People who are looking for a more quiet and relaxing atmosphere should head to Ko Lanta. Ko Lanta, another island in Krabi province is a great place for much needed quiet and decompressing time. Ko Lanta is a lot less expensive than Ko Phi Phi or Railay beach and offers a lot of nice beaches for any type of traveler. Compared to the rest of the islands in the Krabi region, there’s still a lot of undiscovered beaches here.
Ko Lanta, just like Ko Phi Phi is comprised of two major islands: Ko Lanta Noi, the smaller island and Ko Lanta Yai, the bigger island where most tourists go and where most of the accommodations are. If you’re looking to go for a holiday or an escape away from all the parties, this is where you want to go. This island is very quiet and has a very long beach that’s why it’s never crowded. The island is more popular to an older crowd, families with young children, backpackers or independent travelers looking for a more quiet place to relax and avoid the crowds.
The best way to explore this less undiscovered island is with a motorbike. As it is a very quiet island, it is also the best place to learn to drive a motorbike. I specifically went here to learn to ride a motorbike and was also lucky to have met a nice traveler who taught me to drive one. It was quite an experience and was very fun! I really didn’t have major plans when I was here and literally didn’t do much. Having said that, I still find Ko Lanta very special. Among the islands in Thailand, this was the best place for more walking on the beach and watching the sunset.
(The most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen)
Klong Khong Beach
Klong Khong was the area where I stayed when I was in Ko Lanta. It is a 3 km beach with a lot of coconut trees on the west coast of the island with a lot of reasonably priced accommodations catering to both high spenders and budget travelers. The beach is so so and really long with no crowds. In the afternoon it could get really rocky due to low tides. I was very surprised since I didn’t expect much from this beach. It was the best place to watch the sunset.
I stayed at Ko Lanta New Beach bungalows. I don’t book my accommodations in advance and just go wherever I find a good place to stay. This place was recommended by the travelers I met on the bus to Ko Lanta. This place is not close to downtown (Ban Saladan) where 7-11s and ATMs are. It’s about a 15 minute motorbike ride to town and tuktuks cost THB 100 per way. But it is walk to beach which prove to be a much better option. It is a family owned guesthouse with a good restaurant serving a wide variety of cuisines, has a funky bar to hang out and watch sunsets and also has two swimming pools. I ended up staying a week here and negotiated my room to THB 350 ($12) for my room which was really clean, spacious, with en suite bathroom and hot shower. It was great value for money! I highly recommend it.
(The bungalows at Lanta New Beach)
(The Pool at Lanta New Beach Resort)
Miss Annzventures Recommendations
If you’re traveling solo and want to stay here, it’s a good place to stay and relax for two to three days but not more than that. It is very quiet here. I ended up staying about a week here because I met some really interesting travelers that I spent time with while I was down here. It is indeed a great place to learn to drive a motorbike too. I recommended Ko Lanta to a good friend who wanted to go for a good girlfriend getaway. There are good yoga places and spas for Thai massage by the beach. This place is not only perfect for girlfriend getaways but is family friendly too. I’ve seen a lot of young families living in the resort where I stayed. I also recommended it to one of my best friends who was scouting for a nice honeymoon place. Surprisingly, this place is very romantic and could fit very well for traveling couples.
So if you’re looking for a relaxing getaway and picture perfect sunsets or simply want to extend your travel budget while still in the islands, look no further Ko Lanta is the best place to be.
- Anna
