Lanta Island - Krabi Thailand so nice.

Lanta Island - Krabi Thailand so nice.

by darksingha

Ko Lanta lied on the west coast of Andaman Sea in between Krabi and Phi Phi Island . Large Size Island with 6 km wide and over 30 kms long, 9 beaches lie from north to south along the sunset coast. Stunning scenery, fantastic white sandy beaches, coastlines have more than 70 small islands and plenty with forest, coral reefs and under water life. Exposed to the Tsunami hit southern Thailand , Koh Lanta got very little physical affected. She has been quietly recovering with most hotels operating normally. Koh Lanta was very fortunate in that no damage occurred to the natural scenic beauty. All the beaches remain as beautiful as ever. All dive sites did not suffer in the disaster, rather the water is cleaner and clearer than ever.


How to get Ko Lanta

Ko Lanta is easy and inexpensive to reach from Phuket, Bangkok or Malaysia . The island is serviced by passenger ferries from both Krabi & Phi Phi and car ferries from the mainland.

Krabi is the most convenient gateway to Ko Lanta if coming from Bangkok, and if arriving from Phuket passage is via either Phi Phi or Krabi. Trang also serves as a regional transit point for those coming in from the south. Please bear in mind that if your arrival time is late in the day, the local minibus or public passenger ferries scheduled for Ko Lanta may not always be available.

Location of Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta yai ( big ) & Koh Lanta noi ( small ) are located in the

Andaman Sea of South-West-Thailand ( Malayan Peninsula ), about 45 km south of Krabi-town in the Krabi province.

~ 7' 28" north latitude, ~ 99' 4" east longitude.

The islands are only one km away from the mainland and accessible by ferry / car-ferry all year round.

The Koh Lanta district contains 53 islands which mainly are part of the Koh Lanta marine national park.


moutain of ko lanta island

Tourism in Koh Lanta

As mentioned in chapter Development, the develoment of tourism is ongoing for the last 20 years. The real ignition spark came about 6 years ago, when basic infrastructures arrived on the island. Every year since then, tens of new resorts, restaurants, shop etc. start their services along the west coast, right on the beach as well as at nearby mainstreets and hill sites.

Typical tourism "high season" is from November until May, with "paek season" from of December 20th until January 10th. Many businesses are opened all year round with very low prices during "low season", June until October. This time of the year is wonderful, too.

Tourist services of any style & for any budget are offered to the distinguished guest from around the world.

Well, so much information to display about Koh Lanta's tourism - too much for this web-site. Please refer to our Links to Ko Lanta for more details about accommodation, activities, transportation etc.

Here we would like to give you a brief overview of the "Tourist destination Ko Lanta".

The tourist center of Ko Lanta is " Ban Saladan " at the northern tip of Koh Lanta yai. Many shops, supermarkets, travel agents, dive-shops, restaurants and other facilities make it worth to spend some good time there. For most tourist guests on the island, this cosy village is the first and the last place to see, whilst being on the island.

Ferries to/from Krabi, Pee Pee and Phuket are departing and arriving at Ban Saladan pier, only.

All beaches on the west coast, in order from north to south : ( mentioned prices are estimated, average "high/low season" prices )

The first beach, "Klong Dow Beach", next to Ban Saladan, which is known to be the most beautiful beach, about 2 kilometer long, flat and white sanded. There are about 20 resorts on this beach. Prices from 400 - 4500 THB per night.

The second beach, " Phra Ae Beach or Long Beach ", about 5 kilometers long, nice and sandy. There are about 17 resorts on this beach. Prices from 250 - 4500 THB per night.

The third beach, " Klong Khong Beach ", 3 km long with sand and rocks. Great sunsets. There are about 22 resorts on this beach. Prices from 200 - 900 THB per night.

The forth beach, " Klong Tob Beach ", a short strip with sand and rocks. A very quiet beach with only a few bungalows around. Prices from 250 - 1000 THB per night.

The fifth beach, " Klong Nin Beach ", a beautiful 1,5 km long beach with about 10 bungalow resort. The famous "Otto Bar" just moved to there, formerly located at Klong Dow Beach. Prices from 250 - 4800 THB per night.

The sixth beach, " Klong Hin Beach ", with sandy and rocky parts - good for snorkeling. Klong Hin Beach is about 1 km long and has 3 resorts so far. Prices from 250 - 2600 THB per night.

The seventh beach, " Kan Thiang Beach or Bay ", a beautiful, curved sandy beach, 800 meter long. The only 4+ star Resort and Spa "Pimalai" and 3 other resorts are located there. Prices from 250 - 21000 (!) THB per night.

The eighth beach, " Klong Jark Beach, a small and quiet beach, surrounded by tropical jungle. There are 3 resorts on this beach. Prices from 300 - 900 THB per night.

The ninth beach, " Aow Mai Bai or Bamboo Bay " is the last beach outside the national marine park which is next to it. A quiet and private beach with only 2 bungalow resorts. Prices from 250 - 800 THB per night.

And last but not least the tenth and most southern beach, " Ta Noad Beach ", next to the old light-house, the landmark of Ko Lanta. The Lanta marine national park head-quarter is located right at this beach. No resorts or other commercial facilities there.


Ko Lanta is a diver's paradise for beginners and the experienced. There are very few places on the planet where divers can enjoy an underwater world so rich and diverse. And imagine learning to dive in water that's the same temperature as your bath water at home.



Nature in Koh Lanta Ko Lanta island offers tropical nature at it's best..

The tropical paradise off the south-west coast of Thailand has 25 km of beautiful beaches backed by verdant jungle & rain forest.

Here you still find real big trees, many animal species, including rare birds, mammals and reptiles. More then 80% of the island are covered with tropical rain forest, which is mostly protected national-park area.

