Koh Lanta is an island in the Andaman sea in Southern Thailand located in the Krabi Province. The island is not as developed if comparing Phuket or Koh Samui but has a nice relaxed vibe and is not touristy. Koh Lanta has no shortage of beautiful beaches, jungle mountains, and beautiful sunsets. What are the things to do in Koh Lanta Thailand?
In Koh Lanta, you can relax on the amazing beaches around the island such as Kantiang Bay or Klong Dao. You can visit the Mu Koh Lanta National Park or wander around Lanta’s old town. Or you can go island hopping to the nearby islands. Also, you can enjoy eating the local Thai food at one of the many restaurants around the island.
In this post, we will go through things to do in Koh Lanta Thailand. Let’s get started!
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Where Is Koh Lanta Thailand?
Ko Lanta is an island off the Andaman Coast in Southern Thailand. Koh Lanta is in the province of Krabi and is known for its scuba diving and long white beaches.
Best Time To Travel To Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta has an average temperature of between 27°C to 33°C all year round. The dry season is from December to April, while the wet season runs from May to December.
The best time to visit Koh Lanta is between December to April.
Things To Do On Koh Lanta Thailand
Koh Lanta is an island that is located in southern Thailand. Whether Koh Lanta is worth visiting depends on your interests as the island is blessed with wonderful beaches and forests. It is not as developed as other places like Phuket or Koh Samui but there are good things to do in Koh Lanta that will keep you busy for a few days.
Here is our list of things to do in Koh Lanta Thailand.
Go Scuba Diving
Koh Lanta offers some great dive spots such as Hin Bida, Ko Rok, Hin Daeng (Red Rock), and Hin Muang (Purple Rock) where you can see 100 types of reef fish and sea snakes, and even leopard sharks at Hin Bida.
You can do your Open Water certification while in Koh Lanta and go on fun dives around the Island. There is a good range of diving operators around Koh Lanta.
Explore Mu Koh Lanta National Park
The Mu Koh Lanta national park consists mainly of rugged hills covered with a rainforest and a beach with the coastline at Ko Lanta Yai.
The main attractions and activities at the park are the white beaches, hiking trails, viewpoints, and some impressive caves. The beaches are beautiful and it is easy to spend a few hours on the sand and in the water.
For trekking in the jungle, remember to wear proper shoes and bring water with you. There is an entry fee of 200 baht per person and 20 baht for a motorbike.
Wander Lanta Old Town
Lanta Old Town is a charming small seaside village on the east coast of the island. It once acted as the main port and commercial center for the island.
Today, the old town is the district capital that is home to the island’s police and the island’s hospital as well as the main pier.
The old town has some great restaurants and shops with amazing harbor views of the sea. Plus, most of the homes are built on stilts, overlooking an incredible ocean view.
Visit The Lanta Animal Welfare Centre
If you are looking to do something a little different and make a positive difference, then a visit to the Lanta Animal Welfare Centre.
Simply put, it is a nonprofit charity dedicated to helping suffering dogs and cats around the island of Koh Lanta.
At the center, there are free tours are available showing you around the premises and explaining how the center is run. The tours are every hour during the high season and every two hours during the low season.
You can also take the dogs for a walk around the town and on the beach. If you go to Lanta, it is worth a visit to the Animal Welfare Centre and even making a small donation.
Explore Khao Mai Kaew Cave
Visiting Khao Mai Kaew Cave is an incredible cave that will leave you pleasantly surprised. There is a short walk to reach the cave.
It starts off with a 30-minute hike through the jungle. Followed by roughly an hour or so exploring the cave where you can see spiders, bats, crickets, and impressive cave formations. And then a 30-minute hike home.
Note: Bring water with you and wear comfortable walking shoes.
See Khlong Chak Waterfall
This is another great waterfall, well worth a visit if just for the hike through the jungle. The trail to the waterfall offers a chance to see a stunning beautiful jungle with ancient trees covered in epiphytes and a dense understory with incredible twisty vines.
It’s a half-hour trek to the waterfall. The hike is not too bad, it is mostly flat terrain and with only a couple of spots of short climbs. And there is a small bat cave also there.
The waterfall is small quite small so swimming is really possible but the surrounding of the waterfall was quite beautiful.
Take The Four Islands Hopping Tour
There are tours that will take you to 4 other islands around Koh Lanta. There are Phra Nang Cave, Tup Island, Chicken Island, and Poda Island. It takes the full day.
You can do some snorkeling, go swimming in crystal clear waters, feed fish, and get some sun. The highlight is the emerald cave which involves a 100-meter swim through the pitch-black 80-meter long passageway.
Once you make it through, you’re greeted by a secret lagoon and towering limestone cliffs. The guide will be there to guide you.
Take A Cooking Class
If you are interested in learning to cook Thai food, then why not take a cooking class. There are a fair few Thai cooking classes around Koh Lanta.
You will be picked up at your hotel. You will get to choose 4 meals to cook. Generally, the cooking groups are small with no more than 6. And after each meal is cooked you dine with the other wannabe chefs at a sit-down meal!
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, you can relax on the amazing beaches around Koh Lanta such as Kantiang Bay or Klong Dao. You can visit the Mu Koh Lanta National Park or wander around Lanta’s old town. Or you can go island hopping to the nearby islands. Also, you can enjoy eating the local Thai food at one of the many restaurants around the island.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on the things to do on Koh Lanta Thailand has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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