Koh Lanta - what to expect from a holiday on the southern island of Thailand

Koh Lanta (Thailand) - the island of eternal summer, a place for lovers of relaxation and relaxing holiday. Romantics and lovers come here, parents with children and older couples, all who value silence and solitude on the sunny white sandy beaches of the azure sea.

General information

Koh Lanta - an archipelago of two large and fifty small islands. Koh Lanta (Thailand) on the map can be found near the western shores of southern Thailand, 70 km southeast of Phuket. The large islands are called Ko Lanta Noi and Ko Lanta Yai, they are separated from the mainland and from each other by narrow straits. A bridge has recently been built between the islands, and there is also a car ferry service connecting Ko Lanta to the mainland.

The archipelago belongs to the province of Krabi. About 30 thousand inhabitants live on the islands, Malaysians, Chinese and Indonesians prevail among the population, most of the inhabitants profess Islam. There are also villages of sea gypsies that are located on the southern tip of Koh Lanta Yai. The main activities of local residents are crop production, fishing, shrimp farming and tourist services.

For vacationers, Koh Lanta-Noi is an intermediate point on the way to Koh Lanta-Yai, where the main beaches are located and the whole tourist life is concentrated. In the context of tourism, the name Ko Lanta means exactly the island of Ko Lanta Yai. Its hilly territory is covered with rainforests, from north to south it stretches for 21 km. Along the west coast there are sandy beaches with spectacular views of sea sunsets in the evenings.

The Koh Lanta Archipelago is a national park. Noisy motorized water transport is prohibited in order to maintain silence in its waters. Music and noisy parties are allowed only in certain places, so as not to disturb vacationers.

The quiet and calm island of Ko Lanta (Thailand) with beautiful sea sunsets was chosen by Europeans for relaxation, most often you can meet tourists from Scandinavia. In addition to a beach holiday, you can go diving and snorkeling, visit the national park and nearby islands, ride elephants and learn Thai boxing.

Tourist infrastructure

The infrastructure on the island began to develop relatively recently, it was electrified only in 1996, and there is still no centralized water supply on it. Most hotels provide guests with water from roof-mounted barrels, which are supplied with clean water from local reservoirs. However, this does not interfere with providing a comfortable stay with all amenities.

Arriving in Ko Lanta, tourists find themselves in the central village of the island - Saladan. The infrastructure here is the most developed. There are many shops selling souvenirs, clothes, shoes and everything that may be needed on vacation - snorkeling equipment, optics, etc. There is also a grocery supermarket, grocery stores, a market, hairdressers, pharmacies. Banks, currency exchange offices work, there are several ATMs, so there are no problems with currency exchange and cash withdrawals.

Cafes and restaurants in Saladan are abundant, you can eat here inexpensively compared to other resorts in Thailand. Local and Thai dishes are offered, on average, lunch costs $ 4-5 per person.

Public transport (songteo) rarely runs here, mostly tuk-tuks (taxis) are available, but you can not get to them anywhere in the island. They do not travel to the southern part of Ko Lanta due to steep mountain roads. A profitable alternative to tuk-tukam is motorbike rental. You can rent a vehicle at one of the many rental points; hotels and rentals are also offered. The average rental price for a motorbike is $ 30 / week, for a bicycle - about $ 30 / month, for a car - $ 30 / day. There are no problems with refueling, no one even asks for the availability of rights.

Internet is working fine, most hotels and cafes have free Wi-Fi. Cellular and 3G are available throughout the island.

The farther the beach is from the central village of Saladan, the poorer its infrastructure. If in the middle of the coast on the beaches there is a choice of cafes, bars and restaurants, there are grocery stores, travel agencies, bike rental, a pharmacy, a hairdresser, then with the advance to the south of the island such establishments are becoming less and less. Inhabitants of the deserted southern coast are forced to travel to nearby beaches with more developed infrastructure for food.

Accommodation

Accommodation for the island of Koh Lanta is usually enough for everyone. Guests are offered a wide variety of housing options - from comfortable villas and suites in 4-5 * hotels to affordable guesthouses represented by bamboo bungalows.

When choosing a hotel to stay, you should first decide on the choice of beach. On different beaches of the island of Lanta - different environmental conditions, different infrastructure, a contingent of vacationers. Decide first on the place that suits you, and then choose the accommodation from the nearby accommodation options.

In high season, a double room at the 3 * hotel can be found at a price of $ 50 / day. The most budget double rooms in low-cost hotels will cost from $ 20 / day. Book these profitable options should be six months before the trip. The average price of a double room in a three-star hotel in high season is $ 100 / day. Compared to other resorts in Thailand, prices are very reasonable.Find out RATES or book any accommodation using this form

Beaches

The beaches of Ko Lanta are concentrated along the west coast of the island. All of them differ from each other, however, there are some common features:

• They are mainly sandy, but there are also rocky areas.
• The entrance to the sea is smooth, but on Ko Lanta there are no too shallow places with a knee-deep. On some beaches, deep places begin closer to the shore, on some - further, but in general, even at low tide the sea is not shallow here.
• On the beaches located in the bays, the sea is calm, in other places there may be waves.
• The closer the beach is to the central village of Saladan, the more developed is the infrastructure on it. As you move south, the coastal strip is becoming more deserted, the number of hotels and cafes is decreasing. For those seeking complete privacy, places in the south of the island are perfect.

• Even in high season, on the busiest beaches of the island of Koh Lanta, it is not crowded and you can always find deserted places.
• There are no water parks and water activities - jet skis, water skis, etc. You will not see the scurrying boats. Everything that creates noise and disturbs peace is prohibited. People come here to relax in peace and tranquility. The words that best characterize the rest here are relaxation and peace.
• Along the coast there are no tall buildings spoiling the view of the island. In Koh Lanta, the construction of buildings exceeding the height of palm trees is prohibited.
• Location on the west coast guarantees a nightly show - a view of colorful sea sunsets.

