Koh Larn - "Coral Island" to most visitors - is the easiest proper beach escape from Pattaya, and the boat over is half the fun. But the question I get asked most before anyone's even packed a towel is simple: ferry or speedboat? They're genuinely different ways to cross the same 7-odd kilometres of Gulf water, and the right one depends entirely on your budget, your group size and how much of your day you want to spend on a beach versus getting to one.
I've run this crossing in every form - the dawn public ferry with locals carrying crates of fruit, a chartered speedboat bouncing across the chop for a snorkelling trip, and the shared shuttles the touts sell on the pier. This is the honest head-to-head, with the 2026 fares I actually paid from Bali Hai Pier. If you're still deciding how long to stay once you're there, our Koh Larn day trip vs overnight guide covers that next decision.
Which is right for you
If you're a couple or solo traveller on a normal beach day, the public ferry is the obvious pick - ฿30 each way, no booking, and a slow scenic crossing that's part of the experience. If you're a group of four or more, in a hurry, or you want to see more than one beach, a speedboat starts to make sense because you split the charter cost and save real time.
Pick the ferry if you want the cheapest, most laid-back option and don't mind a fixed timetable. Pick the speedboat if you value speed, flexibility and door-to-beach drop-offs, and you've got people to share the cost or a tight schedule to beat. Most independent travellers are happier on the ferry; most families with young kids, time-pressed day-trippers and snorkelling groups get more out of a speedboat.
No pay-to-play
Nobody pays to be recommended here. Every fare below was checked at Bali Hai Pier in 2026 and the crossings were made as a paying passenger - the same standard we hold across every trip-planning guide.
Ferry vs speedboat at a glance
The fast verdict first, by what most people actually care about, then the full table. Fares are in Thai baht and reflect 2026 prices from Bali Hai Pier.
| What matters | Public ferry | Speedboat |
|---|---|---|
| Price each way | ฿30 per person | ฿1,500–3,000 charter / ฿150–300 shared |
| Crossing time | 40–50 min | 15–20 min |
| Booking needed | No - turn up and pay | Recommended for charters |
| Schedule | Fixed, every 1–2 hrs | Leaves when you want |
| Beaches reached | Na Ban & Tawaen only | Any beach + Koh Sak / Koh Phai |
| Comfort in chop | Stable, slower roll | Fast but bouncy in wind |
| Best for | Solo, couples, budget days | Groups, families, island-hops |
The public ferry, in detail
The public ferry is the workhorse of the crossing and the one I take most. It runs from Bali Hai Pier at the southern end of Walking Street to two points on Koh Larn: Na Ban Pier (the main village pier) and Tawaen Beach, the island's busiest beach. The fare is a flat ฿30 each way, paid in cash on board or at the pier window - no booking, no app, no upsell.
The crossing takes roughly 40–50 minutes on a sturdy wooden ferry that locals also use to carry supplies, so you're sharing the deck with island life rather than a tour group. Boats run from about 7am to 6pm, leaving roughly every 1–2 hours; the first ones each morning go to Na Ban, with Tawaen sailings spread through the day. It's slow, the seats are basic, and on a windy day there's a gentle roll - but it's stable, cheap and genuinely part of the day out.
The catch is the timetable. You're tied to fixed departures, the last boat back is around 6pm, and on busy weekends and Thai holidays the popular sailings fill up, so you queue. If you miss the last ferry you're either chartering a speedboat back at a premium or staying the night.
Local tip
Check the last return time the moment you land and aim for the second-to-last ferry, not the last one. Sailings can leave a few minutes early or fill up, and being stranded turns a ฿60 round trip into a ฿2,000 speedboat scramble. The Na Ban return is more reliable than Tawaen on busy days.
The speedboat, in detail
A speedboat does the same crossing in 15–20 minutes and, crucially, goes where you want it to. You can be dropped at quiet Samae Beach, Nual (Monkey) Beach or Tien Beach instead of the crowded ferry stops, and a chartered boat will wait or island-hop to Koh Sak and Koh Phai for snorkelling. That flexibility is the real product, not just the speed.
There are two ways to do it. A private charter from Bali Hai Pier runs about ฿1,500–3,000 round trip for a boat seating 8–10, depending on season, haggling and how many islands you want - split four or five ways, that's reasonable. A shared seat on a shuttle or as part of a tour is roughly ฿150–300 per person, faster than the ferry but with less freedom over timing and stops.
