Table of contents How we ranked them
Pattaya gets a bad rap for its beaches, and honestly the city beach earns some of it - it's busy, the water isn't always clear, and you're sharing the sand with jet-skis and deck chairs. But here's the thing locals know: you're never meant to swim in town. The real beaches are a short boat ride offshore, on a cluster of small islands you can see from Pratumnak headland on a clear day. I've spent the last few years running out to these on tours, public ferries and the odd chartered longtail, and the difference in water quality even 20 minutes out is night and day.
This is my honest ranking of the best islands near Pattaya - the genuine day-trip islands off Bali Hai Pier, plus two further-south escapes worth the extra travel. I'll tell you what each is actually good for, what to skip, and the 2026 prices I paid. For the city-side picks, see our best beaches near Go To Pattaya.
How we ranked them
I ranked these on four things, in this order: water and beach quality, how easy they are to reach from Pattaya, what there is to do once you land, and value for money. An island that's gorgeous but takes three hours and a charter to reach loses to one that's merely very good and 45 minutes away on a ฿30 ferry.
I've visited each of the near islands multiple times across different seasons, paid my own ferry and tour fares, and snorkelled the water myself rather than trusting brochure photos. Koh Samet and Koh Chang are scored as separate trips, not Pattaya day boats - they're better, but they're a different kind of outing.
No pay-to-play
No island, pier or tour operator paid to appear here. Every fare and time below was checked at Bali Hai Pier in 2026, and every island was visited as a paying traveller - the same standard across our things-to-do guides.
1. Koh Larn (Coral Island)
If you visit one island near Pattaya, make it Koh Larn - known to most tourists as Coral Island. It's the largest and most developed of the offshore islands, about 7.5 km out, and it's the only one that works as a complete day on its own: six beaches, beach restaurants, scooter and motorbike-taxi rental, viewpoints and proper sand. Tawaen is the busy main beach with every water sport going; Samae and Tien are quieter and prettier; Nual (Monkey) Beach on the south tip is the most scenic but smallest.
Get there on the public ferry from Bali Hai Pier for ฿30 each way (roughly 45 minutes), or a speedboat for ฿150–300 in about 15 minutes. On the island, a motorbike taxi to a far beach is ฿20–40, scooter rental about ฿300–400 a day. It's the obvious first island, and if you can only spare half a day this is the one. To decide between a quick visit and staying the night, read our Koh Larn ferry vs speedboat guide.
Best for: first-timers, families, anyone wanting beach plus food and facilities. Skip if: you want a deserted island - Tawaen gets packed by 11am with day-tour crowds.
2. Koh Sak
Koh Sak is the small island just north of Koh Larn, and it's where the speedboat island-hopping tours stop for snorkelling - for good reason. The water here is noticeably clearer than anything you'll find in town, with shallow coral and fish close to shore. There's one little beach, a couple of basic drink and snack stalls, and not much else, which is exactly the point: you come for the water, not the infrastructure.
You can't really do Koh Sak as a standalone public-ferry trip - it's reached by speedboat, usually as part of a 3–4 island tour (around ฿800–1,500 per person) that also takes in Koh Larn and one of the further reefs. If snorkelling is your main reason for getting on a boat, make sure Koh Sak is on the itinerary before you book.
Best for: snorkelling, clearer water, a quieter stop than Koh Larn. Skip if: you want restaurants, sunbeds and a full day ashore.
3. Koh Phai (Bamboo Island)
Further out - about 9 km beyond Koh Larn - sits Koh Phai, often sold as "Bamboo Island." It's under Thai Navy stewardship, which has kept it cleaner and less developed than the closer islands. The beaches are quiet and the surrounding water is among the best for snorkelling in the whole Pattaya group, with healthier coral than the inshore reefs.
Because of its distance and protected status, you'll only reach Koh Phai by speedboat tour or a chartered boat - budget the higher end of ฿1,200–1,800 per person for a tour that includes it, as the extra fuel and time push the price up. It's the pick if you want the cleanest near-Pattaya water without committing to an overnight trip elsewhere.
Best for: snorkelling, quieter sand, clearer water than Koh Larn. Skip if: you're on a budget - the distance makes tours here pricier.
4. Koh Krok
Koh Krok is the smallest of the main offshore trio, a rocky little island between Koh Larn and Koh Sak. It barely has a beach worth the name, so it's not a sit-on-the-sand stop - but the rocky drop-offs around it make it a decent shallow dive and snorkel site, and dive schools out of Pattaya use it for confined-water and beginner dives.
Treat Koh Krok as a snorkel or dive add-on rather than a beach destination. Some island-hopping speedboats pause here, and PADI courses out of Jomtien and Pratumnak often include it. A standard two-dive day trip runs roughly ฿2,500–3,500 with gear. If you're learning to dive near Pattaya, you'll probably end up here.
Best for: beginner diving, a quick snorkel stop. Skip if: you want a beach day - there's almost no sand.
5. Koh Rin
The furthest of the regularly visited islands, Koh Rin sits well south of the main group and has the clearest water and best marine life of the lot - which is why Pattaya's scuba operators rate it as the top local dive site. Visibility is better out here, the coral is in good shape, and you've a real chance of seeing larger fish and the occasional turtle.
