Koh Larn

Introduction
Koh Larn is a wonderful little island in the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Larn is located about 7km
off the coast of Pattaya Beach of which is about two hours drive south of Bangkok. The Island is
about 4km long and about 2km wide and has about a thousand residents most of whom live in
the main village called Naban. Most of the people that live here also work and go to school on
the island. Any of the everyday necessities are here including a police force and a small medical
facility. There are about six beaches on the island that boast white sand and clear blue water.
Koh Larn is a lush green tropical island which has an abundant amount of rain fall each year
during monsoon. The terrain is mostly mountainous which is covered in most part with heavy
vegetation, jungle if you will. Monkeys naturally inhabit the island as well as other wildlife.
Infrastructure here in most part consist of narrow roadways covered with brick pavers.

There are many activities here for visitors to enjoy, some include para sailing, snorkeling,
jet ski, banana boat, swimming in tropical waters, and there is even a shooting range located
here. Because the island is mountainous there are also some spectacular views for those that
like to take a few snapshots. Koh Larn is also very suited for bicycling and hiking, many
bicycling events have been held here. Many movie production companies have used the island
for movie shoots. There are many accommodations that will make you feel right at home. Then
there are the places to eat many right on the beach, serving up fresh, catch of the day sea food.
Many visitors come to stay their entire vacation on Koh Larn and return year after year, kind of a
home away from home for some.
Tawaen Beach, the largest and most popular
Tawaen Beach is by far the most developed and the most visited beach on Koh Larn.
On any given day by my estimate there are well over a thousand visitors, if not more, come to
this beach. On the weekend that number may double for many people come down from
Bangkok to enjoy a weekend of relaxation on the beach far removed from city life. This is also a
place that attracts international tourist from all over the globe. Most any major language can be
understood here to a certain degree, for the people that work here cater to international
travelers on a daily basis. Most of the restaurants will specialize in one or two types of
international cuisine, one may specialize in Russian food whereas another may serve Chinese
and so on. All the activities can be found here, there's even a submarine to view coral reefs.

Tropical, yes, this is early January

and the temp is about 80 degrees
with a breeze. The ocean temp about
75 degrees, ahhhh. No snow forecast
for today.

Sun worshipers from places unknown come to gather the morning rays. Only to return to
their homeland to brag about a newly acquired tan.
Tien Beach

Tien Beach is a mid sized beach here on the island. In as far as blue ocean and white
sand this is the best. This beach has many restaurants an souvenir shops that are a little more
upscale than at the other beaches, but still, has the flavor of Thailand. From what I have been
told, this is a year round beach, with little fluctuation of tourist from season to season. The
atmosphere here, well seems very relaxed and quiet. The people that visit here seem to come
in smaller groups and there for not as much chatter that you would find amongst larger groups.
Tien Beach is accessible by speed boat, charter and local taxi. When coming by taxi there is a
short walk of about five minutes from the drop off point, there are no roads to this beach.

One of the smaller restaurants along

the beach, nothing fancy but a nice
place to go.
Like I said blue and I mean blue ocean.
This water here is as clear and blue as
it gets. Put that with the clean white
sand and plenty of sun, what more
could a beach gower want.
Tonglang Beach

Tonglang is a mid sized beach. The stretch of sand here is narrower here than the other
beaches, but there still is plenty of area to stretch out on. Tonglang is accessible by boat there are no
roads to this beach. It is also accessible by hiking down a steep narrow path that I don't recommend see
photo below. I personally have been to this beach only once mainly because of the hike there for I don't
have many photos or much information about this beach.

Here in this photo is the trail to Tonglang Beach it

is steeper than it looks. The hike takes about ten or
fifteen minutes from the drop off point. Taxis don't wait
at the drop off point so when you go back your on
your own.
Naul Beach

Naul beach is another nice beach on Koh Larn. Naul is a mid sized beach but has the most
coconut trees of any other beach on the island. This beach seems to be very seasonal in as far
as tourist and sometimes it can be almost deserted in off season. If a deserted beach is what
you like then you might try here first, off season occurs between April and late October. If you
come here during this time you should bring your own stuff like towels to lay out on and some
drinks and food. Koh Larn Resort is located here but sometimes it is hard to find any of the staff
here to accommodate your needs so be prepared.
Samae Beach

