Pattaya’s Monkey Island, translated to Koh Ling, is a hidden gem situated south of Na Jomtien between Bang Saray

and the large popular island of Koh Khram.

The relatively undiscovered tiny pistol-shaped monkey island is only accessible by boat. It is known locally as Koh Ped and is the permanent residence of Thai Samae Monkeys. Thousands of these friendly, yet cheeky, primates have made their home in the island’s low lying vegetation and thrive in huge numbers, especially along the southern and eastern shorelines.

Visitors traveling from Pattaya to Monkey Island will be amused and amazed at the greetings you get from the native primate ‘Ling Samae’. They wait impatiently at the beach for tourists to supply them with tasty snacks.

Feed the acrobatic little macaques with caution because they are not tame and they will jump all over you if they see anything edible.

Bananas, nuts, and watermelon is their favourite food. They use stone tools to smash open shelled nuts and some bivalves, and they swim below the water to grab a free meal from fallen food or sea snails. Samae Monkeys main diet includes oysters and crabs which is why they are good swimmers.

Bananas, nuts, and watermelon is their favourite food, and they also swim below the water to grab a free meal. Samae Monkeys main diet includes oysters and crabs which is why they are good swimmers.

As Pattaya tourism increases each year, so do tourist visitors to Monkey Island. While some relate this activity to the increase of macaque’s population, the downside is a deficiency of natural food in the low season resulting in extremely hungry monkeys.