#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Thailands Travellers Tales >  >  > Thailand Hotels, Resorts and Guest Houses >  >  Lareena Resort on Koh Larn, Thailand

## S Landreth

Lareena Resort on Koh Larn, Thailand

We spent the past few days at the Lareena Resort on Koh Larn, just off the coast of Pattaya, Thailand. 

I thought a write up about the place was needed in case another TD member/visitor was interested visiting the island and didnt know of any good accommodations. 

Heres their website: http://www.lareenaresort.com/

I dont want to talk the resort up too much. The pictures on their website and the ones I posted might be a bit misleading. On the island we saw nicer places and some that werent as nice. They did have nice open spaces over looking the pier which made it nice, to watch the boats/traffic come and go. The food there was good, but pricey. If you visit the island and want to save a bit of money, dont purchase any food within 500 feet of the pier. There are nice little mom and pop restaurants down almost every street close to the pier.

I have posted pictures of some other resorts on the island that I took on our way to a beach during of first day there.

I want to add, if you are looking for an inexpensive place to stay I did see a sign (where two nice looking women were selling fresh squeezed orange juice out front) stating a room/s for rent for 4,000 baht per month, with TV/AirCon/Toilet just to the left of the pier (take a left if you are leaving the pier), before you get to the local Wat. . 


Lareena Resort from the Pier,.


 

Entrance,.............. 

 

Sitting Areas,........... 

 

 

 

 

 

View from the room,............. 

 

 

Daybreak looking towards Pattaya,............ 

 

A couple of other Resorts,.......... 

 

 

I will add days 1, 2, 3 and 4 when I have some time.

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## dirtydog

The view isn't too shabby is it  :Smile: 


*
Koh Larn Island*

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## ItsRobsLife

Nice thread, I've still never made it over to Koh Larn, now it's back on the to-do list. Cheers.  :Very Happy:

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## Loy Toy

^ Yep Rob that view looks really good and if the room rates are competitive I have suggested too the wife we give the place a visit.

I also have never been to Koh Larn even though you could probably see it from my house rooftop.

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## smeden

nice pics          :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile:

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## Bexar County Stud

I thought about staying there based on a web look-see, but I've had some bad experiences with these kinds of so-called boutique resorts. As you implied, a lot of times the photos don't measure up to reality. 

I see from their website that they want 1600 per weekdays, 2000 on weekends. Seems pretty steep for what it is, no?

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## S Landreth

^ I am not going to complain, because I had nothing (another stay on the island and knowing other resort prices) similar to compare it to (the girlfriend set this trip up and she knows I miss being on the water). We or you did/do pay for location (next to the pier). There were other newer resorts on the island, but not on the water,…again it's about location. Bed sheets were clean, towels changed (when we asked), TeeVee worked (only Thai channels), A/C kept the room cool this time of year, shower water was hot, staff was friendly, guests were fine…….bed stayed warm at night :Smile: ,…….what else could ya ask for?
However I have been on other islands here in Thailand and the rooms were Great (pretty well constructed)! But the cost per night was more.

^^ & ^^^^Thank you and ^^^^^ it was a nice view,…enjoyed watching the boats come and go.


Day 1,………….

To get to the Pier you leave from to get to the island, we just drove south into Pattaya along the beach and then onto Walking Street. Keep driving straight and the parking area will be just opposite the pier (name: Balilhai Pier). The parking this time of year (high season) is 100 baht per day.

Since we arrived in Pattaya a little early we decided to do some go-cart riding next to the area where we parked the car for 4 days. There are two tracks, small and large. There is also a bar upstairs where you purchase your tickets.
On our first ride (8 laps?) around the large track I stayed next to the girlfriend most of the time, since it was her first time in a go-cart. During the second ride she told me I could leave her and drive as I wanted and I lapped her.
This will not be her last time driving a go-cart. She did enjoy herself. Most of us growing up have been in go-carts (maybe not this fast), but a lot of Thai’s haven’t. If you are with a Thai and have the time, you might want to consider letting them drive a go-cart.
Our best times,…………girlfriends 51.758, mine 47.749

Small track,………..


 

Large track and bar,…….


 

 

We then walked over to the pier to purchase our tickets,……..20 baht per person, one way. However as of January 1, 2010 the price will be 30 baht per person each way. The boat ride over to the island was uneventful. Thank goodness. 

Our boat,……..


 

Arriving at the Na Ban pier,……….


