How to Get to Koh Larn: Ferries, Boats, Prices & Schedule

You can only reach Koh Larn by water. No bridge or airport, so your choices are limited: ferry (slow and cheap), speedboat (fast and pricey), or a pre-booked tour (comfortable but less freedom).

Ferries depart from the main Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya. Speedboats leave from the same pier, as well as from almost all Pattaya beaches – but prices there are higher. If you don't want to bother with tickets and schedules, the easiest option is to book a tour: they'll take you to the best beach, bring you back, and often include lunch. Tours are sold at street travel agencies, hotel reps (pricier), or right on the beach – from touts. When booking on the spot, they don't take payment upfront – only when boarding. A day tour from street agencies starts at 900 baht (27.39 USD).

You can also book tours online with card or SBP payment on these trusted sites:

• Trip.com – the largest tour database, accepts Russian cards
• Sputnik8 – tours in Russian with verified guides
• Tripster – private and group tours in Russian
• GetYourGuide – international platform with many reviews

If you want to go independently – read on. We cover ferries, speedboats, piers, schedules, prices, and transport on the island itself:

Ferry or speedboat: which to choose for your Koh Larn trip

You can get to Koh Larn by two main ways: ferry and speedboat. The ferry takes 40–60 minutes and costs 40 baht (1.22 USD) one way. The speedboat is faster (15–20 minutes) but pricier – from 150 baht (4.57 USD). Ferries run on a fixed schedule, while speedboats depart as groups fill up or by arrangement.

Piers and departure points

In Pattaya: the main departure point is Bali Hai Pier (Bali Hai Pier on the map), in the southern part of the city, at the start of Walking Street. All ferries and most speedboats depart from here. Speedboats also depart directly from Pattaya beaches – you can negotiate with the captain on the spot, but prices will be higher than at the pier.

How to get to Bali Hai Pier:

• On foot – from central Pattaya or Pratamnak area, it's a reasonable walk (about 20–30 minutes).
• By taxi – via apps (Grab, Bolt, Maxim) from 80 baht (2.43 USD) depending on the area. Regular metered taxis – from 100 baht (3.04 USD).
• By tuk-tuk (songthaew) – the cheapest option (15–20 baht, 0.46–0.61 USD):
  • From central Pattaya – hop on any songthaew on the Beach Road loop. It'll take you either to the start of Walking Street, or some daytime routes go directly to the pier.
  • From Naklua (Wong Amat) – take a songthaew to the Terminal 21 terminus, then transfer to the loop route that runs along Beach Road to Walking Street or the pier.
  • From Jomtien – take a songthaew toward the center, get off at the terminus by the police booth (Jomtien terminus on the map), then walk about a kilometer to the pier.

On Koh Larn: ferries dock at two piers. These are actually two different routes, so when buying tickets, you need to decide in advance where you're heading:

• Tawaen Pier (Tawaen Pier on the map) – located right on the popular beach. Step off – and you're on the sand. This route is ideal for a day trip.
• Na Baan Pier (Na Baan Pier on the map) – in the fishing village. From here, you need to get to the beach, but this is where all the infrastructure is: budget hotels, shops, night market. Convenient if you're staying for a few days or planning to rent a motorbike for a day trip around Koh Larn.

By the way, nothing stops you from arriving at one pier and departing from another. For example, dock at Tawaen, spend the day on the beach, then leave from Na Baan in the evening.

Ferry schedule to Koh Larn

Speedboats don't really have a fixed schedule – they depart as groups fill up or by arrangement. At Bali Hai Pier during high season, they run very frequently – you can arrive anytime and leave within 10–20 minutes. If you charter the whole boat, you can go at any convenient time. From the beaches, speedboats run less frequently – they usually offer specific times (you can see them on ads) or round up beachgoers right before departure.

The regular ferry schedule is generally stable and doesn't change much year to year, but may be adjusted seasonally: during low season (May–October), there may be fewer departures. If in doubt, you can stop by the pier the day before your trip and check the schedule on the info boards – it's always displayed prominently. But generally, you can show up around 8-9 AM and you'll get on the next one one way or another.

Sometimes ferries depart earlier if enough passengers have gathered. Passengers with tickets for the same time may be split across different boats – actual departure frequency can be higher than the table shows. But on the return trip, better not to risk it: arrive at the pier at least half an hour early, preferably an hour.

Ferry – the budget option

The ferry is a classic. A ticket costs 40 baht (1.22 USD) one way – the price was raised in 2026 for the first time in many years from 30 baht. Travel time is 40–60 minutes depending on direction and weather.

• Where to buy tickets: there are ticket booths at Bali Hai Pier. But if the booth has no tickets (sometimes happens in high season), don't panic – go straight to the boat on the pier and buy from the ticket taker at the ferry entrance. On the return trip, tickets are only sold right before boarding – no booths.
• Details: the ferry can be rough. If you're prone to seasickness – take a pill before boarding. The ferry runs on schedule (see table above), but sometimes there are more departures – passengers get distributed across multiple vessels.

