Grab names only two Thai islands on its own coverage pages: Phuket and Koh Samui. Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Lanta, Phi Phi, Koh Samet, Koh Chang and Koh Lipe are not named, so on those islands plan on songthaews, taxis, boats and your own feet rather than the app.
That answer comes from two pages Grab publishes for Thailand, its list of locations and its transport page, both read on 9 November 2026. A missing name does not prove that the app never shows a car there; it means Grab does not say it serves the island, so you cannot count on a ride. We found no official rule, provincial notice or Department of Land Transport ruling that bans Grab on any island, and websites that call it "illegal" on Koh Phangan give no source.
How the app works, from payment to booking a car, is covered in our guide to using Grab in Thailand. This page only answers where it works on the islands and what to do where it does not.
Grab on the islands, as Grab lists it (November 2026)
- Phuket
- Listed
- Koh Samui
- Listed, as "Surat Thani/Samui"
- Koh Phangan, Koh Tao
- Not named (Surat Thani province is listed)
- Koh Lanta, Phi Phi
- Not named (Krabi province is listed)
- Koh Samet
- Not named (Rayong province is listed)
- Koh Chang, Koh Lipe
- Their provinces, Trat and Satun, are not on the list at all
Phuket and Koh Samui: listed
Phuket appears on Grab's location list, and its transport page names Phuket and Samui among the places in the south where GrabCar and JustGrab run. On both islands you can expect to book a car from the airport, the main beaches and the towns. For the airport run on Phuket, with the Smart Bus and the limousine counter as alternatives, see our guide to Phuket Airport to the beaches.
Samui is listed under Surat Thani as "Surat Thani/Samui". Waits can be longer away from Chaweng, and our page on getting to Koh Samui covers the flights, ferries and airport transfers. Bolt is different: its Thai city list includes Krabi, Phuket and Surat Thani but no island by name, and it does not list Samui. How the two apps compare on price and drivers is in our Bolt and Grab comparison.
Koh Phangan and Koh Tao: not named
Phangan and Tao belong to the same province as Samui, but Grab names only "Surat Thani/Samui", so neither island is on its list. On Koh Phangan, shared pickup trucks (songthaews) and taxis wait at Thong Sala pier and run between the main areas, and longtail boat taxis reach beaches without a good road, such as Bottle Beach. On a Full Moon night, book a taxi through your accommodation rather than hoping for an app.
On Koh Tao, the boats land at Mae Haad pier, where shared pickups and taxis wait for Sairee to the north and Chalok Baan Kao to the south. Many dive schools and hotels collect their guests, so ask when you book.
Koh Lanta and Phi Phi: not named
Krabi province is on Grab's list, but Koh Lanta and Phi Phi are not named. Boats to Koh Lanta land at Saladan in the north, which has the banks, clinics and motorbike rental; from there hotel pickups, tuk-tuks and taxis cover the west-coast beaches. If you arrive by road, the minivan or taxi usually takes you all the way to your hotel.
On Phi Phi the question hardly arises: Koh Phi Phi Don has no roads for cars. People get around on foot, by bicycle or luggage cart, and by boat.
Koh Samet, Koh Chang and Koh Lipe: not on the list
Rayong province is listed, but Koh Samet is not named. Shared songthaews wait at Na Dan pier and run down the island road to the beaches, with fares that depend on distance.
Koh Chang is in Trat and Koh Lipe is in Satun, and neither province is on Grab's list at all. On Koh Chang, songthaews meet the ferries and run along the west coast to White Sand Beach, Klong Prao, Kai Bae and Lonely Beach; agree the fare before you set off. Koh Lipe covers only about four square kilometers, and walking is the normal way to get around; our Koh Lipe guide shows how the beaches link up.
What to use instead
On every island that Grab does not list, the same four options do the work:
- Songthaews. The usual way between the pier and the beaches. On islands they mostly work as shared taxis with a price per beach; our guide to riding songthaews explains how to stop one and pay.
- The taxi desk at the pier. Fixed prices for each beach are often on a board; ask before you load your bags.
- Motorbike taxis. Quick for one person with a small bag. Insist on a helmet; our page on motorbike taxis covers the rules.
- Hotel pickup and your own scooter. Many resorts collect guests from the pier. A rented scooter is cheap, but the hills on Phangan and Koh Chang are no place to learn, and riding without the right licence can void your travel insurance.
Carry cash for the pier-to-beach ride. On the islands Grab does not list, drivers expect baht in small notes, so do not land with only a card and a 1,000-baht note.
Why the app can show cars that never come
Grab's list tells you where the company says it operates, not how many drivers are working on a given evening. On a small island the app may show a car on the map, or let you request a ride, and then keep searching because nobody nearby accepts. The reverse is also possible: a driver may be online on an island Grab does not name. Either way, the map is not a promise.
Two habits help. Before you leave the pier or a remote beach, check that a driver has actually accepted and is moving towards you; and keep the number of a local taxi or your hotel in your phone as a backup. Thinking of a free lift instead? Our page on hitchhiking in Thailand explains what is known about the rules and the risks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grab available on Koh Samui?
Yes. Grab lists Samui, under "Surat Thani/Samui", among the places where GrabCar and JustGrab run, as read in November 2026. Bolt does not list Samui, so Grab and the island's taxis are the options.
Does Grab work on Koh Phangan?
Koh Phangan is not named on Grab's Thai coverage pages, so do not count on it. Songthaews and taxis wait at Thong Sala pier, and boat taxis serve the beaches without road access. We found no official ban; the island is simply not on Grab's list.
Is there Grab on Koh Tao?
Koh Tao is not named on Grab's list either. Shared pickups and taxis meet the boats at Mae Haad pier, and many dive schools and hotels collect their guests, so ask yours when you book.
Can I use Grab on Koh Lanta or Koh Chang?
Koh Lanta is not named, although Krabi province is listed, and Koh Chang's province, Trat, is not on Grab's list at all. On both islands, use songthaews, taxis or a hotel pickup, and agree the fare before the ride.
Sources
- Grab Thailand – Locations (checked November 2026)
- Grab Thailand – Transport services and coverage (checked November 2026)
- Bolt – Cities in Thailand (checked October 2026)
- UK Foreign Office – Thailand travel advice: safety and security (checked November 2026)