Samae Beach is my personal favorite of beaches here on Koh Larn. A white sandy beach
with clear blue water and gentle breezes most of the time is what makes Samae Beach my
number one choice. This beach is visited by about 800 people a day during the high season.
Transportation to this beach from Na Ban pier is 50B. The cost of each beach chair is from 50 to
100B for all day. Food is readily available as there are many restaurants that line the entire
beach, you can bring some of your own food along if you like. When you want something to eat
or drink you can order right from your beach chair and have it brought to you. This beach
measures 537 Meters long, so for those that need to do a Kilometer walk or jog just go from one
end to the other and back and that is your 1K. There are plenty of activities here such as jet ski,
banana boat and snorkeling.
Early in the day before most people get to the island

Solar array on Samae Beach, from the air it looks like a sting ray
A view from the hiking trail overlooking Samae Beach

The wind farm on the same hiking trail over looking Samae Beach
Transportation to Koh Larn

Getting to Koh Larn is easy. First you need to get to the Bali Hai Pier where the ferry
boat is docked. If you don’t know where the Bali Hai Pier is then just ask around most people
will know where the Bali Hai Pier is. You could also get a baht taxi or a motorbike taxi to take
you to the pier, they all know where Bali Hai Pier is. The ferry boat you want is located straight
out at the end of the pier. The ferry going to Twaen Beach on Koh Larn is just to the left then the
ferry just to the right goes to Naban or the main Village. The fare for the Koh Larn ferry to both
destinations is only 30 Baht for each way. If someone asks you to pay more than 30 Baht then
you are probably not at the right boat. You pay just as you board the boat at the kiosk next to
where the boat is docked. The Koh Larn Ferries go to both Naban port and Tawean Beach with
different departure and arrival times, see schedule. Naban Port is the main village where most
people that live on the island have their homes. Naban also has the majority of resorts for those
people that want to stay for a few nights. Tawaen Beach is the other destination and now has
accommodations for overnight stays. You can get to all parts of the island from both these
destinations by song tao, or motorbike taxi. Don’t feel like you are stuck in one place once you
get to Koh Larn, feel free to explore as much as you like and have fun. You can choose either
boat to return back to Pattaya, it doesn't’t matter where you arrived to the island. Remember
you pay the fare as you board.
 Time Pattaya to Naban Naban to Pattaya Pattaya to Twaen Beach Twaen Beach to Pattaya

06:30 / 6:30AM

07:00 / 7:00AM

07:30 / 7:30AM

08:00 / 8:00AM

09:00 / 9:00AM

09:30 / 9:30AM

10:00 / 10:00AM

11:00 / 11:00AM

12:00 / 12:00PM

13:00 / 1:00PM

14:00 / 2:00PM

15:00 / 3:00PM

15:30 / 3:30PM

1600 / 4:00PM

16:30 / 4:30PM

17:00 / 5:00PM

18:00 / 6:00PM

18:30 / 6:30PM

Warning : For speed Boat. I’m not recommend. It’s very dangerous.
Please be careful!
 Some helpful hints
 Fare for the boat is 30baht per person each way. You pay at the boat before
boarding.
 Catch the ferry going out to the island at the pier south of Walking street in
Pattaya Beach.
 The best place to wait to go back is at the food court, they will make sure you
won't miss the boat. At the food court you can relax and have some
refreshments.

Ferry boat with passengers at, Koh

Larn pier, returning to Pattaya.

The last boat to Pattaya six o'clock. This photo taken during monsoon, this part of the year
can produce some really spectacular sun sets.
Transportation around the island
Motorbike Taxi

Motor bike taxis at the pier waiting to take visitors to the beaches. I call this the gauntlet,
try not to be intimidated, they are here for your service. I know most of these guys, and they all
live on the island. Some of these guys are third and fourth generation residents here on the
island, so they know the island very well. The fares these guys charge are as reasonable as it
gets. They all carry a tourist map with the fares marked on it, they won't bargain here with the
fares they all charge the same. The fares are for each person, some folks believe that if they fit
two passengers on one bike they get a discount, not so, you pay for each person. Otherwise
some would try to fit five or so on one bike to get the discount. I my self have had four persons
and a dog on my bike, anything is possible here.

Baht Bus or Song Tao

 This mode of transportation is the same as the baht bus, or this can be called a song-tao,
translated means two rows. These vehicles are just pickup trucks fitted with a canopy on the
back and padded benches installed over the wheel wells. The fares are the same as with motor
bike, a set amount for each person. The driver to the right was joking with me earlier, I still don't
know what was so funny.

