Koh Lanta is really an archipelago. Ko Lanta District, in Krabi province, takes in Ko Lanta Yai, Ko Lanta Noi, Ko Klang and dozens of smaller islands, and sits about 70 km from Krabi town. Most visitors mean Ko Lanta Yai, the larger island: about 25 km long and 6 km wide by Wikipedia's figures, with beaches strung along its west coast, a port town called Ban Saladan at the northern tip and a quieter, older town on the east side. It is much less built-up than Phuket or Phi Phi, and its guidebook reputation is for families, divers and older travellers rather than party crowds.
Getting here shapes the trip. Lanta has no bridge to the mainland: you cross by ferry, then a bridge between Ko Lanta Noi and Ko Lanta Yai, or you take a boat from Krabi or Phi Phi to Saladan. Allow roughly two and a half hours by road and ferry from Krabi Airport, and more if the queues are long. Once on the island there is little to tick off. People come to swim, eat seafood by the sea, take a boat to the snorkelling islands of Ko Rok and Ko Haa, or dive the deep reefs farther south.
For an Indian family this is a slow beach holiday rather than a sightseeing one. The marine park at the island's southern tip, Lanta Old Town and the sea-people communities add some culture, and the beaches are mostly wide and not crowded. The trade-offs are practical. Roads are paved on the west coast but unsealed and hilly towards the park, there are few dedicated vegetarian or Indian restaurants, and much of the island effectively closes in the wet season, from around May to October.
The season matters more than anywhere else in the Krabi area. Between November and March the sea is calmer and the rain light; from May to October rainfall passes 220 mm a month, the national park's smaller islands close to visitors and many seasonal businesses cut back. Indian passport holders should check the current Thai entry rules with the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi and the official Thai e-Visa site, and should carry travel insurance, since care is paid for on the spot and the island's medical facilities are small.
Before you plan
Koh Lanta at a glance
- Best months
- November to MarchNovember to March, with January and February driest. May to October is the wet season; the national park's smaller islands close from 16 May to 31 October.
- Ideal trip length
- 4 to 5 nights for a relaxed beach stay4 to 5 nights for a relaxed beach stay; 3 nights is the minimum given the transfer time
- Airport
- Krabi International AirportKrabi International Airport (KBV) is the usual gateway, about 2.5 hours by van and ferry; Trang and Phuket airports are also options
- Railway station
- None on the islandNone on the island. The nearest station is in Trang province; most visitors fly into Krabi and continue by road and ferry.
- Getting around
- Hotel pick-upsHotel pick-ups, tuk-tuks and songthaews on the west-coast road; motorbikes and jeeps for hire; longtail boats for island trips
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 per person…Roughly ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 per person per day excluding hotel, with boat trips and diving the main swing items; prices vary strongly by season
- Senior comfort
- Fair: the west-coast road is flat…Fair: the west-coast road is flat and beaches are gentle, but ferry transfers, wet boat landings and unpaved roads to the south need care
- Language
- ThaiThai, with a Southern Thai dialect; English is widely used at resorts, dive shops and restaurants
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Koh Lanta: January, February, December. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Koh Lanta itinerary
One good day
1 day on Koh Lanta
Spend the morning on Phra Ae (Long Beach) or Klong Dao, then have a seafood lunch by the sea. In the afternoon drive across to Lanta Old Town for a slow walk along the main street and pier, and return to the west coast for sunset.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days on Koh Lanta
A late breakfast, a long swim at Phra Ae or Klong Dao, and a rest in the afternoon heat. Take the road to Kantiang Bay late in the day for a calmer beach and sunset.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days on Koh Lanta
Arrive by ferry or van, check in, and take an easy beach evening at Klong Dao or Phra Ae.
Day-by-day plan →
