All you need to know about the land of silk and smiles
This is an island – in fact two, Ko Lanta Yai, the large island and Ko Lanta Noi the smaller – that is just waiting to boom. This is how I imagine Phuket must have been 25 years ago.
It is not the easiest place to get to, which many people find one of its major appeals, but once you see the island up close with its verdant mountainous jungle spine peppered with sandy coves and beaches you know this is a place that will be a bustling tourist resort within a decade.
It is not a deserted island now. Some 20,000 people live here and there is a road of sorts that runs from north to south along most of the island’s 27 kilometers length.
The main island is almost entirely Muslim, with a small enclave of Buddhists in the oldest part of the island,
It is possible to drive around the island in a couple of hours and visit the villages of Saladan in the north and Khlong Toah and Khlong Khong in the center of the western shor
e. Other things to do on the island are elephant trekking and hiking. If you can’t stay relaxed around the pool or on the beach there is a cooking school on the island. Time for Lime, at the south end of
In addition to celebrating the normal Thai festivals, Ko Lanta has one of its own. Every year from December 7- 9, after the King’s Birthday celebrations, the Laanta Lanta Festival takes place on
As interesting as the drive around the island was, with an assortment of shops and art galleries, the main beauty of the area is out at sea. We spent some time cruising around the eastern side of the island and the tiny deserted islands with weird rock formations and sandy inlets are extravagant in their lonely beauty. If you can hire a boat for a few hours, it is a trip well worth taking. If you are lucky, as we were, dolphins diving around your boat might join you. After the busy waters around Phi Phi and Phuket, it is a wonderful contrast with just an occasional fishing boat to see.
On Ko Lanta there seems to be a genuine desire to make the development as controlled as possible. The natives are anxious to preserve the special harmony that has existed between the Thai-Muslims, Thai-Chinese and the original inhabitants, the sea gypsies for hundreds of years. Everyone is united in preventing sex tourism from becoming part of life on the island.
Getting here: Car ferries from the Krabi mainland operate from 7am to midnight. The jetty for the ferry is a fifty-minute drive south from
The Pimalai Resort and Spa 
This luxury beachfront resort has a spectacular spa. The seven thatched-roofed treatment rooms are set in jungle, linked by wooden bridges. Wherever you sit or lie there is the sound of water trickling through streams and pools. The sense of relaxation before the treatments begin is truly enchanting. Considering the location, the hour-long treatments are well priced starting at 1,700 Baht. The resort itself is spread over 100 acres most of it hidden amid lush gardens and jungle dipping down to the 900 meter powdery white beach of Ban Kan Tiang. The standard rooms of which there are 64 are large with private balconies and completely equipped right down to bedroom slippers, beach shoes and bathrobes. The more expensive deluxe rooms have views over the Andaman Sea and are considera
bly larger with 70 square meters of living space and large verandahs. High season rack rate is 14,500 Baht ++. There are also several two and three bedroom villas available complete with private pools and elegant outdoor living rooms with kitchen facilities. The villas are well spread out and the sloping walks between rooms, three fine restaurants, the large infinity swimming pool, and the beach are short enough to be enjoyable even in the tropical heat. Pimalai is a favorite spots for holidaying Brits who make up the majority of clients. This explains the baked beans lurking on the mammoth breakfast buffet along with a couple of hundred other items. The resort also has a dive center for those wanting to explore the numerous offshore islands and reefs. The library provides Internet access as well as books in various European and Asian languages. Contact details: Lanta Yai Island. Tel: 07560 7999, fax 07560 7998. www.pimalai.com.
Layana Resort and Spa A lavish new luxury resort with 50 rooms – 44 garden pavilions, three beach suites and three ocean view suites that are built over two floors with the upstairs a lounge area which comes with a writing desk in case you want to write a few post cards to friends at home about tough island living. The Tides seafront restaurant is the resort’s main dining area but snacks are available in The Lounge. The fully equipped spa is aptly named Linger Longer. Superb infinity swimming pool and wireless Internet connections are available anywhere in the resort, provided you can find a dark enough spot to view your laptop screen. Luxury does not come cheap: High reason rates start at $223 +++ a night and low season at $163. You have to add the transfers from
Lanta Sand Resort and Spa
The location and its gardens make this 48-room resort a pleasant place to unwind. The resort attracts many Scandinavian
s who obviously appreciate the reasonable prices. During our visit we were offered a net rate of 3,000 Baht a night including breakfast. The rooms are set around a swimming pool and lotus lagoon. Most rooms come with a pleasant outdoor bath and shower in a small private garden. If you want to shower or take a dip in the evening maids will pre-spray to keep the mosquitoes away. The airy restaurant overlooks the beach, which is just steps away. The resort organizes diving and snorkeling excursions to the nearby islands of Koh Rok, Phi Phi, Koh Has, Hin Daeng, Hin Maung, Koh Ngai and Koh Mook Chueh. Contact details: 279 Moo 3, Saladan, Koh Lanta Yai. Tel: 07568 4633, fax 07568 4636. www.lantasand.com
Andaman Lanta Resort
This is a reasonably priced resort – prices range from 900 Baht to 6,000 Baht including breakfast – with a choice of accommodation. Standard and deluxe rooms are in a two storey building with either mountain or sea views. The more expensive bungalows are on the beach and can be joined together for family use. All accommodation comes with showers and no bathtubs. There is a nice swimming pool and the lower prices make it a favorite for families looking for a good price rather than top of the line luxury.
Contact details: 142 Moo 3,
Here there are 35 air-conditioned bungalows in rows. Expect to pay more for those in front with a sea view, about 2,00
0 Baht a night, and less as you move inland and see less of the sea. Each has a small patio and they are well spaced out to give a sense of privacy. The gym is atop the restaurant, as you can see in the picture, for views while you exercise. Sun beds provided round the pool or on the beach where there is a beach bar. This is enjoyable and economical. Dining tip: Local fishermen in longtail boats leave daily from the beach and part of what they catch that day is available in the resort’s restaurant that evening. You cannot get fresher than that. Contact details: 29 Moo 8, Ko Lanta Yai. %% 07569 7123, fax 0 7569 7124. www.lantapalace.com.
Royal Lanta Resort
You will find budget prices for a resort that is on the bea
ch, has two swimming pools, a choice of places to dine, and a playground for children. Internet rates for a double room in low season start at 1,500 Baht including breakfast. High season price for the executive rooms is 4,000 Baht. The resort claims to have the finest coffee on Ko Lanta and suggests you sip that while sampling freshly baked pastries at the Sea Cow Bakery, which is right by the beach. There is a full-service Thai spa and a tour desk. The bungalows have high ceilings with hand made ceramic tiled roofs. The tiles not only make each bungalow look apart, it is also the most effective way to keep the heat out. There is a traditional Thai house museum for guests to view the culture from a local Thai’s perspective. Contact details:
