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If you’re looking for an adventure of getting to an island near Pattaya called Koh Kham then you’re in the right place. This particular island is only known to locals. In fact non Thai Nationals can only go on this island if you are accompanied by a Thai person.

Now hold on, wait a minute. Don’t write off this island just because you don’t know any Thai people that would be nice enough to take you to Koh Kham. It is possible to go by yourself, you’ll just pay a much higher price. I was able to visit this island through an app called MeetUp. In the app there are many different groups to join in any city in the world. I have been an avid user of the app and met this girl Kotcha, who hosts her own events and local outings around the Bangkok area. If you’re in Bangkok over a weekend check out her group and attend one of her activities! You won’t regret it.

Where Is This Island Near Pattaya?!

Well first there are two islands named Koh Kham. One near Pattaya and one near Koh Mak which is closer to Koh Chang near Cambodia. The second Koh Kham has an abandoned hotel on the island, which you may have heard of. The island I visited near Pattaya is under protection of the Royal Thai Navy in the Sattahip District of Chonburi province.

It boosts eco friendly initiatives including:

• no trash left on the island
• you can’t bring food or drinks onto the island (there are places to buy food and drink) to cut down on waste
• showering with soap or shampoo is not allowed
• don’t feed the fish
• don’t take anything from the island like rocks, animals, or coral
• only 300-400 people are allowed on the island per day

Getting to the island might be a little challenging. The amount of foreigners that go here are minimal and a majority of the information will be written in Thai. Since I went with a group, we hired our own van to go from Bangkok directly to the ticket office located within the Royal Thai Navy grounds.

Remember since you have to be accompanied by a Thai person, they will probably know how to get there. Tickets for foreigners are 500 baht which includes the ferry.

Bonus tip: If you have a work permit for Thailand bring it with you! They will give you a discount and you’ll only pay 250 baht.

To visit the Royal Thai Navy grounds, I suggest taking a bus from Bangkok Ekkamai station to Pattaya. Then either hire a driver or rent a motorbike to go to Thai Island and Sea Natural History Museum. Google maps is your best friend!

Activities on Koh Kham

Ok, so you’ve finally made it to the island! Congrats!

Now you can enjoy snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, and hiking to the viewpoint. The water surrounding the island is some of the most clear and blue that I’ve ever seen in Thailand. The beach area is small and narrow but offers plenty of shade from the scorching Thailand sun. You’ll even be able to see some small fish swim around you while you take a dip in the ocean.

In the water, there is quite a bit of coral and rocks so bring water shoes to protect your feet. I forgot these and torn up my toes a little bit. Other visitors weren’t as fortunate and stepped on a sea urchin.

Koh Kham is definitely a family friendly island and you’ll see lot of local Thai’s enjoying the island as well. Thai people are a little more conservative when it comes to showing skin at the beach. So if you’re a bikini girl cover up a little and be respectful.

I noticed that most of the locals got to the island early. The first ferry was at 8am. By around 1pm the beach was deserted and only our group and few other locals remained. The last boat back to the mainland is at 4pm. Staying on the island is not an option so you must take the last boat back. The Naval Officers will start rounding up people at 3:30pm.