Ko Lanta: Thailand’s True Definition of Paradise
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If there was one thing that we needed after leaving Vietnam, it was a small beach side bungalow on a quiet island with relatively no tourists. Sounds like too much to ask for, right?
Wrong! Luckily enough for us we chose the perfect time to visit Ko Lanta; during low season or what Lanta residents call “green season”.
“From the minute we arrived on Lanta we had a feeling that we were in the right place.”
You know when you finally get to a destination after long hours of traveling and you have this feeling inside you that you’re finally here and you must be here for a reason? That’s exactly how we felt once we stepped foot on to our top rated Klong Dao beach resort.
Accommodations
Due to it being green season in Ko Lanta, we scored a relatively unheard of deal at one of Lanta’s best resorts; Ancient Realm Resort & Spa. They also have a pretty engaging Facebook Fan Page as well.
Our sea side bungalow was just steps from beach as was the on-site restaurant and the swimming pool! Our original plans we to stay 2 or 3 nights at Ancient Realm before moving to another location on the island but that plan was quickly scrapped after spending our first night here. Once we realized the actual value we were getting for our money here at Ancient Realm, we ended up staying for a total of two weeks!
Sunsets
The sunsets on Klong Dao Beach in Ko Lanta were some of the best I’ve ever seen. If you’re looking for that picture perfect island with sunsets that consistently top the previous day, this is where you want to be.
Restaurants
To be honest, there are so many great places to eat on Ko Lanta that it’s hard to list them all so I will just list a few of our favorites.
German Bakery — The owner and staff here at the German Bakery are top-notch and so aren’t their pastries and sandwiches. Do yourself a favor and order a sandwich on their freshly baked Ciabatta bread. The bread is to die for! Liz recommends the blueberry crumb cake.
Auntie Mae’s Bakery — With more desserts/pastries on offer than the German Bakery, Auntie Mae’s wins the “Best Bakery” title in Ko Lanta in our opinion. They also serve excellent food here as well. From Pizza to Sandwiches, and more. This place is very clean and the decor is very modern compared to most establishments on the island. Don’t miss out on Auntie Mae’s!
Red Snapper Restaurant — If you’re looking for a more sophisticated dining experience, look no further than Red Snapper. With a menu that’s constantly changing, deciding on what meal to order will always prove to be a tough decision. The one thing that you can consistently count on is that your meal will consist of some of the best quality food on the island. Extra points: Say Hi to the owner (Joyce) for me and mention that you read about the Red Snapper Restaurant right here on Pause The Moment.
Krua Nutjawa — Plain and simple, this place cooks up the best garlic chicken with rice on the entire island. Yes, it’s a simple meal but I’ve yet to find a better tasting Thai dish on the island. Especially for the price! If you’re on a budget and you’re looking for some yummy, yet cheap food… Krua Nutjawa is where it’s at!
Tips for Ko Lanta
- Learn to Ride — Test your driving skills on Lanta! If you’re from the U.S. or really any other country who drives on the right hand side of the road feel free to give driving a shot while on Ko Lanta. Why Lanta? Because due to the lack of tourists on this island in comparison to some of the other touristy and over developed Thai islands, there is a lot less traffic here. This will surely make your Thai driving experience a lot less risky. Once you get the hang of it, you may be able to give your newly acquired skills a shot in a city like Chiang Mai.
- Remote Beaches — Explore ALL of the beaches along Ko Lanta’s west coast. Some of our favorites were; Klong Dao Beach, Kan Tiang Bay, Mai Pai Bay, and Bamboo Bay. The further you go south along the west coast the better and more secluded the beaches get. On more than a few occasions we had the entire beach to ourselves. The sea water here stays around 29C/84F all year round. Ahh, (sigh) the memories!
- Thai Cooking Classes — There’s a few places on the island that offer Thai cooking classes and some are better than others. If you’re interested in taking a traditional Thai cooking class be sure to check out Lanta Thai Cookery School. Liz enrolled in a Thai cooking class at Lanta Thai Cookery School during our stay on the island and she had an absolute blast of a time. Another seemingly popular yet more expensive Thai cooking class takes place at an establishment called Time for Lime.
- Diving & Snorkeling — Diving and snorkeling is extremely popular in Lanta. We’re not divers ourselves but we did do a snorkeling trip with one of the most reputable companies on the island called Kon-tiki. The snorkeling trip took us out to Ko Haa where Liz and I were able to catch a glimpse of black tip reef sharks, colorful starfish, moray eels, and many other colorful underwater creatures.
- Visit the Markets — The markets in Saladan should not be missed. Be ready to haggle and never accept the first price. Here’s a great example: I was interested in purchasing a pair of Oakley sunglasses and the guy wanted 750baht. I told him “No, thanks” because I really didn’t need the glasses anyways. As I walked around his store he followed me around asking how much I want to pay and knowing that the glasses are quite obviously knock offs I offered him 150baht for them. “No, no that’s a good deal for you, not good deal for me” he kept saying. By the time I left I had myself a new pair of sunglasses for 150baht. I saved an estimated total of $19.75 USD by haggling lightly and respectfully with the shop owner. Remember, if it’s $0.50 cents that you’re haggling over, then that’s an issue. If it’s $10 USD, then you’re doing the right thing.
