Koh Lanta has a fabulous feel about it! The beaches are stunning and sunsets are out of this world. If you're after genuine relaxation, away from the tourist craze, Koh Lanta is a great choice. Our 3 night stay was extended first to five nights and then to 8 nights! There are few places in Thailand where you can sit on a beautiful beach with an unobstructed view as far as the eye can see. You won't be hounded by hawkers to buy sunglasses or souvenirs. In fact, often you will not see anyone else on the beach. It is genuinely quiet and calm. The only sound is the clear calm, waters gently lapping in. The pier of Saladon is on the northern tip of Koh Lanta and the main beaches are spread out along the west coast. We stayed at Klong Khong beach, near the middle of the island. It has budget accommodation options and a lovely beach. Klong khong has very different vistas from low to high tide. When we first arrived we were disappointed that it was tricky to swim during low tide, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. A9 and G7 had an absolute blast exploring the rock pools and finding sea cucumbers, small fish and hermit crabs. It's the best science classroom ever! Also, the rocks are like an instant reef at high tide so you can snorkel straight off the beach (not the best marine life, but still fun for the kids to see a few fishies). We would definitely recommend Klong Khong but there are two perfect sandy beaches without rocks on Lanta if that's what you are after. They are Phra-ae and Klong Nin. Quirkily thrown together wooden shacks selling pad thai and Chang beer are dotted between the bamboo bungalows and coconut palms. The food here is more expensive than the main land, but it is still possible to find cheap roadside stall. If all else fails, you can always eat from the 7/11 (sad I know, but needs must at times). Our daily 7/11 breakfast consisted of toasted sandwiches, steamed buns, pot noodles, coffee and juice! We eventually found a great restaurant called Koy Koy on the main road in Klong Khong which became our regular eatery for the last 4 days. Koh Lanta old town on the east coast is certainly worth a visit. With restaurants perched on stilts over the ocean, and views out to the islands, make sure you stop for drinks or lunch. The small town has a Chinese influence and you can imagine the traders working here in times gone by. It's a lovely drive across the top of the island, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend going over that hill with 4 on a motorbike like we did! There are plenty of activities you can do on Lanta from mangrove tours, monkey feeding, elephant treks and snorkeling trips. We chose not to do any of these in favour of rest and relaxation (and catching up on a bit of school work). To be honest, the beaches and snorkeling on Koh Lanta is not at the same standard as Koh Kraden or Koh Lipe, but Koh Lanta has what a lot of other Thai islands lack.... no frills accommodation and genuine peace and tranquility. I think as kiwi's , this is what we look for in a destination. If you want the glitz and glam of high end resorts, American chain restaurants and a rocking nightlife, this is probably not the spot for you.
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