Current Waiting Status Of Ferries To Koh Lanta

[huggybear]

Can anyone update me on how busy the ferries to Lanta are at the moment?

This time last year we had 3 hour waits, is it like that now?

[redfish44]

Hi,

When are you going? I don't know what you mean by a 3 hour wait, or from where you are taking the ferry from, but can tell you what it was like when I was there Nov-Dec (am working overseas at present).

Late November I took the ferry from Phuket-Phi-Phi-Lanta. The new pier is operational in Phi-Phi, and for the first time ever made the connection for the 11am to Lanta. Bad news about the new pier is that you have to go from one end of it, down and back out another limb of it. I had a huge run to do in 3 min, but made it. It was pretty chaotic and busy in both Phuket and Phi-Phi, but thankfully once you got on the Lanta Princess, even though it was still in Phi-Phi, all was calm and relaxed. The Lanta Princess still arrived (and departed) from the old princess pier by the Swedish Restuarant at the end of the main street in Saladan.

FYI if coming from Phuket: Last year my thai boyfriend and I discovered that the guy at the airport tour desk selling ferry tickets has about the cheapest rate. The rate at the ferry terminal was also the same as the airport guy too. The airport guy gave you a better boat and arranged your pickup too - usually included, though always missed my connection. I'm sticking with him from now on.

Then the airport closures had a huge impact on Lanta, as it was still raining, and heaps of dive centres had big bookings flying in that were canned. Business was hit hard, and it was soooooooo quiet. There was only one ferry running a day to Krabi, at 8am or something nasty (if you had the 9pm to BKK.)

Early-mid December I took the Krabi-Lanta ferry on the way back from a short trip to Bangkok. This was just after (5 days?) the airport reopened. I flew in on the red-eye from BKK, and took a minivan to the pier. The airport said the ferry left 11am, the bus people said 11.30am. We got to the pier about 11.25pm. The staff at the pier were checking where you were picked up from and whose bus you came on and which flight - they seemed to wait until everyone that could possibly be getting on the ferry was there before it left, which was nice. It left about 11:45am - only 3 tense tourists seemed to care (it's going to Lanta - no rush). Due to the lack of tourists, they were only running the one ferry to Lanta instead of the morning and afternoon ones they normally do in high season (supposed to be then-now). this ferry went to the new "big" pier in Saladan.

It still stopped at Koh Jum in both directions. Felt sorry for the locals in Koh Jum as only 1 or 2 got off there, the Koh Jum guys on the ferry said it was really quiet. Prices are a bargain though now, we keep meaning to go for a break over there.

I took a ferry Lanta-Phi-Phi-Phuket on 18 Dec. Booked from Princess Pier (cheaper than phuket-lanta as usual), it left from princess pier (eventually), but the connection at Phi-Phi was the old jump-over-to-the-phuket-ferry-we-do-your-bags style, that horrifies a lot of tourists, and confuses the ones already on the ferry that just left Phi-Phi. This last fery was PACKED. It got in earlier than last year, and the chick on the ferry sold bus tickets at an ok price (for phuket) to wherever you had to go (the guys at lanta princess told me to go with her as my man knows how much I hate dealing with phuket so asked them the best way).

I did get lucky last year with the Phuket airport connection when I took the minibus to Phuket Town in the morning, then a Swedish couple and I found a lovelly local guy by accident who drove us around the island and looked after our bags for the whole day in his lovelly clean, safe car, at a sensible speed, until we took our flights later that night. I wish I got his number, as will never happen again. Not for what he was asking - 200B total (we gave him a lot more). We think he had his dad/uncles car for the day.

Ao Nang ferries seemed to be more or less like last year, though perhaps not quite as many sunburnt drunken looking backpackers, but still way more than the others. No idea on times, can probably find out if you need them.

I am not sure if there are now 2 ferries running krabi-lanta, I hope so as will make it easier to get back, but not likely. Apparently there are more people on the island now than when I left (was so nice and quiet for december), but don't think it was like last year and cazy packed (for lanta).

They have made a concrete road that extends the old main road along the waterfront in Saladan to the new big ferry terminal so you can now walk straight into town. So if you want to avoid all the taxis and you stay in saladan or want to chill a bit first, you can walk in 2 minutes. Catfish has moved down this road too, so you can stop there and have a falafel on the way (1 min from ferry). To find this road, when you come off the ferry, walk past the hotel/taxi guys (unless your place has a pick-up: check the signs), then turn right just after the kiosk, before you get to where the tuk-tuks park by the old road. You can't miss it, it's shiny and white compared to every other road in Lanta, and is straight, so you can see right into Saladan.

FYI latest Lanta news: it had stopped raining on Lanta for a few weeks in Dec, but my boyfriend says its been raining again and is cold for him. We had been wearing long pants and jackets at night on the bike and in resturants/bars. The island also had a dengue outbreak while I was there - heaps of the locals getting it. Apart from that it was lovelly and not much changed. The Lanta tv station now broadcasts to Krabi, but is pretty much as was before. They played Star Wars one friday night, half the island got take-out and stayed in.

Sorry this post is so long, must be homesick and happy to write about the place I long to be.

Hope this is of some use, will let you know if I can find out how many ferries are going krabi-lanta now.

[Daffy D]

Can anyone update me on how busy the ferries to Lanta are at the moment?

This time last year we had 3 hour waits, is it like that now?

You talking about the 2 car ferries?

Used them about a week ago and though there was a lot of traffic the ferries were running back and forth like crazy and the waiting time was minmal.

The 3 -5 hour wait only hapens in the low season

[huggybear]

Can anyone update me on how busy the ferries to Lanta are at the moment?

This time last year we had 3 hour waits, is it like that now?

You talking about the 2 car ferries?

Used them about a week ago and though there was a lot of traffic the ferries were running back and forth like crazy and the waiting time was minmal.

The 3 -5 hour wait only hapens in the low season

Yeah, those are the ones. Thanks for the update. It's been over six weeks since I've made the trip

No, actually in low season I am able to drive right up and on, typically no waiting. It was last high season that was such a nightmare.

[stevehaigh]

hi, how long is the car ferry trip, how many times per day and how much does it cost for a car (pickup truck actually)

does the car ferry run all year?

thx steve

[Daffy D]

hi, how long is the car ferry trip, how many times per day and how much does it cost for a car (pickup truck actually)

does the car ferry run all year?

thx steve

The ferries run all year round from 6am till about 10pm. There are two crossings one from the mainland to the first island, this is the longest crossing and takes perhaps 30 min. though I've never actually timed it then there is few miles drive to the second ferry to the main tourist island, Lanta Yai, that crossing is about half the the first crossing distance.

The charges (last time we went) were 100bt for pick-up and driver plus 13bt for each additional passenger. This is for both ferries. You buy tickets for both crossings at the first booth, saves having to hold up traffic at the second booth.

[Cowboyshoe]

Howdy.

Just took the car ferries (from the mainland to Koh Lanta Noi to Koh Lanta Yai) today (Feb. 06 - 2009) - No wait at either ferry.

It's been fairly the same for every trip I've made this season. I think it's mainly due to an extreme shortage of tourists.