Koh Lanta – Destination Well Known https://destinationwellknown.com Tue, 10 Nov 2026 06:27:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://destinationwellknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/cropped-faviconmod-32x32.png Koh Lanta – Destination Well Known https://destinationwellknown.com 32 32 Where to Stay in Koh Lanta? The 6 Best Areas & Places to Stay https://destinationwellknown.com/where-to-stay-koh-lanta/ https://destinationwellknown.com/where-to-stay-koh-lanta/#respond Tue, 10 Nov 2026 05:57:25 +0000 https://destinationwellknown.com/where-to-stay-koh-lanta/ Heading to Koh Lanta and not sure where to stay? Here are the six best areas, from Klong Dao to Kantiang Bay, plus hotels in three price ranges.

The post Where to Stay in Koh Lanta? The 6 Best Areas & Places to Stay appeared first on Destination Well Known.

]]>
Koh Lanta lies in the Andaman Sea south of Krabi, and it’s one of Thailand’s most laid-back holiday islands. You’ll find long sandy beaches on the west coast, jungle inland and sunsets over the sea almost every evening. So where to stay in Koh Lanta?

Where should you stay on Koh Lanta? It mostly depends on whether you’re travelling with children, want a bit of life in the evenings or dream of peace and quiet and an almost empty beach.

Planning your trip to Koh Lanta at the last minute? ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ

Here are some of the best things to do, hotels and other tips for your trip to Koh Lanta.

๐ŸŽก Top Activities & Tours:

1. Snorkel and swim through a dark cave on a 4 Islands tour with Emerald Cave (the island's most popular boat trip)
2. Join a snorkelling trip to Koh Rok and see clear water and colourful fish
3. See the mangrove forest and Old Town from the water on a mangrove kayaking tour

๐Ÿ›Œ Best Hotels:

1. Lanta Sand Resort & Spa is a four-star resort with three pools, a spa and a kids' club on Long Beach
2. D.R. Lanta Bay Resort sits right on Klong Dao beach and has two pools and a beachfront restaurant
3. Salatan Resort is a budget resort with a waterside pool close to Saladan

๐Ÿš— The island is over 30 kilometres long, so with a hire car you can easily get around between the beaches

Here are my six picks for areas, with three hotels in each, from luxury to budget.

Where to Stay in Koh Lanta: The Best Areas

Below, I go through the areas from north to south and finish in Old Town on the east coast. For each area you’ll get a map, transport, price level and three hotels. The prices come from a search for a weekend in February for two people and are given in Thai baht.

Almost all the hotels are along the west coast, and the island is more than 30 kilometres long, so think about how you’ll get around. The taxis are tuk-tuks and motorbikes with sidecars and no meter, so agree on the price before you get in. Lots of people rent a scooter, but the roads to the south are steep, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ travel advice warns of many serious traffic accidents in Thailand, very often involving motorbikes. If you’ve never ridden a scooter before, don’t learn here.

1. Saladan & Klong Dao - best area for families and close to the ferry โ›ด๏ธ

  • ๐Ÿ“ Distance to the centre: Saladan is the island’s port and the largest town at the northern end of Koh Lanta Yai. Klong Dao beach begins about 2 kilometres south of the town.
  • ๐Ÿš• Transport: In Saladan you can walk to the pier, the shops and the restaurants. A tuk-tuk to Klong Dao takes just a few minutes, and from here they also carry on down the west coast.
  • โœˆ๏ธ Time from Krabi Airport: About 2 to 2.5 hours by minibus and car ferry. If you arrive by boat from Phuket or Koh Phi Phi, you’ll dock at the pier in Saladan.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Price level: Low to high. The three hotels below cost around 2,700 to 15,330 baht per night when I searched for a weekend in February.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฎ Safety: Safe and family-friendly. There can be jellyfish in the water at times, so ask at your hotel before the children go swimming.

Saladan is Koh Lanta’s practical hub. This is where the boats from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi and the islands to the south come in, and the main street is lined with banks, pharmacies, minimarts, travel agencies and scooter rental shops. Several of the seafood restaurants stand on stilts over the water, and it’s a great place for fresh fish in the evening.