Different categories of vacationers rest on Koh Lanta: families with children, romantic couples, youth companies, elderly people. Each of these categories finds beaches for itself that can satisfy all the expectations of a holiday.

Khlong Dao is located two kilometers from the village of Saladan. It successfully combines a well-developed infrastructure and excellent natural conditions. This beach is usually the most crowded, although you can find places on it that are not crowded.

The wide sandy strip of Khlong Dao Beach stretches an arc of 3 km. From the edges Klong Dao is protected by capes, so the sea here is calm, without waves. The bottom is sandy, flat, to deep places you have to go long enough. Swimming here is the safest, it is the best beach on the island for families with young children and for the elderly. Despite the comparatively crowded, it is quiet in the evenings, noisy night parties are prohibited.

Luxurious hotels are located along Klong Dao, there is a large selection of cafes, restaurants and bars. Basic infrastructure: shops, fruit shops, ATMs, pharmacies, travel agencies are located along the main road. Here you can find budget accommodation.

South of Klong Dao, over 4 kilometers stretches the longest beach of the island - Long Beach. Its northern part is quite deserted, with few hotels and undeveloped infrastructure. But the central and southern parts are very lively and have everything you need for a comfortable stay: grocery and hardware stores, a market, banks, a pharmacy, a hairdresser, travel agencies, many bars, restaurants and cafes.

On Long Beach, loose white sand, gentle entry into the water, sometimes there are small waves. It is surrounded by a casaurin grove. You can find cheap accommodation on Long Beach, the prices in the cafe are lower, in general, rest here is more economical than Klong Dao.

Further south is Klong Nin Beach. This is the last of the beaches with well-developed infrastructure, further to the south the manifestations of civilization sharply decrease. Here you can find a large selection of housing, cafes and restaurants for every taste and budget. The whole set of necessary establishments from shops to travel agencies is present here, there is a large market.

The coastal strip pleases with clean white sand, but in some places the entrance to the water is rocky. In the tides here, the depth begins quite close to the coast, there are often waves. In low tide, natural "pools" are formed in places in which children play well, but in general this beach is not very suitable for families with small children.

Kantiang Beach is located further south, the road to it runs through the mountainous terrain. Hills covered with tropical vegetation rise above the shore, on which there are a few hotels, mostly 4-5 star ones. The elevated apartments offer wonderful views of the beach and sea sunsets.

Kantiang Bay is one of Thailand's most beautiful and tranquil beaches, with clean white sand and good water entry. The choice of cafes and restaurants is small, there are several shops. The only bar works until late, but it does not break the silence and calm.

Weather

Like throughout Thailand, the climate on Koh Lanta promotes year-round beach vacations. However, some months are more favorable, and tourist activity during this period increases.

The high tourist season in Koh Lanta coincides with the dry season, which continues, as in all of Thailand, from November to April. At this time, the amount of precipitation is minimal, there is no strong humidity, the weather is clear and not too hot - the air temperature averages + 27-28 ° С. This season there is an influx of tourists, housing prices, food and air tickets are increasing by 10-15%.

The low tourist season on Koh Lanta, as well as on other islands of Thailand, lasts from May to October. At this time, the already free beaches of Koh Lanta become empty. The average air temperature rises by 3-4 degrees, tropical rain often spills, air humidity rises. But the sky is not always cloudy, and rains quickly pass or go at night.

During this period, in Thailand, you can also relax. Moreover, the prices are significantly reduced, and a small number of vacationers provides even more opportunities for a secluded and relaxing holiday. On some beaches, large waves appear in the low season, which makes it possible to surf.

How to get to Koh Lanta from Krabi

As a rule, tourists traveling to Koh Lanta arrive at the airport of the administrative center of the province of Krabi. Directly at the airport, you can book a transfer to the desired hotel on the island of Lanta. You can also make a transfer order online at 12go.asia/ru/travel/krabi/koh-lanta. Any time.

Transfer includes delivery to the ferry crossing to Koh Lanta-Noi island, ferry crossing and the way to the desired hotel on Koh Lanta-Yai. The cost of a trip with different carriers ranges from $ 72 to $ 92 for a minibus for 9 passengers, the duration of the trip, on average, is 2 hours. In the high season, as in all resorts in Thailand, prices rise.
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Useful Tips

When going to the island of Lanta, check out the tips of those who have already been there.

• At the airport at the information desk for tourists arriving in Krabi, everyone can take a colorful guide to the island of Koh Lanta for free.
• There is no need to withdraw money from the card and exchange it before traveling to Lanta. There are many ATMs and currency exchange points on the island - in the village of Saladan, on Long Beach, Klong Dao. The exchange rate is the same as throughout Thailand.
• When renting a motorbike, no one asks for rights, the roads are clear, in principle, riding is safe if you do not follow mountain roads to the southern part of the island. The police do not stop anyone, only on New Year’s Day they can arrange a random alcohol test on the road.
• With drivers of tuk-tuk (taxi), be sure to bargain. Divide the named price in half, this will be the real cost, especially since the fee is charged for each passenger separately.

Koh Lanta (Thailand) - in its own way a unique place that will appeal to lovers of wild exotic nature. Have a nice trip!

Looks like the island of Lanta from the air - watch a beautiful high-quality video.

Watch the video: Koh Lanta, Thailand. Islands to Visit in 2020. Best Island in Thailand. Family Travel (December 2024).