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Pattaya to Koh Larn A Travel Guide

Pattaya to Koh Larn: A Travel Guide

Pattaya is one of the most popular resort cities in Thailand known for its vibrant nightlife, exciting water activities, and unique floating markets

Chances are, if you’re already in Pattaya, you may be planning to visit the nearby island of Koh Larn, or Coral Island. It’s just 7 kilometres away from Pattaya so it’s one of the most visited islands due to its abundance of beautiful sights and thrilling activities.

So how do you get from Pattaya’s gorgeous beach to Koh Larn’s amazing water sports spots? Read our step-by-step guide to know more! 

How to Travel from Pattaya to Koh Larn

DifficultyVery Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps4 steps
Time required1 hour
Things you needYour travel itinerary and fare

To get to Koh Larn from Pattaya quickly and conveniently, you just have two options: via public ferry or via speed boat. 

The public ferry will take you longer at around 45 minutes but it’s more affordable, costing 30 THB one way. Taking the speed boat, on the other hand, will take you only around 20 minutes but it’s going to set you back 1,500 THB

Aside from these travel options, there are a number of things you need to consider when you travel to Koh Larn such as the itinerary and the hotels on the Island. If you want to know more, read our step-by-step guide below!

Getting to Koh Larn (Coral Island) from Pattaya is pretty simple but the first step is to choose the boat you plan to take there. You have two options to choose from which we detailed below:

Public Ferry

Your first option is to take the public ferry which will cost you around 30 THB one way per person. The best part is that you don’t have to book in advance since you just need to proceed to the pier and make the payment as you board the boat.

Just proceed to Bali Hai Pier where ferries can take you to the site from 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM with boats leaving per hour.

It’s hard to miss the boats taking tourists to Koh Larn as you’ll see a long queue of people just lining up on the pier to take the public ferry to Coral Island. What’s important is that you choose what port or pier you want to land in when you get to Koh Larn.

Choosing which pier you get to first will determine if you’re going to have direct access to the resorts of Koh Larn (Na Baan Pier) or the beach (Tawaen Beach):  

Na Baan Pier

This is Koh Larn’s main village where you’ll find the island’s biggest resorts and where most of the residents live. Once you get here, you need to take a motorbike for around 40 to 60 THB to get to the nearest beach.

You can also rent a motorbike to move around the island better and you’ll have to shell out 300 THB per day. There are also songthaews here that you can take to the nearest beach and it’s a budget option you can consider which only costs around 30 to 50 THB.

Travelling from Pattaya to Na Baan Pier from Pattaya will take you around 35 minutes.

Tawaen Beach

Tawaen Beach doesn’t have any hotels but it can be a great choice if you want to immediately hit the beach to do some swimming and water activities. This location is also perfect if you’re planning to maximise your time spent at Koh Larn.

The trip from Pattaya to Tawaen Beach is only going to take you around 45 minutes.

Speed Boat

If you have the funds for it and you want something faster, you can also travel to Coral Island by speed boat. It’s only going to take you 20 minutes if you go this route but it’ll also cost you more at around 1,500 to 2,500 THB depending on the speed boat’s size.

Consider this option only if you’re really in a hurry as it will only take out around 20 to 30 minutes off your travel time. With the spike in the price of more than a thousand baht, this is an option that’s best left to those who really need it!

Before you get to Koh Larn, you can already create a travel itinerary to determine which beaches and attractions you want to visit. It will depend on your preference and what you really want to do but below are some of the major beaches on Koh Larn Island:

Tawaen Beach

As discussed in the previous section, Tawaen Beach can be your drop-off point coming from Pattaya and is considered the main beach on the island. It’s a great-looking beach with clear blue waters and sand so fine that it’s almost powder-like.

Keep in mind though that this beach can get crowded with other guests and tourists so it’s best to manage your expectations. This isn’t a tranquil beach really especially during peak season and when the weather is fine.

Tong Lang Beach

Located adjacent to Tawaen Beach, this beach is very similar to that of Tawaen and is only a few feet away from each other. It has the same features as the main beach of Coral Island and is also frequently visited by a lot of guests and tourists.

Tayai Beach

This beach can be a bit hard to find but if you proceed to the end of Naban Pier and look for the road on the right, you can follow this path to find Tayai Beach. 

While it may not be as big as Tawaen and Tonglang, this is the best beach for you to enjoy that beautiful Thailand sunset.

