From party-going backpackers at the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan, dive enthusiasts on Koh Tao, rock climbers in Krabi, honeymooners and families on holiday on Koh Samui and Koh Phi Phi, the islands in southern Thailand offer something for just about everyone. As a result, many have become increasingly popular and crowded over the years, especially during the drier winter season. The reality of secluded white sand beaches meeting vibrant turquoise waters, where your only company is that of the gentle offshore breeze and a few picturesque wooden longtail boats anchored off the beach, has become mostly a myth at this point. Instead, many of these islands are now home to trash-littered beaches, overcrowded tours, and hiked up prices.
Except for this one largely yet to be discovered island off the coast of Krabi: Koh Lanta.
This sleepy, slow-paced island has yet to be claimed by The Beach effect (Maya bay on Koh Phi Phi–where the famous movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed–is closed indefinitely due to environmental damage from heavy tourist traffic) and remains relatively undeveloped compared to holiday hotspots like Phuket and other Thai islands. On Koh Lanta, one can still find empty beaches and seclusion from the crowds to truly get away from it all.
I went to Koh Lanta after a wild–and sleep deprived–week ringing in the New Year in Chiang Mai and needed some beach time to relax and recover, and that’s exactly what I found.
The Beaches
Easily, the best aspect of Koh Lanta is the quiet and idyllic beaches. The entire west coast of the island is littered with, what are in my opinion, the nicest beaches in all of Thailand. Imagine long, wide stretches of fine-grained white sand, calm, clear tropical waters to swim in, and only a few other people to share it with. Or, just take a look at the following photos and see for yourself:
Other beaches include: Nui Bay (small and scenic but can get busy during mid-day), Klong Chak (title image), and Klong Khong (best nightlife, especially at the Mushroom Bar).
What to Do
Rent a Motorbike
The easiest, and cheapest, way to get around Koh Lanta is via motorbike. Renting one will cost around 200 baht per day for an automatic bike (you can get a small discount if you rent it for multiple days). While riding motorbikes on many of the other Thai islands (particularly Koh Phangan), and just driving in Thailand in general, can be extremely dangerous, there is hardly any traffic on Koh Lanta and only a few roads, making it near impossible to get lost. It is actually a great place to learn if you’ve never driven one before! However, do use caution if you choose to drive yourself as the roads can have many potholes and Thai drivers can be very unpredictable.
Head south towards all the beaches mentioned above; the further south you go, (generally) the quieter the beaches will get. I spent most of my days driving around and beach hopping on my motorbike.
At the southern tip of the island is a National Park with a few hikes and another secluded beach. I didn’t go because I’m quite poor and the entrance fee costs 200 baht (and the beaches are free!).
Browse the markets and shops of Old Town on the east side of the island.
Go north to the quieter Koh Lanta Noi and drive through the countryside and past small local villages. This part of Koh Lanta is virtually void of tourists and offers a small glimpse of local island life.
Explore!! There’s only one road that goes around the island and a few that cross it, but it’s easy to get away from it all here. I could have easily spent another week driving around and discovering new spots.
4 Island Tour
If you’re feeling as if you actually need to do something instead of wasting away the days sun bathing on the beach, the 4 Island Tour is a popular option (but is there anything really that wrong with relaxing on the beach all day? Didn’t think so). I’m usually not a fan of tours or “Top-things to Do,” as they are often overcrowded and overpriced tourists traps; however, this tour, though still being overcrowded, is well worth the 700 Baht price and brings visitors to some incredible sights.
The four islands include Koh Ngai for snorkeling and beach time, Koh Mook for the majestic Emerald Cave and lunch on the beach, and more snorkeling on Koh Chueak and Koh Kradan.
The highlight of the trip is the Emerald Cave–a true geologic wonder that is only accessed by an 80 meter swim from the open sea through a tight dark tunnel before it opens up to a small emerald pool and sandy beach in the middle of the island. The beach is surrounded by immense steep cliffs on all sides and can only be seen from the sky above, making it the perfect little secret hideout. Legend has it, pirates once used the cave to safely store their treasure. It’s a refuge even Robinson Crusoe would have been jealous of!
