Koh Lanta is a stunning island located off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. It is a popular destination for tourists due to its beautiful sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, and lush forests. If you are planning a trip to Koh Lanta, there are several transportation options to choose from. The best way to get to the island is by flying into Krabi International Airport and then taking a taxi or minivan transfer to Koh Lanta. Alternatively, you can take a bus or train to Krabi Town and then catch a ferry to the island. Once you arrive, there are several local bus services and taxi companies that can help you get around the island. With a little planning, you can easily make your way to Koh Lanta and start exploring all that it has to offer.
In this article, we tell you how to get to Koh Lanta, in case you choose this island as part of your trip to Thailand.
Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta Yai is the biggest island in the namesake archipelago, which also contains the deserted island of Koh Lanta Noi. This island is located in the province of Krabi in Thailand. Koh Lanta has been named one of Traveler’s top 10 favourite Thai islands, alongside destinations such as Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, and Koh Lipe. Despite the fact that the number of tourists who visit Koh Lanta increases on an annual basis, the island is still a relatively peaceful place to visit. Even during the peak tourist season, when many of the island’s resorts are completely booked, Lanta’s lengthy beaches are seldom too crowded because they are so extensive. Backpackers, who were the first to discover the island in the 1980s, have given way to pack tourists from Europe, and it is difficult to locate basic beach huts among a growing community of resorts that vary from the middle-range to the luxury level. After saying all of that,
How to get to Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta has a different airport; the next nearest airports are located in Krabi and Trang. Because of this, the only way to reach Koh Lanta is by boat, departing from one of the cities or towns that is connected to the island by ferry or speedboat. Krabi, Phuket, and Phi Phi are three well-known places in the region that may be reached by boat from Koh Lanta.
If you want to go to the island by land on your own with your own vehicle, you are required to arrive at the Ban Saladan pier in order to board one of the ferries to the island. The fare for this ferry is 23 baht for each individual passenger and 170 baht for each vehicle.
Your transportation will be relatively simple if you fly into one of the two airports that are located close. You may organize your transfer to Koh Lanta at the airport if you have not previously done so through an online booking service. Some airlines even provide vacation packages that include transportation to and from these airports, a boat ride to Koh Lanta, and a flight to Koh Lanta.
How to get to Koh Lanta from Bangkok
A significant number of visitors go to the island by way of Bangkok. No question that flying into Trang or Krabi and then arranging for a ride to Koh Lanta is the most convenient and pleasant way to get there. Don’t worry if you haven’t booked this trip in advance; when you get to the airport, they will offer you a package deal that includes the ride to the jetty as well as the boat ticket.
Airlines such as Nok Air and Air Asia will sell you a package deal that includes not only the flight but also the transfer to the dock and the ferry to Koh Lanta. When departing from Bangkok, this is without a doubt, the most convenient way to go to Koh Lanta.
A more cost-effective option to fly is taking the night train. They make their way to Surat Thani after departing from the Hua Lamphong station. You will be responsible for making your own arrangements to get from the train station to the jetty when you arrive.
You also have the option of taking a bus to Krabi from either the Southern Terminal Bus Station or the Hualampong Bus Station. You can get to Koh Lanta in a number of different ways if you leave from there.
The fact that the price is affordable even for those with the smallest wallets is an advantage; nonetheless, getting to Krabi will take at least twelve hours of your time. A night bus is an option that is frequently chosen since it enables travellers to avoid spending a night in a hotel.
You have the option of booking in advance either a combination bus and minivan ride to the dock with a ferry or a bus and minivan ride alone (to your hotel including the ferry). The starting price for this activity is 1,250 Thai Baht.
How to get to Koh Lanta from Krabi
The shared minivans that leave from Krabi and drop passengers off at their respective hotels on the route to Koh Lanta are the most convenient and pleasant mode of transportation available. The Krabi Airport, Krabi Town, and Ao Nang are the three locations they leave.
The trip lasts around three hours on average and is a cost-effective way to experience the tour. To give you an example, the fare from Krabi International Airport to your accommodation at Koh Lanta will be somewhat more than 350 Thai Baht.
You may also take a cab instead of a minivan, a speedboat, or a ferry from Krabi Town or Ao Nang. Another option is to use a private vehicle.
