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Are you looking for an oversized island, quietness, many beaches and great activities during your Thailand trip? Then we recommend the insider tip Koh Lanta. The island is located in the south of Thailand, west of Koh Phi Phi and used to be very popular among backpackers and Thailand connoisseurs. In the meantime (also due to Covid) it has become less touristy, which makes a stay more pleasant. The island consists of Koh Lanta Noi and Koh Lanta Yai, connected by a bridge. Especially on the many beaches of the west coast of Koh Lanta Yai, the many hippie bars and accommodations provide a unique vibe.
Sights and activities on Koh Lanta
Klong Chak Waterfall (Important: Download Maps.Me App)
Let's start with probably the most exciting activity on Koh Lanta. The trip to Klong Chak Waterfall involves a beautiful jungle adventure. You will find it south of Koh Lanta Yai. The way to the waterfall is a hike through the jungle. It would be best if you continuously walk near the river. We were already warned at the starting point that the path is not always visible and also not signposted, just suitable for Lukas. For orientation and getting off track, you should download the Maps.Me app beforehand. This offline map shows the location of the waterfall. It is also worth putting on bathing shoes, as the path often goes through the river. The waterfall, although relatively small, is one of the most beautiful we saw on our trip. We took our time and spent about 4 hours, but we also had a more extended stay at the waterfall. The walk alone in one direction takes 20-30 minutes. At the starting point, locals charge a parking fee of 20 baht for your scooter (30 baht for cars), though there is also free parking next to the road.
Klong Chak Bat Cave
On the way to the Klong Chak waterfall is also the Klong Chak Bat Cave. On the path, you will see a sign and a turnoff, which leads to the bat cave. The cave itself is an excellent bonus to the jungle adventure. You can walk a few meters into it to cool off during a short rest. Then, a few bats will fly towards you. You can find the cave on Maps.Me, should you not be able to find it on your own.
Mu Ko Lanta Nationalpark
Lanta Yai and Lanta Noi belong to the Mu Ko Lanta National Park. It covers a total of 16 islands and 134km². However, due to nature conservation, most of the islands are closed to visitors from mid-May to mid-October. At the turnoff to the Klong Chak waterfall, take the road south to the ticket point. The entrance fee is 200 baht per person. There is also a parking fee of 20 baht for your scooter. You can use a hiking trail about 1.7km (1.5h) long, but this is not suitable for children or seniors due to its complexity. Or you can walk past it in the direction of the lighthouse and the beach. We recommend you take the trail to enjoy the beautiful nature and its animal and plant diversity (because of the midday heat, it is worth coming early). With some luck, you'll come across different species of monkeys and reptiles. There is even the possibility of camping in the park.
Animal Welfare
One of our highlights was visiting the Lanta Animal Welfare. It is a nonprofit organization in the north of Koh Lanta Yai. They have a centre with a sanctuary and veterinary clinic. In this, 4-5,000 dogs and cats alone are sterilized annually. On-site, there is the possibility of booking a tour, which we can highly recommend. It costs you 200 baht, which benefits the animals, lasts an hour and starts due to Covid daily, only once from 10:45 am (as of 03/22). There is even the opportunity to volunteer should you plan a more extended stay on Koh Lanta.
Koh Lanta Old Town
You will find the Old Town on the less touristy east side of the island. It consists of a small walking street with several restaurants and cafes, a harbour and many small stores. We recommend a visit in the evening, especially if you want to eat delicious seafood. But we don't want to hide from you that some stores and restaurants were closed during our visit and it was generally tranquil.
Beach tour
Since almost all of the beautiful beaches on Koh Lanta Yai are on the west coast, a beach tour with the scooter is worthwhile. We started in the north and divided our tour into two days to enjoy the individual beaches. The good thing is that you can watch the sunset from every beach and the sunsets on Koh Lanta are beautiful. Just sit down in time at one of the many hippie restaurants & bars and enjoy the atmosphere.
Laem Kho Kwang Halbinsel
The Laem Kho Kwang Peninsula is home to many resorts and is only a few meters wide at one point in front of Twin Bay Resort. Laem Kho Kwang Beach is on the south side and is very long and quiet. However, it is not the most excellent beach on the island, so you will not encounter many tourists.
Long Beach (Pra-Ae Beach)
More beautiful is Pra-Ae Beach, also called Long Beach. It is the longest beach on Koh Lanta. On it, there are also many good hotels as well as restaurants. The great thing about the beach is that you can reach the water's edge and swim after a few steps.
