Southern Thailand · Krabi

Koh Lanta travel guide: long beaches, Lanta Old Town and Koh Rok

Koh Lanta is the laid-back island of the Krabi coast, with long west-facing beaches, forested hills and a mixed community of Thai Muslim, Chinese and sea-gypsy (Chao Le) heritage. TAT has supported conservation here under its Krabi Prototype, and in 2026 the national park's hermit-crab project won a Green Destinations Story Award.

AsiaVela editorial teamUpdated 1 October 20263 min read

A quiet palm-fringed stretch of Klong Nin beach on Koh Lanta under a blue sky — Klong Nin beach on Koh Lanta's west coast.

Suggested time: 4–5 nights
Where to stay: West-coast beaches
Season and timing: November to April for calm seas; many boat trips stop in the monsoon.

The short answer

Stay four or five nights. Base yourself on a west-coast beach, visit Lanta Old Town on the east coast and its community museum (call ahead), and take a speedboat day trip to snorkel at Koh Rok. Join the national park's hermit-crab shell project if you can. Koh Lanta is reached by road and car ferry from Krabi, or by boat in the dry season.

The west-coast beaches

Koh Lanta's west coast is a chain of long beaches facing the sunset, with resorts set back among trees. TAT quoted a magazine that described the island's wild jungle and uncrowded beaches, and its casual lifestyle.

The further south you go, the quieter it gets. Check swimming conditions in the monsoon.

Lanta Old Town and the community museum

On the east coast, the old town faces the mainland. The Koh Lanta Community Museum has rooms on the island's Chinese, sea-folk and Malay Muslim cultures and a library of documents, as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports' directory describes; it grew out of a community revitalisation project after the 2004 tsunami.

The directory says it is open every day but asks visitors to call the curator first.

A longtail boat silhouetted against the setting sun at Klong Khong beach — Sunset at Klong Khong beach.

Wooden shophouses lining the main street of Lanta Old Town — The main street of Lanta Old Town.

Make time for the local food

What to eat and where to look

Southern Muslim cooking

Curries, roti and grilled meats reflecting the island's Malay Muslim community.

Where to look: Local restaurants in Saladan and the old town.
Fit it into your day: Lunch on an island drive.

Many places are halal; alcohol may not be served.

Seafood by the sea

Grilled fish and seafood at beach restaurants at sunset.

Where to look: West-coast beaches.
Fit it into your day: Dinner.

Prices often by weight.

Old Town cafés

Simple restaurants and cafés in wooden houses over the water.

Where to look: Lanta Old Town.
Fit it into your day: A slow lunch.

Some close early.

Hermit crabs and the national park

Mu Ko Lanta National Park runs the 'Return Home to Hermit Crabs' project, which tackles the shortage of shells that hermit crabs need, using shells donated by visitors and the public, TAT explains. It was named among the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories in 2025 and won a Story Award in 2026.

Do not take shells from the beach — they are someone's home.

Old wooden houses on stilts over the water at Lanta Old Town — Stilt houses on the waterfront of Lanta Old Town.

Koh Rok and Koh Haa

Speedboat day trips run from Koh Lanta to the twin islands of Koh Rok, with white sand and coral reefs, and to the rocky Koh Haa group. They run mainly in the dry season.

Pay the national park fee and follow the guides' reef rules.

A lighthouse on a green headland above the sea at Mu Ko Lanta National Park — The lighthouse headland in Mu Ko Lanta National Park.

Getting there

From Krabi, Koh Lanta is reached by road and short car-ferry crossings; in the dry season, boats also link it with Phi Phi and Krabi. The nearest airport is Krabi.

Rent a scooter or car to move between beaches and the old town, or use the island's tuk-tuks.