Zest Go vs Raja Ferry
Compare Zest Go and Raja Ferry — routes, service areas, and coverage across Thailand. See where they overlap and where each operator goes its own way.
Operator A Zest Go vs 
Operator B Raja Ferry What travellers say: Zest Go vs Raja Ferry
Both operators earn solid ratings above 4.1 from reviews, with Zest Go at 4.15 from 111 reviews and Raja Ferry at 4.21 from 2,206 reviews. Travellers can book either through ThailandBoatTickets.com and access its 24/7 Virtual Ticket Assistant (VTA) on WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Telegram and Facebook for support.
Zest Go
Reviewers praise Zest Go's boat and ferry legs for being smooth, on-time and professionally crewed, with strong marks for longtail boats (4.71) and speedboats (4.55). Shared van transfers draw the main complaints, including lateness, poor communication, cramped seating, detours and journeys exceeding advertised times.
Raja Ferry
Raja Ferry receives consistent praise for comfortable buses with reclining seats, meals, value for money and helpful staff, especially on Bus Express packages (4.39). The ferry leg itself rates lower (4.13) due to ageing vessels, dirty toilets, delays and lack of baggage assistance, though the large boats are noted for stability in rough seas.
Zest Go stands out for water transfers while Raja Ferry excels on bus-inclusive routes, with both showing reliable overall sentiment but clear service-specific strengths and weaknesses in the reviews.
Pros & cons
Zest Go Pros
- Smooth, on-time boat/ferry experiences with trips that worked perfectly and arrived in time
- Hotel pickups as advertised, including private pickups from Ao Nang hotels
- Polite, organized boat crews described as fantastic even in mixed reviews
- Reliable overall delivery with higher ratings for water legs (Ferry Longtail 4.71, Speedboat 4.55)
Cons
- Lateness and poor timing, especially on van transfers with delays of 20-60 minutes
- Lack of communication, with operators responding only via WhatsApp and no updates when late
- Cramped vans with insufficient luggage space, leading to bags between seats and discomfort
- Excessive stops, detours, and trip durations 2-3x longer than advertised
Raja Ferry Pros
- Helpful, friendly staff who go above and beyond, including rebooking and recovering items
- Smooth, well-organised service with many arrivals early or on time
- The big ferry is stable in rough seas, preferred to avoid seasickness
- Door-to-door convenience via combined bus + ferry + van/taxi packages
- Good value for money with free meals, refreshments, and comfortable overnight buses
Cons
- Lateness and delays of 30 min to 2.5+ hours on ferries, risking missed connections
- Old, rusty, dirty ferries with smelly toilets, fumes, and safety concerns like missing life jackets
- No baggage assistance and difficult boarding via steep stairs alongside vehicles
- Transfer/connection chaos with multiple vehicle changes, wrong drop-offs, and poor communication
Service areas at a glance
Based on currently active routes for each operator.
Both operators 16
Only Zest Go 9
Only Raja Ferry 12
Routes & coverage compared
Both Zest Go and Raja Ferry operate identical routes on Ao Nang → Koh Phangan, Ao Nang → Koh Samui, Bangkok → Khao Lak, Bangkok → Khao Sok, Bangkok → Koh Phangan, Bangkok → Koh Samui, Bangkok → Krabi, Bangkok → Phuket, Koh Lanta → Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi → Don Mueang Airport, Koh Phi Phi → Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi → Koh Samui, Krabi → Bangkok, Krabi → Koh Phangan, Krabi → Koh Samui, Phuket → Koh Phangan and Phuket → Koh Samui. Book these shared services at ThailandBoatTickets.com where our 24/7 Virtual Ticket Assistant (VTA) is available on WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Telegram and Facebook to help plan your journey.
Zest Go alone covers extensive local Andaman routes including Ao Nang → Koh Lanta, Ao Nang → Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta → Koh Jum, Koh Lanta → Koh Kradan, Koh Lanta → Koh Lipe, Koh Lanta → Koh Muk, Koh Lanta → Koh Ngai, Koh Lanta → Koh Yao Noi, Koh Lanta → Koh Yao Yai, Koh Lanta → Railay, Koh Phi Phi → Koh Jum, Koh Phi Phi → Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi → Koh Lipe, Koh Phi Phi → Koh Tao, Koh Phi Phi → Koh Yao Noi, Koh Phi Phi → Koh Yao Yai, Koh Phi Phi → Railay, Phuket → Koh Lanta, Phuket → Koh Phi Phi, Phuket → Koh Tao, Phuket → Koh Yao Noi and Phuket → Koh Yao Yai. Raja Ferry alone serves Bangkok connections to Ao Nang, Donsak, Hat Yai, Khanom, Koh Kradan, Koh Lanta, Koh Phaluai, Koh Phi Phi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Penang, Railay and Trang plus Donsak departures to Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Surat Thani plus Koh Phangan links to Khanom, Kuala Lumpur, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Penang and Surat Thani. Compare and reserve all options at ThailandBoatTickets.com with support from our 24/7 Virtual Ticket Assistant (VTA) on WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Telegram and Facebook.
Routes both operators run
Same departure and destination — true head-to-head options.
Price distribution
How ticket prices spread across each operator's routes (THB).
Zest Go tickets usually fall between 950 THB–1,720 THB (median 1,260 THB), while Raja Ferry between 590 THB–1,240 THB (median 865 THB). On the whole, Raja Ferry offers the cheaper tickets.
Which should you pick?
Frequently asked questions
Zest Go vs Raja Ferry