 

 

Here’s how the boats leave (full most of the time) the island. Best to get there early so you can get a seat,………


 

After checking into the resort we decided to take a walk to the closest beach, Taa Yai. This is also the beach where they hold their Full Moon Party. We walked (staying close to the coast) and along the way we came upon a little private beach that was empty at the time. Problem with a beach like this is that you don’t get pampered like you do at the larger beaches,…..you know people waiting on you,….bringing you drinks, food, and offering massages, etc.

We finally made it to the beach, took a few pictures and then hired a guy to take us to the other major beaches on the island so we could see where we wanted to spend the next couple of days. 

Oh and something for the gun enthusiast,...next to the Taa Tai beach there is a shooting range that I will write about during our 4th and last day on the island.

Walk to the beach,……..


 

Small private beach,………


 

Taa Yai Beach and shooting range,…………..


 

 

The beaches we visited the first day were Samai, Nual, Tien and Taewan Beach. They are pictured below in the order I wrote them.


 

 

 

 

There is a local Wat about 200 yards from the pier (to your left when you are leaving the pier) that you will find a lot of SongTaew’s at that will take you to whatever beach you would like to visit if you don’t want to take a motorcycle taxi (that are waiting at the pier).

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## S Landreth

Day 2,

Yesterday we decided to visit Taa Waen Beach for the first full day on Koh Larn.

It is a nice clean wide beach with plenty of shops and restaurants serving fresh seafood and no walking vendors (that I saw) selling things that you see on the mainland beaches of Thailand. This beach has a pier (Taa Waen Beach Pier) that you can travel directly to and from Pattaya (Balilhai Pier) if you dont want to visit the other side of the island as we did.


 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a few shops/restaurants that rent rooms if you would like to stay the evening, but I did not get any prices. 

 

 

There is another beach (Sang Wan Beach) that you can visit off the same Pier to visit Taa Waen Beach. Its a smaller beach, but still looks nice.

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## S Landreth

Day 3,..

Today we visited Samae Beach. It's also a nice clean beach with shops/restaurants, but not as large as Taa Waen beach. There are not many walking vendors at this beach and if you would like a massage you can walk down to the end of the beach where a woman has setup some outside beds. If you or your spouse want something like your nails done (from a walking vendor), get the price first. They are not the same low prices as on the mainland.

There is another small but nice beach just down the road from Samae beach. It is Thien Beach. We visited the beach at the end of the day to get some pictures.

One more thing about the two main beaches we visited. It seems Samae draws a European crowd and Taa Waen an Asian crowd.


 

 

 

 

 

Thien Beach

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## S Landreth

4th and final day on Koh Larn,..

Since the day was going to be short (have to be on the boat at 12 noon) we decided to go to the shooting range (pictured in my second post on this thread), next to Taa Yai Beach. The girlfriend asked me years ago to teach her how to shoot a shot gun (so I thought). After showing her how to handle a shot gun she shot pretty well for her first time after adjusting to a few things. Later she had told me again she wanted to learn how to shoot a short gun (not a shot gun). Short, shot? I have never heard of a hand gun being called a short gun so I figured she was talking about a shot gun.

Anyway, off to the range we went. They have over 20 hand guns to choose from to shoot and maybe 10 rifles at the range (different prices on different guns). I asked her to choose the 38 because thats what shell be using when we get back to the states and she wants to practice.

She did OK for her first time handling a pistol. Hit the paper target 3 out of 12 shots (two within the black outline). The other shots were close, because I could see where they hit behind the target. 

She enjoyed herself and wants to learn/practice more.

I havent picked up a hand gun in over 10 years (and maybe only 10 times in my entire life), but I hit the target 6 out of 6 times (within the black outline).

Others things to do while on the island,

Yes there are bars (in restaurants/resorts), but we didnt go into any of them.

We did however find a pool hall (maybe the only one on the island) that had three snooker tables. Nice clean open place with a small bar/restaurant, TV and a karaoke machine. There were a couple of young girls/women(?) singing(?) the night we were there.
Behind the pool hall they have cocks fights and the guy who was there managing the place (nice guy by the way) was trying to encourage me to go out back and watch (about 40 guys out back). I was happy just getting the dark picture I posted below.

We also found two internet shops. The one we used most (pictured below) was just past the local Wat on the main road leaving the pier to your left. The other internet shop is in the restaurant at the beginning of the pier next to the 7/11. You cant miss this shop, it is painted a bright yellow (yellow?, red? Anyways brightly colored) inside (fairly new computers).

Targets,..


 

 

Pool hall and cock fight/s behind it (dark picture is all I could get),


 

 

One of the internet shops,

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## sabang

Nice report there Landy. I've been to Larn a couple of times, but always meant to stay a few nights and check it our after the daytrippers have gone. Next time maybe.

