Koh Lanta
Long, empty beaches on the west coast, a national park at the southern tip, and almost no nightlife. Koh Lanta is what people mean when they say they want a quiet island in Thailand.
Slow by design
The island is 30km long and the road follows the coast. Long Beach and Klong Nin have the best swimming; the old town on the east coast is Chinese-Thai shophouses and fishing boats.
Diving and the park
Koh Lanta is a dive base for Koh Haa and Koh Bida, and the national park at the southern tip has a lighthouse trail and beaches where you will see no one. Ferries from Krabi take two hours in high season.
Getting there
High-season ferries run from Krabi (2 hours) and Phuket (4 hours); the rest of the year you drive to Ban Hua Hin pier and cross by car ferry, about 2.5 hours from Krabi. There is no airport, which is precisely why it stays quiet.
Who it suits
Families with young children, divers and anyone who wants a beach holiday without a bar scene. It is not the place for shopping, nightlife or a five-star spa break — the island has one luxury resort and very little else above four stars.
Things to see in Koh Lanta
National park
Mu Ko Lanta National Park
The southern tip of Koh Lanta: a lighthouse, a cliff trail, two quiet beaches and a jungle full of monkeys.…
Beach
Kantiang Bay
The best beach on Koh Lanta's south coast: a deep curve of sand, two beach bars and a headland that blocks the a…
Neighbourhood
Koh Lanta Old Town
A row of Chinese-Thai shophouses on stilts over the water on the island's east coast, with fishing boats and two…
Tours that include Koh Lanta
Experiences here
Add Koh Lanta to a longer trip
Most travellers combine it with two or three other places. Tell us your dates and we will suggest the route.