Aerial view of the Kaw Kwang headland and the beach at the northern end of Klong Dao on Koh Lanta

When the boats come in, tuk-tuks and taxis wait at the pier, and the drivers often start with a high price, so agree on the fare before you get in, or walk a little way from the pier.

Klong Dao is the first big beach south of the town. It’s a long bay with pale sand and very shallow water, where you can wade a long way out and still touch the bottom, which makes the beach popular with families. Resorts, beach restaurants and massage places sit side by side along the shore, and at the northern end is the Kaw Kwang headland with a smaller beach and a few quieter resorts.

See hotels in Saladan and Klong Dao here.

I would stay here if you’re travelling as a family, or if you only have a couple of nights and want to be close to the boats and day trips. The sunset over Klong Dao is one of the most beautiful on the island, and the area is close to both Long Beach and the restaurants in Saladan. Boats also leave from the pier for Koh Lipe and the islands further south.

The downside is that Klong Dao isn’t the island’s most beautiful beach, and the water is so shallow that it’s hard to swim properly at low tide. Saladan isn’t a beach town either, and there’s traffic and noise at the pier when the boats come in.

Hotels in Saladan and Klong Dao

TwinBay Resort - beachfront resort with a pool on the Kaw Kwang headland

TwinBay is on Kaw Kwang beach at the northern end of Klong Dao, about 3 kilometres from the pier in Saladan. There’s an outdoor pool with a view, a restaurant and family rooms, and it scores 9.2 from over 1,000 reviews. It’s the most expensive of my three suggestions here at around 15,330 baht per night, and one guest found that parts of the property were being renovated.

One guest writes on Booking.com: โ€œThe view from the pool and the beach access were spectacular. The staff were very friendly and helpful.โ€

See photos and book TwinBay Resort here.

D.R. Lanta Bay Resort - resort with two pools right on Klong Dao

D.R. Lanta Bay sits right on Klong Dao, about 1.5 kilometres from Saladan, and has two outdoor pools, a beachfront restaurant and massages. It scores 8.3 from over 700 reviews, and the price was around 8,450 baht per night. One guest, however, didn’t think the beach right in front of the hotel was the island’s best.

From a review: โ€œThe location is perfect right on the beach, the gardens are beautiful, and the staff are so helpful and friendly.โ€

See photos and book D.R. Lanta Bay Resort here.

Salatan Resort - budget waterfront resort with a pool close to Saladan

Salatan Resort is on the waterfront just west of Saladan, about a nine-minute walk from Klong Dao, and has an outdoor pool, a restaurant and family rooms. The price was around 2,700 baht per night, and it scores 8.8 from just over 300 reviews. One guest found the photos and the location on the map confusing, so check the address before you head there.

One of the guests highlights: โ€œThe location is fantastic, with bungalows around a beautiful pool overlooking a white sandy beach.โ€

See photos and book Salatan Resort here.

2. Long Beach (Phra Ae) - best area for first-time visitors ๐ŸŒ…

  • ๐Ÿ“ Distance to the centre: Long Beach is about 5 kilometres south of Saladan, which is around 10 minutes by car.
  • ๐Ÿš• Transport: Tuk-tuks wait along the main road behind the beach, and you can walk along the water between many of the restaurants and bars.
  • โœˆ๏ธ Time from Krabi Airport: About 2.5 hours by minibus and car ferry, a little longer if there’s a queue for the ferry.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Price level: Low to very high. The three hotels below cost about 2,400 to 21,150 baht per night when I searched for a weekend in February.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฎ Safety: Safe. The water gets deep quickly in places, so keep an eye on the children, and don’t swim when the waves are high.

Long Beach, called Phra Ae in Thai, is the area most people choose on their first visit. The beach stretches for several kilometres, with fine, pale sand and tall trees that give shade, and the water is clear and good for swimming. Resorts, bungalows, beach bars and restaurants line the beach, and in the evening several of the bars light up lanterns and fires on the sand.