My only complaints of the tour is that it is overpacked with people (but that’s how it always goes) and much of the time is spent on the boat, leaving little time to actually enjoy the stops. Although, for 700 Baht (including lunch and snacks), it is one of the more reasonably prices tours I’ve found on any of the Thai islands and allows you to see some of the lesser visited islands in the area. If you are with a group, I would, instead, recommend hiring a private longtail boat for a day (about 7,000 Baht for the boat), allowing you to visit the same places without the huge crowds of people.
Enjoy the Sunsets!
Koh Lanta has some incredible sunsets and a number of bars and restaurants offering seaside views where you can watch the sun go down while enjoying a delicious local Thai or seafood meal.
These are just a few of the reasons Koh Lanta has become my favorite island in Thailand. I would highly recommend a visit if you are planning a trip to the Land of Smiles, but please, please, please (I seriously can’t emphasize this enough) travel responsibly and sustainably so this magical place doesn’t end up like all those other crowded, polluted Thai islands. Remember to always be mindful of buying single-use plastics, where your waste ends up, and how your actions affect the local environment and communities.
This comes from a post I wrote for the ISA Student Blog back when I was studying abroad in Bangkok, Thailand in 2016. Click here for the original post.
While always full of new sights and experiences, the bustling metropolis of Bangkok, Thailand can feel a bit overwhelming at times. Sometimes we just need to escape the smog and noise of the city and relax in nature. Thailand is full of natural beauty, but many of the common postcard-worthy locations are in the north or the southern islands and require multi-day trips. If you are a busy college student and only have a day or two to spare, no need to worry, there are many options to find fresh air and outdoor activities near Bangkok. The following three locations are all within a few hours of the city and provide one-of-a-kind views and unforgettable experiences with wildlife.
Khao Yai National Park
Located north of Bangkok, Khao Yai National Park is the largest national park in Thailand. Upon arriving at the park, you will likely be immediately greeted by large groups of macaques scavenging for food or grooming each other on the side of the road. Look more closely and the park’s other primate species, gibbons, can be seen gracefully swinging between trees and vines. Other wildlife commonly found include elephant, deer, and horn bills. According to our guide, there are only ten Tigers left in the park and you would have to be extraordinarily lucky (or unlucky!) to spot one. A guided day tour in the park will include jungle trekking and visiting several majestic waterfalls. The most famous being Haew Suwat waterfall, immortalized by the film ‘The Beach’ when Leonardo DiCaprio’s character leapt dozens of feet into the pool below. Make sure to bring long pants and proper shoes for Khao Yai, as leaches are common and river crossings are often unavoidable.
Erawan Falls National Park
To the west of Bangkok, near Kanchanaburi, lies another of Thailand’s many national parks. Despite its proximity to Bangkok and Kanchanaburi, Erawan Falls is rarely overcrowded with tourists and can be a nice place to relax and unwind. There is a series of waterfalls along an easily walk-able path that leads to several different emerald green pools where one can escape the heat. Make sure you walk all the way to the top, as there will be less people and you might even have your own private swimming hole!
Elephant Haven Thailand
Also near Kanchanaburi is a quiet elephant sanctuary along the river called Elephant Haven. Elephants are an important symbol for Thailand and it is on almost every travelers bucket list to see one. However, many elephants have been mistreated for popular tourist activities like elephant riding and elephant shows (read why you shouldn’t ride elephants here). All the elephants at this sanctuary have been rescued from these types of events and now enjoy freedom. A day at Elephant Haven involves swimming with the elephants in the river and bathing and feeding them. Expect to completely fall in love with these magnificent creatures and to come away with an epic new profile picture!
Oh, Ko Phi Phi—the crown jewel of Thailand. Where warm turquoise waters meet bleach blonde beaches and wooden longtail boats glide over lively coral reefs and under towering limestone cliffs. A picturesque destination for honeymooners looking for a romantic getaway and young backpackers in search of booze-brimmed beach parties—this island archipelago has a little something for everyone. Unfortunately, what makes this gem so appealing is also what makes it one of the pricier and more over-crowded destinations in Thailand.
After studying in Bangkok for over three months, the Andaman Islands were the final leg of my journey before returning home to the States. At this point in my trip I had exhausted much of my funds and just wanted to squeeze out one last grand adventure before saying goodbye to Thailand. My partner Ashley and I arrived at the pier on Ko Phi Phi Don with little money, some spare clothes, a tent, and a bottle of Hong Thong.
