Best for Families

Easy water, shade, food within reach, and enough to keep everyone busy. These are the beaches and activities that make a Koh Larn day work with kids.

With kids, convenience beats scenery. Base yourself at Tawaen, where calm marked swim zones, food, toilets, a 7-Eleven and cheap banana-boat rides are all within a few steps — then, if you fancy a nicer swim, the gentle, clearer water of Samae is a short songthaew away. Go on the first ferries for calmer water and smaller crowds, keep children inside the roped swim zones and well clear of jet-ski lanes, and pack shade, water and reef-safe sunscreen. The monkeys at Nual are a hit but supervise closely and never let kids feed them.

• Take the earliest ferry for calm water and space
• Keep kids inside roped swim zones, away from jet skis
• Bring shade, water, sunscreen and a rash guard
• Watch kids around the Nual monkeys — no feeding