Krabi Airport To Lanta

[daveh]

From what I've read, after I arrive at Krabi airport, I can take two routes to get to Lanta:

1. Mostly by sea. Get to Krabi pier, then take the ferry

2. Mostly by land (car ferry twice)

For either, I can either pay a taxi/private car or take a mini-bus.

So I guess my list of questions are as follows:

For the sea route:

How often do the ferries from Krabi leave for Lanta? What are the times?

How much for a taxi/private car to the Krabi pier?

How much for the minibus to the Krabi pier?

How long does the boat from Krabi to Lanta take?

For the land route:

How much for a taxi/private car all the way to Lanta?

Is the cost of the car ferries included in the total cost?

How much for a minibus? How often does they leave?

For both, how long do they take?

Are there other options?

Yes, I've searched the internet and found some answers, but a lot of times the information is out of date and it is good to know from someone who has been through it recently.

Thanks,

Dave.

[grumpyoldman]

Hi Dave,

best to just jump a shared minivan from the airport direct to Lanta, don't bother with a sea route from there. I think six of you can get a one way van for about 3000thb.

Otherwise catch the airport shuttle into Krabi town, get to soi 6 where about halfway down there is an hourly shuttle to Lanta. Best of luck.

Edited March 1, 2011 by grumpyoldman

[siam2007]

there are Minibuses leaving for Lanta according to the aircraft arrivals, and from what i remember, the cost per person is not more than 350 Baht. hassle-free. the Minibus will send you straight to your accom on Lanta. I did that in 2009. just ask Mister Google and I am sure you will find all information u need.

[daveh]

So no need to make a reservation for the bus.

What about taxi? The hotel said they could arrange a car for 2700 THB for the two of us. It seems a bit steep, but sometimes I prefer the hassle free option where I'm not crammed into a minibus.

If the taxis at the airport charge that amount (and I decide it is worth it to pay it), then I'd rather just get one of those on the spot rather than pre-arranging a taxi from the hotel. Any idea on the cost of a taxi?

[grumpyoldman]

So no need to make a reservation for the bus.

What about taxi? The hotel said they could arrange a car for 2700 THB for the two of us. It seems a bit steep, but sometimes I prefer the hassle free option where I'm not crammed into a minibus.

If the taxis at the airport charge that amount (and I decide it is worth it to pay it), then I'd rather just get one of those on the spot rather than pre-arranging a taxi from the hotel. Any idea on the cost of a taxi?

Sorry buddy, I don't have an exact taxi price for you as I typically drive myself down there, but for sure that price from the hotel is way over the top, that's almost 90$ US, outrageous.

I have to think just arriving and getting a private taxi you can get that done for 2000thb, and really, go ahead and put up with the van share, it's not that cramped and you're talking an hour at most (unless stuck in a holiday or weekend ferry queue), for the two of you should be able to get that done at about 1000thb. Good luck and sorry I don't have the exact figures for you.

[smokie36]

there are Minibuses leaving for Lanta according to the aircraft arrivals, and from what i remember, the cost per person is not more than 350 Baht. hassle-free. the Minibus will send you straight to your accom on Lanta. I did that in 2009. just ask Mister Google and I am sure you will find all information u need.

Hassle free except for when the minivan breaks down on the way and you all have to get out and push! Ahh the memories....

2700 Baht seems like a rip off btw....probably more like 1500 Baht would seem reasonable to me.

[grumpyoldman]

there are Minibuses leaving for Lanta according to the aircraft arrivals, and from what i remember, the cost per person is not more than 350 Baht. hassle-free. the Minibus will send you straight to your accom on Lanta. I did that in 2009. just ask Mister Google and I am sure you will find all information u need.

Hassle free except for when the minivan breaks down on the way and you all have to get out and push! Ahh the memories....

2700 Baht seems like a rip off btw....probably more like 1500 Baht would seem reasonable to me.

Maybe the OP can negotiate with that hotel price?

Dave, tell the hotel you feel 2700 is over the top and see if they won't do it for 2000 even.

[hellracer]

well guys, i happen to living in Krabi, and happens to involved doing sort of relating business. well not quite, i operate inbound tour company with full services for one of the Asian country and may my figure should be the closest over those expenses. like OP said, there are two way of getting down to Koh Lanta from Krabi. Yes they do have those big & slow boat services that depart twice from Aonang to Lanta. but how are you gonna get to Aonang from Airport? well, they do have that white bus service from airport to Aonang but what about keeping the track of boat schedule time? they only have two boat departures from Aonang to Lanta (http://www.1stopkrab...ing_here/boats/) here is time table and most of them leaves between 10~11am to lanta. and even when you get to lanta, you gotta again hire someone to send you to hotel and that also cost you. which means, you gotta face hassle after hassle and for me, my young back packing days are way long over and can not do it over. and for the land route? some of you gents mentioned about local mini van services and i am not sure about the prices of those van services, but they running on routine services and it stops every time someone needs to get off on the way, some times if van full of Thais, then you are out of luck as it will take shit load of times before you get to the destination. Hotel pick up or private should be the easiest choice but the fare should be around 2500~3000 depend on who will take the job. think about gas money and the ferry fares, driver also have to comeback to Krabi with empty van or car if out of luck. that is like 2hours drives cuz of them dam_n slow ferry waiting hours and if you ask me, i would never drive someone there just to earn couple hundreds of baht unless i have the LPG tank. for the hotels?? it depend on what you preferred. cheap or the decent , for me again, i would preferred to stay at decent clean accommodation at best bargain rate then a cheap lousy guest house. after all this is your vacation right? not a boot camp. if you look around, you will find very decent place at decent rate very easy. cheers~!!!!!

Edited March 3, 2011 by hellracer

[daveh]

Thanks everyone for their replies. I think the 2700 baht hotel price is steep and certainly no discount off of what I could get at the airport. I will simply arrive at the airport and check out taxi cost and compare it to the minibus. If taxi is <= 2000 baht, I'll take it, otherwise minibus.

Regarding minibus rides, one of my first in Thailand was terrible. The minibus arrived at my place two hours late and I was the last pick-up. There was only one space available (middle back row). And one of the other passengers sitting in the back was transporting some kind of steel tubing (think 8 inch diameter duct) and had it laid across the floor taking up all the space. So I had to ride for two hours with my knees pushed up to my chest. At our rest stop, I told the driver this was unacceptable and took some time to rearrange everyone's crap such that the tube was under the seat instead of in the floor, so at least I managed to get about two hours of non-cramped travel.

From that point on, I assume all minibus travel will be like that and do anything I can to avoid it.

Dave.

[grumpyoldman]

Hi Dave,

can I ask which hotel/resort you are staying at in Lanta? Cheers, GOM

[daveh]

Hi Dave,

can I ask which hotel/resort you are staying at in Lanta? Cheers, GOM

Hello,

We stayed at Twin Bay Resort, which is near the northern most tip of Klong Dao Beach. We liked the hotel and found a fantastic restaurant nearby, L. Maladee. Since my wife is Thai, you can imagine how much Thai food I eat where ever we go. But this has got to be one of the tastiest Thai restaurants I've eaten anywhere in the world.

Although we liked the hotel, we will probably stay further down the beach or even on another beach like Long Beach in the future. Mostly because the northern part of the beach is just too isolated.

Dave.

PS. I negotiated the taxi down to 2000 THB.

Edited April 8, 2011 by daveh

[grumpyoldman]

Hi Dave,

can I ask which hotel/resort you are staying at in Lanta? Cheers, GOM

Hello,

We stayed at Twin Bay Resort, which is near the northern most tip of Klong Dao Beach. We liked the hotel and found a fantastic restaurant nearby, L. Maladee. Since my wife is Thai, you can imagine how much Thai food I eat where ever we go. But this has got to be one of the tastiest Thai restaurants I've eaten anywhere in the world.

Although we liked the hotel, we will probably stay further down the beach or even on another beach like Long Beach in the future. Mostly because the northern part of the beach is just too isolated.

Dave.

PS. I negotiated the taxi down to 2000 THB.

Thanks for the review Dave !

Next time can I recommend The Best Western Maya Resort, it's on the same beach but in the middle. In walking distance in the sand to restaurants with cushions and mats in the sand to watch fireshows or take in the sunset. I would think in the same price range as Twin Bay.

[CMwanderer]

Are the public mini buses just waiting at the airport with the taxi's?

My hotel has quoted 3000B for a private transfer which is ridiculous!

We don't land until 11:45 so we miss the passenger ferry. I am wondering if we can just arrive at the airport and choose between the taxi (<=2000B as people above have said) or a public mini bus (350B per person) without any reservations.

[pteron]

We're also interested in the Krabi to Lanta options - looking to come down from BKK to Surat Thani and then by minibus to Krabi. (My wife likes trains!)

Any better options?

Thanks