It's too far for a casual beach day; the trip is built around diving or serious snorkelling and takes the best part of a day by boat. Expect to pay for the distance - a Koh Rin dive trip sits at the upper end, often ฿3,000–4,500 for two dives including the longer boat ride. Worth it if you actually dive; pointless if you just want sand.
Best for: diving, best local visibility and marine life. Skip if: you don't dive or snorkel seriously.
6. Koh Samet
Now for the two islands that aren't Pattaya day boats but absolutely belong on any "islands near Pattaya" list. Koh Samet is a national-park island about 90 km southeast, reached via Ban Phe pier near Rayong - roughly a 1.5–2 hour drive then a 40-minute ferry (฿100–200). The reward is the kind of white sand and turquoise water Pattaya's own beaches can't match, with Sai Kaew and Ao Phai the headline beaches.
There's a national park fee of about ฿200 for foreign visitors, and it's far better as an overnight than a rushed day trip. If you're weighing it against staying in Pattaya, our Pattaya comparison guides and a look at the areas overview help you decide where to base yourself.
Best for: a prettier overnight beach escape, couples, calmer water. Skip if: you only have a single day in Pattaya - the travel eats it up.
7. Koh Chang
Koh Chang is Thailand's third-largest island and the most beautiful within reach of Pattaya - but it's a serious trip, around 3.5–4 hours' drive to the Trat-side ferry piers, then a 30–45 minute crossing. This is jungle-and-waterfall island territory with long quiet beaches like White Sand and Lonely Beach, a world away from Pattaya's energy.
It's strictly an overnight or multi-day destination, not a day trip. Ferries run frequently and cost around ฿80–120 as a foot passenger, more with a car. I include it because if you've got two or three spare nights and want the polar opposite of Walking Street, Koh Chang is the best island you can reach from Pattaya without flying. Plan a couple of nights minimum to make the journey worthwhile.
Best for: nature lovers, multi-night trips, escaping the crowds entirely. Skip if: you have under three days - it's too far for a quick visit.
Islands at a glance
The fast comparison, ranked the way I'd send a friend. Distances are from Pattaya / Bali Hai Pier; prices are 2026 baht and reflect public ferry where available, tour pricing where not.
| Island | Distance / time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Larn | 7.5 km · 45 min ferry | ฿30 each way | All-round day out |
| Koh Sak | ~8 km · speedboat | Tour ฿800–1,500 | Snorkelling stop |
| Koh Phai | ~9 km · speedboat | Tour ฿1,200–1,800 | Cleanest near water |
| Koh Krok | ~6 km · boat/dive | Dive ฿2,500–3,500 | Beginner diving |
| Koh Rin | South group · dive boat | Dive ฿3,000–4,500 | Best local diving |
| Koh Samet | 90 km · drive + ferry | Ferry ฿100–200 + ฿200 park | Pretty overnight |
| Koh Chang | ~310 km · drive + ferry | Ferry ฿80–120 | Multi-night nature |
Local tip
For Koh Larn, take the public ferry both ways and rent a scooter once you're there - you'll see all six beaches for under ฿400 total. The speedboat is only worth it if you're tight on time or seasick on slow boats. And go early: the 8–9am ferries beat the tour-bus crowds that flood Tawaen Beach from mid-morning.
Getting there & costs
Almost everything starts at Bali Hai Pier, at the southern end of Walking Street in South Pattaya. From central hotels it's a ฿10–20 songthaew ride or a short Grab. The public Koh Larn ferries run on a fixed schedule (roughly hourly through the day, last boat back around 6pm), so check the return times posted at the pier before you head out - missing the last ferry means an expensive speedboat charter home.
For the snorkel islands (Koh Sak, Koh Phai) and dive sites (Koh Krok, Koh Rin), book a tour rather than trying to DIY a boat - the speedboat operators bundle several islands, lunch and gear into one fare. To compare doing it yourself versus a guided trip, see our things-to-do pillar and the homepage Go To Pattaya planner.
Each way, public ferry from Bali Hai Pier. About 45 minutes.
Per person, ~15 minutes. Faster but pushier touts.
3–4 islands, snorkel gear and lunch usually included.
Per day. Best way to reach the quieter southern beaches.
What to watch for
At Bali Hai Pier, touts will tell you the public ferry is "finished" or "full" to sell you a ฿300 speedboat seat - usually untrue. Walk to the official ticket window and check yourself. On the islands, agree water-sport prices (jet-ski, parasailing) in writing before you start, and inspect rental scooters for existing scratches to avoid a damage charge on return.
Frequently asked questions
So the honest call: for a single easy day, take the public ferry to Koh Larn and rent a scooter; for clear water and snorkelling, book a speedboat tour that includes Koh Sak and Koh Phai; and if you've got two or three nights spare, Koh Samet or Koh Chang deliver the prettier, calmer beach holiday Pattaya's own coast can't. Whatever you pick, leave early and check the last ferry home. Ready to build your day? Start with our things-to-do guide or browse the Go To Pattaya homepage.