Koh Lanta is wild, exotic, and warm, with alternating white beaches and jungle; it is still very Thai, which is difficult to find on the other islands!
Koh Lanta comprises 52 islands, the most important of which is Koh Lanta Yai, which I have already returned four times.
Visiting Koh Lanta
The first time I went there, in 2009, nearly all the roads were sandy and getting off the scooter, you’d have the shape of your clothes and sunglasses printed on the skin. Year after year, the streets were paved, and a bit of magic perhaps went lost, but you are no longer forced to apnea while crossing other vehicles 😉
Renting a scooter costs about THB 90/100, and all resorts undertake the management. As for the refuelling, there are distributors on the island, but you can get gas anywhere at any time by buying one or more bottles of petrol on the roadside … yep, they sell it in recycled mineral water bottles. You can get it in almost any shop or private house, with a window on the road’s edge!
Koh Lanta’s beaches
After various excursions and an analytical study of the island’s beaches, I have chosen “mine,” the wild Ao Klong Jark. It is about 300m long and has fine white sand, a fantastic sea, beautiful sunsets, and three small restaurant bars constructed with tide-carrying debris.
I prefer the “Last Beach” due to its excellent traditional dishes, good and colourful fruit cocktails, 1€ hammocks in the shade, and essential Thai massages.
An extra positive point about this beach is Bao’s Tattoo Hut studio. He spends the winter on the beach with his family and moves to Bangkok when the tide rises during the rainy season. I had him tattoo me twice, and my brother had an incredible traditional red and black mask, too. All overlook the sea and are not disturbed by the machine’s noise as he only uses bamboo. If you love tattoos, I can only recommend it!
With this tattoo, you can swim in the sea after only two hours!
There are other wonderful beaches in Koh Lanta: Klong Khong, offering amazing sunsets, the white Klong Nin set in the middle of the tropical forest, and Kantiang Bay, a true snorkeling paradise.
The beach in the national park is charming, but honestly, I don’t think it’s worth paying the entrance fee.
However, the most famous beach in Klong Dao is not far from Sala Dan’s dock. The bay is just beautiful, but there are so many tourist establishments, and the music they all play all day long is cacophony.
Alternatives to doing nothing on the hammock
Lanta Old Town is a small settlement on the east coast of the island, the heart of Chinese trade, and home to a small gypsy community. During my first stay in Koh Lanta with my brother, I stopped here, renting a lovely little teak house on stilts with a beautiful veranda, ideal for relaxing and diving at high tide in the morning.
Every Saturday night, they set up a small Walking Street lit by the typical Chinese lanterns, and the party atmosphere of the village is contagious. Local shops stay open late, and shopping when the air is fresh is much more pleasant and easy. In particular, I recommend you visit the shops that produce traditional hammocks. I now have a small collection … 😉
From the long jetty of Lanta Old Town, you can embark on the long tails that lead to the tiny islands of Ko Bubu and Ko Talenbeng.
Khao Mai Kaew Caves a set of caves on multiple levels with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites and some not so beautiful bat, but to be honest, when I was there, I was the only one not being enthusiastic about their presence. De gustibus … In one of these caves, there is a swimming pool! The tour lasts about two hours, and the guide is mandatory (280 THB), as are sneakers with good soles to avoid slipping as I did during the first visit, to the great amusement of other tourists…
Orchid Farm a tiny colorful Eden not far from Long Beach. The entrance fee is 35 THB; if you like flowers, you can’t miss them!
Ko Lanta Noi, a wild islet north of Koh Lanta Yai, is inhabited by fishermen mostly of Malaysian origin. I went there on a motorbike, with transhipment from the harbour of Sala Dan on a long tail in the company of rice sacks. The island is not at all touristy, but well worth it! There are small restaurants, deserted beaches, and many rubber trees.
I do not appreciate elephant rides. As the post on Koh Samui explained, seeing them with chained paws makes me sick. I prefer to watch them in the morning or evening on the beach of Ao Klong Jark, where they are carried to bathe. Anyway, the ride costs about 600 THB.
How to get there
The most practical solution is Air Asia’s package “Island Transfer” (about $70 depending on the period and the moment of your booking), which includes the flight from Bangkok to Krabi, the bus to the jetty, and the ferry to Koh Lanta. You can book directly from their website. The only hiccup is that it’s not quick because of the ferry schedule, traffic, etc.
If you want a quicker transfer and are willing to negotiate, you can take a minivan from Krabi Airport, which embarks on a speedboat. Once in Sala Dan, the minivan will take you where you want without losing time as the car-speedboat pies every 15 minutes, taking only twenty minutes. Considerable detail: the view during the short crossing is beautiful, so it is worth abandoning the air-conditioned minivan (yes, the engines are always on!) to enjoy it, but the smell of dried fish mixed with diesel fuel onboard can give a nuisance … Count about 2500 THB for 2 hours if you opt for a private minivan and about 400 THB if you prefer a bus shared with other passengers, but in this case, your luggage will travel on your legs because there are no rooms for backpacks/suitcases on board.
There are also the same two options from Phuket, but unless you want to spend some time there (and I won’t do it again as I was not too fond of it), it’s more protracted and more expensive.
Private shipping companies from Sala Dan’s harbour ply with Krabi and Phuket via Ko Phi Phi (200-400 THB for an hour). Tickets can be purchased directly upon boarding or at your hotel’s service desk (all hotels have a service desk).
Where to sleep
As written before, during my first stay in Lanta Old Town, I rented the Mango House for 300 € per week, including breakfast at the nearby bar. It is a beautiful and large traditional teak house on stilts, with two kitchenettes, three bathrooms, two huge bedrooms, and a fabulous terrace with loungers and hammocks. It is ideal for feeling like you are part of this village.
During the following stays, I preferred to stay at the “Last Beach” on Ao Klong Jark. The bungalow on the sand is very basic, but it is ideal for a relaxing holiday by the sea. The daily rate is 1300THB, with breakfast and a hammock in the shade included. It is a dream at a more than reasonable price.
My dispassionate advice when visiting Koh Lanta? Do not set anything in advance! Take a first round on the island and choose the bay that best suits you!
I almost forgot! Please don’t do like me, do not forget the tripod or remote control to take pictures at night. The moon in Koh Lanta stands on the sea, touching the horizon with its deep red colour and then clear as it ascends. It is an actual nature’s performance to be admired the first few nights but photographed once 🙂
Check GPSmyCity, an app I heartily recommend for a GPS version of this post!
