Pattaya's Tropical Paradise
Koh Larn (Coral Island): How to get there, things to do, and where to stay.
Koh Larn, also known as Coral Island, is a small tropical gem off the coast of Pattaya City in Thailand. It can be visited as a day trip from Pattaya or be included in a weekend trip from Bangkok. At the time of our visit we were staying in Bangkok for a month and needed a beach excursion away from the city, yet close enough that we wouldn't be spending too much money on transportation. Whether you visit for a couple of hours or a couple of days, you need to include a trip to Koh Larn during your trip to central Thailand. The island is known for its white sand beaches backed by hills and jungles, gorgeous sunsets, crystal clear waters, and cute local restaurants. We had so much fun during our visit and I would definitely go back again - hopefully this guide makes your trip easier!
Getting There:
Getting to Koh Larn is very simple. You have two options - you can either get there by ferry or fast boat. Hopping on a ferry would get you to the island in around 35-45 minutes and cost 30 THB one way (0.86 USD); the ferry runs every hour or two and the schedule can be found below. Meanwhile, taking a fast boat would get you there in 15 minutes and be a bit more expensive at 200 THB one way (5.71 USD); there are many fast boats so they run every couple of minutes.
Ferry Timetable (click the arrows on the left to show the times):
Na Baan Pier - Pattaya to Koh Larn
7:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:00, 18:30
Na Baan Pier - Koh Larn to Pattaya
Tawaen Beach - Pattaya to Koh Larn
Tawaen Beach - Koh Larn to Pattaya
Both of these transportation methods leave from Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya City. Getting tickets is very straightforward - all tickets can be purchased at the pier; if you choose the fast boat as your transportation method there will be many people who approach you to buy tickets from them. After traveling for so long, my first reaction is now to say "no" whenever people approach me trying to sell me anything - however here it is okay to say yes! LOL! Within 30 seconds we paid (the fast boats only take cash so be sure to have it handy), went with a group into a boat and were on our way! If you choose to take a ferry, you pay for your ticket at the kiosk on the pier.
Where you arrive on Koh Larn can depend on where (or if) you are staying the night. There are two main piers on Koh Larn that the boats could take you too - Na Baan pier and Tawaen beach pier. Regardless of where you are staying I would recommend arriving at Na Baan pier since it is the main village on the island. Here, there are significantly more methods of transportation (i.e. scooters and songthaews) to get you to beaches or your accommodation and it is a very nice place to walk around. Tawaen beach pier on the other hand is exactly what it sounds like - a pier on a very popular beach! I would recommend this pier if you are only visiting for the day and not spending the night. Whether you are taking a ferry or fast boat, make sure you specify which port you'd like to go to so you don't end up on the wrong side of the island.** There are two ferries, one on each side of the pier - one goes to Na Baan and the other goes to Tawaen beach so it's important to get clarification as to which ferry is heading where.
**The island is very tiny, so it only takes around 20 minutes to get from one side to the other. If you take the wrong ferry, it really is no big deal!
Accommodation recommendation:
I stayed in a lovely airbnb for around $35/night not far from Na Baan pier. The host was extremely accommodating - once we let her know we had arrived at the pier, someone came in a scooter with a side carriage attachment to pick us up and drive us the 5 minutes to the property. We were able to rent a scooter from the host for 300 THB (around $9 USD) per day; this is pricy, but after doing research it is quite hard to find a scooter rental for less than 200 THB ($6 USD) on the island. It was very convenient renting from our accommodation, and the host made sure the gas tank was full before giving us the keys. The main method of transportation to get around is by scooter as there are hardly any cars on the island, and when we did spot a car it was being used for work.
The property was in the main village located down a cute and narrow street allowing us to feel like we were living among locals - this is often our preference rather than being at a hotel or resort. The apartment itself was not luxurious, but it was all we needed - large and clean and the areas outdoors were perfect for relaxing (i.e. patio, benches, swinging chair, a lot of greenery). The next morning we were given a delicious homemade breakfast of eggs, sausage and salad along with fresh-made coffee before checking out. We were offered a free ride back to the pier but we declined because we wanted to walk and enjoy the area a bit more before heading back to Pattaya.
Top Things to do on the Island:
Best Beaches
There are so many beautiful beaches on the island with soft white sand and warm turquoise waters. In my opinion, the following are the top three beaches on Koh Larn. All beaches have free scooter parking. Each beach is full of water activities, has at least one restaurant and bar, lounge chairs for rent at a price of around 100 THB ($3 USD) for the day (slightly varying depending on the beach) and an incredible tropical ambiance. There are a lot of water-sports available include jet-skiing, kayaking, banana boats and more. Each beach is also fantastic for snorkeling - Koh Larn is referred to as 'coral island' for a reason!
1) Tien Beach
This was my favorite beach on the island. It has beautiful trees on the sand close to the water that creates natural shaded areas and makes the beach feel so tropical. There is a restaurant and bar with delicious food, cocktails and fresh coconuts. The coconuts get cut open in front of you with a machete and you stick a straw in it to drink - the coconuts in southeast Asia are the best I have ever tasted and the ones from this bar were no exception!
