Easiest
The catamaran day
Pickup, lunch and 3 islands
- From$83
- Length7 to 8 hours
- Reviews805
Spot your stop
Koh Samet day trip from Pattaya, and islands beyond
3 islands catamaran day from Pattaya
★ 4.8 · 805 opinions
Quick summary
A Koh Samet day trip from Pattaya takes a transfer to Ban Phe pier and a short boat ride, while Koh Si Chang, Koh Chang and Koh Kood make longer trips.
Trip essentials
Open 24 stops
Pattaya and its islands on the map
Pick a route, then tap a marker or a stop for notes and a Google Maps link.
The pier at the Pattaya end of the short crossing to Koh Larn, and the usual start for tours to the near islands.
Google MapsThe nearest popular island to Pattaya, with its own sibling guide for ferries, beaches and getting around.
Google MapsA small island next to Koh Larn that speedboat trips from Pattaya often stop at.
Google MapsA small island close to the coast that appears on some jet ski routes.
Google MapsThe first stop of the three-island catamaran day in this guide, with a beach and time for lunch.
Google MapsThe second stop of the three-island catamaran day, a swim and snorkel stop further south.
Google MapsThe marina in Jomtien where the catamaran tours of this guide start their sailing.
Google Maps
The pier at the Pattaya end of the short crossing to Koh Larn, and the usual start for tours to the near islands.
Google MapsThe pier at Sri Racha where boats to Koh Si Chang leave.
Google MapsA quiet island north of Pattaya, off Sri Racha, that works as a day trip from the Chonburi coast.
Google MapsThe mainland pier in Rayong province where boats to Koh Samet leave.
Google MapsThe nearest large Gulf island to the east, reached by boat from Ban Phe.
Google MapsThe mainland pier in Trat province where boats to Koh Chang leave.
Google Maps
Bangkok's second airport, to the north of the city, with its own bus and transfer links to Pattaya.
Google MapsBangkok's eastern bus terminal, where buses toward Pattaya and the eastern coast start.
Google MapsBangkok's main international airport, from where buses and transfers run to Pattaya.
Google MapsA bus terminal in the north of Pattaya where long-distance buses from Bangkok arrive.
Google MapsThe Pattaya stop on the State Railway of Thailand Eastern Line, a little inland from the beach road.
Google MapsThe airport south of Pattaya, in Rayong province, that serves the coast as an alternative to Bangkok.
Google Maps
A bus terminal in the north of Pattaya where long-distance buses from Bangkok arrive.
Google MapsThe Pattaya stop on the State Railway of Thailand Eastern Line, a little inland from the beach road.
Google MapsThe pier at the Pattaya end of the short crossing to Koh Larn, and the usual start for tours to the near islands.
Google MapsThe long beach south of central Pattaya, handy as a reference point for the marina and the south of town.
Google MapsThe marina in Jomtien where the catamaran tours of this guide start their sailing.
Google Maps
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
The island trips that go past the bay: Koh Samet, Koh Si Chang, Koh Chang and Koh Kood, how to reach each from Pattaya, what the transfers cost and how they compare with the 3 islands day.
Editorial team, pattaya3islands.click · Updated November 12, 2026 · Takes 6 min
In brief
- Koh SametA one-way transfer between Pattaya and Koh Samet starts from $96 and lasts 2 hours.
- Koh Si ChangHourly boats serve Koh Si Chang from Ko Loi pier at Sri Racha, 07:00 to 20:00.1
- Koh ChangA big boat tour of 3 or 4 islands starts from $28 and lasts 5.5 to 9 hours.
- Koh KoodA bus and catamaran transfer from Pattaya starts from $49 for 7 to 8 hours.
- Koh SamuiSamui is a flight from Bangkok, with no cruise from Pattaya in our records.2
Koh Samet from Pattaya: the transfer and the pier
The nearest large island beyond the bay is Koh Samet to the east, and a Koh Samet day trip from Pattaya is built from a road leg and a short boat ride. The Tourism Authority of Thailand notes that Koh Samet can be reached from Bangkok in a morning, so from Pattaya the ride is shorter still.2 The mainland pier is Ban Phe in Rayong province, shown on the map above.
The one-way transfer between Pattaya and Koh Samet starts from $96 for 2 hours, with a private car on the mainland and a shared speedboat of about 10 minutes to the island. The listing says the transfer ends at the pier on Koh Samet and no hotel transfer is included on the island, and that the shared speedboat leaves when there are enough passengers, so allow a wait.
A cheaper variant is a private car to Ban Phe pier, listed from $31 for a ride of 3.5 hours between Bangkok, Pattaya and the pier. The same listing tells passengers to leave the hotel 3 to 4 hours before a flight if the transfer is for an airport run. Ferry tickets for Koh Samet are not included in the airport transfer listing for Bangkok and must be paid separately.
