Near islands
Koh Larn and Koh Sak
Short speedboat hops
- From$27
- Length6 hours
- Reviews797
Spot your stop
Islands in Pattaya, and which ones tours reach
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
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
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
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
A guide to the islands near Pattaya: the near ones by speedboat, the outer ones by catamaran, how long tours spend on each and which island fits the day you want.
Editorial team, pattaya3islands.click · Updated November 12, 2026 · Takes 6 min
In brief
- How manyBy the provincial count, at least 46 major islands lie off the Chonburi coast.1
- NearestKoh Larn is the closest popular island, a short speedboat hop from the beach.2
- Outer islandsThe catamaran circuit goes from Koh Phai to Koh Rin and on to Monkey Island.
- Longest stopKoh Phai gets 90 minutes of free time and swimming on the catamaran day.
- Island feeThe private Koh Phai speedboat run asks THB 150 per guest, due on landing.
The islands off Pattaya at a glance
Searching for islands in Pattaya turns up a long list, and the official count is longer than most visitors expect. Official counts show how much sea lies off the coast: a coastline of 160 kilometres, with at least 46 major islands, among them Koh Si Chang, Koh Rin, Koh Phai, Koh Krok, Koh Sak and Koh Samaesarn.3,1 Only a few are set up for visitors, and boat tours reach fewer still.
In practice the islands fall into 3 groups for a visitor. The near ones, Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Krok, sit a short speedboat ride from the beach and take most of the day trips. The outer ones, Koh Phai, Koh Rin and Monkey Island, need a longer sail and are the home of the catamaran circuit. Koh Samaesan, off Sattahip, is reached by a snorkel trip that makes no landing.1
The map above shows the piers and islands together: tap a pin for a short note and directions. Pattaya also looks out toward Koh Si Chang to the north and Koh Samet to the east, which belong to the trips beyond the bay and are covered in our guide to them. Here we stay with the islands that Pattaya itself serves, and say plainly what each island is like.
Side by side
The Pattaya islands compared
| Island | Reached by | Time there | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Larn | Speedboat or boat2 | 1 hour | Has its own guide |
| Koh Sak | Speedboat | 10 minutes to reach | Snorkeling stop |
| Koh Krok | Jet ski tour | 10 minutes | Scenery stop |
| Koh Phai | Catamaran | 90 minutes | THB 150 fee on a private run |
| Koh Rin | Catamaran | 60 minutes | Second swim stop |
| Monkey Island | Catamaran | 40 minutes | Wildlife viewing |
| Koh Samaesan | Snorkel boat | 2 to 3 snorkel stops | No landing |
Times as the listings state them; a private boat or a different operator can differ.
The near islands: Koh Larn, Koh Sak and Koh Krok
Koh Larn, often called Coral Island, is the island most day trippers reach first. From Pattaya the crossing takes 15 minutes by speedboat or 45 minutes by regular boat, according to the provincial office.2 The Coral Island and Sak Island speedboat trip, from $27 for 6 hours, leaves 1 hour of free time and swimming at Koh Larn. Our Koh Larn sibling guide covers its beaches, ferries and getting around in detail.
Koh Sak is the small island beside it, where the same trip adds snorkeling and stand up paddleboarding after a short hop from a parasailing platform. A private speedboat to Koh Larn and Koh Sak from $164 gives the same pair on your own schedule, with snorkeling and other water activities not included.
Koh Krok is a small island that appears mostly on jet ski routes, where a 5-island tour gives it 10 minutes between longer stops at Ko Sak for 40 minutes and Ko Lan for 20. It is not a landing island for most visitors, but it adds a stop of scenery to a fast tour and shows how compact the near group is.
Time at each island
Minutes at each island stop
- Koh Phai swim90
- Koh Rin swim60
- Koh Larn swim60
- Monkey Island40
- Koh Sak by jet ski40
- Koh Krok by jet ski10
Minutes from the itineraries of the catamaran day, the Coral Island trip and the jet ski tour.
The outer islands: Koh Phai, Koh Rin and Monkey Island
Further out lie the islands that the 3-island catamaran days sail to. Koh Phai is first: the catamaran day gives it 90 minutes of free time and swimming plus a lunch of 40 minutes, and a 2-island yacht day stays for 3 hours. Koh Rin comes second, with 60 minutes on our day and up to 80 minutes on another catamaran.
Monkey Island is the third stop, listed for 40 minutes of wildlife viewing on our catamaran and for 45 minutes on the sunset version. The macaques are the reason people go, and the sensible rules are to keep bags closed and to feed nothing without the crew's direction. The 2-island yacht skips this island and uses the time for a longer Koh Phai stay.
The private Koh Phai speedboat listing describes an island kept by the Thai army to protect its scenery and wildlife, and requests photographs only and footprints only. That listing also states a THB 150 island fee a person, paid on arrival, and a trip of 8 hours with 40 minutes of speedboat each way. Treat it as the operator's statement and confirm the rules on the day.
Choose an island
Which Pattaya island is for you
Choose what you want from a day out and an island is suggested.
If I want the shortest crossing
Koh Larn
The crossing is 15 minutes by speedboat from Pattaya.2
If I want swimming, lunch and monkeys
Koh Phai, Rin and Monkey Island
A full catamaran day with lunch and snorkeling gear from $83.
If I want reefs without a beach crowd
Koh Samaesan
A snorkel trip from $39 with no island landings.
If I want my own boat and pace
A private speedboat
From $164 per boat for Koh Larn and Koh Sak.