The mangrove coast in south Thailand, covers sinking limestone ranges, millions of years old. On Koh lanta there are many mangroves, which you can admire while going on a canoe-trip. Mangroves and intertidal mudflats are of great conservation value in Thailand, helping sustain valuable inshore fisheries and protecting the coast from erosion.

If you arrive by car ferry, than watch out for monkeys, which are living here in the mangroves. They are crab-eating macaques and one of the numerous mammal species living in this environment.

Nature for a living, rubber tree and palm tree plantations: On Lanta are hundreds of rubber tree plantations, which are tapped every day before sunrise. The rubber then has to be dried, cleaned, and pressed, before being sold as 1,2 kg mats. Coconut palms and oil palms are common on Koh Lanta as in the whole south of Thailand and they provide a modest income for the local farmers.

Ko Lanta's rich waters offer sandy coves, coral reefs, limestone rock outcrops, rock reefs, seamounts and pinnacles, undersea caverns and tunnels and sunken ships. Water temperature ranges from 27 to 31 degrees - ideal for scuba-diving, corals and tropical fishes. More than 200 hard corals and 108 reef fish species have been catalogues in a study under way, but thousands more organisms around, too. The twin peaks of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are rated in the worlds top 10 list of dive sites.

While tourism has grown quickly in the last few years, Ko Lanta has retained its traditional charm and great natural beauty.

READ MORE - Lanta Island - Krabi Thailand so nice.

What is your intention for the holidays?

What is your intention for the holidays?

by Amy Lippman

I grew up in Miami and every December my husband Steve and I go to Miami to visit my parents for a few days. My parents are big "foodies." They love good food and love treating us to nice meals out when we're with them. I also love good food and eating at nice restaurants, but I find that when I eat several meals out in a row that I don't enjoy it as much. Each meal out no longer feels special. Sometimes less is more, know what I mean?

Last December I did an experiment. Rather than going out to eat every night that we were in Miami, I decided I would do some cooking. I was on vacation and didn't have much to do, so cooking was fun and relaxing. I was able to try some new recipes and give my mom a break from cooking dinner every night. The best part? My family loved all the yummy food I cooked! It didn't feel like a sacrifice to stay in for dinner. It was fun and delicious.

In about a week Steve and I leave for Miami where we'll be enjoying a 2-week vacation. I am sure this vacation will include some decadent meals out - especially since we will be celebrating my birthday and our second anniversary. I am looking forward to these special meals, but I am also looking forward to continuing this new tradition of enjoying some special meals at home. (I think my parents are also looking forward to this!)

I have also set an intention that I will continue to exercise while on vacation. I don't have a gym membership in Miami, but that won't get in my way. I'll walk and jog outside, go to my parents gym where I can pay a small fee for each visit and use the weights or take a spinning class, and perhaps check out a local yoga or pilates studio.

Now you might be thinking this sounds like a sacrifice. Why would I want to cook and exercise on my vacation? I don't see it as a sacrifice at all. Rather, I am making decisions to do things that are going to make me feel great - without feeling deprived. My goal isn't to achieve some sort of unattainable perfection over the holidays, but to have a balance. And I know from past experience that this will keep my mood and my energy will balanced so I can having an amazing vacation.

What small steps can you take to achieve a balance during the holidays? The things that will make you feel great may be different than the things that make me feel great. Maybe you will eat more mindfully, make a healthier version of a holiday dish, or try a new outdoor activity. Take a minute to think about it.

What's your intention for the holidays? I'd love to hear from you. Email your questions and comments to me at amy@wellnesshealthcoaching.com or contact me to schedule a complimentary one-hour nutrition and health consultation.

READ MORE - What is your intention for the holidays?

Waikiki Restaurants-We Love Them, But ...

Waikiki Restaurants-We Love Them, But ...

by Lori Downes

You're on vacation in beautiful Waikiki and you want to go out for a romantic dinner overlooking the ocean. You walk around a bit and find a place with a great view and nice ambiance. You go in expecting a nice meal only to be disappointed with bad service and mediocre food. Unfortunately, this has happened to us quite a few times. Sometimes we find a place with good food but the staff and service are so bad we don't go back. What's going on and how do you find the good restaurants in Waikiki?

Like many other tourist destinations, it seems some restaurants in Waikiki take advantage of the customers who are only in town for vacation. Since these tourists probably won't become regular customers, the restaurants don't put the energy into quality food and service. And just because a place is expensive does not mean it's going to be any better than a cheaper one. For some places, you basically pay for the view and that's all you're going to get.

This is a frustrating situation but not hopeless. There are terrific restaurants in Honolulu and Waikiki and here's how to find them. Check guide books and online reviews like those at www.tripadvisor.com. Get recommendations from your friends and the hotel concierge. Often the hotel concierge will have sample menus from area restaurants you can look at. Also talk to other hotel staff or even shop clerks. These people are locals and can point you in the right direction. They can tell you about the good places and also the restaurants to avoid. (Keep in mind that sometimes the concierge and taxi drivers receive commissions and discounts from the places they recommend so try to ask around.)

Well known hotels usually have nice restaurants, bars and cafes. We've found some amazing restaurants that we will go back to again and again and two of our favorites are Musashi in the Hyatt and Sansei in the Marriott. Both the Hyatt and the Marriott are international hotels with reputations for quality and they work hard to earn and keep that reputation. You may never come back to their Waikiki locations but chances are, you will have the opportunity to visit another location in the future so they want to keep you happy.

It's a shame that some of the restaurants in Waikiki are less than stellar but you will find others that are simply amazing. You can see our favorites at www.honolulu-insider.com. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

READ MORE - Waikiki Restaurants-We Love Them, But ...