Coral beach Pattaya: the bays of Koh Larn compared on a map

Koh Larn's beaches are small pockets along a hilly coast rather than a long strand, and the city report names them in turn. Tawaen lies in the north, Tian in the west, Samae in the southwest and Nuan in the south, while Sangwarn sits beside Tawaen and the small Tong Luang and Tar Yai bays complete the list.^1,3,6,7,8 That list is the spine of this page, and every beach below comes from it.

The map above works as a Koh Larn tourist map for the coast: it pins the beaches and the piers so that you can see how far apart the bays sit before you promise anyone a walk between them. Tap a pin to read what the report says about that bay, then match it with the table lower down. The pins follow the island's own geometry, and distances on a small island still add up once the heat arrives.

One caution applies to every name. The city report spells the island Koa Larn and the beaches Tawean, Tawaen or Tar Waen in different places, while signs and maps use forms such as Koh Larn and Ta Waen. Spelling varies on a place that was never romanised by a single rule, so match by position on the map rather than by letters, and show the pin to a songthaew driver if you are unsure.

Tong Luang Beach, which maps spell Tong Lang, is described as small and quiet and suited to visitors who like privacy. Its main activity, says the report, is snorkeling to see the corals, and glass bottom boats are available for people who prefer not to walk or snorkel.² That makes it the beach on this page that most openly promises something under the water, and also the beach where a mask and fins matter more than a towel.

Ta Yai, which the report spells Tar Yai, is the smallest on the list at 100 meters.⁹ It is described as quiet and shaded, with white sand, clear water and large and small stones that look like natural scripture.⁹ That description is a reason to bring water shoes, since stones and sand mix, and a reason to expect shade without hunting for it, which is rare on a tropical beach at noon.

The report mentions no restaurants at these small bays, so bring water and a snack, and carry cash for whatever you can find. Check the pins on the map for how far each bay lies from the piers before you commit, because a small quiet bay is quiet partly because it is out of the way. The reward is an hour of sea and sand with few neighbours, and the cost is a short walk or a ride arranged in advance.

Nuan Beach is in the south and 250 meters long, and the report says it is occupied by a private owner.⁷ It adds that visitors can see beautiful corals there because few tourists come.⁷ Because the beach is described as privately occupied, check whether you can use it before you plan a swim around it. We have no pin for Nuan on the map: the place did not geocode cleanly, and a guessed pin is worse than none.

Koh Krok is a small island measuring 550 meters by 150 meters, and it has a single beach.¹² Koh Sak has white-sand beaches with accommodation and restaurants.¹³ Both sit off the main island, and the report places them about 8 kilometers from the shore.¹⁷ If a trip lists Koh Sak for snorkeling, that is a stop on the neighbouring island, and it is separate from the Koh Larn beaches in the table.

A last note on the coral islands of Koh Larn, Pattaya: the report names corals on the beaches of Tawaen, Tong Luang, Sangwarn and Nuan.^1,2,5,7 Treat that list as a reason to carry a mask rather than a promise of what you will see, since visibility depends on the day, the wind and the season. A flat calm morning shows far more than a windy afternoon, and the same bay can look like a different place within a few hours.

A beach day is made of small purchases. A listing in our set says lunch can be bought at Tawean Beach, with Thai food, seafood and vegetarian choices, while our Bangkok day trip includes lunch and swimming during its time on the island. If your ticket includes lunch, ask where it is served, because the beach and the table may not be the same.

On the island itself, listings warn that a bathroom costs an extra THB 50 and a toilet THB 10. Small notes are therefore worth carrying, and so is a little patience at a facility that has to bring everything across the water. The same listing says that in rain or wind the drone photos it promises are not possible and no refund is given, which is a reminder of how weather decides a beach day.

We found no official price list for beach chairs, umbrellas or sunbeds on Koh Larn, so we quote none. Agree the price before you sit, check whether it covers a full day, and keep the exchange friendly, because the person offering the chair is also trying to run a small business on a small island. A written or spoken number at the start saves a lot of awkwardness later.