Koh Larn (Coral Island) and Koh Samet are popular beach destinations located on The Gulf of Thailand, close to major cities like Pattaya and Bangkok. These are great weekend getaways from the hustle and bustle of big cities.
I had a good time visiting both Koh Larn and Koh Samet from Pattaya, so in this article, I will share my opinion about the similarities and differences between these two islands. We will look at some aspects such as nightlife, beaches, and tourist amenities.
Should you stay in Koh Larn or Koh Samet?
Both Koh Larn and Koh Samet are small but beautiful islands on the eastern Gulf of Thailand. They are popular beach holidays from Bangkok and Pattaya.
Generally speaking, Koh Samet is a better choice if you’re looking for a more lively nightlife scene with beautiful fire shows, more bars, and less crowded beaches. Koh Larn is often known as a popular day trip destination from Pattaya.
If you stay in Bangkok and other locations that are not Pattaya, I recommend going straight to Koh Samet. This is because Koh Samet is bigger and has more interesting nightlife than Koh Larn, making it worth traveling for a few hours from Bangkok.
If you stay in Pattaya, you can easily take a day trip to Koh Larn. A day trip is usually enough to explore this island. Most people do the day trip instead of an overnight trip to Koh Larn.
Best hotel options in Koh Samet:
- Budget: Green Bay Samed Resort
- Mid-range: Sai Kaew Beach Resort
- Luxury: Paradee
See more:
Distance from Pattaya
Koh Larn is located around a 15-45 minutes boat ride from Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya. You can easily go to the pier, buy a ticket and onboard the ferries to the island. The ferries and speedboats run frequently everyday from morning to late afternoon.
Koh Samet is approximately 80 km from Pattaya by road, followed by a 6.5 km ferry ride from the mainland pier (Nuan Thip). You will need 1.5-2 hours travel on the minivan and 15-45 minutes travel on the speedboats/ ferries.
You should allow 2-3 hours to travel from Pattaya to Koh Samet. These include travel time by road, travel time by sea, and waiting time between transfers. I booked a combined minivan and boat ticket at 35 Group Pattaya, and the entire journey to Koh Samet took me about 4 hours.
Distance from Bangkok
You will need 2-3 hours to travel from Bangkok to Koh Larn. This includes 2 hours on the road from Bangkok to Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya, followed by a 15- to 45-minute boat ride on a speedboat or ferry to Koh Larn.
To reach Koh Larn, you can take a minivan at either Ekkamai Bus Terminal or Mo Chit Bus Terminal. Choose the one that is closest to you. The journey is around 2 hours. When in Pattaya, you need to use an additional taxi to get to Bali Hai Pier for boats to Koh Larn.
It will take longer to travel from Bangkok to Koh Samed, around 4-5 hours. This includes 3-4 hours on the road from Bangkok to Nuan Thip in Ban Phe, followed by a 15- to 45-minute boat ride on a speedboat or ferry to Koh Samed.
To reach Koh Samed, you take a bus at the Ekkamai Bus Terminal to Ban Phe Pier. The bus runs every hour during the day. The journey is 3-5 hours. From Ban Phe Pier, you can buy a boat ticket to head to the island.
Entrance Fee
You don’t have to pay a ticket when visiting Koh Larn, but 200 baht for entrance to Koh Samed. This is because Koh Samed is part of a national park, and all visitors have to pay an entrance ticket when getting off the boat.
Accommodations
From my observation, accommodations in Koh Larns are generally in the form of small guesthouses and resorts. You won’t find luxury 5 star resorts on Koh Larn.
Koh Samed has more diverse accommodation options. You will have lots of choices, from backpacker hostels, to mid-range hotels and luxury beachfront resorts.
Nightlife
Koh Larn is a popular day trip destination from Pattaya. Since most day-trippers leave, the island becomes peaceful after sunset. It is quiet at night with only a few bars and simple restaurants.
Koh Samed has a live nightlife scene, especially on Sai Kaew Beach, the main beach of the island. The beach is lined with tables, chairs, and bean bags, creating a relaxed setting for dinner and drinks right on the sand. Many restaurants and bars have beautiful fireshows on the beach.
Beaches
Both islands have beautiful beaches but the beaches on Koh Larn are more crowded than the beaches on Koh Samet. Koh Larn beaches are always packed with tourists during the daytime.
Most beaches on Koh Larn like Tawaen Beach, Tien Beach, and Samae Beach are lined with beach facilities like sunbeds, umbrellas, restaurants, jet skiing and paragliding.
I feel the beaches in Koh Samed have a more relaxing atmosphere and are less crowded than the beaches in Koh Larn. Koh Samet is larger and offers a wider variety of beaches, ranging from popular spots to hidden gems.
Sai Kaew is the main beach of Koh Samed and has a lively nightlife scene with several fire shows on the beach. For secluded beaches, you can head further south to places like Ao Pakarang, Ao Wai Beach, Ao Lung Dam Beach, or Ao Chor Beach.
Getting around
These two islands are relatively small. Koh Larn is smaller than Koh Samet. Koh Larn is 4.3 km long and 2.15 km wide. Koh Samet is 7.5km long and 2.5km wide. Koh Larn is more hilly while Koh Samet is really flat (a bit hilly at the south of the island).
It is possible to explore both islands on foot. I actually explore both on foot. You can walk around the island to see most beaches on Koh Larn within 1 day but will need 1.5-2 days to do it in Koh Samed.
If you like hiking, Koh Larn is a great destination for hiking. There are roads and paths connecting all the beaches and viewpoints around the island. Famous viewpoints are the Windmill Viewpoint, Tawaen Beach viewpoint, and the Big Buddha area.
If you are confident driving, you can rent a scooter to explore these islands. The rent is around 200-300 per day. The hilly terrain in Koh Larn is not suitable for beginners. The road is narrow, hilly, and curvy. Lots of road accidents happened on Koh Larn.
In Koh Larn, you can find motorbike taxis everywhere on popular beaches and areas like Nabaan Pier, Tawaen, Tien Beach, Samae Beach. The ride is inexpensive, around 50 baht per destination.
In Koh Samed, you will see the green songthaews in popular areas like Nadan Pier, Ao Phai Beach, Ao Wai Beach, or Ao Prao Beach. You can share the ride with other people.
Tourist Amenities
Both islands have lots of shops selling beach accessories like hats, swimwear, sun glasses, beach mats…You can easily find these shops around the piers, the main village, and on popular beaches.
Koh Larn is more developed for day tourists, offering basic amenities and quick conveniences. Koh Samed is better equipped for overnight stays, with broader services, comfort, and variety.
Although Koh Larn is closer to Bangkok than Koh Samed, it’s most commonly visited as a day trip from nearby Pattaya. If you want an overnight stay escape from busy city life, Koh Samed is a better choice.
I prefer to stay in Samed to enjoy both beaches and nightlife. You can check out my itinerary in Koh Samed to know more about what to do on this beautiful island.