Koh Lanta Travel Guide: 3-Day Itinerary and 10 Best Things to Do

Are you looking to include Koh Lanta in your Thailand island-hopping itinerary? Look no further. In this Koh Lanta travel guide, we’ll share the 10 best things to do, how to spend three or four days in Koh Lanta, and useful information to plan your time in the island.

Travelling in Southeast Asia? Check our two-month itinerary: Two Months Traveling in Southeast Asia: Our Itinerary.

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Table of Contents

Where is Koh Lanta?

Koh Lanta is located to the south of Krabi, east of Koh Phi Phi, and southwest of Phuket in the Andaman Sea. It is only one-hour ferry away from Phi Phi Don.

Quick Introduction to Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta is more of a local island, but still with good infrastructure for tourists without losing much of its authenticity. While it doesn’t have the most beautiful beaches, the island has many other things to offer and it has such a great laidback vibe that we loved our time there.

One of the best things to do in Koh Lanta is to explore the island by motorbike from north to south. The roads are in good condition and there’s not much traffic.

There are also great snorkeling day trips from Koh Lanta. We did a snorkeling trip to Koh Rok and Koh Ha and it was amazing. This snorkeling tour was one of the highlights of our entire trip in Southeast Asia. We saw a lot of healthy coral reefs and lots of marine life including Nemo, the clownfish.

I loved Koh Lanta, but if you’re expecting to enjoy the island’s beaches, you might be a bit disappointed. But, there are plenty of tours to nearby small islands with crystal clear blue water and white sand beaches that look like paradise and much less crowded than Koh Phi Phi.

Koh Lanta is also a great place to stop and spend a few days before heading to Koh Lipe (around three hours by speedboat).

Related article: Koh Lipe: Best Things to Do and Tips for First-Timers

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10 Best Things to do in Koh Lanta

Without further ado, here’s a list of the 10 best things to do in Koh Lanta. You’ll need at least three full days in Koh Lanta to cover them all.

1) Explore the Island by Motorbike

Koh Lanta is a great place to explore by motorbike. The roads are in good condition, there isn’t much traffic and you can explore several beaches along the coast and find nice bars and restaurants with a view.

We explored Koh Lanta during two days by motorbike and we loved the experience. If you’re not very experienced driving a motorbike, this is a great place to get started.

2) Relax at the Beach

Koh Lanta has a great stretch of sand beaches on its western side. The beaches here have a coarse and golden sand, thus the water will not have that crystal clear blue color effect that we are used in paradise-like beaches we often see in Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lipe.

However, these beaches have a great vibe with wooden bars with thatched roofs, bungalows and restaurants along the coast. Most of the bars have chairs and hammocks, it’s perfect to spend some time relaxing and wind down.

Klong Khong Beach and Long Beach are two of the most popular beaches with lots of facilities along the coast. But, the most beautiful are the ones further south like the Kantiang Bay and Bamboo Bay. If you want something more secluded, we recommend spending some time at Nui Bay.

You may also like reading: Ao Nang Travel Guide for First-Timers (Krabi, Thailand)

3) Explore Mu Ko Lanta National Park

Spend a morning or afternoon exploring Mu Ko Lanta National Park. Here, you can go to the beach, hike the nature trail and see the views from the light house. The entrance to the National Park was 400 baht per person.

The nature trail goes through the rain forest, 400 meters are a natural path and the other 1.6 km are on a cement path. Along the nature path you can see different species of plants and animals, including monkeys.

Be careful with the monkeys. They love to rob food and plastic bags. The ranger at the National Park gave us a stick, in case we need to use it to scare the monkeys. Fortunately, that was not needed.

At the end of the trail, you’ll have beautiful panoramic view of the beach and lighthouse. There’s a swing at the beach where you can take some nice pictures.

4) Explore the Mangrove Forest

When in Koh Lanta, don’t miss exploring the mangrove forest. From the Thung Yee Peng Pier, there are different ways to explore the mangrove. You can walk the nature trail, rent kayaks or hire a long tail boat for a more complete experience.

We did the hiking trail (40 baht fee per person). It was quite short, you can do it in approximately half an hour or less. If you’ve never been into a mangrove, I think it will be more interesting to explore by boat or kayak, otherwise, the hiking trail will do just fine.

