Need Advice On Getting From Penang To Ko Lanta

[just a second]

Hi there,

I need to make a visa run prior to a bit of Songkran R&R, and am thinking of going to Penang. I want to go to Ko Lanta from there.

What's the best way to do this? Do people go to Trang and then on from there?

All the way back up to Krabi?

Use some lesser known port and get a boat to Lanta from there?

Another way?

I'm not looking to spend a fortune on obscure transport, yet would be willing to exchange a few hard-earned baht for time and hassle. Just wondering how people recommend doing it, whether train/bus/boat etc.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[jdinasia]

Fly from Penang to Phuket and grab a boat?

If around Songkran I'd be sure to have reservations at Koh Lanta first!

Edited March 20, 2006 by jdinasia

[Beachcomber]

Get a minibus all the way Penang – Hat Yai – Trang - Koh Lanta.

Get a minibus to Hat Yai then another to Trang then another to Koh Lanta.

Get a minibus to Krabi then the boat to Koh Lanta.

Get a minibus to Hat Yai get them to drop you at the bus station get the big bus to Krabi bus station then local taxi to jetty boat to Koh Lanta.

In Penang you can get minibus from Parvez Book Store Chulia Street on the left at the entrance to Swiss Hotel.

You can also go via Lankawi to Trang but I never tried that

[just a second]

Get a minibus all the way Penang – Hat Yai – Trang - Koh Lanta.

Get a minibus to Hat Yai then another to Trang then another to Koh Lanta.

Get a minibus to Krabi then the boat to Koh Lanta.

Get a minibus to Hat Yai get them to drop you at the bus station get the big bus to Krabi bus station then local taxi to jetty boat to Koh Lanta.

In Penang you can get minibus from Parvez Book Store Chulia Street on the left at the entrance to Swiss Hotel.

You can also go via Lankawi to Trang but I never tried that

Thanks. Still a bit confused, though: are you recommending one of these routes over another? Which is fastest/easiest? Are these minibuses cramped and unbearable like the Khao San variety?

Also, can a minibus really drive from Trang to Lanta? From the map I'm looking at, it would seem that it would need to go all the way back up to Krabi to do this.

Thanks again for your help.

[silvero]

You can get minibuses to Lanta from Krabi and from Trang, and coming from Penang, Trang is the obvious choice. The minibus I took recently from Krabi->Lanta was the usual sort and it was a reasonable comfortable trip, mainly because it was half empty. They were happy to drop me off pretty much anywhere on the island, however they can't take you bungalow shopping so it is useful to have an idea of the place or the area you wish to stay before you go. I travelled back from Lanta to Krabi on the boat which was very comfortable and for me, worth the extra 100 or so baht.

[just a second]

Thanks. And in these jumping off points (Trang, Krabi) are minibuses usually found at the bus station? Or are they just sort of hanging around some tourist area like some towns?

I guess I'd prefer the former.

[silvero]

I took the songthaew from Krabi bus station to the town and asked the songthaew driver where to go and he dropped me off at the bus 'station' which in fact was a desk outside a khao gaeng shop. The ride was 200 baht and as mentioned above they offered to drop me off anywhere I wanted to go. I suspect it just one of several such operations in Krabi town and there may well have been minibuses leaving from the bus station but there were too many touts there so I didn't check it out.

Either way I really don't think you will have any difficulty getting there as it is such a popular destination.

[Beachcomber]

You can take the minibus straight through from Penang to Koh Lanta. You have to change busses but it is all arranged so you don’t have to walk anywhere.

Normally on a visa run you get your visa back (from Parvez) about 2pm and can catch the 3pm minibus to Hat Yai. By that time it’s too late to get to Koh Lanta the last bus has gone so get the bus next morning.

At Hat Yai there are many travel shops round the railway station any of them will get you a ticket to Koh Lanta. Try K.S.T Travel used to be opposite The Kings hotel, but have moved recently, the minibus from Penang will drop you off at their office.

At Trang a company specializing in Koh Lanta is K.K. Travel they are right opposite the Trang railway station.

Koh Lanta is an island but has a car ferry service. The distance is no more than river wide. There are two Lantas so two ferry crossings.

You do not have to go to Krabi if you want to go by road. The Lanta turn off is on the road several miles before you get to Krabi.

As mentioned the minibus will drop you off almost anywhere on Lanta but you will have to know where you want to stay.

Good Luck.

[just a second]

You can take the minibus straight through from Penang to Koh Lanta. You have to change busses but it is all arranged so you don’t have to walk anywhere.

Normally on a visa run you get your visa back (from Parvez) about 2pm and can catch the 3pm minibus to Hat Yai. By that time it’s too late to get to Koh Lanta the last bus has gone so get the bus next morning.

At Hat Yai there are many travel shops round the railway station any of them will get you a ticket to Koh Lanta. Try K.S.T Travel used to be opposite The Kings hotel, but have moved recently, the minibus from Penang will drop you off at their office.

At Trang a company specializing in Koh Lanta is K.K. Travel they are right opposite the Trang railway station.

Koh Lanta is an island but has a car ferry service. The distance is no more than river wide. There are two Lantas so two ferry crossings.

You do not have to go to Krabi if you want to go by road. The Lanta turn off is on the road several miles before you get to Krabi.

As mentioned the minibus will drop you off almost anywhere on Lanta but you will have to know where you want to stay.

Good Luck.

Thanks a lot. I've never traveled back from Penang this way before, so it's nice to hear ahead of time how it can be done. Very helpful answer.

[lorrilee61]

Hi I need the same info, was going to get the ferry from Langkawi but tigerline website say it doesnt start untill 15 dec this year, not much good for me as I am wanting to go on the 26 november, got hotel booked in koh lanta. So can you make it simple for me, I just need to do Penang to Koh lanta, where do i get minibus, who with, do i book it on line? What sort of cost is it? I had it planned out then found ferys not running so want to sort it before i leave here.

Thanks everyone!