I've lived on Phangan for ~2 years, will need to bring my kids along this time. There's a school or two for them on Lanta, hence the interest.

You can easily find a decent 2-room bungalow (fan only) on Phangan for ~10k / month, unless you come looking in the peak season (Dec - Jan). Is Lanta generally more expensive?

I guess I'll have to head over to Lanta next month to have a look around, only the priciest houses can be found online (same same on Phangan), with prices skyrocketing to ridiculous levels around X-mas/New Year. I haven't had trouble paying 10k / month 12 months a year on Phangan, and I hope Lanta is no different, I have obviously no desire to pay double the rent in Dec/Jan/Feb. We'll probably stay 1-2 years.

Trouble is, I'm in Europe now so "heading over" is a bit trickier than if I was on Phangan. Wouldn't have posted here otherwise.

I think you pretty much have answered your own question. Have to be on the ground there in Lanta to find what you are after, but yes, be prepared for about 25-50% more expensive than what you describe in Phangan.

Also, be prepared for it being really quiet (many businesses close) during low season, you could shoot a cannon off in Saladan town in June and no one would notice.

I think you pretty much have answered your own question. Have to be on the ground there in Lanta to find what you are after, but yes, be prepared for about 25-50% more expensive than what you describe in Phangan.

Also, be prepared for it being really quiet (many businesses close) during low season, you could shoot a cannon off in Saladan town in June and no one would notice.

It depends on where you situate yourself on the island as to how much you will be looking to spend. Generally the further south, the more places cost per month, but you can still find good deals. Low season still has *some* people around, but very few tourists. Saladan/LongBeach/Klong Nin turn into ghostly feeling towns, but Kantiang (due to being quite small and a safer beach in low season) isn't quite as bad!! And once you find the local hangouts, no matter where you stay you will still find people, it's not that bad!!!!

It depends on where you situate yourself on the island as to how much you will be looking to spend. Generally the further south, the more places cost per month, but you can still find good deals. Low season still has *some* people around, but very few tourists. Saladan/LongBeach/Klong Nin turn into ghostly feeling towns, but Kantiang (due to being quite small and a safer beach in low season) isn't quite as bad!! And once you find the local hangouts, no matter where you stay you will still find people, it's not that bad!!!!

What happens with the beaches in low season? Too shallow for swimming?

It depends on where you situate yourself on the island as to how much you will be looking to spend. Generally the further south, the more places cost per month, but you can still find good deals. Low season still has *some* people around, but very few tourists. Saladan/LongBeach/Klong Nin turn into ghostly feeling towns, but Kantiang (due to being quite small and a safer beach in low season) isn't quite as bad!! And once you find the local hangouts, no matter where you stay you will still find people, it's not that bad!!!!

What happens with the beaches in low season? Too shallow for swimming?

The sand disappears and all is quite stormy. Wet monsoon means serious onshore winds and storms. Looks like we're through it now though, hooray !!

The sand disappears and all is quite stormy. Wet monsoon means serious onshore winds and storms. Looks like we're through it now though, hooray !!

Hmm. Ok. I've been through two "monsoon seasons" in the Gulf, and I barely noticed... Novembers were very rainy, cool and windy, and so was much of Dec last year, but May-Oct was perfectly fine. They say the Andaman coast has a much more marked monsoon season though. I love Phangan when it's quiet - June is probably my favourite month of the year...

The sand disappears and all is quite stormy. Wet monsoon means serious onshore winds and storms. Looks like we're through it now though, hooray !!

Hmm. Ok. I've been through two "monsoon seasons" in the Gulf, and I barely noticed... Novembers were very rainy, cool and windy, and so was much of Dec last year, but May-Oct was perfectly fine. They say the Andaman coast has a much more marked monsoon season though. I love Phangan when it's quiet - June is probably my favourite month of the year...

I think maybe you should look at Khao Lak, and immediate north of there. Super beautiful, jump in the car you're an hour to shopping northern Phuket, once a week Tesco runs. To get to the Makros and Tescos Krabi from Lanta, it's the ferries nightmare and another hour. Khao Lak coastline is pristine, better than Lanta.

2 threads on lanta at the same time? Whats going on!

Its quite a big and spacious island but not(yet) overbuilt so nicer places are still of limited supply and higher prices than elsewhere.

You will find 2 beds around for a reasonable price bit get there soon, high season starts in November. Low season is low,low, low - but chilled, quiet and peaceful with a few locals around.