Introduction
When most people think of Koh Lanta, they are refering to Koh Lanta Yai, the biggest of around 70 islands that make up the Koh Lanta region. In the past 10 years, this beautiful island has massively grown in popularity, but there are still many stunning beaches that you wont have to share with too many people. Plus, the increase in tourism means it is a lot easier to get around, there’s more choice of accommodation and there are more activities available. Koh Lanta is definitley one of the best choice if you are looking for an island in the Krabi area.
Map of the Island
Where To Stay in Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta is one of the larger area in the area, with a number of amazing beaches to stay. Each has a slightly different vibe, meaning there’s something to suit most tastes. The west coast is where the majority of the accommodation is found. There is also a small town, Saladan, in the north of the island, by the crossing to the smaller Koh Lanta Noi. There are a number of guesthouses here, but we will stick to the beaches. The main beaches, from north to south, are: Klong Dao (the most popular), Haad Phra Ae (the Long Beach), Klong Khong (the party beach), Klong Nin (great central location), Kantiang Bay (tranquil and stunning), Klong Jark (even more tranquil and stunning, but remote).
Klong Dao
The most popular beach on the island, perhaps as it is closest to Saladan town and the pier. However, as it’s 3km long, it still doesn’t feel over-crowded. This is where you will find the majority of the mid-range resorts and is popular with families. For some reason, however you spell it, Klong Dao beach doesn’t seem searchable on google maps. So just search for one of these hotels and you’ll find it.
Top Picks
Cicada Lanta Resort. This relatively new resort offers cute bamboo huts right on the beach for a decent price. Helpful staff and good food make it seem more like a guesthouse than a resort. Deluxe queen rooms from 1100B (£27).
Lanta Mermaid Boutique House. A smallt and stylish boutique hotel, a 3-minute walk to the beach. Featuring very spacious, well designed rooms with balconies overlooking the beachfront. Deluxe double rooms from 2000B (£50).
Haad Phra Ae (long beach)
Otherwise known as Long Beach, due to its 4km length. To the north of the beach you will encounter a bit of a hippie vibe, with plenty of cheap hostels and bars. The middle and the south of the beach tend to be a bit more family orientated.
Top Picks
Hub of Joys Hostel. One of the best hostels around. Friendly, helpful staff that are always on hand to organise activities and travel. They have female- and male-only dorms, as well as mixed. All with either 4 or 6 beds, so not too crowded. All beds from around 200B (£5).
Pana Long Beach Resort. A friendly resort, a short walk from the beach with 8 chalets set in a pretty garden. Excellent value for money in a great location, bang in the middle of Long Beach. Bungalows from 650B (£16).
Klong Khong
This is the party beach. If you’re looking for a golden sand, good swimming spots and tranquility, there are better options. However, if you’re looking for a party on the beach with reggae music playing long into the night then Klong Khong is the place to be.
Top Picks
Coco Lanta Resort. A solid choice of resort with good sized bungalows, steps away from the beach. Features all the things you would expect in a family friendly resort- swimming pool, restuarant, bar, etc., all at a good price. Bunglaows closest to the beach from around 1000B (£25).
Riviera Boutique House. A quirky, well-decorated houtique hotel close to the beach. The manager is very friendly and helpful. Also has a nice pool with a small jacuzzi section. Standard double from 425B (£10).
Klong Nin
A peaceful and pretty beach, backed by lush forest. The real advantage to staying here is the central location, being equally close to the quiet, stunning beaches to the south and the busier, fun beaches to the north.
Top Picks
Lanta Intanin Resort. Clean, spacious, well-designed rooms. A great location, among the bars and restaurants, a short walk to the beach. Deluxe double from 900B (£22).
Baan Rim Lay. This long running beach-front resort is a bit of an institution on Klong Nin. Large bungalows, right on the beach. Not currently available on booking sites, so contact them directly. Prices tend to range from 1000-2500B (£25-60).
Lanta Valom Hideaway. Rustic but charming bungalows. Short distance from the beach and a fantastic price. Fan bungalows from 300B (£7.50), aircon from 400B (£10).
SriLanta Resort. For anyone looking to really splash out, there are some absolutely beautiful rooms at SriLanta, for example the stunning ‘plantation room’ which will set you back around 3200B (£80).
Kantiang Bay
Long considered one of the most impressive beaches in the whole of Thailand, if not the world. Stunning golden sand, emerald blue waters and barely anyone around. A truly perfect place to relax.