Aerial photo of the long sandy beach Long Beach (Phra Ae) on the west coast of Koh Lanta

Behind the beach runs the main road, with minimarts, pharmacies, scooter rental and small local eateries where the food is cheaper than down by the water. You have most things within walking distance here, and it’s the liveliest area in the evening without turning into a party scene.

Many boat trips start with a pick-up from the hotels here. The most popular is a 4 Islands tour with the Emerald Cave, where you snorkel around the small islands south-east of Koh Lanta and swim through a dark cave to a hidden beach.

See hotels on Long Beach here.

I’d stay here if it’s your first trip to Koh Lanta and you want a good swimming beach, plenty of places to eat and a bit of life in the evening. Long Beach is also in the middle of the west coast, so you’re close to both Saladan and the beaches further south. If you want to get around by scooter yourself, it’s a good base too, as the roads in the northern part of the island are much flatter than in the south.

The downside is that the beach is so popular it rarely feels deserted, and resorts right on the water are expensive in high season. If you stay at one end of the beach, it’s also quite a way to the restaurants at the other, and there can be jellyfish in the water at times, so ask at your hotel before you swim.

Hotels on Long Beach

Lanta Sand Resort & Spa - four-star resort with three pools and a kids’ club

Lanta Sand is in the northern part of Long Beach, only about 100 metres from the water, and has three outdoor pools, a spa, a restaurant, a beach bar and a kids’ club. With more than 2,000 reviews and a score of 8.6, it’s one of the most popular resorts on the island, but it’s also the most expensive of my suggestions here at about 21,150 baht per night. One guest felt the room needed a bit of a refresh.

One guest writes on Booking.com: โ€œWe really loved our stay at Lanta Sand Resort. The villa was very spacious, and the outdoor plunge pool and shower were a wonderful bonus.โ€

See photos and book Lanta Sand Resort & Spa here.

Treeya Lanta - small adults-only hotel close to the beach

Treeya Lanta is in the southern part of Long Beach, about 70 metres from the beach, and has an outdoor pool with a pool bar, a restaurant and rooms set around a tropical garden. The hotel only accepts guests aged 15 and over, it scores 9.3 from more than 600 reviews, and the price was about 5,500 baht per night. One guest did feel the pool area needs renovating, though.

From one review: โ€œAn incredible hotel surrounded by lush tropical gardens. Only 20 rooms, so it never feels crowded.โ€

See photos and book Treeya Lanta here.

Lanta Happy Hill - cheap and very highly rated, a little inland

Lanta Happy Hill is in the village of Phra Ae, about 670 metres from the beach, and has a garden, a terrace and free parking, but no pool. The price was about 2,400 baht per night, and it scores an impressive 9.4 from more than 450 reviews. Expect around a ten-minute walk down to the water.

One of the guests highlights: โ€œThe rooms are perfectly maintained and beautifully decorated. The beds are super comfortable.โ€

See photos and book Lanta Happy Hill here.

3. Klong Khong - best area for budget travellers and beach bars ๐Ÿน

  • ๐Ÿ“ Distance to the centre: Klong Khong is about 9 kilometres south of Saladan, around 15 to 20 minutes by car.
  • ๐Ÿ›ต Getting around: You can walk along the beach between the bars and restaurants. For the rest of the island, you’ll need a tuk-tuk or a scooter.
  • โœˆ๏ธ Time from Krabi Airport: About 2.5 to 3 hours by minibus and car ferry.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Price level: Low to high. The three hotels below cost about 1,700 to 16,610 baht per night when I searched for a weekend in February.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฎ Safety: Safe and laid-back. Watch out for the rocks and coral in the water at low tide, and it’s a good idea to bring water shoes.

Klong Khong is Koh Lanta’s backpacker beach. Beach bars, bungalows and small restaurants sit side by side under the palm trees, and in the evening there’s often live music, fire shows and hammocks with sunset views. The vibe is relaxed, and the partying never gets as wild as on Koh Phi Phi. Behind the beach runs the main road, lined with minimarts, laundries, scooter rentals and small local eateries where a meal costs far less than at the big resorts.

