Koh Larn is a 45-minute, ฿30 ferry ride from Pattaya, which makes it one of the best-value day trips in Thailand. The crossing is simple. What catches people out is the timetable — there are two different piers with two different schedules, and the last boat back is earlier than you’d expect.
Prices are in Thai baht (THB), current for July 2026. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Quick comparison
| Mode | Duration | Price (one-way) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public ferry | 30-45 min | ฿30-50 | Almost everyone |
| Shared speedboat | 10-20 min | ~฿150 | Late starts, missed ferries |
| Private speedboat charter | 10-20 min | ฿1,500-2,500 | Groups, missed last boat |
The public ferry: ฿30 and worth every baht
Ferries leave from Bali Hai Pier, at the southern end of Pattaya Beach Road past Walking Street. Tickets are ฿30-50 per person and the crossing takes 30-45 minutes. They run seven days a week, year-round.
At those prices there’s very little reason to consider anything else for a standard day trip. The boats are basic but fine, and the crossing is sheltered enough that it rarely gets rough.
Two piers, two timetables
This is the part to get right before you go.
To Na Baan Pier (the main village): 07:00 · 10:00 · 12:00 · 14:00 · 15:30 · 17:00 · 18:30
To Tawaen Beach Pier: 08:00 · 09:00 · 11:00 · 13:00
Returns from Na Baan: 06:30 · 07:30 · 09:30 · 12:00 · 14:00 · 16:00 · 17:00 · 18:00
Returns from Tawaen: 13:00 · 15:00 · 16:00 · 17:00
Na Baan is the safer choice. It’s the island’s main village, it has by far the most sailings in both directions, and songthaews run from there to every beach on the island for a small fare. Tawaen drops you directly at the busiest beach, which saves a transfer, but with only four sailings each way and a 17:00 last boat, it leaves much less room for error.
The last boat is the whole plan
18:00 from Na Baan. 17:00 from Tawaen. Write it down.
Koh Larn is small and the beaches are genuinely good, so the afternoon goes quickly. If you miss the last ferry, your options are a private speedboat charter at ฿1,500-2,500 or a night on the island — and accommodation there is limited and fills in high season.
Get back to the pier with a comfortable margin. Songthaews from the far beaches to Na Baan take time, and they don’t run to a schedule.
Speedboats: for late starts, not for saving time
Shared speedboats do the crossing in 10-20 minutes for around ฿150, and private charters run ฿1,500-2,500 with fares negotiable at the pier.
The 25 minutes you save isn’t usually the point. Speedboats are useful when you’ve missed a ferry, when you’re starting late and want the full afternoon, or when there’s a group of you splitting a charter and you want to leave on your own schedule.
Making it a day trip
The standard version: 07:00 or 10:00 ferry over, 17:00 or 18:00 back from Na Baan. A round trip costs ฿60-100, and you get a full day on beaches that are considerably nicer than Pattaya’s own.
Bring cash — the island runs on it — and expect Tawaen to be busy with tour groups from mid-morning. The quieter beaches (Samae, Nual, Tien) are a short songthaew ride from Na Baan and worth the extra effort.
Once you’re back, outthailand.com’s things to do in Pattaya covers the mainland, and Pattaya day trips has the other options if Koh Larn was a hit. For the big sights nearby, see the Big Buddha Pattaya guide and the Nong Nooch Garden guide. Heading back to the capital, Pattaya to Bangkok covers the return, and best time to visit Pattaya helps if you’re planning around the sea conditions. For what’s on while you’re here, check the events hub.
Sources
- Pattaya City Tour: Pattaya to Koh Larn Ferry Guide: ferry duration, ticket price, and full timetables for both Na Baan and Tawaen in each direction
- Ferryscanner: Bali Hai Pier to Koh Larn: operators, sailing frequency and year-round service
- Ferryscanner: Na Baan Pier to Bali Hai Pier: return schedule and last-boat timing
- Pattaya City Tour: Ferry Boat Pattaya to Koh Larn: speedboat pricing and charter rates
- Timpaemi: Bali Hai Pier Pattaya 2026 Guide: pier location and departure hub detail