Pattaya island hopping guide.

Pattaya's headline island, reached in about 45 minutes by public ferry from Bali Hai Pier. Three main beaches - Tawaen (the busiest, with watersports and beach chairs), Samae (quieter, family-friendly) and Nual (smaller, more relaxed) - plus seafood restaurants, a viewpoint and small guesthouses for those who want to stay overnight rather than day-trip.

A small, largely undeveloped island close to Koh Larn with clearer water and one of the better snorkelling reefs on this stretch of coast. No ferry service and no accommodation - it is reached only by speedboat, usually as one stop on a multi-island tour rather than a standalone destination.

The smallest and least-visited of the three, a short speedboat hop from Koh Larn with calm, clear water and far fewer visitors. Often paired with Koh Sak on the same island-hopping tour for a quieter alternative to Koh Larn's busier beaches.

The cheapest way to reach Koh Larn: pay at the kiosk beside the boat at Bali Hai Pier (no advance booking). The fare rose from 30 to 40 baht per person in April 2026. Boats run to either Koh Larn village (Na Ban, facing Pattaya) or Tawaen Beach on the opposite side, so check which pier you want before boarding. Public ferries do not stop at Koh Sak or Koh Krok.

A faster, pricier alternative to the ferry, departing from the same pier area once a boat has enough passengers. Worth it if you want to save time or the ferry queue is long, but it only goes to Koh Larn - not the smaller islands.

The standard way to see Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Krok in one trip - a shared or small-group speedboat tour that stops at two or three islands for swimming and snorkelling. This is the option to book if the smaller islands are the priority, since they have no public ferry.

A private boat and captain for your own group, with full control over which islands and beaches to visit and how long to stay at each. The best value once a group is four or more people, and easiest to arrange through a hotel desk or licensed tour operator at Bali Hai Pier.

An all-in package covering speedboat transfers between islands plus extras such as parasailing, snorkelling gear, a buffet lunch and drinks. The simplest option for visitors who would rather book once online and show up than arrange transport and food separately.

November to February brings the calmest seas, clearest water and most reliable sun for island hopping. The rainy season (May-October) usually means short afternoon storms rather than all-day rain, so a morning departure still works most days - just keep an eye on marine forecasts before booking a private charter.

Bali Hai Pier and Koh Larn's Tawaen Beach get crowded by late morning, especially on weekends and Thai holidays when day-trippers from Bangkok arrive in large numbers. An 08:00-09:00 departure beats the crowds and the midday heat.

If Koh Larn alone is the goal and budget is tight, the public ferry is unbeatable value. If Koh Sak or Koh Krok's clearer water and quieter beaches are the draw, only a speedboat tour or private charter reaches them - factor the extra cost into planning from the start.

Cash in small baht notes for ferry fares and beach-chair rental, reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard or cover-up, and a dry bag for phones and cameras on speedboats. Motion-sickness tablets are worth carrying for choppy-day speedboat legs between islands.

The public ferry from Bali Hai Pier costs 40 THB per person as of April 2026 (up from 30 THB), paid in cash at the kiosk by the boat. The crossing takes about 45 minutes to either Koh Larn village or Tawaen Beach.

No. The public ferry only serves Koh Larn. Koh Sak and Koh Krok are reached solely by speedboat, usually as stops on a multi-island tour or private charter departing from Bali Hai Pier.

For Koh Larn alone, the public ferry is cheapest. To see Koh Sak and Koh Krok too, a shared speedboat tour (roughly 800-1,200 THB per person) is usually better value than arranging separate speedboat legs, unless your group is large enough to make a private charter (4,000-6,000 THB for up to about ten people) work out cheaper per head.

A single Koh Larn day trip by ferry can be done in half a day. A multi-island speedboat tour covering Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Krok is typically a half-day to full-day trip, with full package tours usually running from around 08:30 to 16:00.