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Introduction to Coral Island (San Hoi Island), Pattaya
San Hoi Island, also known as Koh Larn Island, is surrounded by vibrant coral reefs full of colorful marine life and a rich marine ecosystem, home to many rare marine species. Due to limited commercial exploitation, this place remains quite pristine, tranquil, in stark contrast to the bustling atmosphere of Pattaya. The island is not too far from the coast of Pattaya city, only about 10km away.
The proximity of Coral Island to the mainland makes it a favorite destination for tourists. Crossing over by ferry offers a delightful opportunity to enjoy the pristine beaches and indulge in various recreational activities. For those seeking a serene escape from the bustling city life of Pattaya, Coral Island with its picturesque coastlines, tranquil resort retreats, and thrilling water sports is the ultimate choice.
Adventure-seekers gearing up for parasailing over Coral Island.
Traversing from Pattaya city to Coral Island.
There are two primary means of transportation from Pattaya city to Coral Island: joining a guided tour or arranging individual travel bookings. Regardless of the mode chosen, the most common way to commute is by high-speed boat or ferry.
Typically, in Mytour's Thailand travel itinerary, at least 1 day is allocated for leisure and exploration at Coral Island in Pattaya. Even if you opt for independent travel, Mytour advises booking a day tour to the island through your hotel, as local guides can offer cheaper rates and help avoid overpricing. Moreover, unforeseen issues can be swiftly addressed when on a tour.
Passengers travel by canoe to reach the Coral Island
(This is the time for everyone to take photos before wearing life jackets, as everyone is required to wear one afterwards)
There are 2 types of day tours to Coral Island:
- The tour excludes activities such as: Zip-lining for approximately 800 Baht, covering round-trip high-speed boat tickets from the mainland to the island, a lunch, and an English-speaking tour guide.
- The full package tour includes all the aforementioned services plus the prices for beach activities like Parasailing, Sea Walking, and Banana Boating. The tour price ranges from 2000 Baht.
If traveling independently from Pattaya city to Coral Island, you can purchase ferry tickets from Bali Hai pier at prices starting from 30 Baht/one way to Napan pier or Tawaen beach on the Coral Island. The ferry ride takes about 45 minutes from the city to the island. The ferries at the pier are usually crowded, with the first departure at 7 am and the last one at 6:30 pm. Another faster option than the ferry is the high-speed boat. With a travel time of just 20 minutes per trip, the high-speed boat tickets are pricier than the ferry. Renting an entire high-speed boat costs between 1500-3000 Baht. If traveling in a group, you can share the cost with friends to make it more affordable and time-saving.
What's fascinating about Coral Island Pattaya?
Apart from beach bathing on the Coral Island, there are 5 water activities you must try: Sea Walking, parasailing, Banana Boating, snorkeling, and glass-bottom boat rides.
Experiencing the stunning beach bathing on the Coral Island
According to Pattaya travel experience, once you set foot on Coral Island in Thailand, beach bathing should be your first experience to try. Coral Island boasts 6 main beaches, including Samae beach, Tawaen beach, Thien beach, Nual beach, Tonglang beach, and Tayaiy beach. Among them, according to local reviews, Tawaen beach, Nual beach, and Thien beach are the top 3 most beautiful beaches. Especially, Thien beach attracts many foreign and local tourists because not only does it have a 500m long coastline, but it also offers convenient Thai massage services for travelers.
Tawaen Beach
Tawaen is the most famous beach on Coral Island with a length of nearly 700m. The water here is very clear and blue, offering many exciting recreational activities. Surrounded by restaurants and accommodations, it attracts a large number of tourists every year.
Nual Beach
Nual Beach
With a length of 350m, Nual is a relatively quiet beach. Swimming here can be challenging due to occasional large waves, but you can still enjoy beach games, and relish the cool and refreshing atmosphere.
Thien Beach
Although not as spacious as other beaches on the island, Thien Beach on Coral Island is regarded as the most beautiful in Coral, and the cleanest beach in Thailand. There are few accommodations here, and it's quite far from the island's center, but if travelers seek a resort getaway, this is the ideal spot.
Participate in thrilling activities
Banana Boat ride on Coral Island, Pattaya
Enjoying a Banana Boat ride on Coral Island, Pattaya, Thailand
Many Vietnamese tourists love this game because it can accommodate a large number of players and is very fun. Each turn, about 6 people wearing life jackets sit on the banana boat. When ready, the banana boat will be towed by a canoe at a very fast speed. The interesting point is that when the game is about to end, some playful canoe drivers will tilt the banana boat slightly to surprise and entertain the players by making them fall off the boat unexpectedly. But don't worry, everyone wears a life jacket, and this is a common scenario of the game, so safety issues are absolutely guaranteed. The price for a banana boat ride on Coral Island, Pattaya is about 250 baht.