Top Picks
Aha Lanta Cozy Resort. A really pretty, well-designed little hostel, a 3-minute walk from Kantiang Bay. The dorm rooms almost have a Hogwarts vibe, and the communal areas seem very chilled. A bed in the 10-bed dorm from 288B (£7), or 480B (£12) for the 4-bed dorm.
Kantiang View Resort. A solid resort choice. Large outdoor pool, with fantastic views over the bay. Good sized, clean rooms from 1000B (£25).
Alama Sea Village Resort. Similar to Kantiang View, this is a solid resort option. However, the rooms are a bit smarter and interesting. Made using natural materials to really good effect, with lots of light. Suits and villas from around 2000B (£50).
Klong Jark
Arguably even more pretty than Kantiang Bay, and certainly quieter. A beautiful sweeping bay of perfect white sand. Fantastic for swimming, you could spend hours floating in the shallow waters of the bay, looking at the amazing scenery. The only drawback is how remote this beach is (a 45 minute drive from Saladan pier) can leave you feeling a bit isolated.
Top Picks
Anda Lanta Resort. A classic resort in the north end of the beach. Stylish confy rooms, outdoor pool, large restaurant. A good place for families. Although, perhaps a bit over priced, starting at around 3500B (£90) in high season.
Klong Jark Bungalows. One of our top recommedations on the whole island. The bunglaows are rustic, and have seen better days. But that is made up for by the price and location. Situated bang in the middle of one of the most stunning beaches. Fan bungalows from 500B £12.50), aircon is 1500B (£38).
Wild Card
Lanta Happy Hill
This place does not fall into any of the above categories, as its situated in between Long Beach and Klong Khong. However, it is definitely worth a mention. Beautiful designed chalets made from natural materials set in gorgeous gardens. A great tranquil place to escape, with Long Beach still close enough to walk to. Superior doubles from 1500B (£37).
What To Do in Koh Lanta
Diving and Snorkelling
There are some excellent dive sites near to Koh Lanta, making it a great spot to do some diving or snorkelling. One of the most interesting sites is the artificial reef created by the passenger ferry King Cruiser, which sank in 1997 following a collision. Other popular sites include Hin Daeng and Koh Rok, where its possible to see black-tipped reef sharks, manta rays, turtles, octopus, and even whale sharks. There are several diving operators but Lanta Diver, established over 20 years ago, is the only 5-star PADI Career Development Centre on the island. Snorkelling is 1900B (£47) per day. Diving from 3300B (£80) for a 2-stop day trip, right up to 14,400B (£350) for the 4-day open water PADI course.
Trekking
In the southern tip of the island you will find Mu Koh Lanta National Park. There is a 200B (£5) entrance fee, however, that will give you access to a lush nature trail, picturesque beaches and great veiws from the lighthouse. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon, but beware the monkeys on the beach as they can be a bit aggressive. If you want a more challenging trek, you could head into the forest at the centre of the island. A popular route for this is to head to Klong Jark waterfall and cave, which is roughly a 3km trek.
Wanjak Atikomchakorn
Kayaking
Koh Lanta offers a fantastic opportunity to do some kayaking. There are a number of great places to do this including Koh Phee, Koh Talabeng, and Thung Yee Pheng mangrove forest. Whatever beach you are on, there will almost certainly be rental kayaks available to get out and do some paddling around the coast. Rental tends to cost 300-500B (£7.50-12.50) per day. For more extensive trips, you will have to find a tour operator. Talabeng Sea Kayaking is a small, family run tour company that regularly receieves glowing reviews. Day trips taking in Koh Phee, Koh Talabeng, and two caves costs 1300B (£32) per person.
Lanta Old Town
This sleepy village on the east side of the island is definitely worth a trip. There is a clear Chinese influence with laterns hanging outside most buildings, however, before Saladan town expanded recently, Baan Koh Lanta served as the main settlement on the island for centuries, long before Chinese settlers arrived. There is a very chilled-out vibe in the town, and it offers an interesting glimps into the past with its very preserved architecture. There are also a number of good seafood restaurants on offer.
Animal Welfare Centre
Believe it or not, one of the most popular things to do on Koh Lanta is take a visit to the Animal Welfare Centre. Set up in 2005, their aim was to sterilise and provide treatment to the large population of stray dogs and cats on the island. To date they have treated over 15,000 animals and have even found homes for hundreds of them around the world. They offer 40 minute tours around the centre, just turn up anytime between 09:00-17:00. Once you’ve had a visit you can help out by giving one of the rescue dogs a walk (09:00-11:00 or 15:00-17:00).
