Getting To Ko Lanta

[SweetMiel]

Hi all, I started to plan our first trip to Thailand for our second honeymoon, I tried to find places less "touristic" and more chill out, that's why we want to stay 5 nights in Ko Lanta, my question is, is there a way to get to Ko Lanta out of season? say the beggining of october? and if there is a way, from where is the best way to get there? we also plan to be around the area, Ko phi phi, Phuket, Krabi, wich place is the best one to go from to Ko Lanta.

If there is no way to get there at that time of year, wich place you recomend me around that area that is somewhat secluded?

and the last question, is the weather at that time (late sept. to late oct.) really bad?

thank you for your answers: Miel

[asanee]

How to get there is in any guidebook.

The nearest and also best airport to fly in is KRABI, after youve got off plane and gathered the luggages, go to desk, labelled in English too, where they arrange direct transfers, in minibus, to that island. Contrary to what most unknowing tourists think, its hardly a real isle, more a half-isle, with a narrow canal with ample ferries over it to mainland: al buses and cars use that. The airppt is in fact situated a little off main road from Krabi=town to the south=ferry/and on the Trang, hence no need to go in+out same way to town. [because anyone thinks of it as an isle, people tend to think one needs to use a long-time boat/ferry: if you like that you can, from Krabi/quayside, but off-season thats only 1/day.

[billp]

Shared vans go from Krabi Town once an hour, 200 baht, and take about 2 hours. You can get the van ticket from a booth to your right as you come into the Arrivals hall at Krabi airport but you have to take a taxi, 300 baht, or a bus, 100 baht, into town to catch the van. You can also go directly to Lanta from Trang, same deal more or less.

Oh, and Asanee is incorrect. There is no ferry off season from Krabi Ferry Terminal to Lanta. It starts up in late October. This year there's been only one ferry a day because one of the boats has apparently been under repair.

Edited April 8, 2008 by billp

[steve28]

Hi all, I started to plan our first trip to Thailand for our second honeymoon, I tried to find places less "touristic" and more chill out, that's why we want to stay 5 nights in Ko Lanta, my question is, is there a way to get to Ko Lanta out of season? say the beggining of october? and if there is a way, from where is the best way to get there? we also plan to be around the area, Ko phi phi, Phuket, Krabi, wich place is the best one to go from to Ko Lanta.

If there is no way to get there at that time of year, wich place you recomend me around that area that is somewhat secluded?

and the last question, is the weather at that time (late sept. to late oct.) really bad?

thank you for your answers: Miel

I stayed at Lanta during the low season, Sept-Oct a few years back, the weather was at it's worse then. good luck.

steve

[redfish44]

Hi Miel

Don't know if you are still wondering or not, but I can agree with billp. Live on Lanta for the main season, but not at present. The ferry stopped running from Krabi-Lanta in April. The Ao Nang-Lanta ferry was still on though for another couple of weeks, but the phi-phi to lanta ferry had stopped due to the waves. They start up when the operators want in Oct usually.

If you are in Phuket, you can go by bus to Lanta via Krabi. In high season you can go Phuket-Phi-Phi-Lanta by ferry, but have to leave phuket early in the morning to make your connection.

If you are on Phi -phi and really want to got to lanta, you can take a ferry to krabi, Ao Nang, or maybe even a small boat to Koh Jum, and then get minivan to lanta from there. Will depend on the waves.

Koh Jum is very realxed and chilled. it was practically deserted last season, which was kinda sad for the locals. They have a bridge at the back of the island to the mainland I hear (only seen the sea side).

The Krabi-Lanta ferry only ran once a day for the whole season last year. They told us was due to no demand. Seemed to be accurate as no more crowded than usual, in fact less tourists, more locals and provisions than other years when I was on it.

Car ferries to mainland run all year.

The weather in Oct may be a bit crazy, but the start/end of the monsoon is a great time to be on lanta, as is so much more tranquil and relaxed. Is bad for business, but no one stresses, they just watch the rain/wind/waves/lightening and chill. Can be a bit of a pain to find somewhere open to eat, but is just such a nice alternative to the day that Europe descends and bang, its all happening again (as much as it does in lanta anyway).

Hope you have a great time, may be there myself.

[billp]

Koh Jum is very realxed and chilled. it was practically deserted last season, which was kinda sad for the locals. They have a bridge at the back of the island to the mainland I hear (only seen the sea side).

There is no bridge to Koh Jum. You can get there in the non-ferry season (or if you want to save money during the ferry season) by getting transport (bus from Krabi, taxi from the airport) to Neua Klong, which is on Highway 4 practically right at the end of the runway. Then a songthaew to the pier in Laem Kruat, then an "Express Boat" (big longtail) to Ban Koh Jum on the landward side of the island. In Ban Koh Jum, there are tuktuks to take you to the various bungalow operations.

I was on Koh Jum in February 09 and I didn't notice it was particularly quiet. At least, New Bungalow was full as usual. Almost no US and Canadians, though. Mostly Germans and Swedes.