The beach has two faces. At high tide, the water is clear and great for swimming, but at low tide the sea retreats a long way and exposes rocks and coral, so you can’t swim. On the other hand, it’s a lovely time to stroll along the water’s edge and look for seashells as the sun goes down.

See hotels in Klong Khong here.

I would stay here if you’re travelling on a tight budget, on your own or with friends, and want beach bars and other travellers around you. Long Beach is only ten minutes away if you fancy a better swimming beach for the day, and Klong Nin lies just to the south. Because Klong Khong sits in the middle of the west coast, it’s also easy to take day trips both north and south.

The downside is that the beach isn’t good for swimming at low tide, and the cheapest bungalows are basic. Some only have a fan, so check whether there’s air conditioning before you book. If you want luxury, you’ll need to head a little south of the beach, where the large Rawi Warin resort sits on its own bay.

Hotels in Klong Khong

Rawi Warin Resort & Spa - five-star resort with four pools on its own bay

Rawi Warin is on Klong Toab bay, about 1.5 kilometres south of Klong Khong, and has four outdoor pools, a spa, a gym and several restaurants. It scores 9.0 from over 900 reviews, and the price was about 16,610 baht per night. The breakfast is good, but some of the food in the restaurants could be better, according to one guest.

One guest writes on Booking.com: โ€œThe staff and the level of hospitality here are in a class of their own.โ€

See photos and book Rawi Warin here.

Lanta Fa Rung Beach Resort - family-run bungalows right on the beach

Lanta Fa Rung sits right on Klong Khong and has bungalows in several sizes, a restaurant, massages and scooter rental, but no pool. It’s adults-only, scores 8.8 from over 800 reviews, and the price was about 3,490 baht per night. One guest points out that the beach is very rocky at low tide.

From a review: โ€œLanta Fa Rung is a small, family-run bungalow resort on Klong Khong Beach. The daily room cleaning is proper and thorough. All the staff are helpful and very friendly.โ€

See photos and book Lanta Fa Rung here.

Lanta Just Come Hotel - cheap, clean hotel a few minutes from the beach

Lanta Just Come is about 500 metres from the beach, around a five-minute walk, and has simple rooms and family rooms with air conditioning, but no pool. The price was only about 1,700 baht per night, and it scores 8.7 from over 700 reviews. One guest found the location a little inconvenient, as taxis on the island aren’t the cheapest.

One guest highlights: โ€œThe hotel was very clean, with a comfortable bed and good air conditioning.โ€

See photos and book Lanta Just Come here.

4. Klong Nin - best area for couples and a good swimming beach ๐Ÿ๏ธ

  • ๐Ÿ“ Distance to the centre: Klong Nin is about 13 kilometres south of Saladan, around 25 minutes by car. From here, a road runs across the island to Old Town.
  • ๐Ÿš• Transport: The restaurants are along the beach and the road behind it, so you can walk to most of them. To get around the rest of the island, you’ll need a tuk-tuk or a scooter.
  • โœˆ๏ธ Time from Krabi Airport: About 3 hours by minibus and car ferry.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Price level: Mid-range to high. The three hotels below cost about 3,460 to 12,600 baht per night when I searched for a weekend in February.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฎ Safety: Safe and quiet. There are rocks in the water in some places, and stray dogs can roam the beach in the evening.

Klong Nin is a long, wide beach with pale sand and clear water, and for many people it’s the best swimming beach on the middle part of the island. It’s quieter than Long Beach, and the atmosphere is laid-back, with beach bars playing soft music as the sun sets over the sea. The resorts sit right behind the beach, and there’s plenty of room on the sand even in high season.

Sun loungers on the pale sandy beach of Klong Nin on Koh Lanta

Along the road behind the beach you’ll find small restaurants, minimarts and massage places, but not much more. From Klong Nin it’s a short trip to Old Town on the east coast, and several boat trips offer pick-up here. The most popular is a snorkelling trip to Koh Rok, two small islands with white beaches and coral reefs in the national park south of Koh Lanta. The smaller islands in the park are usually closed from May to October, so take the trip in the dry season.

See hotels in Klong Nin here.