Note: Due to the Corona Virus, the welfare centre has now had to close to visitors for the foreseeable future. As a not-for-profit charity that relies on volunteers, they are going to really need some help. Please consider making a donation or sponsoring an animal to help them get through it.
Where To Eat in Koh Lanta
As you would expect, seafood features heavily on the menus of Koh Lanta, and you will find the best of this in the Old Town. Many travellers will not venture much further than the beach front when looking for dinner, which is understandable. However, the best food on the island can often be found along the roadsides set back from the beaches. So if you are out and about, perhaps on a moped, and you spot a rustic restaurant full of locals sat at plastic tables and chairs, chances are you’ve stumbled across a gem so make a stop for dinner!
Street Food
There is a roaming street market in Koh Lanta, which is something I haven’t seen anywhere else. There are some static markets as well, but the nomadic one has some of the best food stalls and it gives you a reason to get out exploring the island.
Schedule
Monday – Klong Dao
Tuesday – Klong Nin
Wednesday – Saladan
Thursday – Long Beach
Friday – Klong Nin
Saturday – Saladan
Sunday – Old Town
Local Food
The Angels
A great restaurant on the main road behind Klong Khong beach. Traditional, delicious Thai dishes at a very reasonable price with a nice laid-back vibe.
Kung Restaurant
Found in Saladan town, serving up very traditional Thai fare as well as plenty of barbecued fish.
Food with a View
Sea Sand Soul
Situated in Saladan town on the very north west corner of the island. Stunning views out to sea and good quality Thai food.
Western Food
Moo Uan (The Fat Pig)
How hungry are you? This place serves up big, hearty, meaty dishes so you definitely want to have built up a good hunger before you come to the Fat Pig. Think barbecued racks of ribs, big burgers oozing with cheese, and rich chocolatey puddings. They also do good Thai food, fried breakfasts, BBQ fish, and tasty cocktails. All dished up overlooking the ocean at Saladan Pier.
Cooking Schools
There are also two great cooking schools on Koh Lanta, both of which operate as restaurants as well. Found at the southern end of Klong Dao, Time for Lime is the best known cooking school on the island, which a good menu if you want to go and let someone else do the cooking. Another great alternative, found on the east coast, is Kwan’s Cookery.
Where To Drink in Koh Lanta
If you are after a party, then head to Klong Khong. This is the beach most similar to the backpacker party beaches found on Koh Phi Phi, Koh Phangan and Phuket. It isn’t quite as wild as those, but most nights of the week during high season you will find a DJ playing to a crowd and locals putting on a fire show. Regular parties are put on at Mushroom Bar and Freedom Bar.
Long Beach is also a good spot for evening drinks with a host of small beach bars such as Irie Bar, which has live music, good food and a great vive.
On Klong Nin beach you’ve got the fantastic Majestic Bar, which is a beautiful spot to sip a cocktail and watch the sunset. There is also the Big Bang Bar, which is a great alternative.
Further south on Kantiang Bay, you’ve got Why Not Bar, which is a really nice beach bar all made from natural materials and sat right on the beach with regular live music and parties. While on Klong Jark, you’ll find the Take it Easy Bar, which has a great liad back vibe and cheap cocktails.
How To Get To/From
If you are coming from a nearby island, there will be daily ferries and speedboats available. For example, Koh Jum to Koh Lanta takes only 15 minutes, deaprting daily at 09:45 for 750B (£18). While from Koh Phi Phi the journey takes 45 minutes, leaving daily at 09:15 for 750B (£18).
If you are coming from the mainline, you will need to head to Krabi town and either make your way to Klong Jilad pier, where passengers ferries depart for Koh Lanta at 09:00 and 11:00, taking around an hour, for 950B (£23). Alternatively, you could book a coach and ferry ticket, which will take you to Hua Hin Pier further south for roughly 400B (£10). These ferries run regularly throughout the day.
There is an airport in Krabi, and daily flights go to and from most other airports in the country. If coming in to Krabi airport, it is probably best to purchase an all-in-one collection and ferry ticket before you arrive.
As always, your first port of call should be to your hotel on the island. Ask them if they organise transport from the airport. It may cost a bit more, but you have the peace of mind knowing that there’s going to be someone waiting to pick you up and take you all the way to your accommodation.
