So time to visit Koh Larn as I haven't been in a year or 2, obviously it was off to Bali Hai Pier to catch the 12 oclock boat to Na Ban, lots of other boats and many different times, also boats that will drop you off at other beaches, more on the boat timetables on our Koh Larn page.
As you can see the pier consists of a road and 2 sidewalks, the cars and motorbikes speed up and down the road and people walk in the road, can't walk on the sidewalk as it is full of holes and missing paving slabs, well done Pattaya, a world class tourist destination, can't even make a walkway.
The ferry to take us to Koh Larn, I was quite shocked to find there has been a 50 percent increase in prices to travel on this ferry, what businesses could you get away with increases like that? So we handed over the 30baht per person and waited for the ferry to start the 40 minute journey to Koh Larn.
Looking back from the boat down Bali Hai Pier towards Pattaya, the big building at the end of the pier is where you buy your tickets, although the 30baht ferry you can also buy them as you board the ferry.
Ahh yes, life jackets I hear you ask, well they had this life saving ring, but you would have to be an expert with knots to be able to untie the mess of ropes holding it up, but there were life jackets, now I won't use the word bridge on this boat, but the room where the steering wheel is is where the life jackets are kept, stops people stealing them I suppose, I only know they are in there because I opened the door and had a look in there, so if the boat did capsize I would have been alright Jack Although unlike Phuket our Pattaya boats don't tend to capsize when they are full of tourists, nicer bunch of Thai Captains in Pattaya I suppose, not interested in killing off a few farangs
Kebabs, you know a tourist destination is on the up and up when they start bringing in the kebab stalls, have to admit it was a bit of a shock, quite amazing how Na Ban has developed over the last couple of years, ok even then it was obvious that was the way it would go as they built a 7/11 there then, but now in Na Ban there are restaurants, some hotels, souvenier shops, plus other tourist type places.
A nice Thai restaurant in Na Ban, it is up on the 2nd floor so I would think the view over towards the sea is quite nice.
Pizza, yes Na Ban and Koh Larn have pizza now, ready and waiting for the hordes of obese Americans to invade the beaches of Koh Larn and talk to each other extremely loudly This time next year Koh Larn maybe a NO GO Area for us English gentlemen.
Of course more traditionally at Thai seaside resorts we get the seafood, although served up on plastic wrapped polystyrene trays is hardly the traditional Thai way, still those trays are great for the kids to let float off into the sea, they can write messages on them
There are now several places to stay at Na Ban, this is Lareena Resort which is built out over the sea, there view of us is probably better than our view of them if you know what I mean
More on Lareena Resort.
The taxis are parked up by the Temple, ie left off of the pier and down there maybe 100 meters, where they park are signs showing the fares to different beaches, generally 20baht to 30baht per person, of course at the end of the pier are motorbike taxis if you want to get to one of the beaches the pick up taxis don't go to, they charge a bit more but there are some nice beaches to visit, also in Na Ban you can rent a motorbike for the day at 200baht if you want to explore koh Larn.
So time to get on the taxi and hit the beach.