Ko Lanta

Ko Lanta (เกาะลันตา) is an island off the Andaman Coast of Southern Thailand. Like many other destinations in Krabi Province, it is known for its diving and long white beaches.

Understand


Ko Lanta consists of several islands, the two largest of which are Ko Lanta Noi (เกาะลันตาน้อย, "Small Lanta Island") and Ko Lanta Yai (เกาะลันตาใหญ่, "Big Lanta Island"). However, Ko Lanta Yai is where all the tourist action is, so this article will refer to it simply as "Ko Lanta".

Ko Lanta is popular with tourists seeking a holiday away from the parties. It's popular with a significantly older crowd than nearby Ko Phi Phi: more walking on the beach and watching the sunset than drinking and dancing. However, there are plenty of bars and the longer term stayers are friendly and know how to party. It is also popular with families with young children, and of course, with divers. Ko Lanta can provide a party if you know where to look.

Ko Lanta is a little less well-known than Ko Phi Phi, which has become more commercialised and corporate, but it is hardly undiscovered: the several beaches on the west coast of Ko Lanta Yai are each strung with a line of resorts and bungalows, although the farther down the island you venture, the less this is true. And even when the island is at it fullest, there will be a quiet place for you to relax: the beaches are never full. Ko Lanta is especially popular with Swedish tourists: although the "tourist language" is English as it is in most places in Thailand, and you will find menus and so on are translated into English, expect the poolside language to be Swedish much of the time. However, there are still many English and Irish bars and restaurants.

Ko Lanta was hit by the tsunami in December 2004, which killed 20 people.

Orientation
The main island is 6 km wide and over 30 km long, and approximately 70 km from Krabi Town. The island has 9 attractive white sandy beaches and splendid scenery. Off the coast are more than 70 small islands and plenty with forest, coral reefs and sea life. The geography of the island is typically mangroves, coral rimmed beaches and rugged tree-covered hills.

A paved road runs along the beaches from the northern part of the island almost all the way to the southern tip. The last 8 km leading to the headquarters of the Mu Ko Lanta National Park in the south are quite hilly and aren't yet paved so can become quite tricky to navigate if it rains. The landscape is dominated by a series of mountains covered with rainforest. To the east is an old settlement.

Ban Saladan (near Saladan pier, approximately 3 km from Klong Dao Beach) &mdash; is the tourist centre of Ko Lanta. Facilities include inexpensive and easy to find transport, diving trips, banking and shopping.

Climate
Weather in the region is tropical and there are two basic monsoons:

During the months of November - April the island experiences the dry monsoon, northeasterly prevailing winds come overland and bring dry air. Temperatures rise during March/April and it gets quite arid and dusty on the island after many months of no rain.

May - October is the wet monsoon season, where southwesterly winds bring wetter weather from the Indian Ocean. Around April the season changes and the increase in rain helps revitalise the island to its tropical lushness, everything regrows and the cool wet spells brings relief from the heat of the dry season.

Temperatures during the year average 25ºC to 32ºC (77ºF to 89.6ºF) and the yearly rainfall averages 2569 mm. Unlike in say Europe, the rain in this region comes down heavily and quickly over short periods. The sea stays at a warm 29°C all year round.

Culture
Krabi and Ko Lanta are a melange of Buddhists, Thai-Chinese, Muslims and even sea gypsies. The majority of the population in the rural areas is Muslim. Most of the people speak with a thick southern dialect which is difficult for even other Thais to understand.

With this kind of mixture, Krabi is always celebrating something be it part of Thai Buddhist, Thai-Chinese or Thai-Islamic tradition.

The unique lifestyle of the Chao-Le (sea-gypsy) in Ko Lanta particularly is well-worth seeing, a life-style that has been almost completely unaffected by the booming tourism on the island.

By air
The nearest airports are Krabi, Trang and Phuket. Krabi and Trang have direct road and boat connections to Ko Lanta, and are the best options if you're only visiting Ko Lanta. Flying into Phuket is a better option if you're intending to spend time in Phuket and nearby islands, or, since Phuket has many more international flights, if you don't want to have to organize a domestic flight to Krabi or Trang from Bangkok. As an alternative to Bangkok, there are daily flights to Krabi directly to and from Singapore, as well as Kuala Lumpur.

