Ko Lanta, Thailand
After spending some time in Chiang Mai it was time to move on to our next destination – Ko Lanta. Ko Lanta is a large island off the coast of Krabi, which is much quieter than the popular tourist destinations of Phi Phi and Koh Phangan.
Getting there
We took a domestic flight from Chiang Mai to Krabi. At the airport, we haggled ourselves a deal for a shared minivan transfer for 800 baht (approx. 20 euro). We hopped in the minivan, where we were joined by a family of three, and sat and waited for our driver who went wandering.
A short while later, the lady we had bargained with came back to the van. She informed us that we would need to wait for another flight to arrive before we were able to leave, or else, we could pay 200 baht more to leave now.
We weren’t in a hurry, but the family who joined us seemed to be. So, we paid the money and off we went. The journey wasn’t too long. It took us about an hour and a half including a ferry ride and we were dropped straight at our hotel.
Staying There
Andrew recently watched a Lost LeBlanc video about Ko Lanta where he stays at Rawi Warin Resort & Spa. We found a pretty decent deal on Hotels.com for it so decided to stay there too. We were blown away on arrival. The hotel was just beautiful. Multiple pools, a spa, two restaurants, and a few bars too.
Our room wasn’t ready when we first arrived, so we decided to get lunch while we were waiting (we hadn’t eaten all morning!). It was at this point we realised how expensive the hotel was compared to where we had been before. We made a swift decision to not spend too much time eating and drinking there. Don’t get me wrong, if I could afford it, I would, but on our backpacker’s budget, it just wasn’t feasible.
Getting around
Mopeds are really the most feasible and common means of transport across Thailand. However, if you’re like me and are a little nervous about one (read a post about Cozumel, Mexico here), don’t worry. There are also plenty of tuk-tuks and taxis around to take you wherever you need to go. We rented a moped for one day and it cost us only 140 baht with gas. This works out at only ā¬3.50!
Eating there
If I’m being completely honest, we didn’t find anywhere that was out of this world to eat in Ko Lanta. That being said, there are a few places I would recommend eating in that were clean and the food was very good.
- Baan Peek Mai
- AIM-AEM Restaurant & Tour
- Round House
- Peak Cafe
- Diamond Hut Seafood
Things to do
Ko Lanta is definitely one of the more chilled islands of Thailand. The resort we stayed in was the kind of place that most people go to, and don’t really leave. However, that is not our kinda trip. Here are some of the things we got up to:
Visit the National Park
On one of the cloudy days, we rented a moped and drove along the coastline to Ko Lanta National Park. It’s about a 15km drive to get there, so doesn’t take too long and the scenery on the way is just amazing. Plenty of places to pull in and get a photo.
The entry to the park is 250 baht per person, and there is a charge for parking too. I do think that it is worth it, however, if you are stuck for money, the beaches just before the National Park are also really nice.
There is plenty to see in The National Park, including a nature trail, monkeys, a lighthouse, beautiful beaches and apparently a waterfall, but we couldn’t find it!. We did however stumble upon a red snake, which crawled through my flip flop. I nearly died! Luckily enough it didn’t bite me and just slivered back to wherever it came from. I got out of there as fast as I could after that.
Explore the beaches
One rainy morning, Andrew and I left the hotel suncream free and went in search of good coffee at Klong Klong beach. After getting breakfast (Peak Cafe), the rain stopped, so we started to wander along the beach on our way back. All of a sudden the sun came out and the temperature soared – it was just amazing. We found some really cool spots along the way including a really pretty swing with a stunning view of the sea.
Get a Massage
Rawi Warin Resort has a really nice spa. There was an offer on at the hotel for buy one get one free on all spa packages so we treated ourselves to a Siam Balance Package. This includes an ancient Siam massage and mini facial to help rebalance your energy and increase flexibility. It cost 2,500 baht for us both (which was extremely steep for Thailand!) which works out at ā¬65. As the weather was bad and we didn’t get to do the 4 island tour, we figured it balanced out! The massage was amazing and for a 90 minute treatment it was well worth it.
If you are not staying in a resort with a spa, there are plenty of places along the side of the street that offer traditional massage for a much more affordable price.
Watch a sunset
Ko Lanta is known for its out-of-this-world sunsets.
Unfortunately, we only got to see one during our stay but it was still beautiful albeit a little cloudy. We sat on the beach at the back of our hotel to take in the views. There are spots all along the beach that offer impeccable views but I’d recommend visiting during the dry season to really appreciate it.
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