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Koh
Larn - Pattaya - The Coral Island The island is 7.5 kilometres from Bali Hai Pier/South Pattaya. There are many different ways to get to Koh Larn. (It will mean a trip on a boat!) There are about 6 beaches on Koh Larn; Ta Waen Beach (the most famous beach - it has own pier), Thong Lang Beach, Sangwan Beach, Thien Beach (famous for water sport facilities), Samae Beach, Nual Beach (the most popular for snorkeling and boat sailing). There are 2 other small islands near Koh Larn - ‘Koh Krok (Mortar island)’ and ‘Koh Sak (Pestle island). Both are very popular for diving. You can hire a speedboat from Koh Larn to Koh Krok or Koh Sak. There are no restaurants or shopping places on these small islands, so go prepared. |
You can buy a package trip from an tour agency. They will provide you a beautiful half/full day trip including tour guide to take you around and all the equipments you need for diving and lunch! Most of the beaches on Larn Island are similar. Beautiful scenery views, crystal clear water and white powdered sand. If you know how to drive a motorbike then better to rent one on the island, so you can visit places around the island easily. Alternatively you can take your own over by ferry, but it will cost an extra 100 or so baht!
just about everything that can be done on a beach can be done on one of Lo Lan's many beaches. Most beaches will offer an assortment of banana Boat, Donut rides, snorkelling, Kayak and the like.
Head inland from the beaches on Ko lan, and you will find lush vegetation - rainforest as of yet unspoiled, and the highest point on the island also has a Wat or Buddhist Shrine at the top. It is not too steep a climb, for the highest 'peak' on Ko Larn is only 200metrs high. It seems more, for the island is relatively small, being just 4 km long and around 2km wide at the widest point. A resident group of monkeys can be found at the far end of Nual Beach - take a few Rambutans or other in-season fruit if you want the best close-up pictures. But, be ready to be mobbed as the word gets round the small monkey community that there is food awaiting!
Most places of note on Koh Larn are accessible by either motorbike or pick-up truck taxis - songthaews.
Some of the hill climbs offer many opportunities to photograph the island differently - all the beach areas have been snapped in every way and fashion. Take camera walkabout and find some new angles.
The Beaches
All are golden or white sand with blue sea - clear in all but the busiest spot, where the jet-skis churn up the water and sand. Corals are to be found aplenty with a walk along the water's edge. For more delectable corals, there is snorkelling or diving to be had.
Ta Waen The harbour at Ta Waen helps to make this the most popular of the beaches on Koh Larn. the golden sands here stretch for 700metres - making it the largest of the beaches on the island. jet skis can be intrusive if you are in the water, but banana boats are a must if you never have! Ta Waen is flush with shops and places to eat, as you would expect.
Thong Lang is one of the smaller, tranquil beaches, and it will be ideal for those who want to get away from it all. very shallow water for long stretches, makes it a good snorkelling area. You do not have to swim or even float. Simply walk the shallow depths with snorkel facemask. Alternatively, have a trip on the glass-bottom boat. Not quite as clear as snorkelling, but you do get a bit further out to see some spectacular coral growths.
Sangwan beach - adjacent to Ta Waen, is as different as can be. The only similarity being the sands and clear sea. Smaller that Ta Waen at around 150metre long, the beach is sooooo quiet, yet in easy reach of some of the 'facilities on Ta Waen.
Thien Beach at 500metres long, has
much to offer in the way of water activities. These include Bananas, jet
Skis, Snorkelling, and the like. Not as busy as Ta Waen so swimming is ok
here - or even a beach massage. There are a few bungalows for overnight
stays here - tents as well sometimes.
***********
Samae Beach
is mid-point in size, with some of the more sedate water activities. A fine
viewpoint at Khao Nom, gives splendid scenic views. Even Pattaya can look
stunning in the right light!
Nual Beach to the south is the place if you want a hotel stay. Many of the hotels abut the sea front with all but private beach areas. Snorkelling is superb here, but sometimes messed up a bit by the adventurous jet-skis. Together with this, a few of the sight-seeing trip boats pull in. Scuba diving is popular and worthwhile out beyond the barge which sunk long ago.
When to go.
Like all places easily accessible to Bangkok and Pattaya, Ko Larn is popular all year round. The greenery is lush, because of the fair share of monsoon rains in the june till October rainy season. Getaway early if you want the best spots in the high season - or at weekends.
Who should go. Good fun for all the family, though infirm elders and some others might find it a bit frightening hopping off the boat onto the jetty without a gangway - especially in rougher weather. If you are after anything other than good clean fun, the best stay in Pattaya!
How to get to Koh Larn -
The Coral Island:
Drive 150
kilometres from Bangkok to Pattaya, then
use South Pattaya Rd./Pattaya Tai Rd, which is well signposted to Ko Larn.
Follow through to Pattaya Port named The Bali Hai Pier.
The Bali Hai Pier is open daily. The
fee is 20 baht/one way/person and takes
45 minutes or so.
From Pattaya to Koh Larn: 7:00am., 10:00am., 12:00am., 14:00pm., 15:30pm.,
17:00pm., 18:30pm.
From Koh Larn to Pattaya: 6:30am., 7:30am., 9:30am., 12:00am., 14:00pm.,
17:00pm., 18:00pm.
**recommended: if possible to get there early as it
will not be crowded - you can have your own private beaches then!!
Or, you can hire a speed boat which will cost about
1500-2500 baht for a group it
will take 15-20 minutes to Koh
Larn.
Left to right >> General view of Ta Waen Beach; map of Koh Larn; Ta Waen Beach; your transport!
If you would like to add any comments or experiences about Ko Larn to this page, then you can email us here.