Sea Walking (or Sea Walker)
This activity doesn't require you to know how to dive. Just wear the oxygen-providing helmet with transparent glass, follow the guide's instructions, and you can walk slowly under the sea, witnessing beautiful coral reefs or colorful fish swimming. The package for Sea Walking on Coral Island is priced at around 1200 baht.
Parasailing or Parachuting Game
Parasailing activity at Coral Island, Thailand
Usually, players will wear life jackets and parasail on a floating platform on the sea. The parachute will be tied to a canoe with a very long rope. When ready, the canoe will run very fast to lift both the player and the parachute. When soaring high, you will enjoy the panoramic view of the vast blue sea of Pattaya. The price for parasailing at Coral Island, Thailand is around 400 baht.
Snorkeling and Glass-bottom Boat Ride
Snorkeling activity at Coral Island, Pattaya
Both snorkeling and glass-bottom boat rides aim to help you observe coral reefs or swimming fish underwater. However, tourists often prefer the aforementioned activities more because they are novel, and furthermore, there isn't enough time to participate in all the games here.
What to eat on Coral Island?
Specialty seafood on Coral Island is similar to other coastal areas: shrimp, crab, clam, fish, snail, etc. Most of these dishes are prepared on the spot. Seafood prices here are slightly higher than the average in Thailand, so you should go to restaurants near the pier to save money. The food at Coral Island restaurants is guaranteed to be of good quality, but the prices for water, beer, or alcohol are very expensive. You should bring water from downtown Pattaya to save costs.
If you book a day tour to visit the island, the tour price usually includes lunch at 13:00 with seafood, meat, and vegetable rice. There are about 4 main dishes and fruits for dessert. For those who prefer self-exploration, you can notice some seaside restaurants, or if you want to enjoy snacks, there are still some vendors selling boiled corn, coconut water, boiled eggs, etc.
Specialty seafood on Coral Island
Things to know when enjoying activities on Coral Island, Thailand
As Mytour mentioned above, the prices of the activities may already be included in your tour, or you can choose separate tours with prices for the activities. However, pay attention to some enjoyment tips on Coral Island from previous tourists below to avoid losing fun while participating in Coral Island activities:
- If you're following the itinerary of a 5-day 4-night Thailand tour or a 4-day 3-night Thailand tour, most likely the tour price does not include these island activities.
- If you're on a tour, make sure to sign up for the activities with the tour leader.
- If you're traveling independently, you're susceptible to scams by local touts. Some of their tricks include: Quoting you 200 baht/person for a 10-minute banana boat ride, but then charging you $200 afterward. Before engaging in any service here, negotiate the price in detail and pay upfront. If not careful, the price can suddenly change from baht to USD.
- Don't casually sit on chairs on the island even if you don't see anyone collecting money nearby. As soon as you sit down for a few seconds, someone will appear and collect money right away. The price for sitting on a chair on the island is about 50 baht.
- In the afternoon at the coral area, the water recedes quickly and black sea urchins appear. You're very likely to get stung by the spines of these creatures. When stung, you should apply lemon juice to the injured area for 10 - 15 minutes to dissolve the spines in the skin.
- Sunbathing also costs money, another service to inquire about carefully.
- Avoid swimming in deep, less frequented areas.
- To save costs, you should buy water and fruit beforehand in Pattaya or Bangkok.
- When strolling on the beach, it's better to wear flip-flops instead of shoes or high heels as they will make it difficult to walk and are prone to getting wet because you have to wade into the water for a stretch.
- Those prone to motion sickness should take medication at least 30 minutes before traveling, avoid sitting at the front of the high-speed boat, and sit in the middle or rear. Because the seats on the high-speed boat are seats along the sides, sitting sideways can easily induce motion sickness, so you should face forward.
- Prepare thoroughly for your Thailand travel experiences.
Enjoy a resort vacation and have fun to the fullest on Coral Island, Pattaya. Alongside the fun, don't forget to beware of some scams by the mafia on the island and heed Mytour's advice to limit going independently to Coral Island but rather book a tour in advance either in Vietnam or directly at your hotel in Pattaya.
For booking cheap flights to Thailand or affordable Thailand tours with attentive advice, contact Mytour Travel Agency:
Mytour
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