Koh Lanta is a Thai island labeled as very peaceful. There is not much to do on Koh Lanta, so many travelers choose to recover here from the busy party island of Koh Phi Phi and Ao Nang. Secretly, we found Koh Muk to be a much nicer island than Koh Lanta: even quieter in terms of tourists and you really experience the authentic Thailand on this small island. Should you still choose Koh Lanta, below are our tips for the best things to do on Koh Lanta, the best places to eat and the nicest accommodations.
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Cuddle with the dogs and cats at Lanta Welfare
Lanta Animal Welfare is an organization that shelters, cares for and tries to place local dogs and cats with owners. Every day, except Tuesday and Wednesday, you can tour the welfare at 11:00 and 14:00. You’ll get an explanation of the individual animals that are in the shelter and, of course, you get to cuddle with them. For current opening hours and tours, check the Lanta Welfare website.
Visit the Koh Lanta National Park
At the very south of Koh Lanta lies the Mu Ko Lanta National Park. This is one of the best things to do on Koh Lanta. You can drive the motorbike here yourself or arrange for a cab to drop you off and pick you up. It is most fun to drive the motorbike by yourself because at the end it is a very nice road where you want to stop to take pictures. You will also come across many nice places to have a drink along the way.
To enter the National Park, you must pay 200 baht (€5.50) per person. After this, drive a little further until you reach the parking lot. From here you can do a 2-kilometer hike that takes about an hour. You first climb very steeply up over tree roots and rocks. After fifteen minutes you’ll come to a well-trodden path. At the end you descend until you stand on a beautiful, deserted beach. Here you can walk around some more and then you will be back at the parking lot within 5 minutes. It is fun to visit Koh Lanta’s National Park but you are done after 2 hours.
4 islands tour
During the 4 islands tour, you will visit the most beautiful places in Southern Thailand. From almost deserted beaches to the most beautiful snorkeling spots. It is highly recommended to do this tour from Koh Lanta. Many tours also offer a visit to the Emerald Cave but we would recommend visiting it yourself from Koh Muk.
Stroll through the old town
Koh Lanta actually consists of one big, long road across the island. Because of this, we missed atmosphere on the island. The Old Town is an exception. There are many cozy spots, atmospheric restaurants and it just feels much more cozy here.
How to get to Koh Lanta?
Koh Lanta is often the most southern stop on your journey across the Thai islands. From Ao Nang and Krabi you can easily travel to Koh Lanta but ferries and speedboats also run daily from Koh Phi Phi. If you are just coming from the South, you will be coming from Koh Lipe or Koh Muk. From both these islands there are daily speedboats to Koh Lanta. Prices for the speedboats are between 800 baht (€22) and 1,200 baht (€33) per person. Transportation between islands in southern Thailand is very expensive.
Best accommodations on Koh Lanta
Lanta Sunny House has a nice pool and clean bungalows. It is centrally located near many restaurants and a motorbike rental. Lanta Sunny House is a 3-minute walk from the beach where you can watch the sunset. There is a restaurant at the hotel, where you can also work nicely as a digital nomad. The rooms are very cheap, available from as little as €9 per night!
The Pinky Hotel also has fine, clean rooms. From the terrace attached to your room you can walk straight into the pool. Pinky Hotel offers bike rentals, which of course, as a true Dutchman, you should do. There is also a restaurant at the hotel which serves very good food. At the Pinky Hotel, you can get a room from as little as €18 a night.
Lanta Happy Hill is run by very sweet owners. They will help you with everything for your vacation in Koh Lanta. They give lots of tips and recommendations with other things you can do. It is close to beautiful sandy beaches and the cottage you get looks so nice and cozy.
Tips for eating in Koh Lanta
- Sweetsoul. This is a fine restaurant which is right on the beach. The entire menu is vegetarian and 90% even vegan. There are many Asian choices with tofu and tempeh.
- Dox. Dox has a nice garden where you can enjoy the most delicious sandwiches and pitas. When traveling through Asia you can sometimes miss good bread but at Dox they know how to deal with that. The Vietnamese banh mi with jackfruit is tremendously delicious but we especially liked the pita falafel. The freshly made sauce and fresh greens were SO delicious!
- Le Colibri. This Italian restaurant is run by a French-speaking woman. The pizzas are made fresh in the stone oven and are absurdly large. Make sure you have a lot of appetite when you come here because you will really want to eat everything, and that will be a challenge.
- Hidden tree. Hidden Tree is a hip Thai breakfast/lunch spot. They make very good tofu dishes here and the smoothie bowls are also delicious and well-stocked.
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