The beautiful pristine beaches, white sand and crystal clear water of the island paradise which is Koh Samet (see photos below) are less than 3 hours away from Pattaya. Koh Samet is the closest of the major islands to Pattaya, true, there is Koh Larn which has beautiful beaches but it’s not nearly as tranquil as Koh Samet. The beautiful beaches of Koh Samet can match any beach on Koh Chang, Koh Samui, Phi Phi and various other islands.