ko Lipe you will probably need them. -Then in the building find the check in desk of your boat company. They will give you a boarding card which has a color and a number, and they should give you a boarding time. Annoucements are hard to hear so go back and check with the desk if you are confused when you should be boarding. -The building is air conditioned with a small cafe to buy water, I also bought a plastic wrapped crossiant here which was stale. Reccomend you change into your beach shoes here as when you get off the boat next few times it may be straight onto a beach. -Then when it's time to board your boat your color should be announced, also keep an eye on others holding same colour as you. -You go out to the dock, they will take your bags and then you line up roughly in the order of the numbers and board the boat. Someone may look at your national park entrance ticket already. There are passport signs but passport was not needed for us. -The boat journey is about an hour and a half with two 15 minute stops. Both stops were at amazing islands in the national park, not sure what other reviewers were complaining about. Take some photos. At the first stop is proper bathrooms, second one has no facilities. Keep an eye on which boat you are, pretty informal system of waving and running around to collect people when it's time to leave. -At Ko Lipe you will get off on a floating dock directly onto the beach. They will bring your bags onto the sand. Some resorts will have people waiting, others you will have to call for pickup or get a taxi. There are several ferry drop off points on Pattaya beach so use the name of a nearby building to inform where you want to be picked up. Congratulations you made it! Check in, take a rest and get down to a western facing beach for sunset (access sunset beach through Bayview sunset resort or North point beach next to Zodiac bar) and then head to walking st for dinner! ----------------------------- Getting back: Was very similar to getting there. -Again ensure you have water can be hot on the ferry and stifling in life jacket and mask. -The booking confirmation this time had a map of where the ferry leaves but it was innacurate (maybe they move the floating docks?). However the name of the dock was correct and the motorcycle taxi driver understood this. Def get there 15 minutes before and use the bathroom. -This time the tour operator did not match the name of the boat company, but there was only two check in desks so not a problem. Show your confirmation at the check In desk, they will point to where to drop your bags and give you coloured numbered boarding passes again. -The ferry made no stops this time. went directly to Pak Bara. -After getting to the main dock carpark we found our tour operators office on the other side. We brought our bags there and they pointed us to a van, this time we waited about half an hour for another person to join. -This person was delayed because apparently their boat broke down! So they found us another van. -Same 2 hour drive and dropped off back at our hat yai hotel. Van took a 5 minute toilet break on the way. -We stayed the night in Hat Yai to take a lunchtime flight out next day. ---- Next time: -We stayed in hat yai either side and this is definitely the low stress option if you have the time. -Next time getting there I think I will get an early flight to Hat Yai and go straight onto the Ko Lipe transport, however it will be a very long and exhausting day of travel with flight, minivan, ferry. -Getting back think it could have been stressful to try and go directly onto an afternoon flight. Given the flexible waiting time at Pak Bara for the minivan, I would not get a flight out of Hat Yai airport where I had to be at the airport before 2pm without confirmation from the operator this is possible. ------------ Sorry if the formatting makes this review hard to read! Looks like the review platform takes out the line breaks

It was my second time of using 12Go, so g

Too ma y ppl on the boat - sitting in one row 5 ppl!! - 2 stops too long - arrive after 3,5 hours!!!!!

Quick and not overbooked

All as planned

The bus driver was driving crazy. It was very bad rain and he was driving way too fast and overtaking in dangerous areas. Another mini bus driver even stopped at traffic lights and come to tell him to slow down. It was dangerous.

It departed later than the scheduled time, the passengers are cramped up on the boat, and the most annoying part is the 2 stop overs on the Islands that is not necessary, its not even a drop off or pick up point...if they want the passengers to see these Islands, 10 minutes is not enough it is just a huge hassle to go off an on the boat again so better not do it. JUST A WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY.

Good

Excellent price for ferry and mini-van combined. Courteous personel and arrived on time for both. Highly recommended.

The ride and transfers and staff were good, but none of us knew that we would be stopping at two islands on the way from Hat Yai to Koh Lipe for no apparent reason whatsoever. We were then an hour later arriving at our destination than was advertised. The reason I booked this was because of the timing. They should advise when booking that there will be two stops (they say 15 mins but it’s double that each time) made in the East and adjust the arrival time.

The boat was overcrowded. Not only was it uncomfortable but it was also dangerous for passengers. I'm giving it more starts than the other company because this one had slightly fewer people than the other.

Perfectly on time and comfortable journey. Stopped at 2 islands and we had 15 minutes to enjoy and take pictures, making it seem like a touristic journey instead of just a transfer.

Good overall, Driver was 30 minutes late

Overall, we were very pleased with the service we got from Jolly Travel. The boat from Koh Lipe to Pakbara Pier was quite cramped but was okay. The transfer at the pier was very quick and easy to navigate. The van from Pakbara to Krabi was very comfortable. Both drivers of the boat and van were exceptional and we thank you for making this trip a pleasure!

VAN almost crashed. The driver drove very reckless and overspeed.

The booking experience with Jolly Travel was okay and the driver was at the airport on time wiating for us. He waited quite a long time before he left the airport which meant we left a bit late. He then drove like a madman to Pakbara Pier. I had my 2 children with me in the van and I honestly didn't think we would make it alive. He drove so fast, nearly crashing into several vehicles. I was not very happy at all & will not use this service again. The speedboat stopped at 2 islands which meant we arrived at Koh Lipe very late. We even had to wait a very long time on one small island as the customers just took off and walked around the island The staff need to be precise about how long people have on the islands if they are going to stop. The journey was quite brutal as we were very packed in and my daughter really suffered as a result. Overall it was not a very nice experience.

