Koh Larn, also known as the Coral Island, is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand about 7 km west of Pattaya City, famous for beautiful white sand beaches, emerald water, and a variety of coral and marine life. Planning a trip to Koh Larn Island in Thailand? This detailed Koh Larn guide with travel tips will help you discover the island and its best things to do.
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Koh Larn Island is one of the most beautiful spots near Pattaya. Making a day trip to the island from Pattaya can be a good option if you are looking for more tranquility. Despite the fact that this tropical paradise is quite small, it has many services for tourists and about a thousand people living on the island. The island is quite mountainous and covered in greenery with extremely diverse and rich flora and fauna.
Things to do in Koh Larn
There is something for everyone on the island. You can discover a wide choice of fun things to do in Koh Larn.
Koh Larn Beaches
The main attraction on the island is definitely its beaches. There are absolutely seven fascinating main white sand beaches and some smaller beaches to enjoy. Most touristy beaches have water sports experience areas, fresh water bathrooms, great restaurants, and beachside bars.
To get familiar with all the main stretches of sand around Coral Island, explore our guide to Koh Larn beaches.
Swimming
Swimming in the clear waters of the beaches on the island is a very enjoyable experience for everyone. On the beach, there are normally rows of chairs, making it an ideal place to rest and sunbathe.
Snorkeling / Scuba Diving
The seawater around the island is very warm, so you can dive to see corals and explore the vast ocean. Nearby Koh Larn, there are also 2 other islands, Koh Krok and Koh Sak, that are very famous among lovers of diving and snorkeling. However, you should take a scuba diving course before diving in.
Playing water sports
On the main beaches of Koh Larn, you can try a range of water sports such as banana boat, jet ski, kite surfing, windsurfing, and paragliding.
Enjoy fun activities, such as snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, kayaking, and banana boating, on this Island Day Trip with Beach Activities.
Exploring the island
Koh Larn is not that big, so you can explore the whole Coral Island easily. Besides discovering the island’s best beaches, you can also visit the giant monk statue and shop at the local market. We would recommend renting a scooter and exploring the island before settling on one of the beaches for the rest of the day.
Enjoying freshly caught seafood
Koh Larn is a paradise for seafood lovers. The beachfront restaurants serve a variety of delicious seafood and other dishes. The seafood here is super fresh and absolutely delicious, but a bit expensive compared to the mainland.
Fishing on the boat
There are organized fishing tours and squid fishing at night you can join to experience.
Where to stay in Koh Larn
If a day trip to the island from Pattaya is not enough, you can also spend a few nights on the island and explore it in peace. The island is completely relaxing, and life is easy here.
Places to stay in Koh Larn
Koh Larn offers several accommodation options from simple guesthouses to comfortable resorts with decent services for the best relaxation. There are several beachfront resorts equipped with every comfort as well as a private terrace and a wonderful sea view.
The room prices on Koh Larn Island are reasonable. Many accommodations offer free breakfast, transfer from/to the port, and in some cases, the scooter rental. Most of the accommodations are located not far from Na Baan port and Tawaen port. On weekends and holidays, the island gets very crowded, so you should book early.
Recommended accommodations on the island:
Koh Larn Riviera - resort-style hotel near Ta Yai Beach, surrounded by mountains, with a quiet atmosphere suitable for relaxing.
Xanadu Beach Resort - beachfront accommodation on the beautiful Samae Beach.
Arthit Resort Koh Larn - new hotel offering sea views.
To get the best deal on accommodation, make sure to compare hotel deals on Booking.com with often better special offers on Agoda.
Stay in Pattaya
If you feel that a day trip to Koh Larn would be enough for you, a better option is to spend the night in Pattaya. Pattaya has a much greater variety of accommodations for tourists, especially for lovers of luxury and relaxation.
Some of the best-rated accommodations in Pattaya:
Grande Centre Point Pattaya - 5-star hotel offering spacious sea-facing accommodation rising above the most famous shopping mall in the city.
Wave Hotel Pattaya - an 18-room luxury Art Deco boutique hotel perfectly situated on Beach Road in the center of downtown Pattaya.
Noursabah Pattaya - uniquely designed Halal accommodation in a peaceful area of Pattaya.
Choosing one of Pattaya's beachfront hotels is especially recommended!
How to get to Koh Larn
Different ways for getting to the island from Bangkok and Pattaya are detailed in the transportation guide below.
Getting to Koh Larn from Bangkok
The easiest way to get there from Bangkok is to take a tour, as you can visit the island and some other popular places in Pattaya on a day trip from the capital city.
There are tours offering different trip itineraries and inclusions, therefore it's worth to compare several offers so you could choose the one that suites you the best. For example, on this Pattaya Koh Larn & Sanctuary of Truth Day Trip, you can relax and enjoy beautiful spots on the scenic island before climbing up to Pattaya Viewpoint and visiting the Sanctuary of Truth temple.
