Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

A ferry will take you from Pattaya to Koh Larn for 30 baht. Upon arrival, be sure to head to Samae Beach. It stretches along a long, white sandy beach with crystal-clear water and is quieter than the beaches near the ferry pier. Restaurants and drink stands with affordable prices line the beach from one end to the other. Guests rate the food highly; one guest recommends the restaurant Madam Oh.

Two things set this place apart from an ordinary sunbathing spot. At one end, a concrete path leads up the hill, and the view from the top, overlooking the entire beach, is reason enough to visit it in the first hour after arrival, before the heat sets in. Near the viewpoint are also a dilapidated pavilion and an old, abandoned renewable energy plant, which some find atmospheric, while others simply consider squalid. At the other end, there is a jetty.

Beach chairs are everywhere, but to be honest, vendors treat their customers differently. At least one traveler felt clearly rejected. If one stall isn't accommodating, simply move on to the next.