Speedboat – fast but pricier

If time is more valuable than money – take the speedboat. It'll get you to the island in 15–20 minutes. Price at Bali Hai Pier – 150 baht (4.57 USD), from the beaches from 200 baht (6.09 USD) per person one way. You can also charter the whole boat – from 3000 baht (91.31 USD).

• Where to board: Bali Hai Pier is the main point. Speedboats also depart directly from Pattaya beaches – there are touts and signs there.

• Details: speedboats are convenient because they'll take you directly to the beach you want, not a common pier. In high season, departures are very frequent – you can arrive anytime and leave within 10–20 minutes. In low season – as groups fill up. If you want total freedom – you can charter the whole boat at a convenient time.

To Koh Larn from Bangkok and the airport

If you're flying into Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport or staying in the capital and planning to head straight to Koh Larn, there are several convenient ways. The main thing – calculate your time in advance, because buses and minivans don't run 24/7, and you still need to catch the ferry.

T-Tour minivans – the easiest option

The T-Tour company offers direct minibuses to Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya. This is an ideal option because you get off right at the pier where ferries to Koh Larn depart. The T-Tour bus station (station on the map) is located near the pier and Walking Street – very convenient.

These minivans depart from two stations in Bangkok:

• Ekkamai (eastern bus terminal) – the main point;
• MorChit (northern bus terminal) – departs from a separate minivan lot across the road from the big station.

Ticket price – 180 baht (5.48 USD) per person. Buses run roughly every hour during daylight hours, but there's no fixed schedule – better to arrive early and check on site. Travel time is about 2–2.5 hours depending on traffic.

If T-Tour buses are full or unavailable

You can get to Pattaya by any other bus from Ekkamai, MorChit, or minivans from the Khao San Road area. In that case, you'll arrive at the North Bus Terminal (in Naklua area) or Jomtien Bus Terminal. From there, take a taxi (about 100–150 baht) or songthaew with a transfer to Bali Hai Pier.

If you decide to take a songthaew, keep in mind: from the North Station, it's quite tricky to catch one – they almost don't run there. It's much more convenient to arrive in Jomtien: from there, it's easy to take a songthaew to the center and walk to the pier. For more details on songthaew routes and taxis in Pattaya, read our separate articles (links below).

From Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)

There are no direct buses from the airport to Bali Hai Pier. Options:

• Take a bus to North Pattaya Bus Terminal or Jomtien (buses depart from the airport's first floor, cost about 130–150 baht).
• Then – taxi or songthaew to the pier. As mentioned, it's more convenient to get off in Jomtien because it's easier to catch a songthaew from there.
• You can take a taxi directly from the airport to the pier (about 1200–1500 baht), but that's expensive.

Plan your time so you arrive at the pier at least an hour before the last ferry (usually 18:00), otherwise you'll have to stay overnight in Pattaya or overpay for a speedboat.

Transport on Koh Larn: how to get around the island

Getting to the island is only half the journey. The island is small (4.5 km), but hilly. Walking in the heat is tough, so local transport options come in handy.

Motorbike rental

The most popular option. Motorbikes are rented right at the pier – dozens of offers. Day price: 300–400 baht (9.13–12.17 USD), at the pier usually with fuel. If you're staying for several days – look for rentals in the village or near hotels, they're cheaper: from 200 baht (6.09 USD) per day, but you'll have to buy fuel yourself. There are gas stations, petrol is about 20% more expensive than on the mainland. But if you fill up for 100 baht – it'll last a couple of days.

Important: on Koh Larn, practically no one checks licenses or helmets – almost everyone rides without them. Under local rules, helmets aren't mandatory, but we still recommend wearing one – the roads here have sharp bends. In Pattaya, the situation is the opposite: licenses are checked regularly, and fines are high. More details – in the article all about motorbike rental in Thailand.

Tuk-tuks (songthaews) – route taxis

Songthaews run between the beaches and the village. No schedule – they depart when enough passengers gather. In high season, no problem; in low season (May–November), don't count on it. They consistently run only between popular beaches: Tawaen, Tien, Samae, and the center near Na Baan. Price: 30–60 baht (0.91–1.83 USD) per ride.

Mototaxi

Fixed prices from point to point. Near beaches and piers, there are info boards with rates. Price: 50–200 baht (1.52–6.09 USD) depending on distance.

Hotel transfers

Many hotels (especially in the Na Baan area and on popular beaches) offer free transfer to/from the pier on golf cart-style electric vehicles. Convenient with luggage or if you're staying for a few days. Check when booking – hotels usually mention this service in the description. You can also message the hotel in advance via messenger to arrange a meetup.

On foot

The island is small – from Na Baan to Tawaen is only 1.8 km. But the terrain is hilly, and walking in the heat is tough. Walks are only enjoyable early morning or closer to sunset. On the other hand, some viewpoints can only be reached on foot – for example, at the southern tip of the island, where you can see Pattaya and neighboring islands.