If I want a quieter, historic island
Koh Si Chang
By island
Near, outer or reef
Outer islands
Phai, Rin and Monkey
Catamaran with lunch
- From$83
- Length7 to 8 hours
- Reviews805
Reef trip
Samaesan reefs
Snorkel only, no landing
- From$39
- Length5 hours
- Reviews363
Samaesan, Si Chang and islands further out
Koh Samaesan, spelled Samaesarn on the provincial list, lies off Sattahip and is where the Nemo Island trip snorkels, from $39.1 It is a trip for people who want reefs rather than beaches, with the boat as your base and no shop or shade ashore to rely on, so carry what you need on board before the boat sets out.
Koh Si Chang is a different day. It lies off Sri Racha to the north, and an older Tourism Authority of Thailand feature lists hourly boats from Ko Loi pier between 07:00 and 20:00, so confirm the current timetable.7 The island has a hilltop Chinese temple with a cable car and a history as a retreat of King Rama V.4,5
Koh Samet to the east is another full day, reached from Ban Phe pier, and we describe it with the other Gulf trips in our beyond-the-bay guide. If you only have time for a single island day from Pattaya, the near group is the easy choice and the outer group the scenic choice, and you can pair either with a snorkel stop if the operator offers it.
Reaching the islands
From the pier to the outer islands
Bali Hai pier
Koh Larn by speedboat
A crossing of 15 minutes by speedboat.2
Near group
Koh Sak and Koh Larn
A 6 hour speedboat trip from $27 with legs of 10 minutes.
Ocean Marina
The catamaran sails out
A sail of 60 minutes to Koh Phai.
Koh Phai to Koh Rin
The second island
A sail of 50 minutes to Koh Rin.
Koh Rin to Monkey Island
The third stop
A sail of 40 minutes to Monkey Island.
What the islands offer in sand, reef and facilities
The records say little about facilities, which is itself useful to know. Facilities carry small charges. On the Koh Larn beach days a bathroom costs THB 50 and a toilet THB 10, while on the Coral Island trip lunch at Tawean Beach is bought separately. On the catamaran circuit, lunch is a buffet served at Koh Phai, so you need no money for food there.
Reef is where the outer islands and Samaesan score. Snorkeling gear is lent out on the catamaran for the shallow reefs at Koh Phai and Koh Rin, whereas the Nemo trip exists for its snorkel stops. The Tourism Authority of Thailand also asks for reef-safe sunscreen and for corals to be left alone.6
Sand is best on the beaches the tours choose for swimming, and the photographs we reviewed from the tours show pale beaches on the outer islands and wooded slopes behind them. Shade and facilities vary by island and by tide, so wear a hat, carry water and do not count on a shop. Where the listing is silent, we are too.
Video
The best islands near Pattaya
The Explorer Haven on YouTube · Until you tap play, no video is loaded.
Island checklist
What to bring and to check
Bring3
- Sunscreen that is reef-safe, and a hat6
- Water, since shops on the islands are not guaranteed
- Small notes for a toilet or a fee
Check3
- Whether an island fee is due, such as THB 150 on Koh Phai
- The time at each island in the listing
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Respect3
- Leave the coral untouched6
- Take only photographs, leave only footprints
- Keep bags closed near the macaques
How to choose between the islands
Of the Pattaya islands to visit, choose by time and by style. For a short day close to the beach, take the near group by speedboat from $27, which keeps the sailing time low. For a full day of swimming, lunch and monkeys, take the catamaran circuit from $83. For reefs and no crowds on a beach, take the snorkel trip to Samaesan from $39.
If you want to land on an island that few tours visit, ask the operator whether a private speedboat can include it, since the listings state which islands each product reaches and nothing more. The private Koh Phai run starts from $359 for 8 hours and the 2 to 4 island circuit from $428.
None of these islands is hard to visit, but all depend on the sea. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start is the common term on the listings, which is the best protection against a rough morning. Our guides to tour prices and to snorkeling go deeper on both questions, with a calculator and a table of every starting fare.
FAQ
Brief questions, brief answers.
What are the best islands near Pattaya?
Koh Larn, Koh Phai and Koh Rin.
The near group is Koh Larn and Koh Sak, and the catamaran circuit runs Koh Phai, then Koh Rin, then Monkey Island.
How far is Koh Larn from Pattaya?
15 minutes by speedboat.
A crossing of 15 minutes by speedboat, or 45 minutes by regular boat, per the provincial tourism office.2
Is Coral Island the same as Koh Larn?
Yes, near Pattaya.
The Coral Island and Sak Island trip stops at Koh Larn, which its itinerary writes as Ko Lan.
Is there an entrance fee for Koh Phai?
THB 150 on a private run.
The private Koh Phai speedboat listing says the island fee is THB 150 a person, paid on arrival.
Which island has the monkeys?
Monkey Island.
Monkey Island, where the catamaran day allows 40 minutes for the macaques.
How many islands are off the Chonburi coast?
At least 46 major islands.
At least 46 major islands, by the provincial tourism office count.1
Which islands can I snorkel at without landing?
Samaesan, on the Nemo trip.
The Nemo Island trip makes 2 to 3 snorkel stops and includes no island landings.
Sources
- Chonburi Provincial Tourism and Sports Office (Ministry of Tourism and Sports) · Geography ↩
- Chonburi Provincial Tourism and Sports Office (Ministry of Tourism and Sports) · Koh Lan ↩
- Chonburi Provincial Tourism and Sports Office (Ministry of Tourism and Sports) · Geography ↩
- 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) · The Andaman Opens Its Doors Again ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Ko Si Chang: the island of yesteryear ↩