There is scheduled van service from Krabi Airport taking roughly 2.5 hours, 250 baht if prearranged and 400-500 baht if arranging it at the airport (2016). When going back to the airport from the island, van can be booked via any tourist office for 250-300 baht, departs every round hour in the morning.

Private vans and taxis can be chartered to Ko Lanta for about 2,000 baht per vehicle (2,500 baht if you are going to the south end of Ko Lanta).

Air Asia and Nok Air have a special “Island Transfer” offering that includes a flight from Bangkok to Krabi, surface transport to the port, and a ferry to Ko Lanta. It can all be booked at their websites for additional price: Air Asia 470 baht, Nok Air 900 baht (2016).

Alternative to passenger van is an express transfer - the quickest albeit much more expensive way to get from Krabi Airport (2,045 baht per person) and Phuket Airport (3,350 baht per person) to Ko Lanta. It is a combination of minivan and speedboat travel. If you arrive early you will not have to wait for the ferry and if you arrive late at these airports you can still arrive on Ko Lanta the same day. From Krabi airport a 45-minute air-conditioned minivan to the first car ferry port. You then go on board the speedboat which then takes you on a stunning boat ride across the water along the coastline of Ko Lanta. The journey takes around 15 minutes depending on weather and conditions. You will arrive directly in Saladan (alternately written as Sala Dan) on Ko Lanta, where you are then transferred to your hotel by car. That means the total journey time should be 1.5 to 2 hours. This eliminates the waiting time at the car ferry and also if you are going from Ko Lanta to one of these airports allows you more time to enjoy your visit.

By passenger van
There is a minivan service that runs between Krabi Town and Ko Lanta, However it must be booked in advance through your hotel or someone local, the cost is 350-400 baht per person. Book early as it fills up quickly. It will pickup and drop off at the airport or hostel. You should factor in 3-4 hours to get from Ko Lanta to the airport, since the minivan will pickup and drop off other people along the way.

Vans going to Ao Nang cost 450 baht (2016), 3 hours, number of vans greatly varies during a year.

Buses can be booked at Surat Thani train station (Phun Phin) to Saladan pier includes ferry for 600 baht.

By car
The distance from Bangkok to Krabi is approx 950 km or about 12 hr by car.


 * Route 1: Phetburi-Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon-Phang Nga-Krabi = 946 km.
 * Route 2: Phetburi-Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon (Hwy 41) to Chaiya (Surat Thani)-Krabi (Viangsra) - Hwy 4035 - Krabi (Ao Luk) and along Hwy 4 again = 814 km.

Ko Lanta does not have roads connecting it directly to the mainland, but is served by car ferries. Take Rte 4206 off Hwy 4 about 20 km southeast of Krabi airport. Drive to the end of the road, where there is a car ferry from Baan Hua Hin to Ko Lanta Noi. From the pier here, turn right and follow the "ferry" signs to the second car ferry to Ko Lanta Yai. Ferries operate 07:00-22:00.

There are plenty of car taxi and minivan taxi services from Krabi and the nearby airport. A seat in a ten-person minivan from the airport to Ko Lanta costs about 300 baht. These minivans usually don't have much room for luggage (although they can usually find room for one or two large suitcases together with backpacks for the rest of the passengers) so if you're not travelling light you might need to get a private taxi. This is what the divemasters do. A private minivan taxi will usually be quoted as 2,500 baht. It's possible to bargain a few hundred baht off this price but not much more or the tolls will consume too much of the price. Car taxis cost about the same.

When travelling to/from Ko Lanta in the afternoon by road, allow 2–3 hours for the journey as the queues for the vehicle ferries can be lengthy. The passenger ferry which leaves Ko Lanta pier (high season) at 08:00 and arrives at Krabi pier at 10:00 is quicker.

By boat
Private companies on Ko Lanta operate boat services to many destinations.
 * Ko Lanta – Ko Phi Phi: 08:00 and 13:00, 350 baht
 * Ko Lanta – Krabi: 08:00 and 13:00, 300 baht (apparently, in high season, at least 400 baht)
 * Ko Lanta – Ko Phi Phi – Phuket: 11:45 - 13:00 and 14:30, 950 baht (2022)
 * Ko Lanta – Ko Phi Phi – Krabi: 09:00 and 13:30, 700 baht

All ferries can be booked on-line or at any tourist agent.

