Overnight to Koh Larn

Friday we joined our friend Jean and Mon for a trip to Koh Larn. They did a day trip and we did an overnight trip. For location information, take a look at this map file. (kml file for Google Maps, or your preferred GIS mapping application.) Here’s a photo page for Tien Beach.

We all met at the Bali-Hai Pier around 9 am to catch the foot ferry over to Koh Larn Island. There are lots of people trying to sell tickets at the top of the pier, but all you really need to do is walk down the pier to the ferries, and pay 30 baht (about $1 USD) per person for the 20-30 minute ride. The ferry will take you right into the main town on Koh Larn.

Once you get to the island, there will be a bunch of motorcycle taxis available to take you for some variable price. A better way though is to walk the short distance to the Song Tow (Two Seats) group taxi/pick-up truck and pay another 30 baht per person to get out to the Tien Beach trail head. Fortunately, or unfortunately, you cannot drive directly to Tien Beach; you need to either come in by sea, or walk along the foot bridge to get to the beach. If you enjoy looking at Wats, there is a small Wat just across from the taxi parking area.

The beach area is a beautiful white sand beach. Beach chairs are available for rent. There are beverage and food vendors there. There is also a hotel at the far end of the beach. We like going to Tien since it’s a clean, and for the most part, quiet beach. The slope on the beach is very gentle, so you have a good amount of water before you get too deep to still be able to stand. The people who work at the beach do a very good job of keeping the water, and the beach area clean. Another nice thing is that unlike Pattaya area beaches, you don’t have someone walking by every fourteen seconds trying to sell you something. All in all, it’s a great place to go for the day to relax.

If you decide to stay, there are plenty of places on Koh Larn. If you want to stay right on Tien Beach, there is a hotel at the far end from the foot bridge. The facility is simple; for a room with an attached bathroom it was 800 baht (low season). There are also rooms above the restaurant with a shared bath facility for 600 baht (low season). If you’d like something a little bit different, there are two land locked boats that have been converted to two bedroom hotel units. Be sure to bring a book or other entertainment option. The rooms don’t have televisions, and I was unable to get a data signal for True on the beach.

The other reason for bringing your own entertainment is that from about 6 pm to 9 am the next morning, you will probably have the beach to yourself, or nearly to yourself. Since you’re on an island, and the last ferry is around 6:30 pm, everyone who doesn’t want to get a room, heads off into town. Likewise, people don’t start showing up in the morning until after the ferries start running.

Leaving the island is the reverse of getting to the island. Take the foot bridge back to the end of the road. A Song Tow will be along at some point to bring you back to town. You also have the option of taking a motorcycle taxi back to town. When you get back into town, walk out on the ferry pier. The passenger fare is the same going back, 30 baht, payable right before you get on the boat. A short ride back to the Bali-Hai pier, and you’re back in Pattaya.

Here’s a full gallery of our stay, from Bali-Hai pier, out to the island, and back.