You don’t know which island to choose between Koh Phi Phi, Phuket, Railay or Koh Lanta? It is true that the possibilities are multiple in the south of Thailand and that it is difficult to make a choice with all these Koh… Everything depends on what you are looking for, (celebration, relaxation, diving, authenticity, comfort, isolation…) I advise to do some research well before making your selection.
On our side, after a 3-day stop in Aonang Beach, with trips to Railay Island and Hong Islands, our choice turned to Koh Lanta. The size of the island gave us a glimpse of a certain tranquility and a destination less “mass tourism” than the islands of Phuket, Koh Phi Phi or near Aonang Beach. The positive opinions of travellers’ blogs have also confirmed our choice.
In all honesty, we did not regret this decision for a moment and we even decided to extend our stay at the “Lanta Family Resort”, a small piece of paradise on Klong Khong Beach in the middle of the West Coast.
TIPS AND IDEAS FOR ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY YOUR STAY IN KOH LANTA:
We recommend that you choose accommodation on the West Coast of the island (between Long Beach and the National Park located at the southern tip). On this section, the beaches are beautiful, clean and you will find many possibilities to eat, drink and have fun at nightfall (especially on Klong Khong beach).
Rent scooters to explore the island: the roads are in good condition and traffic is not too heavy.
East Coast: take a tour of Old Town (many small shops) and go down to Pirates Bay Point (a very friendly bar/hotel located next to an almost desert “rocky and wild” beach. However, beware of small jellyfish.
West Coast: go down to the National Park (200 baht / person = $6.35), don’t ask yourself any questions, it’s worth it! The view is magnificent, you also have access to two beaches (rocky and sandy) and a small trail of about 1.7 km (open your eyes to spot reptiles). Leaving the park, on the opposite path, you will have many stops to make to discover the most beautiful beaches of the island including Mai Thai (Bamboo) Beach and Aonoui Beach. Stop for a drink at the Phu Pha view Restaurant and enjoy the view! In the evening Klong Khong Beach offers many restaurants on the beach offering freshly caught fish, and lively bars (we loved Babylon and its very reggae atmosphere.)
Book a day trip to explore a nearby island.
Don’t waste a minute of the sunset.
Don’t forget your sunscreen and mosquito repellent
OUR ITINERARY IN 4 NIGHTS / 5 DAYS:
Our first day is called “relaxation”, we enjoyed the beauty of the place offered by the “Lanta Family Resort”, the beach and its breathtaking sunset. In the evening we leave with a French couple we met for dinner in one of the many restaurants on Klong Khong beach. Many options are possible, a very “reggae” atmosphere reigns on the beach, and fire shows take place.
The next two days were devoted to discovering the island by scooter, making stops mentioned in the list above. The evenings were dedicated to Klong Khong.
For the fourth day, we decided to book an excursion to the 4 Islands in a long tail boat. Snorkeling, swimming through a cave in the dark to discover a paradisiacal lagoon, a dream beach… We couldn’t see the 4th island because the sea was too rough. I won’t give you the details of this chaotic comeback. One thing for sure, we’ll remember that! In the evening again and again we were in Klong Khong.
We clearly loved our stay on the island of Koh Lanta and could have easily stayed a few more days. We hope you will like it as much as we did.
Have a good discovery.
Kathleen