Taking our tight budget into account, we wanted to utilize the tent as much as possible. I had read about a place called Green Beach Camping Resort on the far side of the island that offered camping spots for a few Baht a night. Sticking to our cheap-o no-unnecessary-costs budget travel agenda (read my Thailand budget travel post on the ISA Student Blog here), we deferred to hiking across the island rather than paying for a longtail to ferry us there. According to Google Maps, the hike was only about an hour. How hard could it be, right?
We stopped for directions to the trailhead and the lady we asked thought otherwise.
“Oh no, bad idea. It is very hard for you.”
Maybe we should have taken her advice. Nonetheless, our pride and ignorance proved too great and we continued on. Neither of us was prepared for what would come next.
The next couple hours were spent climbing up to four different viewpoints that overlooked the island, bushwhacking around snake-infested underbrush, and wandering through dense jungle with only Google Maps screenshots for navigation. Eventually we arrived at the new and shiny megaresort Phi Phi Island Village and walked through a quaint village adjacent to Lo Lana Bay, where Green Beach was located. Once more stopping to ask directions to the camping area, we were met with quizzical looks from the locals.
“I wonder if this place actually exists,” Ashley inquired.
As if on cue, the path looped around a corner and appeared a large wooden sign with ‘Green Beach Camping Resort’ lazily painted across it. We followed the trail to what we presumed to be our final destination, drenched in sweat and relieved to at last lay our packs down.
Instead, we found an open grassy area filled with scattered trash and a small deserted open-air structure—which I assumed to be the front desk. The yard was littered with empty Chang bottles, pieces of half-burnt firewood, and various forms of discarded plastic—bags, bottles, boxes, etc. It was obvious no one had been here in months. This is not how TripAdvisor portrayed this place to be.
There weren’t any other cheap accommodations on this side of the island and walking all the way back to the pier was not an option for either of us at this point, so we decided to set up camp in the vacant lot. Not one minute into setting up the tent, an old, wiry local approached us. The man had rough leather-like skin, showing the years of labor under the sweltering Thailand sun, and shaggy gray hair that shot out in all directions. He didn’t speak English but spoke to us as if we could understand everything he was saying. The man’s voice rose and it didn’t take long to realize that we were being kicked out.
Well, shit.
We resorted to the beach to weigh our options. Lo Lana Bay consists of a long stretch of white-sand beach, flanked by rocky shores on either side. A simple sea gypsy village sits along the shore to the left. The inhabitants live in modest wooden homes perched on stilts and spend all day weaving fishing nets and collecting shellfish. It is only possible to reach the village during low tide when the rocks are exposed.
I think it was Ashley who suggested we take one of the abandoned homes for the night.
The sun would soon dip below the horizon and it looked like we were staying on the beach that night, which wasn’t the safest or most legal option, but seemed to be our only one considering the circumstances. As we began to accept our fate, a group of westerners paraded by, joking loudly. They started along the rocky outcrop, towards the sea gypsy village. Just before reaching the village, the group took a sharp left, scrambled up a steep hill, and disappeared into the jungle.
Curious as to where they went—and frankly, just down on our luck—we followed. We reached the hill, where a lone rope tied to the end of a tree at the top was the only source of stability. After reaching the top, we descended through thick jungle until it opened up and revealed the most pristine beach I had ever seen, nestled in this little cove between immense karst cliffs that jutted out of the sea on either side. Here, we found the westerners, a tour group led by their guide, Paul, a jovial Englishman who has been living on the island for the better part of five years.
I looked to Ashley and smiled.
“I think we found our spot.”
We shared drinks and laughs with our new friends and watched the sun expire for the night. Soon the group would make the long trek back to the pier, leaving Ashley and I to our private beach paradise.
The next few days were something out of a dream. We kept to a daily routine of waking up to the crashing of waves on the beach, and going for an early morning swim before lying out to dry under the warm sun. Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort is a luxury resort catered towards couples and families and had all the amenities including beach bungalows, gourmet international restaurants, and an infinity pool with a view of the jade-tinted Andaman Sea. Only a short walk away, we put on our best act as a honeymooning couple and spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool and indulging in all the resort had to offer (like complimentary dumplings served poolside!). No one thought twice of us.
Once the day began to wind down, we made our way back to camp, stopping for supplies in the village first—the essentials of water, Pringles, and rum. We strolled along the beach, made our way over the rocks, gave a modest ‘sawatdee’ to our neighbors in the sea gypsy village, and returned to our beach, just in time to watch the sun set over The Land of Smiles.
