All boats to the marine park leave from Pak Bara pier, about 60 km north-west of the provincial capital Satun. Most travellers reach Pak Bara from Hat Yai — a regular minivan service runs the 130 km in roughly two and a half hours, leaving from Hat Yai's bus terminal and the airport. From Bangkok the easiest option is a flight to Hat Yai (1.5 hours) and the minivan onwards.
Boats to Ko Tarutao itself run only in the park season (mid-October through mid-May). The crossing takes about 90 minutes by speedboat. Boats to Ko Lipe run year-round in good weather and take about 90 minutes by speedboat from Pak Bara, dropping passengers at the floating pier off Pattaya Beach. From Ko Lipe, longtail boats serve the surrounding islands of Adang, Rawi, Hin-Ngam, and Ko Khai.
There is also a useful ferry service from Langkawi in Malaysia — about an hour to Ko Lipe — which makes Tarutao an easy add-on to a Malaysian trip. Boats run from mid-October to mid-May; check schedules in advance.
The park headquarters on Ko Tarutao closes during the monsoon (mid-May to mid-October), when seas are rough and the bungalows are shut. Ko Lipe stays open year-round but accommodation choices narrow and the snorkelling is reduced.