Side by side
Island trips beyond the bay compared
| Trip | From | Time | Reached by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Samet transfer | $96 | 2 hours | Car and speedboat |
| Koh Samet snorkel tour | $33 | 3 to 5 hours | Boat, from the island |
| Koh Chang big boat tour | $28 | 5.5 to 9 hours | Boat, from Koh Chang |
| Koh Kood snorkel day | $30 | 7 hours | Boat, from Koh Kood |
| Koh Kood transfer | $49 | 7 to 8 hours | Bus and catamaran |
| 3 islands catamaran | $83 | 7 to 8 hours | Pickup and catamaran |
Starting fares only; transfers are one way, and island tours start on the island itself.
Koh Samet as a day trip or a stay
Koh Samet is part of a national park. The Tourism Authority of Thailand's 2023 opening-status list for national parks shows Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park as open, and adds that disposable plastics and foam containers are prohibited in every one of the 155 national parks, with penalties reaching 100,000 Baht.3,4 Bring a refillable bottle and a cloth bag rather than relying on disposable packaging.
A snorkeling tour of 5 or 6 islands around Koh Samet starts from $33 and lasts 3 to 5 hours, with tour times of 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and lunch included on the 6-island tour. Its highlights name the reefs of Koh Tham Tai Khao and a sea split between Koh Khame and Koh Krawai, though its 78 reviews average 3.9.
The day trip suits a traveller who wants a beach rather than a boat day, while a night or two suits someone who wants the evenings. The cost of a transfer in each direction adds up, so a single round trip with a return later the same day is the economical shape. Check the last boat back before you plan a long lunch on the island.
Hours of travel
Hours for each island trip, as listed
- Koh Samet transfer2
- Koh Samet snorkel5
- Koh Kood snorkel7
- Koh Kood transfer, max8
- Koh Chang boat, max9
Hours from each listing; the Koh Samet snorkel tour is listed at 3 to 5 hours and the Koh Chang tour at 5.5 to 9 hours.
Koh Si Chang, the quiet island north of the bay
Koh Si Chang lies off Sri Racha, north of Pattaya, and it is a day trip with a different mood. A Tourism Authority of Thailand feature, written some years ago, gives an hourly service from Ko Loi pier at Sri Racha, the first at 07:00 and the last at 20:00, so check today's timetable before you go.1 Regular minivans run to the port of Sri Racha, and buses go from the Eastern Bus Terminal in Bangkok.6,5
The same feature highlights a hilltop Chinese temple reached by cable car, and recalls that King Rama V used the island as a retreat and built a teakwood mansion on it.7,8 It names the bay of Tham Phang on the west coast as a sheltered swimming spot with no jet skis.9 It suits a quiet day, with no snorkel gear and no party boats.
Because it works from the mainland pier rather than from a Pattaya marina, Koh Si Chang is not a tour you book from Pattaya on any of our listings; you travel to Sri Racha and take the public boat. Count on a full day in total, with the road to the pier at both ends, and avoid planning anything in the evening.
Pick your island
Which island trip fits your days
Tell us how many days you have and an island trip is suggested.
If I have only a day
The catamaran day
7 to 8 hours with pickup, from $83.
If I want a beach and an extra night
Koh Samet
A transfer of 2 hours from $96 each way.
If I want a quiet, historic island
Koh Si Chang
Boats leave Sri Racha every hour, per a TAT feature.1
If I want reefs and have days to spare
Koh Kood
A snorkel day of 7 hours from $30.
If I want Samui
Fly from Bangkok
Samui is a short flight south of the capital, as the Tourism Authority of Thailand says.2
By effort
Easiest, quietest or furthest
Next island
Koh Samet transfer
Car and shared speedboat
- From$96
- Time2 hours
- Reviews25
Furthest
Koh Kood transfer
Bus and catamaran
- From$49
- Time7 to 8 hours
- Reviews15
Koh Chang and Koh Kood: longer trips east
Koh Chang and Koh Kood are in Trat province, much further east, and they work as bus-and-boat transfers or as separate trips rather than day outings from Pattaya. A Koh Chang 3 or 4-island big boat tour with snorkeling and lunch starts from $28 for 5.5 to 9 hours, and 834 reviews average 4.3, though it starts on Koh Chang itself.
A Koh Kood or Koh Rang snorkeling day trip with a buffet lunch starts from $30 for 7 hours, with 345 reviews at 4.7. To get there from Pattaya, a one-way bus and catamaran transfer starts from $49 for 7 to 8 hours, in 2 packages, one for each direction. From Bangkok, the equivalent takes 8 to 8.5 hours, and a return ticket is bought separately.
These are overnight destinations, and an honest verdict is that they do not replace the 3 islands day. Treat them as the next step if you have extra nights, and plan the transfer as the main event of a travel day. Ferry tickets for Koh Chang are not included in the airport transfer listing and must be paid separately, so check what your ticket covers.