I would stay here as a couple, or if you want a good beach and peaceful evenings without being completely cut off from the rest of the island. Klong Nin is also a good compromise if you want to combine beach days with a trip to Old Town and the national park in the south. The beach bars here are cosy without being noisy, so the music won’t keep you awake.

The downside is that there isn’t much to do in the evening apart from eating and sitting on the beach, and you’ll need a tuk-tuk or scooter to get to Saladan. Several of the smaller places also close outside high season, when the beach isn’t always cleaned either, so rubbish can wash up after days of onshore wind.

Hotels in Klong Nin

Beach Home Lanta - rooms and bungalows with a door straight onto the beach

Beach Home Lanta is right on Klong Nin, with rooms and bungalows facing the sand, and some of them have a kitchenette. It scores 9.3 from 300 reviews, and the price was about 12,600 baht per night. There’s no pool, children under 12 can’t stay here, and the price is high for a two-star property.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Excellent and comfortable room with a door straight out onto the fantastic Klong Nin Beach.”

See photos and book Beach Home Lanta here.

Baan Pakgasri Hideaway - bungalows right on the beach

Baan Pakgasri is right on Klong Nin and has beachfront bungalows, double rooms and help arranging snorkelling and kayaking trips. It scores 8.5 from over 400 reviews, and the price was about 8,300 baht per night. One guest had to drive to another hotel to pay by card and felt the excursions were too expensive.

From one review: “The location is perfect, and the beach is wonderful, as is the view from the bungalows.”

See photos and book Baan Pakgasri here.

Lanta Miami Resort - popular resort with a pool right on the beach

Lanta Miami is right on Klong Nin and has an outdoor pool, a restaurant and bungalows in several sizes, including for families. With over 1,000 reviews and a score of 8.8, it’s one of the most popular places on the beach, and the price was about 3,460 baht per night. One guest mentions, though, that the shower’s water pressure was disappointing.

One guest highlights: “Lovely hotel right by the beach. The staff were very helpful, and the food is reasonably priced.”

See photos and book Lanta Miami Resort here.

5. Kantiang Bay & the southern tip - best area for luxury and nature ๐ŸŒด

  • ๐Ÿ“ Distance to the centre: Kantiang Bay is about 35 to 40 minutes by car south of Saladan. Bamboo Bay and the national park are a further 10 to 15 minutes south.
  • ๐Ÿš— Getting around: The road south is steep and winding, and there are few taxis out here. Having your own scooter or car is a big help if you want to see the rest of the island.
  • โœˆ๏ธ Time from Krabi Airport: About 3 to 3.5 hours by minibus and car ferry. Many resorts can arrange a transfer.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Price level: Low to high. The three places below cost around 1,800 to 11,570 baht per night when I searched for a weekend in February.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฎ Safety: Safe and very quiet. The monkeys at Bamboo Bay can be cheeky, so don’t leave food or bags lying around, and lock your scooter’s storage compartment.

Kantiang Bay is a wide bay of soft sand surrounded by green jungle-covered hills, and many people consider it one of Koh Lanta’s most beautiful beaches. It sits in the quiet southern part of the island, where there are far fewer hotels and restaurants than on Long Beach. Behind the beach is a small village with minimarts, cafรฉs and massage places, and down by the water you’ll find a couple of beach bars.

The white sandy beach at Ba Kantiang Bay on Koh Lanta with green hills and villas

Further south, the island gets wilder. Klong Jak is a small beach with a waterfall in the jungle, Bamboo Bay is an almost untouched beach with a few small bars, and right at the southern tip is Mu Ko Lanta National Park, with a lighthouse on a rocky headland.

In the national park you can take the short walk out to the lighthouse or follow a steep trail of about 2 kilometres through the jungle, and admission is around 200 baht for foreign adults. From the lighthouse there are views across the sea and the cliffs, and the jungle around the park is home to monkeys, among other wildlife.

See hotels at Kantiang Bay here.

I’d stay here on a honeymoon, a luxury holiday or a week where you mainly want to swim, read and eat well. If you’re staying in the south, having your own transport is a big advantage, and you can compare car hire at Booking.com and pick up the car at Krabi Airport. Remember that they drive on the left in Thailand.