There is a an area on the beach here that allows for drop-off and pick-up when coming and going from Pattaya city (on private fast boats, not from Bali Hai pier). Nothing gets in your way as there aren't that many boats and there is not even a pier, but it is worth mentioning. It was pretty crowded on this beach but very worth it. I was so surprised at how warm and gentle the water was, making for a wonderful day of swimming. As I mentioned there are water-sports on every beach; Here we rented jet-skis for 1200 THB ($35 USD) for 30 minutes - we had never been on a jet-ski prior to this, so having our first experience be on a tropical island in Thailand was amazing!
2) Nual Beach (Monkey Beach)
Nual beach, located on the southernmost part of the island, is commonly known as monkey beach because the hillside on the left (left when facing the water, pictured above) is occupied by a monkey colony. You can often see them climbing around on the rocky hill. You can try to lure them closer with snacks (watermelon, bananas) or even climb up the hill to get a closer look; if you choose to get closer please follow the monkey rules!!** We didn't climb up the hill or get very close, but we were able to catch some sightings of them climbing on the rocks! If you wish to see the monkeys I would arrive early in the morning or later in the evening as they usually won't be out and roaming if the weather is too hot/at its peak.
**An example of these rules would be do not provoke them, do not touch them, keep your belongings close so they don't get stolen by the monkeys, and it's best not to look them in the eye as they may see this as a sign of aggression.
This beach was the least crowded and had the best snorkeling - corals, tropical fish and starfish can be found under the blue waters near the rocky area below the monkey hill. Note that the beach had many stray dogs while we were there - especially puppies! One of the dogs was so adorable and took a liking to my boyfriend and I as he followed us all the way down the beach and didn't want to leave our side!
3) Samae Beach
Samae beach is the perfect place for watching the sunset as it directly faces the setting sun. Whichever beach you explore during the day, I would highly recommend coming here to watch the sun creep below the horizon as the sky lights up all shades of orange, yellow, red and pink. The most recognizable photos of this beach are of the stingray-shaped building on the hill to the right (the right when facing the water) which is the electricity control center of the island. This beach definitely gets busier than others as it is the second largest and second most popular beach on the Koh Larn, but there are plenty of restaurants and loungers to spend the day swimming and laying out in the sun here!
Best Island Lookouts
There are lookout points all over the island; The best ones were Tawaen beach viewpoint and windmill viewpoint. On the way to the top of Tawaen beach viewpoint there is a large golden buddha statue with a beautiful view. You can take your motorbike to the first level (where the buddha is) and from there it takes around 20 minutes to walk to the second level at the top of the steps. You can see so much of the island and enjoy breathtaking views. The windmill viewpoint is another incredible lookout. You can take your scooter to the top and witness 360 degree views of the island, including being able to see the Pattaya city skyline. Be careful when driving up as there are pretty sharp turns on narrow roads. If you like to hike or walk, the viewpoint is accessible by foot - there is a trail leading up to the hill and you can park your scooter below.
Restaurant/Bar
We came across what was in our opinion the best bar and restaurant on the island called Klom Klom Kohlarn. It is a very small island so there are not a lot of nightlife options and many of them close rather early, but this charming boho bar was open until 12am. There was live music with a singer, guitarist and drummer playing soft alternative music. The whole place has an amazing atmosphere and ambiance; it is so beautifully decorated and everywhere you look you'll see unique paintings, structures, signs and tapestries.
There were delicious cocktails and food available - we ordered some pad Thai and another traditional Thai noodle dish that I can't remember the name of. The flavors in every bite were some of the best I've ever had and as I sit here writing this I am craving their noodles! Hanging out around the bar was the sweetest little cat that seems to be one of the employees or owners cats - I watched as customers and employees pet him and played with him using some cat toys they had around the bar! The staff are all very kind to say the least.
One Day Itinerary:
If you only have one night on the island, here is the perfect one day itinerary:
(1) Take the ferry or fast boat from Pattaya City early in the morning. When you arrive on the island, rent a scooter and check into your accommodation to drop off any luggage you don't need (optional).
(2) Visit Tien beach first for a few hours. Hang out, do some water activities, and grab a drink & some lunch at the bars or restaurants.
(3) When you're ready, leave Tien beach and head to either Tawean beach viewpoint or windmill viewpoint for gorgeous views.
(4) With enough time before it starts getting dark, head to Samae beach to watch the sun as it disappears over the water.
(5) After the sun sets and it's dark, stop at a convenience shop to get some snacks before heading back to your accommodation to shower and change (and if you're hungry, eat some of those snacks in the meantime). Once you're ready, head over to Klom Klom Kohlarn bar and restaurant for dinner, drinks and live music!
(6) The next morning if you have time before you checkout of your accommodation and return to Pattaya city, I would head over to Nual beach to explore and try to spot some monkeys. On your way back to Na Baan Pier, grab some coffee at Chaw Ban Coffee (I got the iced mocha latte and it was fantastic).