Pattaya, Thailand

Ko Lan (Coral) Island

Source: Pixabay

Ko Lan is a small island about a 45-minute ferry ride from Pattaya, known for its lovely beaches set against wooded hills. It’s a quieter scene than Pattaya. And, there is some lovely running on Ko Lan Island, which is 4 km long and 2 km wide.  Our top recommendations: (Note: the road surface in some areas is more of a tile surface — clearly unique — but perhaps tougher on the knees?)

Tawaen Beach. This lovely beach is the largest on Ko Lan. There’s a path/boardwalk for most of the beach, about 1.5 km one-way. The beach itself is fairly narrow, but the sand near the water can be firm.

Tien Beach to Samae Beach. These are two lovely white sand beaches with clear turquoise water. It’s 1.5 km along and between the two beaches — there is a path and runnable road most of the way. At Samae Beach, the road is not right along the water, but it’s decent for running, with a sidewalk and path in parts. The beaches are a bit narrow, but the sand near the water is runnable.

Island Roads and Tour. The inland roads on Ko Lan island are quite runnable and the scenery alternates between lush foliage and some more open terrain and some nice hilltops. A tour of the main perimeter road from town is ~10k. The road surface is a unique sort of tile. Our map includes an option for a 130m climb to the Buddhist Shrine, with great hilltop views (happens at 2 km mark, eliminating this saves 2 km), plus another hilly spur to the Windmill viewpoint. Narrow in spots and no shoulder, but not too many cars, either. Our shorter loop of 5.2 km goes from town to Tawaen Beach and includes a nice road around a green forested area with nice foliage. An especially nice run off-season as there are fewer cars.

 

 

 

Essentials
  • Depends on route chosen
  • The beach runs are flat; The long island tour is hilly with one long steep hill if chosen
  • Island Tours start from town/ferry.
  • Ferry from Pattaya takes about 45 minutes

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Essentials
  • Depends on route chosen
  • The beach runs are flat; The long island tour is hilly with one long steep hill if chosen
  • Island Tours start from town/ferry.
  • Ferry from Pattaya takes about 45 minutes