The downside is the distance and the quiet. It’s a long way to Saladan and Long Beach, taxis cost more out here, and in the evening there isn’t much to do other than eat. In the rainy season, many of the smaller places in the south close completely. On the other hand, this is where you can have the most beautiful beaches almost to yourself.

Hotels at Kantiang Bay and the southern tip

The Houben - adults-only boutique resort with an infinity pool

The Houben is at Ba Kantiang in the northern part of the bay, about a five-minute walk from the beach, and has an infinity pool, spa, restaurant and gym. The hotel is adults only, it scores 9.1 from just over 350 reviews, and the price was around 11,570 baht per night. One guest did feel, however, that the place seems worn and in need of renovation.

One guest writes on Booking.com: โ€œA wonderful place to stay. 10/10. Great location, perfect for adults who want to relax.โ€

See photos and book The Houben here.

Klong Jark Bungalows - bungalows right on the small beach of Klong Jak

Klong Jark Bungalows sits right on Klong Jak beach, a little south of Kantiang Bay, and has a restaurant, bar, spa, playground and a small minimart. It scores 9.1 from just under 270 reviews, and the price was around 4,430 baht per night. One guest did feel, however, that the price is high for the standard.

From one review: โ€œThank you for a truly wonderful stay. An exceptionally warm welcome!โ€

See photos and book Klong Jark Bungalows here.

Aha Lanta Cozy Hostel - cosy hostel a short walk from Kantiang Bay

Aha Lanta is in the village at Kantiang Bay, about a three-minute walk from the beach, and has both dorms and private rooms, a lounge and a terrace, but no pool. It’s adults only, the price was around 1,800 baht per night for two people, and it scores 9.1 from over 400 reviews. One guest thinks the bathrooms could do with a refresh.

One of the guests highlights: โ€œBeautiful hostel, really nicely decorated, spacious and clean. The staff are incredibly helpful.โ€

See photos and book Aha Lanta Cozy Hostel here.

6. Lanta Old Town - best area for local atmosphere ๐Ÿฎ

  • ๐Ÿ“ Distance to the centre: Old Town is on the east coast, about 30 minutes by car from Saladan and around a quarter of an hour from Klong Nin via the road across the island.
  • ๐Ÿš• Transport: Within Old Town itself you can walk everywhere. To reach the beaches on the west coast, you’ll need a tuk-tuk or a scooter.
  • โœˆ๏ธ Time from Krabi Airport: About 2.5 to 3 hours by minibus and car ferry.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Price level: Low to mid-range. The three hotels below cost about 1,190 to 7,000 baht per night when I searched for a weekend in February.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฎ Safety: Safe and calm. The town gets very quiet in the evening once the day-trippers have headed back to the west coast.

Lanta Old Town is Koh Lanta’s old main town and trading port, and it sits on the quiet east coast, facing the small islands in the bay. The main street is lined with old wooden houses, many of them built on stilts over the water, and the red lanterns and shophouses show how Chinese and Malay traders left their mark on the town. This was also where the boats from the mainland docked before the pier in Saladan took over the traffic.

Old wooden stilt houses in Lanta Old Town with a longtail boat in the foreground

Today the old houses are home to cafรฉs, restaurants with terraces over the water and small craft shops, and there’s usually a market in town at the weekend. In several places you can have chopsticks made with your name on them, which is a popular souvenir. Out by the pier you can watch the fishermen and look across to the island of Koh Por, and longtail boats head out to the islands from here. If you love nature, you can combine the town with a kayak trip in the mangroves and a visit to the national park on the same day.

See hotels in Old Town here.

I’d stay here if you’d rather have local atmosphere and good food than a beach right outside your door. Old Town is also a good choice for a couple of nights at the start or end of your trip, and the road across the island makes it easy to combine with a stay at Klong Nin. If you’re staying on the west coast, on the other hand, Old Town is an obvious spot for lunch with a view over the water.

The downside is that there’s no swimming beach in Old Town. The coast here is muddy at low tide, and in the evening there are far fewer restaurants open than on the west coast. For a pure beach holiday, you’re better off staying on the other side of the island.