No sufficient seats on speedboat

All went well.

3rd trip with 12go Asia, 3rd five star trip. Departure and Arrival Time was perfect. The trip was really good. Really impressive work, congrats.

All was fine. I recommend.

We had to pay 50 THB per person to get to the speedboat. We were picked up at 1 pm by the longtail boat, the speedboat arrived at 1:40 pm. We were dropped of at 2:45 pm at Koh Lipe directly at the beach.

Perfect service

Well organized, arrived before schedule

Tres bien .on nous a bien dirigé et malgré le retard de l avion on nous a attendu. Personnel très sympathique.

Almost 1h delayed.

In general everything was fine. Boarding was messy and slow. After arriving on the pier - for transfer to the van- noone told us that we need to find the agency who sold those tickets to us, for further going to Krabi, that's why we were roaming and.sidnt know where to go

Boat trip was a breeze but we were surprised it only went to Pakbara, then van the rest of the way to Krabi (a few hours). That said, the van ride was surprisingly comfy. And, it was on credit since 12Go and Jolly were good enough to do so after we missed the ferry we'd booked the week before because our flight connection was too tight (but that's another story...) ;)

The travel was ok, the car part was confortable. But the problem is the language. I didn’t know how would be the travel. There is no informacional here e there they say either

Prima op tijd Goed verzorgd

Everything is good.

The ferry was a smaller, open-air boat and I like that way better than the closed-in ones that smell like fuel. The waves were choppy from Lipe to Pak Bara, take motion sickness pills! Our driver was great, drive safely and stopped about 2 hours into our 4 our van trip to get a bite and used the toilet. Would recommend.

Had a fine 2 hour transfer to the pier in a minvan with 5 others with one comfort break stop along the way. On arriving at Pak Bara it then gets a little more disorganised. First you queue at the Jolly Travel shop where you show your booking and get a booking slip. You then walk across the road to the pier pay 20 baht entry per person, and then 200 baht fee pp for the national park. Inside you then exchange your booking slip with the relevant boat company who then give you a numbered ticket. You wait around and then are lined up in number order according to your ticket for getting on the boat. Don't hang about as if you get on first you get the pick of the seats. Then it started to get annoying, we left 20 minutes late and after going for about 40 mins stopped for an unscheduled 20 min break at a random jetty. There was no communication about why we stopped or how long we would be there. After setting off again we then stopped at a random beach for 20 mins, again no explanation at all. What is the point? The entire boat signed up to get to Koh Lipe, not to go sightseeing on the way. We arrived at Koh Lipe 40 minutes late. I would happily have paid more to go direct and cut out the faffing about.

A 1 hour delay is something not acceptable

Excellent and reliable service! If you are going from Hat Yai Railway Station to Koh Lipe they will pick you up between 8:00 and 8:30. The meeting point is outside train station entry gate. If you are waiting in one of the nearby cafes they will find you anyway :)

The ferry was a bit chaotic this time, left about half an hour late, but other than that everything went very smoothly. I don't really understand why they do the stop-overs at Koh Tarutao and the other small island, though. It's nice to see the islands, sure, but I'd already seen them and I just wanted to get to Koh Lipe, instead I'm having to get off the boat and back on the boat and wander around these little islands for 15-20 minutes at a time, meaning I get to Koh Lipe about an hour later than I could have if they would have just gone straight there.

The trip was overall very good. I missed some information regarding where to meet the driver where we arrived with the boat. The trip included a lunch break which was good.

Все супер и по расписанию!

The appointment at the hotel was for 8,30 in the morning.The minivan arrived at 9,15 and there was no space on board.Two hours ion the road was terrible.

It was a bit difficult to find a check-in point but when we finally found it everything went nice, smooth and on time. The only strange and unpleasant part of our trip was after arriving to Thailand. Thai staff wanted us to pay "extra 2000 thb". It was impossible to understand why because of their low language skills. During next 30 minutes "price" was dropping down and than when we refused to pay we have been told that we can go without paying.

The boat on the way back drive like crazy over the waves and we jump all ovwe the place with baby. The driver did not Care about out small baby

Arrived on time very full boat with no room, no water or drinks available so bring your own Done the job safely so would use again

Very good service, even better than expecred

Boat overcrowded and change de minibus

We stopped twice on the way at islands with all the other boats 20 minutes each time. Too many people and not enough time to enjoy. Could have cut 40-60 mins of the journey.

This was a smooth ride, the seep boat is ok , that day sea conditions was good and minivan was very good, arr. my hotel at AoNang is on time, only a bit problem when arr the Pakbara pier no body pick us up , we need to go to their office for the minivan which isn't not far away from pier.

The bus ride was ok, however after reaching Pakistan we had to wait at the pier for more than 1,5 hours - the bus should leave Ao Nang later so that the wait is shorter. The ferry part is also really annoying as before reaching Koh Lipe, the ferry makes few stops on the way, even though no one is hopping on or off the boat - they want you to see some additional islands, even though no one is interested in it.

Transfer is on a bumpy speedboat but it does the job, follow everyone else out of the terminal to find your onward minibus. Was on time despite high winds.