Relax Beach
Below Long Beach, there is a small bay. The beach is called Relax Beach. Unfortunately, you won't find it on Google Maps. However, if you type in Sea Culture, you will come out to the beach. It is a small quiet beach with only four small bungalow hotels, including restaurants and a reggae bar, perfect for relaxing. If you search further south, you will find Beautiful Beach, which offers even more peace and only a tiny bar with fresh drinks and snacks.
Klong Khong Beach
Another 2.9 kilometres to the south is Klong Khong Beach. We entered this one through the Bee Bee Bungalows. Should you be looking for real beach life, you could spend a few nights here.
Klong Nin Beach
Klong Nin Beach was right in front of our hotel. It doesn't have the charm of the other beaches, but there are many good restaurants and bars.
Nui Bay (not Nui Beach!)
Quite far to the south of the island, you reach Nui Bay, not to be confused with Nui Beach, which is also beautiful but not nearly as much as this bay. Even as you descend the steps, a breathtaking sight of a white sand beach awaits you. Locals take care of garbage on site and run the wooden bar. However, it was closed during our visit, probably due to Covid and the lack of guests in March 2022.
Bamboo Beach
Let's move on to our beach highlight. Even further south, just before the ticket booth for the national park, you'll find Bamboo Beach. For us, this was the most beautiful beach on our tour. Just getting there through the palm forest gives the right vibe for a good day. The clean white sand, blue sea and coconut showers did the rest for us.
Restaurant recommendations
You have plenty of choices if you want to eat well at Koh Lanta. We were pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of the restaurants. Many good restaurants are on Klong Nin Beach, but you will also find them in the north and south of the island. You can enjoy your evenings at sunset and cool drinks on the beach. There is hardly any nightlife in Koh Lanta. Travellers who come to Koh Lanta are not looking for that but rather for peace. Only the Mushroom Bar on Klong Nin Beach has a Mushroom Party with black light and neon colours from time to time.
Pad Thai Rock & Roll
On the way back from our waterfall and bat cave tour, we had lunch at Pad Thai Rock & Roll. The owners are lovely, and we had one of the best Pad Thais of our trip there.
Harry's Sunset Beach Bar
At Harry's Sunset Bar & Grill, you can enjoy delicious burgers, cool drinks and beautiful sunsets on the beach. Get there early so you can get a good seat. The prices are a bit higher here, which is also reflected in the quality. The owner is Swedish, and the service is accordingly good.
Richey Bar and Restaurant
Here you will find a beach reggae hippie atmosphere, and Richey grills fresh fish and seafood on the beach in front of the guests. A great ambience and delicious, inexpensive food. We can also recommend the massaman curry.
Peak Café (Frühstück)
If you desire European breakfast at a fair price, we recommend Peak Café. We had two fried eggs, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, homemade bread and jam with delicious coffee and freshly squeezed juice. Is there a better way to start the day?
French Bakery
Morning or night, the French Bakery is an excellent choice if you're looking for delicious pastries, meat and cheese platters, or pizzas. Guests especially appreciate the sourdough baguettes.
Yawee Restaurant
After we visited the Animal Welfare Center, we had lunch at Yawee. A restaurant located on the main street serves excellent Thai food for reasonable prices. Of course, we ordered Mango Sticky Rice there several times.
Shanti Shanti
If you are looking for upscale cuisine, we can recommend Shanti Shanti. The owner is French and knows how to run a restaurant. It is advisable to make a reservation in advance, as the restaurant is bustling. There is a regular menu and a daily menu that changes depending on the catch. Ask the owner what he can recommend to you. We had delicious grilled barracuda steaks and green curry. The restaurant is also known for its good wines. An excellent atmosphere also makes for a charming restaurant visit.
Massage recommendation
Suvarnabhumi Massage Spa and Salon
Since you will be travelling long distances on the scooter on this more oversized island, booking a massage is a good idea. We were lucky, and we encountered a lovely owner who knows her stuff at the first studio we visited. Natalie had a foot massage, and I had a neck, back and shoulder massage. An hour later, we went back to the hotel full of relaxation.
Hotel recommendation
Lanta Intanin Resort
Modern rooms at a small price are often scarce in Thailand. Except in the Lanta Intanin Resort. It is located on Klong Nin Beach. It has large modern rooms with large bathrooms, including a separate rain shower, terrace and balcony. It is the little sister hotel of Miami Beach Resort, located 200m away directly on the beach. As a guest, you can use its beautiful and clean pool.
Koh Lanta surprised us positively, and we would have liked to stay longer. But unfortunately, our stay in Thailand had an end date, so we had to move on. So be curious about where it will take us next.
Off to Ao Nang:
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