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## S Landreth

^Thanks

Little story how, why and what took us so long to visit this nice little island so close to BKK.

When the girlfriend was growing up (20  30 years ago) she had always heard this was the island you/we (farang) would visit when you wanted to do some nude sunbathing. So, she never had any interest visiting, being that wholesome kind of girl she used to be.
But recently a couple of people she knows visited the island and gave it some rave reviews and since it was so close to BKK we decided to go (two hour car drive from BKK to Pattaya and then 25 minuets dock to dock by boat).

We will do it again. It was a nice trip.

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## ItsRobsLife

I think DD once said that they will take your motorbike on the ferry, do you think it's a good idea if you want to spend the day and have a good look around?

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## S Landreth

^I believe they will take your motorcycle on the boat (I saw a couple being loaded on and off during our rides back and forth), but I dont know how much more it will cost.

There are many roads on the island with Steep inclines, be careful and it sounds like fun (taking your own bike over). They rent motor scooters over on the island (and ATVs). I think I saw some advertised for 200 baht per day.

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## Farang Ky Ay

Nice reports, thank you .. I went there 5 years ago, no need to say it wasn't that developped at that time, there was some Guest House without electricity nor flowing water for 300 bahts. :-/
When I went there, I was suprised by the sea-water quality this close to Pattaya, quite good actually ...

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## ADIPIDI

I had been to Ko lahn in the first week of December 2009 . It was a great trip , Great location and Nice beaches. I will certainly go there again as soon... Thnaks for the excellent travelogue and pictures . Sure they will be of use in my next trip
thanks ::chitown::

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## S Landreth

^ & ^^Thank you both for the compliment on the thread.

The water, just beyond the wave break at all the beaches we visited was almost crystal clear and nice to see for a change (it was nice to see my hand out in front of me while under water for a change). At the resort we were at I was able to see the tides come and go and while the tide was high I could see rock bottom as if the water wasnt there, it was so clear.

The shoreline at the beaches we visited on Koh Larn were pristine compared to the beaches I have been on the mainland such as, Bangsaen (Chonburi), Cha-am (Petchburi), Chao Samran (Petchburi), Huahin (Prachaub Khrikhan), various beaches in Rayong, Pattaya (Chonburi), Jomtien (Chonburi), Khaolak (Phang Nga). There was absolutely no trash debris. We always arrived at the beaches mid-morning and they might have sent out crews to clean the beach before the crowds got there as they do on other beaches here in Thailand, but I doubt it. 

I did see some floating trash next to the pier from time to time, but that may have come from the people getting on and off the taxi boats.

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## jiml

Do you know of any resorts on the beach, away from the pier that would be friendly to the girl companion

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## S Landreth

^ 


> 


 
This was our first time on the island and we have only stayed at this one resort. Sorry I do not know of any others. However if you look at the second post on this thread, "Dirtydog posted a response to my introduction and at the very end of his post it reads Koh Larn Island. If you left click on that Koh Larn Island name it will open another page that will show some resorts listed on it.
Here is that TD site about Koh Larn Island,.if you would like to just click on it (with four resorts listed):

https://teakdoor.com/view.php?pg=pattaya_koh_larn_coral_island

If you look at the picture that I posted above (which is also a picture I posted previously in this thread) youll see a few colored buildings. They are all resorts on the water. If you follow that same street that got you to those resorts (maybe off one or two blocks away from the coastline, youll see two of the other resort pictures (one with its own private beach across the street) I have posted in this thread (further away from the pier).

There are many resorts in this area and to tell you the truth I dont think they are always full. What I mean to tell you is that if you like,.just go to the island (if its just you and your companion) and look around, ask questions and I am sure youll find something that might suit your needs.

I dont think all of the resorts fill to capacity on the island at any time. We were there New Years Eve and had to leave our resort that day because they were full and we did not plan this trip too far in advance to book the room for that evening also, but there were other rooms on the island that were available.

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## bobbysan124

Very nice thread.  Thanks.

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## a. boozer

A nicely put together and informative thread.

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## S Landreth

^Thank you.

Found this video on the Lareena Resort a couple of weeks ago looking for news footage about/in Thailand.

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## brian3673

great thread,,me and my wife stay just outside pattaya and we where going to go somewhere for a couple of days but didn't want to go too far.
been to koh larn 1 or 2 times but allway's wandered if there were place's to stay.
next time we are back in thailand think we will give it a go..
let you no how we get on..

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