🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Pak Bara sits in Pak Nam sub-district, La-ngu, about 60 km from Satun town — roughly a one-hour drive. It's the largest pier in the province and the departure point for boats to Koh Lipe, Tarutao, Koh Khai, and the other islands in Tarutao National Park. The pier itself has a parking area, ticket booths, restaurants, and a market all clustered close enough to walk between.
The advantage of getting Pak Bara figured out before you arrive is that you can plan your timing right and not rush past the good food along the waterfront. Plenty of people turn up in the morning and jump straight on the boat, missing the beach and market entirely — but if you set aside even half a day, Pak Bara is easy to enjoy.
Catching the boat to the islands — times, fares, and booking
Boats from Pak Bara to Koh Lipe are mostly speedboats and take around 1.5 hours (add about half an hour if it stops at Tarutao or Koh Khai on the way). The popular high-season departures are 11:30 and 13:30, while the return boats from Koh Lipe usually leave at 09:30 and 11:30. Plan to reach the pier at least half an hour before departure to check in and drop off your bags.
- Fare to Koh Lipe — around ฿700/person one way by speedboat (kids and adults priced about the same); a round-trip ticket usually works out cheaper than buying each leg separately.
- Pier fee — ฿20/person, charged separately from your ticket.
- Longtail transfer to shore at Koh Lipe — around ฿50/person, because Koh Lipe has no pier and you transfer to a longtail to reach the beach.
- Tarutao National Park fee — charged separately if you enter the park (Thai nationals pay less than foreigners).
Check the season first
Tarutao National Park usually closes the islands during the monsoon, roughly mid-May to mid-October, when boats to Koh Lipe may run fewer departures or stop altogether. November to April is the calm-sea window when boats run at full schedule. Before buying tickets at the start or end of the season, always check the park announcements and the sea conditions with the boat company.
You can buy tickets at the counters by the pier on the day of travel, or book online in advance with the boat company. In high season or over long weekends, seats fill fast, so if your plans are set, booking ahead is more reassuring. Off-season it's quiet and buying at the pier is no problem.
Want more out of Satun? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Pak Bara Beach and the sunset spot
A lot of people don't realize Pak Bara has its own beach — a stretch of sand running about 3 km along the shore, quiet and far less crowded than the famous beaches. The water isn't as clear as Koh Lipe since it's a mainland beach, but it's good for an evening stroll, and what locals love most is sunset, when the sky changes colour over the Andaman Sea.
Pak Bara Beach viewpoint (red sign + sailfish statue)
Pak Bara's photo landmark — a big red name sign and a giant sailfish statue. You can wander along the beach here, and in the evening plenty of people come to sit and wait for sunset.
Lan 18 Lan (beachside night market)
A seafront plaza that turns into a local-food market in the evening. Eat while you watch the sun go down — one of the best spots for atmosphere in Pak Bara.
Bridge Across Time (Mu Ko Phetra National Park)
Not far from Pak Bara — a seaside cliff where you can see the boundary between two geological eras, red sandstone meeting limestone. It's a geology site within the geopark, worth a stop if you have time to spare.
Honest note on the beach
If you've come to swim in clear water, Pak Bara may not be the place — you're better off heading on to Koh Lipe or the surrounding islands. But if you want a quiet beach to stroll, watch the sunset, and eat seafood at an easy pace, Pak Bara does that well, and with far fewer people.
The market and food around the pier
Around Pak Bara Pier there's food for every mood, from quick plates to full seafood spreads. In the evening the beachside market gets lively, selling local dishes — seafood salads, grilled meatballs, som tam, traditional sweets — all cheap, perfect to grab and eat on the beach at sunset. In the morning there are rice-and-curry shops and snacks to fill up on before catching the boat.
- Beachside evening market (Lan 18 Lan) — seafood salads, som tam, grilled meatballs, local sweets, prices starting in the tens of baht, great for snacking by the sea.
- Souvenir shops by the pier — dried shrimp, salted fish, chilli pastes, and processed seafood from Satun to take home.
- Seaside cafes — several cafes with sea views; stop for a coffee while you wait for the boat, or take a break after getting back from the islands.
Waterfront seafood spots people actually go to
This is the reason to leave some time for Pak Bara. The seafood places around here use fresh catch straight from local fishing boats, many are Muslim/halal, the flavours are bold southern-style, and the setting is open-air with sea breeze. We've picked the spots that are open and that both locals and travellers mention often.
Fasai Seafood
The beachside seafood spot most talked about in Pak Bara — fresh shrimp, shellfish, crab, and fish. Dishes people order often are horseshoe-crab roe salad, squid with roe in black sauce, and fresh prawns. The seaside setting is relaxed.
Tha Le Seafood (halal)
A halal spot near the pier with sea views and fresh ingredients — a good pick if you're after a Muslim restaurant. The full range of seafood is here, fish, squid, shrimp, crab, all cooked with deep southern flavour.
Krua Rim Le Seafood
An open-air spot by the sea near the pier, with fresh seafood that's good value for the portions. The evening atmosphere is nice — sit in the breeze and eat at an easy pace. Locals recommend it often.
San Kam Pu (Pak Bara branch)
An open-air seafood spot in the sea breeze. The standout is the Langkasuka crab fried rice, piled with crab meat, crab roe, and shrimp roe — bold southern flavour. Open daily, around 11:00–21:00.
Chu Penra
A spot focused on fresh seafood and bold southern dishes at mid-range prices. Reviewers say the flavours are full-on and the ingredients fresh — good for anyone who wants genuine local taste, not toned down for tourists.
Chom View Seafood Pak Bara
A seaside seafood spot whose selling point is the view — eat while you watch the sea and the boats coming and going from the pier. Good for an evening meal before or after the boat. Fresh seafood in season.
Som Tam Hom Choei
Not a full seafood spread, but a punchy som tam shop people stop at to go with their seafood — crab-and-pla-ra som tam, seafood som tam, easy prices. Good to fill a gap or add to a seafood table.
Beachside evening market (seafood salads + grilled meatballs)
If you want seafood street-food style, the beachside evening market has seafood salads, grilled meatballs, and grilled snacks at cheap prices — grab some and eat by the sea at sunset. A budget option with great atmosphere.
Ordering seafood for value
Ask the price per kilo before ordering lobster, crab, or big shellfish, since they're charged by weight and prices swing with the season and size. If there are only a few of you, ordering stir-fried or boiled plates works out better value than buying a whole large one. And note that most places are halal with no beer or alcohol — keep that in mind.
Pak Bara without the rush — a sample timeline
There are two ways to do Pak Bara: use it as a stopover on your island-departure day, or stay one night to make the most of the beach and seafood. Below is a rough rhythm you can adjust around the boat times and your own plans.
Arrive at Pak Bara, stay one night
Catch the boat to the islands
Back to the mainland + wrap up at Pak Bara
Parking while you're on the islands
If you've driven here and plan to stay on the islands for several days, Pak Bara has daily paid parking lots around the pier, charged per day. Ask the price at the parking point before you park, and take a photo of your car's spot and the contact number so you can find it easily when you're back.
Want a well-located place to stay near Pak Bara and on Koh Lipe? See the ones we've picked.
See 10 Satun hotels →