Ferry services run from Krabi Town, Ao Nang, and from Phuket via Ko Phi Phi to Ko Lanta Yai's During high season, there are sometimes direct ferries as well. Ferry services are subject to weather and to demand: many ferries have limited room for luggage.
 * A ferry departs from Krabi pier every day at 11:30, taking 2 hours to reach Ko Lanta (400 baht including pickup from Krabi hotels), making two stops on the open water where passengers transfer from and to longtail boats that connect the smaller islands on the route. Alternatively, for 300 bath a package is available from Krabi where the majority of your trip is spent in a minivan traveling further south, with only a short part on a vehicle-ferry.
 * Services from Ao Nang are run by Ao Nang Travel and Tour (+66 75 637730) and depart at 10:30 (280 baht).
 * Ferries depart from Ko Phi Phi at 11:30 and 14:00, and take 1 hour. A speed boat departs at 15:20 for 600-700 baht. If travelling from Phuket in a single day, you will need to leave Phuket on the 08:00 ferry to transfer to the 11:30 ferry. Tickets to Ko Lanta are 200 baht from Ko Phi Phi and 450 baht from Phuket.

All above routes operate only during high season, while during low season only 1-2 daily ferries to Ko Phi Phi remain.

By train
The nearest train station to Ko Lanta is in Trang province just south of Krabi. From there, there are trains to and from Bangkok.

Get around
The main roads on the island are well paved. However the road just north of Mu Ko National Park is still unpaved dirt. That road ends at the park and so it isn't possible to drive from that point up the eastern side of the island.

It's worth knowing the names of the resorts near yours: both the pickup trucks and motorcycle taxis will often want to pick you up or drop you at a nearby resort with a better road.

Resorts and some of the major tourist services (like the dive shops) own large pickup trucks and transport tourists around in the tray. Very occasionally, they own minibuses instead. If you come in by ferry your resort will almost certainly meet you at pier with their truck; if you're travelling with very small children who you don't want to cling to while you bump along sitting on the side of the truck you might want to warn them in advance that you'll want to ride in the cab: it's generally assumed to be the private domain of the driver.

You will find the locals almost exclusively ride motorbikes; you can hire these all over the island for around 250 baht a day (2022). Almost every rental agency will ask for a deposit of your original passport. If you don't feel comfortable handing over your passport to an unnamed shop at the side of a road then give them your driver's licence card instead or a photocopy of your passport and the address of your hotel/bungalow. Some of the shops will happily accept it thinking it's your passport/ID card. Petrol is available on every street corner for 40 baht/litre.

You can also hire motorcycle taxis with sidecars. These will happily take you on the unpaved roads but the ride can be as slow as walking.

Otherwise, plenty of tuktuks and songthaews are available on the main road. A typical fare for a ride from Saladan to Klong Dao Beach is 40 baht.

Jeeps can be hired for 1,200 baht per day. Be sure to check insurance, contract terms and the condition of the vehicle. The "roads" of Ko Lanta combined with the driver operation characteristics of some renters are a serious challenge for any car.

See












Island's far south
There are a few beaches in the south of Ko Lanta. All are small, just a few hundred metres long. The beaches are very quiet with little in the way of accommodation, ideal for those who want to get away from it all. They are:


 * There are two beaches in the Ko Lanta National Park.
 * There are two beaches in the Ko Lanta National Park.

Performing arts

 * Likae Pa (ลิเกป่า) An adapted play, Likae Pa follows the adventures of an Indian merchant from Calcutta who married a local girl named Yayi. The story is then followed by other plays. Likae Pa is accompanied by the music of folk instruments such as various kinds of drums, cymbals, and gongs. The lyrics are a mixture of the traditional Manora and Buranyawa songs. With its long history of popularity in Krabi, Like Pa performers are abundant here. It is believed that the play originated in this province.
 * Shadow Plays (หนังตะลุง)This is an Indian influence. There are many shadow play or nang talung companies in Krabi.
 * Manora (มโนราห์) This is a dance performance, native to southern Thailand, which reflects its traditional culture.
 * Rong Ngeng (รองเง็ง) and Phleng Tanyong (เพลงตันหยง) A Malaysian adaptation, of Portuguese origin, rong ngeng is a traditional folk dance and music customarily performed in noble houses. It was later performed by the locals with Thai lyrics called phleng tanyong.