Motorbike Rentals

Motor bike rentals, if you are the adventurous type, this is the way to fly. You come and go
as you please. These are all late model bikes and all are well maintained. Do a pre-inspection
with the owner before departing on your journey. A map of the island is supplied with each bike
and road signs on the island should keep you from getting lost. Cost of renting one of these is
around 300baht for the entire day and that includes petrol

Warning!
As there is an ever increasing number of tourist visiting Koh Larn there is also an ever
increasing number of tourist riding around the island, on motorbike, many of them with little
experience riding motorbike. With the increase of people riding around the island there is a
proportionately increase in the number of accidents,

please be careful!
Activities, and things to do
There are many activities to keep you busy here on the island. The following list is just
an example. This will be an ongoing page between doing these things, travell and my writing
this page may take a long time to complete if ever.

Para sailing

Para sailing behind speed boat, is a total kick, I mean your up there flying like a bird. The
the wind in your face, ocean below your feet and nothing but sky above, what can I say. This
activity is not for the faint at heart, when you come down your adrenalin will be pumping. What a
rush. Cost for this little attitude adjustment 300bahts. The trip may only last about a minute, but
the after affects go much longer than that.

This activity is open in the early part of the day, up until noon, then they shut it all down.
So get to the island at least an hour before. Ask any taxi and they will be happy to take you to
the boat that goes to the platform. A bit of advice here, be prepared to get wet and have fun, I
make no bonze about it.
 The takeoff, you get going very fast at this point. The guys in the blue jackets help you take
off and land safely.

The landing it really seems like your up there allot longer than you were.
Banana Boat
Jet ski scams

Swimming in tropical waters

Swimming in tropical waters is a favorite among the visitors of Koh Larn. My experience
with swimming in the ocean was never so nice as this. Where I come from it's just too cold to be
enjoyed, not so here. When you get in this water there is no shock at all. The temprature of this
water is perfect, perfect, perfect, or maybe I mean perfect. I observe many people stay in the
water for a long time, drifting aimlessly on one of those floating rings seen in the upper picture. It
is also allot of fun to snorkel here, some of the coral reefs around the island are wonderful. If
you forget to bring your fins, mask and snorkel don't worry you can rent them right on the beach.
The surf here isn't very big, so don't plan on doing much in the way of surfing dudes. But
swimming and hangin on the beach is a great way to spend the day.
Motorbike riding on Koh Larn
Motorbike riding just happens to be something I personally have allot of experience in,
and I never seem to tire of it. In Thailand motorbike is a major source of personal transportation.
For my transportation needs here on the island a motorbike is perfect, the roads are just too
narrow for a bigger vehicle. Also my fossil fuel consumption is about two liters a week whereas
before in the states it was fifty times that conservatively speaking.

Motorbike rentals are widely available on the island. All of the motorbikes for rent here
are all late models and are well maintained for your riding pleasure and safety. Most of the
motorbikes have automatic clutch, with some even being fully automatic, so you don't even
need to shift gears. The cost is around 300bahts for the entire day with rates going down to
about 200bahts after 2pm. For exploring the island motorbike is the way to go. A map of the
island is supplied with each motorbike. There are many road signs written in English, on the
island that should keep you from getting lost. If however you do get lost it won't take you long to
find your way again, the island is not that big.

Koh Larn may be a small island but you won't see it all in one day. Even after my being here
for a couple of years I still come across places I haven't seen before. You can however get a
good idea of the layout in a day. For most people just riding around on a tropical island, taking in
some beautiful views and going to the beaches, is a fun day in itself. Riding the narrow brick
paved roads on motorbike is like taking a step back in time. The village of Koh Larn has a true
character of its own. There are few building laws here and most people can build what ever they
want, this allows for true creativity in the buildings you see here. One building may be painted
bright purple and the next a pastel light blue, another may be large constructed of brick and
steel and then next door small built of wood and tin. Where I come from, creativity can really be
hampered by building design restrictions.

I would like to give some safety tips here even to the experienced rider me included. When
riding around the island keep your eyes on the road. I know that may sound stupid, but it is
really easy here to be looking at something and all of a sudden the road takes a turn and off into
a ditch you go. There is plenty of time to stop take a look around and then off to the next place.
There are no signal lights here, hell there isn't even a stop sign on the entire island, so be
careful at intersections. When riding around the village please be careful, there are many
children playing about. I recommend parking the bike and just take a stroll, and besides you'll
see allot more that way.

