15 August 2015
A tropical island off the west coast of Thailand, Ko Lanta offered us long stretches of beach, exquisite scenery and lots of sunshine. A week here felt like a month-long holiday and we returned home sun-tanned, refreshed and little fatter from all the delicious Thai food. Surprisingly easily accessible from the Krabi main land, it’s a fantastic option for a hidden getaway and also gives you easy access to the remote southern islands like Koh Mook.
Accommodation
We stayed at Lanta Palace Resort and Beach Club, an amazing spot halfway down the west coast of Lanta Yai (the bigger of two Lanta islands). Google maps clocks the journey from Krabi Airport to our hotel at under two and a half hours, which is accurate. This includes two (short) car ferries – we took a taxi from the airport (2500 Baht).
Activities
The week was spent relaxing, swimming, eating, resting and exploring. Motorbikes were easily available for hire and provided a great way to explore the island from end to end. There are a few places to shop, like the market, restaurants to try along the way and Thai massages, too!
Since it was rainy season, we did not take any snorkelling tours out into the Andaman Sea. The visibility at this time of year is poor and the sea conditions can be rougher than usual, especially when you’re on a long-tail boat. One rainy day, one of the families staying near us took a long-tail to Phi Phi and back, in the rain. They said it took them days to find their land-legs again after the bumpy ride which liberated them from both their breakfast and then their lunch on the way back; but they still thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Rented motorbikes took us to the nature reserve on the southern point with it’s iconic lighthouse, Old Lanta Town and the market. The Mu Koh Lanta National Park was beautiful! It’s a 400 baht entrance fee. There’s a circular walk, an isolated and beautiful beach for swimming and of course, the lighthouse. Walking shoes are recommended. Also, take heed of the TripAdvisor reviewers who warn against the monkeys and safeguard your bags – it seems that bags are targets for inquisitive and relentless monkeys, especially if they contain food items!
Kayaking Day Tour
We booked a day trip (8:00-15:00) with one of the many travel companies (Lanta Eco Tour) to kayak and swim off the east coast of Koh Lanta – the islands are Ko Bubu, Ko Talabeng and Ko Por. The van picks up everyone from the hotel, takes them to the pier in the mangrove swamps, with millions of colourful crabs, hands you over to a guide who leads you over a rickety boardwalk to the pier, then shows you some huge fish in the “fish farm” before loading you into the longtail boat.
The trip out to the islands is about 45 minutes long and the tourists kayak first, get back on the boat, go to the next island, swim and have lunch and then head back towards the mangroves. We didn’t realise that there was only one kayaking opportunity and were disappointed that we had only taken a few pictures of the kayak experience. Other than that, it was a most enjoyable day and a beautiful place.
Restaurants
There’s an array of restaurants around Koh Lanta. In Koh Tob beach, where we stayed, there were at least 20 along the road. We enjoyed Bobby Big Boy Seafood & Bar. Bobby is a dynamic host with a big personality, his menu is great, his prices are competitive and his restaurant is spacious and relaxed. We went back every day. And then carried on down the road to the massage parlour before heading back to the hotel each night.
Beaches
Our stay was on the smaller Klong Tob beach (at the northern end of Klong Nin beach). It was clean, almost private and amazingly different at high tides and low tides. One day of high winds brought jellyfish, but the rest of the week was lovely for swimming, especially at high tide. The main beach, Klong Nin, is the next long stretch of sand, which would be stunningly beautiful if it weren’t so littered with rubbish and debris after heavy rains and high tides.
The beach at the Mu Koh Lanta National Park is also stunning, and great for swimming.
Low Season
Since this is during the low season, the rates for hotels and activities are lower and we were especially happy with the value for money we received at Lanta Palace Resort and Beach Club, at less than $15 per night. The rain was intermittent (as it has been the last few times we’ve been in rainy season) and we only had one afternoon that was pouring.
Recommendations
- Restaurant – Bobby Big Boy Seafood & Bar
- Hotel – Lanta Palace Resort and Beach Club
- Place – Mu Koh Lanta National Park
- Scene – Sunsets off the west coast of Koh Lanta! Wow!
Stay beautiful, Koh Lanta. We miss you already.