Diving
There are no scuba diving sites on the island itself, all require a boat trip. However Lanta is the closest island to the famous Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, and Ko Haa sites, so it is very popular with divers.

Hin Daeng and Hin Muang near Ko Lanta are perhaps the best dive sites in Thailand (frequently ranking in the world’s top ten) with more than 200 hard corals and 108 reef fish catalogued in a study underway, but thousands more organisms abound. Hin Daeng has the steepest and deepest in the whole of the country with fantastic marine life. Hin Muang next door is completely underwater and it is covered with delicate violet coral. The sites also have one of the world's highest incidences of whale shark sightings.

For details refer to Diving in Ko Lanta.

Events and festivals

 * Krabi Boek Fa Andaman Festival (งานกระบี่เบิกฟ้าอันดามัน) Held annually in November to inaugurate the tourist season. Water sports competitions, cultural shows, and good-natured fun are on the schedule.


 * Laanta Lanta Festival (เทศกาลลานตา ลันตา) The festival is usually held in March every year in Lanta Old Town, which has a history of more than 100 years. Old Chinese-style houses can still be seen here. In this festival, tourists can see the traditional culture, previously unseen ceremonial demonstrations, local performances, folk games, water sports competitions, and enjoy the tastes from various kinds of food booths which are provided by hotels on the island.


 * Loi Ruea Chao-Le Festival (ประเพณีลอยเรือชาวเล) This old ritualistic tradition takes place on Ko Lanta during the full moon of the sixth and eleventh month in the lunar calendar. This is a religious rite performed by the sea gypsies of Ko Lanta, as well as neighbouring areas, who gather on the beach near Sala Dan Village. They dance their famous "rong ngeng" round the boats of misfortune to be set adrift. Ceremonies feature singing and dancing. This festival is held to bring prosperity and happiness to the participants.


 * Sat Duean Sip Festival or Festival of the Tenth Lunar Month (งานประเพณีสารทเดือนสิบ) This is the southern traditional merit-making occasion to honour one's ancestors. Food offerings such as khanom la, khanom chohu, khanom phong, khanom ba, and khanom kong or khai pla, are made offer to Buddhist monks.


 * Chak Phra Festival (งานประเพณีชักพระ) The original waterborne procession, where images of Buddha are put on elaborately decorated pulpits on boats pulled along the river, has been replaced by a land procession. The festival was used to be accompanied by a performance of traditional boat songs, but they have disappeared.

Fishing
Wannabe fishers can catch the likes of marlin, sailfish, barracuda, red snapper and tuna. Three different kinds of fishing trip are offered by private long tail boat: half-day, full day and night fishing.

Hiking
Elephant rides can be arranged to take visitors to the top of the hill in Ko Lanta National Park. However, travellers should be aware that treatment of elephants is usually poor, and elephant riding is discouraged as very unethical. Ko Lanta's forests with excellent flora and fauna are suitable for hiking.

Kayaking

 * The east side of Ko Lanta with its rich mangrove forests and caves is a great option for off-the-beaten-path kayaking. Kayaking can also be done on Ko Talabaeng, the limestone cliff near Ko Lanta.
 * Rapu Sea Kayaking, 10/5 Moo 2, Ko Lanta Yai +66 92 871749 (contact Chutima Junsirikamon) - guided sea kayak tours of the mangrove areas.

Longtail boating




Massage




Snorkelling
Most operators only offer ko haa and ko rok day tour as one. price 1500-2000 bhat including 400 bhat for park fee via speedboat (~1h trip one-way). You may focus on one through diver shop but often at a more expensive price. Be aware than jellyfish may appear, especially between late January and April.

Ko Haa - this is the best site in Thailand for mixed groups of snorkellers and divers. For divers only, it offers amazing swim-throughs. There has been a large increase in the number of fish present at the reefs, due to committed conservation policies.

