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Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta is about 65 km south of airport at Krabi and is really 2 Islands of which only the southern one, Koh Lanta Yai, has accommodations. Koh Lanta is not as scenic as Koh Phi Phi but there is a lot more space and it is more laid back.

The majority of resorts are spread out over a number of beaches on the west side of the Island. The further south you go the less crowded it gets. There are accommodation for all budgets. Along the beach all of the resorts have their restaurants lit up with lanterns. Prepare to eat a lot of seafood. Most of the bars and restaurants are in the north. Hat Klong Dao is the busiest and closest beach to Ban Saladin.

Ban Saladan is where the ferries from Krabi and Phuket via Koh Phi Phi arrive. It is the largest town and is at the northern end of the Island. There are a lot of tour and dive outfits here as well as restaurants, bars, shops and medical services.

I recommend going to the east coast where you will find Koh Lanta Old Town where the government is located as well as a few restaurants and shops. I did not see one resort on the east coast.

Mu Koh Lanta National Park: At the southern tip of the Island you will find this National Park with wonderful scenery, caves and some neat beaches. There are walkways and paths making it a good place to easily roam around watching the wildlife. Check out the lighthouse on the southern tip of the Island. The park includes other small Islands which are fun to explore. accommodations on site. Phone +66 2562 0760 to reserve.

Ban Sangkla-U: This is a small village of Chao Ley. These sea gypsies are spread out along the Andaman coast from Burma to Malaysia. They are a nomadic boat people, some of whom have made permanent settlements in Koh Lanta, Koh Surin and numerous other places.

Activities: Ask your hotel about local activities or drop in to a travel shop for all of the trips you can do. There is a wide range of places to go and things to do. On the water, some of the things you can do are snorkelling, diving, fishing, kayaking, windsurfing and sailing for the day or overnight. On land, you also have a lot of options including hiking, spelunking, taking a trek on an elephant, taking a cooking class, spending the day in a spa and even learning how to box the Thai way.