How to get to Koh Lanta from Phuket
Taking a speedboat from the Rassada Dock pier is your best option if you are departing from Phuket and don’t want to spend a lot of time travelling. If you are leaving from Phuket. After a two-hour ride, you will arrive in Koh Lanta.
To get to Koh Lanta, you can also use a minivan plus the ferry if you do not wish to travel by water (some services leave you at your hotel). The costs of the two choices are quite comparable ( starting at 1,500 baht ).
How to get to Koh Lanta from Koh Phi Phi
Both speedboat and ferry services depart from Koh Phi Phi and travel to Koh Lanta. Depending on the boat, the trip might run anywhere from a quarter of an hour to a little more than an hour. The starting price is 450 Thai Baht. The weather and the current conditions of the water have the potential to impact the service.
How to get to Koh Lanta from Koh Lipe
During the busy season, which runs from November to April, many speedboat services will get you to Koh Lanta in under three hours. During the shoulder seasons, this service is either drastically cut back or rendered impossible to provide altogether due to the unpredictable nature of the weather.
There is also the option of taking a combination boat service to the mainland and minivan service to Koh Lanta, which could be the only choice available during the shoulder season. This trip will take around 6 hours and thirty minutes of your time.
How to travel to Koh Lanta from Koh Samui/Koh Phangan/Koh Tao
To get to Koh Lanta from any of the islands that make up the archipelago that includes Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao, you will need to take a ferry to the mainland and then a combination bus/minivan and ferry to get to Koh Lanta. If you are on any of the islands that make up the archipelago, you will need to travel to the mainland.
Koh Samui is the only one of the three islands to have an airport, so in order to get to Koh Lanta from Koh Samui, you will need to take a plane to Krabi Airport, which is the only airport with which it has direct connections, and then arrange for a transfer from there. Samui is the only island of the three to have an airport.
Activities to do in Koh Lanta
Even if the beach and all the activities associated with it, such as snorkelling, diving, kayaking, paddle boarding, or simply visiting the neighbouring islands, are the primary reason for your trip to Koh Lanta, you should still take some time to explore the inland region of the island. This will give you a break from the beach, sand, and sun.
You must, without a shadow of a doubt, spend some time in Koh Lanta’s Old Town. It is a small town that used to be the municipal centre of the island, but today it offers a picturesque setting for a walk through its narrow streets that still exude the old charm of Lanta, which has been influenced by a number of different cultures, including Chinese, South Thai, and the Muslim population. Behind the unassuming front doors of the homes are hidden seafood restaurants complete with breezy patios that are ready to serve you the catch of the day.
Mu, The picturesque beaches of Koh Lanta National Park, may be found near the southernmost point of the island, where the park is located. There are options for trekking, as well as breathtaking views from a rocky cliff, a lighthouse, and numerous carefree monkeys going about their monkey business. You can go to the park by motorbike, or if you don’t want to rent one, you can negotiate a round trip with a songthaew driver from any of the beaches and have them take you there.
The Thung Yee Peng Mangrove Forest is an excellent location for a stroll or kayak excursion lasting a full day. If you are very fortunate, you will have the opportunity to see fiddler crabs perform their dance. A trip to the village of the same name, where you can discover a butterfly and orchid farm, is a great way to round up a day spent exploring the mangroves.
Nearby destinations from Koh Lanta
At least a dozen locations may be reached by boat from Koh Lanta, according to the information provided by all of the island’s tourist firms. This list includes destinations such as Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, and the Trang Islands. In point of fact, all of the passengers are often loaded into a single massive ship, which is followed by a transfer to a smaller ship with a long tail that must be boarded somewhere out in the open ocean. This is typically the case with the tickets that are offered at the lowest price to Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, Railey Beach, and Phuket.
There are more expensive speedboats that offer transfers from Koh Lanta to all of the major islands in the Andaman Sea in Thailand, such as Koh Lipe, Koh Kradan, Koh Ngai, Koh Muk, and Koh Libong. These speedboats also offer transfers to Langkawi Island in Malaysia and other locations on the Thai mainland, such as Krabi or Trang. You can discover the finest rates by searching Tigerline Ferry.
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