Ko Rok - some of Thailand’s finest snorkelling spots are off Lanta's coast. Ko Rok, 47 km south of Lanta, is considered by most to be the pick of the bunch, though other people say they rate Ko Haa's snorkelling even more highly. Ko Rok consists of two islands, Ko Rok Nai and Ko Rok Nok, both graced with powdery white sand beaches and with an extensive bed of coral in between. This sheltered and shallow channel is an ideal habitat for reef fish, and the place swarms with innumerable shoals of them. Visibility is very good, and many interesting species of reef fish can be found in these waters. Many snorkellers are most amazed by the sheer numbers of fish here, which swirl and swarm around the swimmers.

4 Island Trip - Ko Mook's amazing Emerald Cave is the highlight of this trip. The cave is a window into a lagoon through which safety-vest-clad swimmers are towed by local guides. The swim into the lagoon is fully 80 metres in length and a real adventure.




 * Thai boxing: There is one small boxing stadium on the island which hosts regular events. It also holds training camps, which are popular among tourists who wish to learn Thai boxing.


 * Thai cooking: Thai cooking courses on Ko Lanta offer foreign tourists the chance to learn to cook their favourite dishes such as tom yum kung, sweet green curry, and chicken with cashew nuts.


 * SUP: Stand-up paddle boarding is gaining its popularity around the world and Koh Lanta is not an exception with a number of different tours being offered: 4 island tour, mangrove forest tour, etc.

Buy






Eat
Much of the cuisine has its origins in Malay, Indonesian, and Indian food. Favourite dishes from the south include Indian-style Muslim curry (massaman), rice noodles in fish curry sauce (khanom chin), and khao mok kai (chicken biryani). Pad Thai is one of the most favoured dishes and is available throughout the island group.

The wing shell (หอยชักตีน) is Krabi's famous cuisine. It is eaten with a spicy dip. In addition, stir fried spotted babylon (หอยหวาน), which is found in mangrove forests, with chilies and basil is also famous. This cuisine is common in Ko Lanta's restaurants. The Ko Lanta beach areas have several restaurants with the "catch of the day" displayed on ice outside. One can find all kinds of fish: juicy crabs and langoustines; shellfish, including giant oysters; as well as squid and lobsters.



























Drink
There's not much in the way of party nightlife, which, for many, is part of Ko Lanta's appeal. But there is always something going on if you ask around. There are a few restaurant/bars at the harbour, beaches and most hotels. Since it is a small island free of crime and drunkards, the local police are lenient about allowing bars to stay open until the last customer goes home.



Sleep


Ko Lanta has three tourist seasons:


 * Peak season: late Dec, early Jan and for some resorts also around Songkran in Apr; expect premiums of 25–50% or more over the high season price and on Christmas and New Year's Eve many resorts have a compulsory banquet costing about as much as an extra night's accommodation.
 * High season from Nov-Feb, excluding peak season
 * Low season: Apr/May-Oct. Many resorts will be as much as 50% cheaper than the high season price. Many places used to close entirely but increasingly they're open year round.

You won't have much trouble finding accommodation as late as your arrival. During peak season some places may be fully booked and prices higher. Prices vary widely even in the same class of rooms and at a similar distance from the beach. Shopping around the area where you want to stay may get you great deals.

As of 2022 peak season, it seems that beach front accommodation starts at about 1500 baht per night but going a bit behind (which is also a better choice if you don't want the sound of waves to disturb your sleep) could get you as low as 700 baht for a basic bungalow. Again, prices vary widely and shopping around, especially when not during peak season may yield very good deals.

As many things are cheaper near Saladan pier, you can hire motorbikes for 200-250 baht a day and ride towards the location where you'd like to sleep and later use the motorbike to explore the island.

'''Accommodation is arranged by beach, north (most convenient to Saladan) to south (least convenient). ''' Prices quoted here are for the high season unless otherwise specified.



Medical
The major medical facility providers are:


 * 1) Ban Saladan Clinic. Saladan.
 * 2) Ko Lanta Hospital. South of Lanta Old Town in the southeast of the island.
 * 3) Dr Salarin Clinic, the island's main English-speaking private doctor. Phra Ae village.
 * 4) Siam International Clinic. Phra Ae village (open only Nov - Apr).
 * 5) Andaman International Clinic. Next to post office, Phra Ae.

Go next

 * Ao Nang
 * Ko Phi Phi
 * Krabi Town