If you have plans to stay overnight on the island or in Pattaya, the cheapest way to get to the seaside is to take a bus or van to Pattaya at Ekkamai Bus Station, which is located right next to Bangkok BTS Ekkamai station. The journey to the resort city usually lasts about 2 hours.
Bus tickets can be booked online: Bus from Bangkok to Pattaya.
Once in Pattaya, you will have to take a taxi, motorbike taxi, or songtaew to Bali Hai Pier of Pattaya, from where the ferry and speedboats leave for Koh Larn.
To make things more simple, you can travel from your Bangkok hotel or right after landing at the airport directly with private transfer between Bangkok and Pattaya.
Getting to Koh Larn from Pattaya
The island is only accessible by boat, so you can choose to get there by ferry, speedboat, or as part of a tour.
Tour to Koh Larn
Taking a tour to Koh Larn is the easiest and most worry-free way to explore the island. For as little as 500 THB, you can discover the beauty and waters of Thailand’s picturesque Coral Island while enjoying a fun organized day trip.
The most popular day trips to Koh Larn are the following:
Pattaya to Koh Larn Half Day Tour
Koh Larn Speedboat Day Trip from Pattaya with Lunch
By Ferry
Ferries to Koh Larn depart regularly from Bali Hai Pier (the only port in Pattaya), which is located at the end of Pattaya Walking Street. There you will find several carriers operating on the following two routes:
- Bali Hai – Na Baan Beach: running from 7:00 to 18:30
- Bali Hai - Tawaen Beach: running from 8:00 to 17:00
As you can see, two piers allow disembarkation on the island. Tawaen Beach on the west coast is the main beach on the island, while Na Baan Beach is on the east coast of Koh Larn, where most of island’s residents live. Na Baan is the main village of the island with bars, restaurants, 7/11, Buddhist temple, and schools.
Taking the ferry to Koh Larn is by far the cheapest option as the ferry ticket costs 30 THB for a one-way trip. You can buy tickets at a small kiosk next to where the ferry is docked.
The ferry ride is pleasant and only lasts about 40-45 minutes. You will see the lively Pattaya slowly moving away as you leave the coast and approach the island. The color of the water gradually changes from dark blue to turquoise.
By Speedboat
Another option for getting to the island is by speedboat. This is the fastest way to get from central Pattaya to Koh Larn and is extremely comfortable. The journey takes only about 15–20 minutes.
However, speedboat fare is much more expensive than the ferry, as it costs around 200-300 THB per person for a one-way trip. Speedboat tickets for a trip to the island can be booked online here: Speedboat from Pattaya to Koh Larn.
The cost of the speedboat to Koh Larn Island is between 1,500 and 3,000 THB for a group of 6 people. The price depends on the size of the boat, so you should select one of the smaller boats to pay less if there are few people in your group. Most of these boats are well maintained and have safety equipment on board. All the crew have a lot of experience. You will find them along the beach road of Pattaya and Jomtien.
How to travel around Koh Larn
Once you arrive at the port on Koh Larn, you have several possibilities to explore the island, as you can choose one of the following: motorbike taxis, songtaews, or renting a scooter to travel around the island.
If you are looking for the most economical way to get to some of the beaches, you can ride a 12-seat songtaew for 40-50 THB per person, while the motorbike taxi price will range from 40 to 80 THB, depending on the beach you want to go to. The motorbike taxi drivers and songtaews are waiting at the end of the pier. Nearby, you will see a tourist map with the fixed rates for each beach marked.
It is possible to move from beach to beach or take a complete tour of the island, at a cost of 400 THB, before choosing the place to stop.
For the most convenient transportation on Koh Larn, you should rent a motorbike for 300-400 THB per day, as you can explore the whole island independently. As a deposit, you must leave your passport. Before leaving, carefully inspect the vehicle with the owner and make sure to have a full tank of petrol.
Weather in Koh Larn
Koh Larn is located in the Gulf of Thailand and has a truly privileged climate. The tropical climate is dominant there so it is roughly divided into two seasons as the dry period and the rainy season. The average annual temperature is between 30 and 35 degrees. Between November and February, it is certainly the best time to visit Koh Larn, as very little rain is expected while the weather is not too hot.
Destinations after Koh Larn
Pattaya is a large city nearby, where you can enjoy shopping malls, water parks, infamous nightlife, and much more, just a short boat ride from the island.
Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and the largest city in the country, with tons of things to do and see, so you can easily spend days or weeks there and not get bored.
Koh Samet is a tranquil island that can be easily reached from Pattaya. Koh Chang is another island offering a good relaxation from crowds.
