Koh Lanta in 5 days

Long quiet beaches and slow west-coast sunsets without the Krabi crowds. Best time to visit: November-April. Average daily budget: $35 to $110 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Klong Dao, Longest, calmest beach in the north, shallow water and the best choice for families.

Morning: Four Islands day trip. Snorkel Koh Chuek, wade the Koh Muk Emerald Cave and stop at Koh Ngai.

Afternoon: Explore Klong Dao, Longest, calmest beach in the north, shallow water and the best choice for families.

Evening: Old Town waterfront. Eat seafood on stilts and see the century-old Chinese-Thai shophouses.

Eat: Grilled snapper at an Old Town pier restaurant, picked from the ice

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Long Beach (Phra Ae), The social centre, with beach bars, restaurants and the widest range of stays.

Morning: Mu Ko Lanta National Park. Walk to the lighthouse at the southern tip past resident macaques.

Afternoon: Explore Long Beach (Phra Ae), The social centre, with beach bars, restaurants and the widest range of stays.

Evening: Koh Rok snorkelling. Take the longer boat out to twin uninhabited islands with the clearest water around.

Eat: Southern Thai gaeng som, a sour orange curry that is properly fierce

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Kantiang Bay, Southern horseshoe cove with dramatic headlands and the island's best sunsets.

Morning: Khlong Chak waterfall and the bat cave hike behind it in the wet season. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Kantiang Bay, Southern horseshoe cove with dramatic headlands and the island's best sunsets.

Evening: Sunset at the far end of Nui Bay, reachable only on foot at low tide. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Roti with condensed milk from a night cart on Long Beach

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: Old Town, East-coast stilt houses over the water, seafood restaurants and no beach at all.

Morning: The mangrove kayak channels near Tung Yee Peng village. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Old Town, East-coast stilt houses over the water, seafood restaurants and no beach at all.

Evening: Lanta Animal Welfare's dog-walking scheme, an hour on the beach with a rescue. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Massaman curry, at its best in this Muslim-influenced part of Thailand

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: Bamboo Bay, The far southern tip, tiny, steep and almost entirely undeveloped.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Bamboo Bay, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Bamboo Bay, The far southern tip, tiny, steep and almost entirely undeveloped.

Evening: Dinner at Grilled snapper at an Old Town pier restaurant, picked from the ice, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Bamboo Bay.

Eat: Grilled snapper at an Old Town pier restaurant, picked from the ice

Hidden gems

Khlong Chak waterfall and the bat cave hike behind it in the wet season
Sunset at the far end of Nui Bay, reachable only on foot at low tide
The mangrove kayak channels near Tung Yee Peng village
Lanta Animal Welfare's dog-walking scheme, an hour on the beach with a rescue

Getting around

One road runs the length of the island, so a scooter at 200-250 baht a day is how nearly everyone gets around. Tuk-tuks cost 100-300 baht depending on distance and are pricey for repeat trips. Ferries from Krabi take two hours, from Phi Phi 90 minutes, and in low season you switch to minivans over the two car bridges.

Safety

Koh Lanta is calm and safe, with scooter accidents on the steep southern hills the biggest real hazard, so wear a helmet and check your insurance covers riding. Sandflies bite on some beaches at dusk. Swimming is dangerous during the May to October monsoon, when strong currents run and many west-coast businesses close entirely.

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