Ko Lan (Coral Island)
The largest and most popular near-island off Pattaya, with several white-sand beaches and clear water.
- Category
- Islands
- Entrance fee
- Island free; passenger ferry approx 30 THB one way, speedboat approx 150-300 THB, plus beach chair/umbrella fees
- Hours
- Island open 24h; ferries roughly 07:00-18:00 (confirm schedule locally)
- Best time
- Weekdays and mornings to avoid day-tripper crowds; Nov-Mar dry season
- Time needed
- Half to full day
- Difficulty
- Easy
About Ko Lan (Coral Island)
Ko Lan is the easy island escape from Pattaya, and it delivers white sand and clear water that the city beaches can't match. It's the biggest and most popular of the near islands, so it's an easy half or full day out. The public ferry from Bali Hai Pier is cheap and only takes a bit longer than the speedboat.
Here's the honest part. The main beach, Tawaen, gets very crowded and commercialised, packed with day-trippers, jet skis and vendors. If that's not your scene, head instead to the quieter beaches like Nual (Monkey) and Tien, which are noticeably nicer.
Go on a weekday morning to dodge the worst of the crowds, and come in the November to March dry season for the clearest water.
Highlights
- Several white-sand beaches with clear water
- Cheap public ferry from Bali Hai Pier
- Quieter Nual (Monkey) and Tien beaches away from the crowds
- Easy half or full day from the city
Tips
- Go weekdays and early to avoid the day-tripper crush
- Skip busy Tawaen Beach for quieter Nual or Tien
- The public ferry is much cheaper than a speedboat and only a little slower
- Budget a bit extra for beach chair and umbrella fees
How to get there
Baht bus to Bali Hai Pier (~10 THB), then public ferry ~45 min or speedboat ~15 min to Ko Lan.