5) Koh Lanta Old Town

When exploring Koh Lant by motorbike, don’t forget to make a stop at Koh Lanta Old Town. Explore its main street with beautiful wooden houses and souvenir shops with Chinese architecture. Take a look at the view from the pier and you’ll spot nearby smaller islets.

There’s also the small “Koh Lanta Community Museum”, where you’ll see old artifacts and objects representing the three different groups of habitants in Koh Lanta: sea gypsies, Buddhists and Muslims.

You’ll also see some pictures and facts showing the impact of the tsunami that happened about 20 years ago. Unfortunately, many of the descriptions were just in Thai. The museum is free, but make sure you give a donation.

6) Have a Drink at the Pirate Beach

On the most southern part of the island at the east side, there’s a no return point, where you’ll find the Pirate beach and a small bar.

This bar, made of recycled stuff and natural materials, is a great place to stop, have a drink, and see the views (not a good place to go the the beach). They also have a really nice small pool (it was still under construction when we were there, but it seems to be finished now).

7) 1000 Years Tree

Right next to the entrance to the Pirate beach, you’ll see some signs to the rainforest and the 1000 years tree.

This is a short hiking trail that will take you to the oldest tree in the island and a small water reservoir. The tree is really big, its roots are much bigger than me. I was impressed.

If you continue the trail for some more meters, you’ll find a small water reservoir (don’t swim in there). Then, return all the way back on the same trail.

There’s a small entry fee per person, even though there’s not anyone checking it, make sure you donate.

This walk is quite short, but the high humidity will make you sweat a lot. Make sure you bring a t-shirt to change afterwards.

8) Have Lunch with a View

There is no shortage of restaurants with a view or right on the beach. Both on the east and western side. For this reason, one of the best things to do is to enjoy a delicious lunch with view to the sea.

On the east side, you can see the nearby smaller islets. On the western side, you can literally have lunch with your feet on the sand. All of this for very affordable prices.

9) Koh Rok and Koh Ha Snorkeling Tour

Koh Lanta has incredible snorkeling and diving day trips. We did the Koh Rok and Koh Ha snorkeling trip and it was amazing. This was the best tour we did during our whole time in Thailand. It was simply unforgettable. Additionally, we were celebrating our anniversary, what a great day!

Related article: Koh Ha and Koh Rok Snorkeling Tour – Is It Worth It?

We saw lots of healthy corals, starfish, black sea urchins, trumpetfish, moorish idol, giant clams, black sea urchins, and many more species that I don’t even know the name. But the highlight was to see anemones and Nemo, the clownfish. I just couldn’t get enough of watching the little clownfish on the anemones. They are so cute. If you want to see Nemo swimming on its natural habitat, you have to do this trip.

We had four snorkeling stops at different places, all of them with different varieties of corals. The water is crystal clear and the visibility is really good. I have never seen such beautiful blue water. Even better than the Phi Phi Islands.

We had lunch at a beautiful beach in Koh Rok (Koh Rok Yai Beach) that just looks like paradise. And the best part? Those places were not crowded at all. There were just three boats doing the same tour. I’m not sure if it was because it was still beginning of season (late November) or if these places are not well-know yet.

10) The 4-Islands Tour

Another popular day trip from Koh Lanta is the 4-island tour. In this tour, there are also some stops for snorkeling, but the highlight is swimming in a pitch dark cave that will take you to a secret beach—Emerald Cave at Koh Mook. It also stops at lunch in Koh Ngai, a beautiful paradisiac island.

This is the most popular tour in Koh Lanta, so the places will be much more crowded. Additionally, I read this is not so good for snorkeling like the previous tour.

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How to Spend 3 Days in Koh Lanta – Sample Itinerary

If you have three full days to explore Koh Lanta, here’s our recommended itinerary. This was the itinerary that we followed.

Day 1 in Koh Lanta

Here’s an example itinerary for your first day in Koh Lanta:

Day 1 in Koh Lanta – Places to Visit

• Pirate Beach
• 1000 Years Tree
• Lanta Old Town
• Mangrove Forest
• Klong Khong Beach

Start your first day by driving to the south on the easter part of the island. Stop by the Pirate beach and hike to the 1000 years old tree. Then, start driving north and stop at one of the restaurants with panoramic views for lunch.