Nual Beach

Also referred to as “Monkey Beach”, Nual Beach is located in Koh Larn’s southernmost area. It’s not as crowded as Tawaen or Tong Lang Beach and will definitely let you relax and unwind as you watch the calm blue waters of the ocean.

In fact, you’ll have moments here when you can have the beach all to yourself. Proceed to the left end of this beach and you’ll also spot some curious rock formations which are perfect if you want to take memorable photos of your trip to Koh Larn.

Samae Beach

Located on the western part of Coral Island, this beach is just like Tawaen as it has crystal clear waters, great sand, and tons of crowds just chilling and swimming. 

What makes Samae special though, is that it has a great viewpoint of the entire beach where you can enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Koh Larn.

Tien Beach

To get to Tien Beach you have to pass by a rocky strip of land. Don’t let this fool you as it is not the beach itself yet!

Walk further back and you’ll get to the “real” Tien Beach where a nice strip of white sand awaits you. 

This location can also be quite crowded but if you follow the path to the end of the beach, it’ll be less crowded and you might even get to relax on an available beach chair!

Viewpoints

There are a number of viewpoints here in Koh Larn that you can check out if you want to take in the amazing sights and views around the island. We already talked about the one located in Samae Beach called Laem Tong Viewpoint. 

Next, is the Kuan Yin Viewpoint which is considered Koh Larn’s best viewpoint to capture the beauty of the island in its entirety. Here, you’ll see great views of Tawaen Beach along with the entire northern part of the island.

From this viewpoint, you can walk up 250 steps to get to a pagoda located in a place touted as the highest point on the island. You might hope for great views once you reach this topmost part but the place is so overgrown that there’s not much to see. 

Still, the experience is amazing as you get to walk up a path flanked with lush greenery on both sides with the clear blue sky overhead.

Temples

There are only two notable temples here for you to check out at present. One is located near the Na Baan Pier which is still currently under construction but seems to be a promising one once it is completed. 

The other temple can be found right before you get to Kuan Yin Viewpoint. It’s a small temple used by monks as residential quarters but it has a great view of Tawaen beach and a large monk statue that you can take photos of or selfies with as a souvenir.

Once you’ve determined which beaches you want to go to or what activities you want to do when you get to Koh Larn, you then need to choose where you want to stay on the island.

Some guests will only do a day trip to Koh Larn from Pattaya but if you want to stay overnight to take in everything the island has to offer, then an overnight stay or more might be the best option for you.

Below are some of our picks for your possible accommodation when in Coral Island:

Xanadu Beach Resort

Address: Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand

Contact Number: +66 81 996 0757X

Xanadu Beach Resort is a great choice if you’re travelling with family as they have large rooms that are well-maintained and a fantastic view of the beach from the property. 

The beach is also right front which means you and your family can get immediate access to the clear blue waters of Samae Beach.

Plus, this resort offers other services which we’re certain you and other guests will appreciate. There’s a free shuttle service going to and from the pier and hotel and their breakfast is also quite filling and delicious – perfect before starting your day at Koh Larn.

Bee Orchid Pool Villa

Address: 212 6, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand

Contact Number: +66822588996

Located just 4 minutes by foot from Na Baan Pier, Bee Orchid Pool Villa is one of the most convenient hotels to stay in when in Koh Larn. Aside from the great property, it’s also located near great restaurants and most modes of transport available on the island.

The rooms are well-kept with a great view of the sea from the balcony. They also have a great outdoor pool here if you don’t feel like going out of the hotel and prefer to chill and relax on the hotel grounds.

Suntosa Resort

Address: 162 หมู่ที่ 7, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand

Contact Number: +66 90 392 2037

Suntosa Resort is a hotel you need to consider if you want to stay in Koh Larn to relax and kick back as you enjoy the surrounding area. They have a large deck where you can just zone out as you watch boats and ferries pass by over the calm blue waters.

The rooms are spacious and well-kept and will usually come with breakfast included. Hotel staff can also offer you motorbike rentals that are relatively cheaper compared to the ones offered along the beach (200 THB per day vs 300 THB per day).

Once you’ve chosen the boat you want to take to Koh Larn, the beaches you want to visit, and the hotels you want to stay in, it’s now time to take your trip to the island. As we mentioned earlier, it’ll take around 30 to 40 minutes so it’s going to be a short trip.


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