The downsides: it's far pricier solo or as a couple, the ride is bouncy when the wind's up, and the pier is full of touts quoting wildly different prices. Agree the price, the beaches, the wait time and the return clearly before you step on board, and don't pay the full amount upfront.
What to avoid
Ignore anyone at the pier claiming "the ferry isn't running today" to push you onto a ฿400-per-head speedboat - it's a classic pressure tactic. The public ferry runs all day in normal weather. Confirm charter prices and the return time in writing or by photo, and never hand over the full fare before the return leg.
Cost: what you really pay
This is where the ferry wins outright for most people. A round trip on the public ferry is just ฿60 per person. The same day on a private speedboat charter is ฿1,500–3,000 for the whole boat - so it only competes once you've got a group to split it across. Here's roughly what each costs in 2026 baht.
Per person. ฿30 each way, cash on board. No booking, no extras.
Per person, one way. Shuttle or tour seat. Faster, less control over stops.
Whole boat, round trip. Seats 8–10. Split four-plus ways to make it sensible.
Per person. A small Koh Larn environment/cleaning fee may be collected on arrival.
For a couple on a normal beach day, the ferry costs ฿120 round trip versus ฿1,500+ for a private speedboat - the speedboat simply isn't worth the gap. But for a family of five wanting two beaches and a snorkelling stop, splitting a ฿2,500 charter five ways is ฿500 each for a far better day. Run the maths on your group size; that's the whole decision. If you're budgeting the wider trip, our 7-day Pattaya budget guide shows how a ฿60 island crossing fits in.
Which beach each drops you at
This matters more than people expect. The public ferry only serves Na Ban Pier (the village, a short songthaew or walk from the beaches) and Tawaen Beach, which is the busiest, most developed and most crowded beach on the island. If your dream is an empty stretch of sand, the ferry alone won't get you there directly.
A speedboat can drop you at the quieter beaches - Samae, Nual (Monkey) Beach and Tien - and pick you up there too. From the ferry, you reach those same beaches by hopping a green songthaew from Na Ban (about ฿20–40 per person) or renting a scooter on the island for ฿250–400 a day. So the ferry plus a songthaew still reaches every beach; it just takes a little more effort and time. Our best beaches near Go To Pattaya ranks which Koh Larn beach is worth the extra hop.
Getting to the pier & timetable
Both boats leave from Bali Hai Pier, at the southern end of Walking Street in South Pattaya. From Central Pattaya it's a ฿10–20 songthaew down Beach Road or a short Grab; from Jomtien expect ฿40–60. Aim to arrive by 9–10am to get a good half-day on the island and a relaxed choice of return sailings. For how to reach Pattaya in the first place, see our Bangkok to Pattaya transport guide.
The public ferry runs roughly 7am–6pm, departing about every 1–2 hours, with the first sailings to Na Ban and Tawaen services spread through the day. The last return ferry is around 6pm - treat it as a hard deadline, because missing it is the single most common (and expensive) Koh Larn mistake. Speedboats run on demand all day; agree pickup time and beach with your captain before you set off.
Pack light, bring cash in small notes (card machines are scarce on the island), and reef-safe sunscreen. There are no ATMs at the quieter beaches, so draw cash in Pattaya before you go.
The verdict by traveller type
There's no single winner - it depends on who you are and how you want your day to run. Here's the honest call.
฿60 round trip, no booking, scenic crossing. The obvious pick for one or two people on a beach day.
Split a ฿1,500–3,000 charter and you get speed, a quieter beach drop-off and a far smoother day with kids.
15–20 minutes versus 40–50 and no fixed timetable. Worth it if you only have half a day.
Only a charter reaches Koh Sak and Koh Phai and the quiet beaches in one flexible trip.
The slow boat is part of the charm. Plenty fast for Tawaen and Na Ban, and unbeatable value.
Simplest, cheapest, hardest to get wrong - just check the last return time when you land.
Frequently asked questions
So: the ฿30 public ferry for value and charm, a speedboat for speed, flexibility and groups. For most travellers on a normal beach day, the slow ferry is more than fast enough and a fraction of the cost - just respect the 6pm last sailing. If you're a family or snorkelling group, splitting a charter buys you a quieter beach and an easier day. Either way, decide how long to spend on the island next with our Koh Larn day trip vs overnight guide, or browse the Go To Pattaya homepage to build the rest of your trip.