Koh Larn (Coral Island)

Koh Larn is an island off Pattaya reached from Bali Hai Pier in the south of the city. The choice of beach shapes the day: a ferry arrival at Tawaen puts you near that beach, while Na Baan village is a starting point for an onward island transfer.

Why it’s special

The island brings several beach settings into one outing. Tawaen has a developed visitor area and a ferry landing. Samae and Tien are west-coast alternatives; Tien’s final approach includes a pedestrian bridge. Nual and Tong Lang offer smaller stops with their own access considerations.

Choose by the facilities you need and the return journey, rather than assuming that the smallest beach is empty or that clearer-looking water is safe for swimming. The complete Koh Larn guide compares the beaches and shows how to build the day around one of them.

Getting there

Start at the Bali Hai Pier area at the south end of Walking Street. Our Bali Hai Pier guide provides the location context. Before paying, establish three things: the boat’s destination, the complete fare and the arrangement for returning.

• Public ferry: choose a sailing for Na Baan or Tawaen and check the posted ticket price. The ferry’s landing point determines your next step on the island.
• Shared speedboat: confirm the operator, landing point, per-person total and return terms. Boarding and sea conditions can change the time advantage.
• Private boat: ask for a written whole-boat price and the included destinations, waiting time and cancellation conditions.

The fare evidence needs care. The KohLarn.com page reviewed on 12 September 2026 still displayed THB30, while our older record had incorrectly attributed THB40 to it. A Chonburi government report published on 30 March records a postponement of the proposed increase over Songkran. These do not settle today’s fare or a later effective date, so check the actual posted tariff instead of treating either old number as guaranteed.

The government report also records the Marine Department’s instruction to wear a life jacket throughout the crossing. Follow the crew’s safety directions and current local restrictions.

On the island

Shared island transport and motorbike taxis connect visitor areas with the main beaches. Ask for the destination and fare before leaving, and settle how you will return from the beach. Save a photo of the pickup point if the route is unfamiliar.

Renting a scooter adds licence, insurance, helmet and steep-road considerations. It is not necessary to rent one to have an island day. For travellers who need step-free transport or assistance boarding, confirm those arrangements before choosing the outing.

Restaurants, chairs, showers and watersports are separately arranged services. Ask about the full charge before using them, carry small notes and keep enough money and phone battery for the return. Activity availability is not a safety endorsement.

Plan your visit

• Choose one main beach. More stops mean more time finding and waiting for transport.
• Allow a half to full day. Include reaching Bali Hai, queueing, the crossing and the island transfer.
• Check the return early. Na Baan and Tawaen are different routes; save the correct pier name as well as the time.
• Bring the basics. Water, sun protection, cash and a dry bag make a beach day easier.
• Consider an overnight stay deliberately. Reserve and confirm the property and transfer instead of using a missed boat as a plan.

Find Koh Larn on Google Maps.

Honest verdict

Choose Koh Larn when your group wants a beach outing and is comfortable with the boat and island transfers. The destination offers a choice of beaches, but a good day depends on practical details: the landing point, conditions, food and shade arrangements, and a return with time to spare.

A mainland beach or indoor outing is a better fit when the sea is unsuitable, a traveller cannot manage the transfer, or the evening has a fixed commitment. This guide does not promise clear water, a quiet beach or the quality of a particular operator.

Decide the return route before the beach

At Bali Hai, confirm Na Baan or Tawaen, then ask where and when the return leaves. If you move to another beach, allow for travelling back across the island, finding the queue and boarding. Aim for an earlier return when dinner, a hotel checkout or onward transport is fixed.

Before paying for sea travel, open the TMD shipping forecast and read the Gulf of Thailand section and its issue time. A dry-looking beach or a monthly weather average does not establish the crossing conditions. Confirm operation with pier staff and follow the current local instructions.

Keep a mainland alternative such as Terminal 21 available if the sea plan changes. A later charter is not a guaranteed backup after the final public departure.