Ko Lanta

A long, narrow island in southern Krabi, with a string of golden beaches on the west coast, an old town of stilt houses, and snorkelling at Ko Rok and diving at Hin Daeng for a slow yet varied pace.

Ko Lanta lies in the Andaman Sea in the south of Thailand's Krabi Province and is made up of Ko Lanta Yai and Ko Lanta Noi; visitors mostly stay on Ko Lanta Yai, which stretches about 25 km north to south. The November–April dry season brings the calmest seas and plenty of sun, making it high season; in the May–October rainy season, seas are rough, national park islands such as Ko Rok close and some ferries stop running, but accommodation is cheap and crowds are thin. The west coast is a string of beaches: Khlong Dao and Kaw Kwang near Saladan Pier in the north, lively Long Beach, hippie-style Khlong Khong, quiet Khlong Nin, and Kantiang Bay and Bamboo Bay in the south. The east coast has the century-old Lanta Old Town of stilt houses, mangroves and a sea gypsy fishing village; the southern tip is the national park's lighthouse cape, and the central hills hide the Khao Mai Kaew caves and waterfalls. Getting out on the water is the highlight: snorkelling day trips to Ko Rok, top Thai dive sites at Ko Ha and Hin Daeng–Hin Muang, and the popular Four Islands tour (Ko Ngai, Ko Mook's Emerald Cave, Ko Kradan and others, part of the Trang islands). Getting there: from Krabi Airport, a minivan plus car ferry takes about 2–2.5 hours, and in high season speedboats also run to and from Krabi, Ko Phi Phi and Phuket. There is no public transport on the island, so renting a scooter or taking a tuk-tuk is easiest. Plan on 3–5 days. Many islanders are Muslim, so dress modestly when visiting villages.

Top sights

• Lanta Old Town – A century-old fishing port's old street on the east coast, with wooden stilt houses extending over the sea, where Chinese, Muslim, and Sea…
• Mu Ko Lanta National Park – Headquarters of the national park at the southern tip of Lanta Island, where a white lighthouse stands on rocky headlands and rainforest tr…
• Long Beach (Phra Ae) – The longest and liveliest golden-sand beach on Lanta's west coast, where coconut groves, beach bars, and sunset parties are concentrated.
• Ko Rok – Twin islands south of Lanta, with white sand beaches and crystal-clear water that rank among the finest in the Andaman Sea, making them Lan…
• Klong Dao Beach – The wide beach at the northern end of the west coast, with shallow water and gentle waves. The first choice for families with children, and…
• Klong Khong Beach – A hippie-style beach in the middle of the west coast, with bamboo bars and a strong backpacker vibe. You can snorkel over the rocky reef at…
• Klong Nin Beach – A quiet beach on the southern part of the west coast, with fine sand, clear water, and fewer tourists. The beach bars are great for watchin…
• Kantiang Bay – A crescent-shaped bay encircled by mountains in the south, often called one of Lanta's most beautiful beaches, with bright blue water and f…
• Bamboo Bay (Ao Mai Phai) – A small bay beside the national park at the southern tip of Lanta, with few visitors, white sand, and jungle all around. One of the island'…
• Khao Mai Kaew Cave – A limestone cave deep in the rainforest, where you must climb and crawl through with a local guide. Inside you'll find stalactites and bats.
• Khlong Chak Waterfall – A jungle waterfall inside the national park on Lanta's southern side, reached by a hike of about one hour along a streambed through the rai…
• Lanta Viewpoint – A hilltop viewpoint and café on the cross-island road, overlooking the east coast's mangroves and scattered islands. The sunrise here is lo…
• Tung Yee Peng Mangrove – A mangrove eco-area run by the Muslim community on the east coast, where you can paddle through the mangrove waterways by longtail boat or…
• Lanta Animal Welfare – A rescue shelter for stray cats and dogs near Long Beach. Visitors can tour the facilities and take dogs for walks, making it a hugely popu…
• Kaw Kwang Beach – A slender sandbar on the northwest tip of Koh Lanta, with sea on both sides. At low tide you can walk far out into the water, making it a g…
• Saladan Village – A harbor town at the northern tip of Koh Lanta, where ferries and island-hopping boats depart. Seafood restaurants built on stilts over the…
• Sang Ga U Sea Gypsy Village – A Urak Lawoi sea gypsy fishing village on the southeast side of Koh Lanta, offering insight into the lives and boat-releasing festival trad…
• Ko Haa – A group of five limestone islets about 25 km southwest of Koh Lanta, with exceptional underwater visibility, famous for the 'Cathedral' div…
• Hin Daeng & Hin Muang – One of Thailand's finest deep dive sites: isolated rocky pinnacles covered in colorful soft corals, with a chance to see whale sharks and m…
• Koh Lanta – A laid-back island 25 km long, south of Krabi, with a string of long beaches on the west coast, a stilt-house old town and Mu Ko Lanta Nati…

Where to eat

• Malina's Kitchen – Family-run roadside eatery on Long Beach, famous for its massaman curry and consistently ranked among the island's top…
• Yawee Restaurant – Muslim family restaurant run by women, serving affordable, delicious fried chicken and Thai dishes; often packed in hig…
• Rock n Roll Pad Thai – Open-kitchen eatery on the hill above Kantiang Bay with a short menu; its pad thai is widely rated the best on the isla…
• Apsara Seafood – Seafood restaurant in a century-old Sino-Thai wooden house on the pier of Lanta Old Town, with about eight tables and t…

Itineraries

• Andaman Sea Island Hopping: Phuket to Langkawi – Island-hopping south from Phuket through Phi Phi, Railay, Lanta, Koh Mook and Koh Lipe, then crossing the sea to Langka…