A Samet day
Pattaya to Koh Samet and back
Morning
Private car to the pier
A car on the mainland, as part of a 2 hour transfer.
Ban Phe pier
Shared speedboat
A crossing of about 10 minutes, leaving when enough guests arrive.
On the island
Beach or snorkel tour
A 6-island tour has times of 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Afternoon
Back to the pier
The transfer ends at the pier, with no hotel transfer on the island.
Evening
Car to Pattaya
Book the return as a separate one-way ticket.
Why Koh Samui is not a cruise from Pattaya
Koh Samui is a long way south, and the Pattaya to Koh Samui cruise that some searches imagine does not exist in our records: among the GetYourGuide listings we checked, none sails between the two. For Phuket and Samui the practical route is air: both sit about an hour from Bangkok by plane, as the national tourism authority notes.2
The sensible plan is to treat Samui as a separate trip: spend your Pattaya days first, then fly south from Bangkok. A Gulf island day from Pattaya is a different product, a short boat ride to places such as Koh Phai and Koh Rin. If you are comparing, our guide to Pattaya against Phuket and Krabi sets the choice out in plain terms, and our guide to getting to Pattaya covers the routes in.
A listing search for Pattaya on GetYourGuide shows plenty of island days, but a search for a multi-day boat link to Samui shows nothing. If you see one advertised elsewhere, check the operator, the sailing dates and the refund terms before paying, because a route that no official source describes deserves a second look.
Video
Koh Samet for beginners
Tim Travel Taste on YouTube · Until you tap play, no video is loaded.
Buses to Sri Racha go from the Eastern Bus Terminal or you can get mini-buses from Victory Monument.
Before you go
Checks for a longer island trip
Transfers3
- Allow for the wait for a shared speedboat
- Check whether ferry tickets are included
- Buses to Sri Racha leave from Ekkamai or Victory Monument5
On the island3
- Carry a refillable bottle, as single-use plastics are banned in parks4
- Sunscreen and a hat, and shade for the midday hours
- A little cash for the speedboat, snacks and a toilet
Booking3
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Book return transfers as separate one-way tickets
- Compare the price with the catamaran day
Day trip or overnight: how they compare with the 3 islands day
The catamaran day from Pattaya lasts 7 to 8 hours and starts with hotel pickup, which is the simplest shape on this page. Koh Samet needs a transfer of 2 hours each way plus the speedboat, Koh Si Chang needs a road ride to Sri Racha and a public boat, and Koh Chang and Koh Kood need most of a day of travel on their own.1
In price terms, the island transfers are the expensive part. The Koh Samet transfer starts from $96 and the Koh Kood transfer from $49, against $83 for the whole catamaran day with lunch and snorkeling gear. The catamaran buys 3 islands and a meal for less than the Samet transfer alone, which is worth remembering.
If you have only a day, take the catamaran. If you have 2 or 3 nights and want a beach town with fewer day boats, add Koh Samet. If quiet matters more than beaches, pick Koh Si Chang, and if you are collecting islands, let Koh Chang and Koh Kood wait for a separate trip, and pick among the islands near Pattaya to visit by how many days you can give them. Whichever you choose, book with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
FAQ
Brief questions, brief answers.
How do I get from Pattaya to Koh Samet?
Car to Ban Phe, then a boat.
A transfer from $96 pairs a private car on the mainland with a shared speedboat of about 10 minutes.
How long is the Pattaya to Koh Samet transfer?
2 hours.
The one-way Pattaya and Koh Samet transfer is listed at 2 hours.
Is there a boat from Pattaya to Koh Samui?
Not in our records.
Samui is reached by air from Bangkok, and none of the listings we checked sails there from Pattaya.2
How do I reach Koh Si Chang?
By boat from Sri Racha.
An older TAT feature lists hourly departures between 07:00 and 20:00 from Ko Loi pier.1
How much is a Koh Chang island boat tour?
From $28.
A 3 or 4-island big boat tour starts from $28 and lasts 5.5 to 9 hours.
Are plastics allowed in Thai national parks?
No, they are banned.
Disposable plastics and foam containers are prohibited in all 155 national parks, and fines reach 100,000 Baht.4
How long is the transfer to Koh Kood?
7 to 8 hours from Pattaya.
The one-way bus and catamaran transfer from Pattaya is listed at 7 to 8 hours from $49.
Sources
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Ko Si Chang: the island of yesteryear ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Ko Si Chang: the island of yesteryear ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Opening/closed status of Thailands national parks ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Opening/closed status of Thailands national parks ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Ko Si Chang: the island of yesteryear ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Ko Si Chang: the island of yesteryear ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Ko Si Chang: the island of yesteryear ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Ko Si Chang: the island of yesteryear ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Ko Si Chang: the island of yesteryear ↩