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Photo: Stefan Fussan / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Pescov / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Slyronit / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg / CC BY 4.0
Photo: Stefan Fussan / CC BY-SA 3.0

Islands from Pattaya: Koh Larn, Koh Chang or Koh Kood - which one to pick and for how many days

We compared three islands by cost, travel time and water clarity. When one day is enough, when you need two or three, and whether to book a tour or go on your own.

Which island to pick from Pattaya comes down to one question: how many days do you have. For a day trip - Koh Larn together with neighbouring Koh Sak, less than an hour from the city. For two or three days - Koh Chang or Koh Kood near the Cambodian border: the road takes 6-7 hours, but the beaches and water are in a different league. Below we compare all three islands by money, time and how clear the sea is. 1. Koh Larn (also called Ko Lan) is the one-day island. The ferry from Bali Hai Pier takes 40-45 minutes and costs 30-40 baht, the last one back leaves at 18:00. The water is noticeably clearer than on the city beach, but it is still a bay next to a big city, not the Maldives. The main beach, Tawaen, feels like a rush-hour subway at weekends, so quiet Tien Beach and neighbouring Koh Sak win. The easiest option is Koh Larn and Koh Sak in one day with lunch and hotel pickup: 900 baht for adults, 600 for children. Morning on Tien Beach, lunch, then a speedboat to Koh Sak, with sun loungers and snorkelling masks already included. Back in Pattaya after 16:00. You can also go on your own: grab a scooter from 200 baht a day, ride to Bali Hai, leave it at the pier and hop on the ferry. The upside: you leave when you like, no early hotel pickups. The downside: you find the beach yourself and keep an eye on the last ferry. 2. Koh Chang is Thailand's second-largest island: jungle, waterfalls, beaches on the west coast and bars in the evening. It is about 260 km from Pattaya to the pier in Trat province, then a ferry. For people who want nature but are not ready to give up dinner with music. The most affordable option is Koh Chang for 2 days with a night in a 4* hotel for 3000 baht. Pickup at 5:30, a monkey temple on the way, the ferry, check-in. On day two it is beach time until 16:00, and you are back in Pattaya by 21:00-22:00. Versions with lunch and 5* hotels cost up to 5500 baht. 3. Koh Kood is the quietest of the three. Almost the whole island is covered in jungle, about 2000 people live there, bars are few, and the water is the clearest of this trio. It is also the longest trip: a drive to Laem Sok pier and about an hour on a speedboat (500-600 baht one way). Koh Kood for 2 days with hotel and transfer costs 4200 baht, 3000 for a child. Pickup at 5:00, on the island by noon, a waterfall in the afternoon, and back in Pattaya by 19:00 the next day. Is a 2-day trip worth it? Honestly, on Koh Chang and Koh Kood almost a whole day of the two goes on the road. On Koh Kood you get exactly 24 hours, from 12:00 to 12:30 the next day. If your holiday allows, take Koh Kood for 3 days and 2 nights for 5200 baht: the extra day on the island costs just 1000 baht more. Is the sea really cleaner? Yes, and the further from Pattaya, the cleaner: Koh Larn is clearer than the city beach, Koh Chang is better still, Koh Kood is the best. But Trat is one of the rainiest provinces in the country: from May to October waves stir up the water, and some boats to Koh Kood do not run in low season. Koh Larn copes with the rain more easily: half an hour away, and you can always head back. The best time for Koh Chang and Koh Kood is November to April. Koh Chang is easy to reach by car: a Toyota Vios from 1250 baht a day, and the ferry takes cars on board for about 120 baht. Stop wherever you like and drive around the whole island. Two things to know: you need a category B licence plus an International Driving Permit, and it is worth asking the rental company in advance whether the car is allowed on the ferry. You cannot take a car to Koh Kood, it stays at the pier. Cheat sheet: 1. Koh Larn - 1 day, from 900 baht with lunch and transfer, under an hour to get there. 2. Koh Chang - 2 days or more, from 3000 baht with hotel, 6-7 hours on the road. 3. Koh Kood - 2-3 days, from 4200 baht with hotel, about 7 hours on the road, best from November to April. Other islands near Pattaya (Koh Samet, Koh Kham, Koh Phai) and every option with prices are in the excursions catalogue.

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