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Koh Lanta is an island just a few hours south from Krabi and Koh Phi Phi via ferry. There is only one road that goes around the entire island with one in the middle connecting one side to the other. This is the perfect place to rent a scooter just taking in the beautiful coastline and beaches away from the hustle and bustle. We stayed here for a total of three nights which was just enough to see what the island had to offer. There is a large Swedish community on this island oddly enough so we met a fair few Swedish families and couples. Our time here was spent relaxing on the beautiful Long Beach taking in the breathtaking sunsets, exploring beaches and cathedrals caves, and island hopping.

Getting Here

We arrived on the island via ferry from Krabi. Although the islands are quite close it takes a total of 2 hours because of how long it takes to load passengers and bags as well as making a few stops along the way. The total cost is around $10 for one way. Once you arrive at the port there are tuk-tuks lined up and since the island is very small with only one road around the entire island its pretty easy for the drivers to know where you are going and share a ride with other travelers.

Location: Long Beach

Long Beach is a long stretch of beach located on the west side of the island. Majority of travelers stay on this side due to the majority of resorts, restaurants and bars while the east side is where most of the locals live. The north side of Long Beach is where more of the action is with plenty of bars and restaurants along the beaches while the south side is much more secluded.

Accommodation: Metallic Hostel

As mentioned before the island is pretty very small so in terms of location anywhere along Long Beach is just steps away from the beach. Overall the hostel is a bit small and tight in space, however the manager makes this hostel worth it! He was unbelievably sweet, sincere, and accommodating for the entire duration of our stay. He remembers everyone’s name and makes sure to ask you how you are and how your day is every time you pass through. He also gives a slightly less price on all tours so DEF book everything through him. If you can’t for whatever reason he has really good connections and somehow finds a way to help you regardless.

The social scene is not the best because of how small it is but there is a patio area in the front where travelers would get together for drinking games and socializing. The hostel also offers snacks and tea/coffee in the morning so you will see people hanging out in the front majority of the time.

• Cost per night: $12

Activities

Hire Scooters

Scooters are definitely a great way to explore and the see the sites but this island is the perfect island to learn and requires little maneuvering around other locals and tourists. It takes about 1 hour to the end of the island so you can spend the day exploring different beaches along the way and also see the other side of the island where the locals live which was nice to see! (Note: the one road does not go completely around the island. Once you hit The Lighthouse you will have to turn around and connect with the road in the middle of the island if you want to go to the east side)

• Cost: $5/day (150baht)

Beaches

The most popular beach is Long Beach for the long stretch of sand and beach with restaurants and bars. This is the perfect spot to enjoy a beautiful sunset and watch the nightlife enfold.

There are also plenty of beautiful coves and beaches along the main road, south of Long Beach. We continually stopped for breaks to take a dip in the ocean and take a break from the heat! Some popular spots along the way are Bamboo Beach, Last Beach, and Nui Bay Beach, further at the end of the island.

Tiger Cave

This cave is a little bit off the beaten bath but you can get there easily by scooter via the road that connects the east and west side of the island. You cannot explore the cave alone and must have a tour guide but for good reason. About a 20 minute hike through the jungle to the cave and and the guide provides you with a head lamp because there is no light inside the cave. This was by far the biggest, most beautiful cave I have ever seen and I wish I had the photos to share. Huge cathedral of rocks and tunnels with water at the end of the cave you can swim in during winter months. It was absolutely stunning inside and it felt like such an intimate experience to see nature without much tourist influence.

The guide spoke very minimal English but he cracked a few jokes with the couple of words he knew. Getting around the cave is slippery, muddy, and wet and I definitely advise to proceed with caution. They had jittery, loose ladders connecting rocks with each other and some had double ladders since the bottom ones looked broken. Despite that its worth it!

• Cost: $9 (300baht)

Island hopping tour

This was definitely one of the highlights of the island. We visited three islands near Koh Lanta where we stopped for photos, snorkeling, and a buffet lunch on the beach.

We got picked up directly from our hostel which took us to the dock where we got onto a fairly large boat. We stopped by some islands for snorkeling and they provided the equipment for us and life jackets if we wanted. We then stopped for a buffet lunch on this beautiful island that is probably the most picturesque beach on the islands. It was unfortunate we only stayed for about an hour but a great place to relax and enjoy local cuisine on the beach.

We ended the tour by visiting an island that had a beach inside the middle. The only way to reach the beach in the middle was to swim through a cave. This was so much fun since the whole boat stuck together with our life jackets as we swum through this black hole of darkness. It was a short swim through the cave until you could see some light at the end of the tunnel, and once we reached the center it was a pretty cool site to see just a random beach inside this island. There were monkeys and trees along the massive cliffside surrounding you along all sides. This was definitely a unique experience.

• Cost: $23, includes transportation and buffet lunch (800 baht)