Bicycling on Koh Larn

Fishing on Koh Larn

Koh Larn twenty years ago was mainly a community of people that made their living by
fishing. Today there is still evidence of that area gone by. There are many villagers here that still
make their living fishing the ocean on boats large and small. I see all the time the fishing boats
going to places unknown to me, returning with a bevy of fresh catch to be sold in the local
market. Fresh, and I mean fresh, fish in the market is sold by the Kilo, at what I call bargain
prices. Other seafood like crab, prawn, lobster and squid can be had at a fraction of the cost of
where I come from. Crab you say, for an afternoon snack, why not, I used to pay more for a Big
Mac.

To catch the really big fish you need to go out on a fishing boat. Charters are available
here and I will gather more about availability of charter later. I don't speak the native language
here very well so information to me can be slow at times. However there are many piers located
around the island for your fishing enjoyment. The piers range from rickety old wooden structures
that I tread on very carefully to state of the art concrete and steel. Fishing from pier won't net
you the big game caught from boat, but it's a great way to spend a quiet day and it's almost free.

This pier located on the side of

the island facing the city. On a clear day
you can almost reach out and grab one
of the high rise buildings that line the
mainland. This is a very quiet spot, a
good place to catch up on your favorite
novel, enjoy a nice breeze and who
knows maybe even catch enough for
dinner. Good luck.

The pier here has since been

closed. Time has taken it's toll on this
one and is unsafe to walk on. I have
included this photo because it is
interesting to look at.

 Snorkeling

 Hiking

 Under water exploring in water proof suit

 Scuba diving

 Shopping
Resorts, and places to stay over night
Sea Beach Guest House
Sea Beach Guest House has three locations to choose from. One of them is only forty
meters from the pier in Na Baan. Rooms start at 800B week days during low season.

Rimtalay Resort
Rimtalay Resort sits along the shore facing Pattaya and Jomtien. Bungalow style rooms
of large and small, there are also row style rooms. There is even a house for rent if you are in a
group or just have that need for extra space. Ocean views from nice patios are especially nice in
the evening. The drawback is the distance to the main village, it would be a great walk during
the day but not at night because of dogs. Room Rates start at 1,000B during the week

Tel. 089-2484844 ,085-4388664

Lareena Resort
Lareena Resort is just on the left as you are coming to the island on the ferry. A very
well appointed resort, with tasteful decor in all rooms. If you want to be close to the village and
have beautiful views of Jomtien then this is the place for you. All rooms have Air con and hot
water. This is the kind of place to that whispers relax. Room rates start at. The only downside is
the sound of the ferry boats coming and going, but this is only during the day. While others may
enjoy watching the boats come and go.

Tel. 081-637-4442 , 081-405-3956

Booncheun Resort
Booncheun Resort is situated next to the ocean with a nice view of Pattaya and Jomtien.

Tel. 086-8494935, 081-4352697 , 038-361877

Xanadu Resort
xanadu Resort is located at the south end of Samae beach. A very colorful place with
rooms and exteriors painted in many bright contrasting colors. Samae beach is well known for
stunning sunsets so If you love beautiful sunsets then this is the place to be.

Tel. 081-996-0757
The Light House
Located midway between Nual Beach and Naban Village. Artistically decorated each
room has a different theme. Beautiful well kept grounds makes for a very relaxing experience.

Tel. 080-832-6863 , 087-600-9078

Suntosa Resort
You can not miss this one it is one of the main features you see as the ferry boat
approaches the main village of Koh Larn. Very nicely decorated through out and very
comfortable rooms. This is one of the closest of resorts to the main pier and village dinner
houses.

Tel. 038-434002, 090-3922-037

Baan Rae Resort of Koh Larn

Located half way from the main village and Samae Beach. There are several restaurants
and places to have some drinks within easy walking distance. Pretty basic furnishings but clean
and friendly. I believe their rates are lower than most of the other resorts.

Tel. 090-738-9473
Lomtalay of Tawaen Beach
Located near the north end of Twaen Beach, just steps from the water. Twaen Beach is
by far the most popular beach on Koh Larn receiving around three thousand visitors a day. This
beach boast the clearest waters and the finest white sand of all the beaches on Koh Larn.
Twaen Beach also has the most restaurants of all the other beaches. Twaen Beach is also
served by regular ferry boat at thirty Bahts per person.

Tel. 084-868-3252 , 082-470-0992

Barberry of Twaen Beach

Also located near the north end of Twaen Beach, just a few meters fro the water. Nice
comfortable surroundings. These rooms are brightly colored.

Tel. 084-868-3252