Hotels in Lanta Old Town

Verona Lanta Resort - highly rated resort with a pool a few minutes from Old Town

Verona Lanta is on a side road about a 5 to 10-minute walk from Old Town and has an outdoor pool with a pool bar, a restaurant, a playground and a large garden. It scores an impressive 9.5 from just under 250 reviews, and the price was about 7,000 baht per night. One guest mentions that the bed was very hard.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “A fantastic place to stay close to Old Town on Koh Lanta. The room was very spacious and the staff were lovely.”

See photos and book Verona Lanta here.

Deep House Sea View - simple rooms with sea views just outside town

Deep House Sea View is just outside Old Town, about a 10 to 15-minute walk from the main street, and has rooms with sea views, a sun deck and a garden. It scores 9.5 from just under 180 reviews, and the price was about 2,000 baht per night. However, one guest writes that the garden behind the suites wasn’t maintained and was full of rubbish.

One guest puts it simply: “The view was amazing.”

See photos and book Deep House Sea View here.

Tonmai Suites - cheap family rooms in the middle of Old Town

Tonmai Suites is on a side road just a couple of minutes’ walk from the main street in Old Town and has large rooms, family rooms and a shared lounge, but no pool. The price was only about 1,190 baht per night, and it scores 8.6 from just under 230 reviews. One guest feels the cleaning and the water pressure in the toilet could be better.

One of the guests highlights: “The family room was lovely and big with plenty of space and had a large balcony overlooking the sea.”

See photos and book Tonmai Suites here.

Where not to stay on Koh Lanta?

Don’t stay on the southern tip or deep in the jungle if you don’t have your own transport and want to get around the island. Taxis are expensive over long distances, and the roads to the south are steep and dark in the evening. Also be careful with villas and bungalows up in the hills: they look great in the photos, but you’ll depend on a scooter or taxi for every single meal.

Think about the season, too. The rainy season on the Andaman Sea runs roughly from May to October, and during those months many restaurants, bars and smaller resorts close, especially in the southern part of the island. If you’re travelling then, stay at Long Beach or Klong Dao, where most places stay open. The rain can last several days in a row, as I describe in my older post about three days of rain on Lanta.

Most people reach Koh Lanta via Krabi Airport, which airlines such as Thai AirAsia and Thai Airways fly to from Bangkok. From the airport, minibuses run to the pier at Hua Hin (not the beach resort of the same name), where a car ferry crosses the narrow strait to Koh Lanta Noi. From there you drive across the island and over the bridge to Koh Lanta Yai, and the journey to Saladan takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. In high season there can be queues for the ferry.

If you’re coming from Phuket or Koh Phi Phi, you can sail directly to the pier in Saladan. By speedboat the trip from Phuket takes about an hour and a half, and from Koh Phi Phi it’s shorter, but timetables change with the season and fewer boats run in the rainy season. Check the current departures with operators such as Tigerline Ferry. If you land in Phuket, you can read about transport from Phuket Airport, and if you’re spending a couple of nights on the island first, take a look at my guide to Phuket.

If it’s your first trip to Koh Lanta, I’d stay at Long Beach. Saladan and Klong Dao are the obvious choice for families with children, Klong Khong suits you if you’re on a tight budget, and Klong Nin is for couples who want peace and quiet and a good beach. Kantiang Bay and the southern tip are for luxury and nature, while Old Town is for you if you’d rather have local atmosphere and good food.

Many people combine Koh Lanta with Krabi and the surrounding islands. If you’re spending a couple of nights on the mainland, see my guide to Krabi, and if you’re into limestone cliffs and longtail boats, you can read about three days in Railay. Koh Phi Phi is a short boat ride away, and I’ve written a travel blog from Phi Phi about the island. If you’re considering more places in the country, take a look at the best places in Thailand.

The post Where to Stay in Koh Lanta? The 6 Best Areas & Places to Stay appeared first on Destination Well Known.

]]>
https://destinationwellknown.com/where-to-stay-koh-lanta/feed/ 0