Conclusion
We enjoyed every second of our time spent on Ko Lanta and we highly recommend this island to travelers who are looking for a cheap island destination that lacks the crowds of Ko Phi Phi, Ko Samui and other over developed Thai islands.
If you’re looking for a party island, Ko Lanta shouldn’t be your first choice or your second. There are far better islands for nightlife and partying if that’s your thing. Ko Lanta seems to cater to a crowd that enjoys the occasional drink or two, rather than a full scale full moon party if you know what I mean. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or just a quiet weekend away in paradise, Ko Lanta awaits YOU!
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Ko Lanta is fantastic! We’re in Ko Lanta at the moment too! Make sure you visit Blue Moon bar one evening on Klong Nin beach and if you are staying for longer try and get a room at Fevrier Resort, two of the nicest people I have ever met run it.
Wow, I envy you guys! Thanks for the Fevrier Resort tip, will definitely keep that in mind.
Spot on Ryan,this really sounds like the Lanta where I already live for more than 7,5 years.
Thanks Joyce! Great to hear such good feedback from someone who actually LIVES on Lanta! ;)
I’d like to go now, pleasethankyou :) The Thai cooking classes look particularly interesting, I’d love to learn how to cook real Thai food mmmmmmmm
Let’s go! You, me, Liz… maybe a little bit of Yoga… and Ko Lanta!
Chiang Mai and Koh Lanta are two destinations that have made it onto our itinerary thanks to posts like this one.
Can’t wait to check it out!
Kieron recently posted..Frugal Foodie Ideas
Those are two destinations that absolutely cannot be missed during a trip to Thailand! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on both places.
Bring on Koh Lanta! We’ll be there soon, probably about 3 weeks. I can’t wait!
I hear you! I want to be on Lanta right now as well. Good luck on your trip and be sure to report back to us! ;)
Koh Lanta is nice but for unbelievable paradise, check out Koh Rok. We spent 5 days there. It was pure bliss. Only 4 other people on the Island while we were staying there.
I heard about Koh Rok actually. Sounds like an adventure! I would love to get out there one of these days.
Conclusion: looks like heaven on earth!!!
Andi of My Beautiful Adventures recently posted..Meet My Fiance- Lucas
That’s because it is! Haha
Sounds like my kind of place. I don’t like the sound of some of those backpacker party places, but this seems the right speed. The sunsets alone look other-worldly!
Suzy recently posted..Zihuatanejo- Mexico Wishes You Were Here
We’re with you Suzy! We had originally planned on heading to Ko Samui until we heard the full moon party was going on there the following day. At that point we decided to change up our plans and head to the laid back island of Ko Lanta. In the end we felt like we made a great decision.
Great write-up on Koh Lanta, Ryan! Lanta is one of my absolute favorite places in the world. I’m currently in Mui Ne, Vietnam, which reminds me a lot of it, but Lanta is still the best. :-)
I was there in November with Backpacking Matt and we just ADORED the island — and ate at Red Snapper three nights in a row, including on Thanksgiving Day. LOVE that place!
Great beaches, great motorbiking and the nicest people in Thailand…Lanta is just fantastic!
Adventurous Kate recently posted..Don’t Leave Before You’re Ready
Thanks Kate! I know, you loved Lanta just as much as we did! I’ve heard lots about Mui Ne, sounds great there. Red Snapper rocks, right!? We ate there several times, it was Liz’s favorite place to dine on the island for sure.
Going in Thailand in just 3 months and Adventurous Kate had already made us add Koh Lanta to possible places to visit. Now, I’ve read yours and god, I think it’s not a possibility anymore but a MUST go to. Wow! Thanks a lot for the great post + infos about Koh Lanta.
Excellent job. I’ve bookmarked you!
so right about Ko Lanta! I’ve been around quite a bit of Thailand before and this place just had the best vibe, the perfect balance of calm and happiness and partying (only if you want it and look for it)…..
Just spent two weeks there, have arrived home to Melbourne devastated that I left the island, and am actively working out a plan to go back there for a few months….whatever it takes, teach english, sing in bars, whatever! anyone got any advice?? :)
Thanks Raleigh. You’re exactly right, the partying is a lot more low key on Lanta versus other islands. I like being able to “find it” if you want it instead of it being what the island is all about. I, too, am looking forward to get back there next year. BTW, I checked out your site and you’ve got a great voice!
Hello, I’m the onwer of Faim de Loup French Bakery !!! since 2002 on Ko Lanta; did you try our products ?? not a world about us ? For all the readers of your nice blog , just go to trip advisor Ko Lanta restaurant and you’ll see, someone is finally talking about us :) Merci Ryan.
serge
Hi Serge, I’m not sure that we tried your bakery while on Lanta. We’ll definitely visit you the next time we visit Lanta. Thank you for your comment.
Great write-up on Koh Lanta, Ryan! I’ve heard lots about Mui Ne, sounds great there. I’ve bookmarked you!
Kristine Saunders recently posted..Gout Tips
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