Continue heading north and visit Koh Lanta Old Town and make a quick stop at the museum. Then, explore the mangrove forest. Finally, finish your day at one of the beaches on the western side. The most famous are the Klong Khong Beach and the Long Beach.

Day 2 in Koh Lanta

On your second day focus on the western side of the island and spend some time exploring the Mu Koh Lanta National Park.

Day 2 in Koh Lanta – Places to Visit

• Mu Koh Lanta National Park
• Khlong Chak Waterfall
• Khlong Chak Beach
• Nui Bay

Drive to the most southern part of the island, the Mu Koh Lanta National Park. Do the nature trail and see the panoramic views from the lighthouse.

If you have time go check the Khlong Chak Waterfall and the bat cave. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time to check it out.

Finish your day by watching the sunset at Nui Bay.

Day 3 in Koh Lanta

On your third day, you must go on one of the two most popular tours in Koh Lanta. If you like snorkeling, I absolutely recommend the Koh Rok and Koh Ha Snorkeling Tour. Alternatively, for a cheaper option, not so focused on snorkeling, the 4-Island tour is also a great option.

Day 3 in Koh Lanta – Places to Visit

• Koh Ro and Koh Ha Snorkeling Tour or
• The 4-Islands Tour

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How to Get to Koh Lanta

The closest airport to Koh Lanta is Krabi airport. From there, you can get a boat to Koh Lanta. There are also boat connections from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Lipe.

We went to Koh Lanta from Koh Phi Phi by ferry, and it took around one hour. You can buy your tickets at local travel agencies or in advance on websites like 12GoAsia. You can also check the companies and schedules available at 12GoAsia and then, buy at local agencies—usually, you’ll get a better price.

Best Time to Visit Koh Lanta

The best time to visit Koh Lanta is during the dry season from November to April, with peak months being December to March. The rainy season goes from May to the end of September.

We went at the end of November and we had a mix of clear skies, light rain, and clouds.

How to Get Around Koh Lanta

There is no Uber/Grab in Koh Lanta. The best way to get around is by renting a motorbike. The roads are in good condition and there isn’t much traffic.

You can also get around by local taxi or tuk-tuk/sidecar, or even rent a car. The island is not very walkable and if you want to explore its main highlights, you’ll need some sort of transportation to move around.

How Many Days in Koh Lanta

Three to four days should be enough to see Koh Lanta main highlights and spend some time relaxing at the beach or at your hotel/resort. We spent four full days, but we spent just one day relaxing at the beach in front of our bungalow. The other three days were always filled with something to do.

Where to Stay in Koh Lanta

In my opinion, the best area to stay in Koh Lanta is on the western side, close to the beaches. Next to the Long Beach, Khlong Khong Beach or Kantiang Bay. It’s best if you choose an accommodation with several restaurant options within walking distance.

There are plenty of accommodation options right on the beach in bungallow-style. We stayed at the Lanta New Coconut bungalows. The bungalows were very simple, but they had air conditioning and everything worked well. The place also had a pool for guests, a bar and a restaurant. And it was right on the beach. If you want a nice place to relax for a very affordable price, I really recommend this place.

Here are our suggestions according to your budget:

• Lanta New Coconut Bungalow (Budget)
• Rawi Warin Resort And Spa (Mid Range)
• Pimalai Resort & Spa (Luxury)

Where to Go From Koh Lanta?

If you’re backpacking Thailand, one of the best places to go after Koh Lanta is Koh Lipe. It’s around three hours by speedboat, and it’s absolutely worth it. It was our favorite place in our Thailand trip. After Koh Lipe, you can enter Malaysia via Langkawi.

If you haven’t already, you can proceed to Phi Phi Don to explore the Phi Phi islands. If you’re finishing your Thailand trip, we recommend getting to Krabi or Phuket, where you can get a flight to Bangkok or get back home.

If you started you Thailand adventure in the south and you want to head north, you should not miss Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai.

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Other Thailand Travel Guides

We hope you found our Koh Lanta Travel Guide useful and that it helps you plan your Thailand itinerary. We have other Thailand travel guides you may like:

Preparing a Trip o Thailand? Take a look at our One-Month Thailand Itinerary.

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