Destination guide
Things to Do in Koh Lanta
A swim into the Emerald Cave, Koh Rok's reefs, a lighthouse at the end of the road and a sunset every evening
The best thing to do on Koh Lanta is get off it for a day, on the 4 Islands trip to swim through the Emerald Cave on Koh Mook, or on a speedboat to Koh Rok's reefs. Back on the island, ride a scooter to the lighthouse in Mu Ko Lanta National Park at the southern tip, cross to Lanta Old Town on the east coast for a late lunch over the water, and be on a west-coast beach for sunset, because every one of them faces it.
Add a walk to Khlong Chak Waterfall, an afternoon with the elephants at Following Giants and a cooking class, and five nights fills itself. Below are nineteen things to do, ranked, with prices and hours, the boat trips and their season, what to do in the rain, with kids and at night, and what to skip.
Arriving in Koh Lanta
Where to stay in Koh Lanta
This route ends in Koh Lanta. Search Koh Lanta hotels with your dates, or narrow it to the area you're heading for. Filter for free cancellation if you want to hold a room and decide later.
See Koh Lanta hotelsOpens Booking.com with your dates · also on Expedia · Trip.com
My pick at each price level in Koh Lanta
Key Facts
The boat trips are the best days, from about November to April
The 4 Islands trip costs about ฿1,000 by longtail and Koh Rok about ฿1,600–2,200 by speedboat. The park closes Koh Rok from 1 June to 30 September, and the Emerald Cave usually closes over the same months.
Rent a scooter, because there's no Grab
Scooters cost about ฿200–300 a day, and the west-coast road is flat by island standards. A tuk-tuk from Saladan to Kantiang costs about ฿400–800.
One park ticket covers two sights
Mu Ko Lanta National Park costs ฿200 for adults and ฿100 for children, plus ฿20 for a scooter, and the same ticket gets you into Khlong Chak Waterfall on the same day.
The island is long, so plan by area
Lanta is over 30 km long, with Saladan pier at the north end and the lighthouse at the southern tip. Group the south (the park, Khlong Chak, Kantiang, the elephants) into one day, and cross to Old Town on the east coast on the way back.
Much of it is free
The beaches, the sunsets, Old Town, its weekend market and the Walking Street in Saladan cost nothing. The boats, the park and the elephants are where the money goes.
September and October are the wettest months
They average about 350 mm and 336 mm of rain at the Phuket weather station, which covers Lanta, against 24 mm in February. Many bars and bungalows close, and most boat trips stop.
The 19 Best Things to Do in Koh Lanta
Ranked by how much I'd prioritize each one on a first visit of five nights. The two boat days come first because they're the best days you'll have, and the island sights follow in the order I'd fit them around those.
1. The 4 Islands trip and the Emerald Cave, The Trang islands, south of Lanta
The best day outA full day by boat to four islands off the Trang coast. The reason to go is the Emerald Cave on Koh Mook, an 80 m swim through a pitch-dark tunnel, in a life jacket and behind a guide's flashlight, that comes out in a green lagoon ringed by cliffs. The rest of the day is snorkeling at Koh Chueak and Koh Kradan and lunch on Koh Ngai's beach.
Longtail trips cost about ฿1,000 and take seven to eight hours, and the park fee is ฿200 for adults and ฿100 for children. The tide decides when the cave can be swum, so the boatmen time it for you. By the early afternoon guides take groups of 40 through at once, so a boat that gets there early is worth asking for.
- Getting there
- Hotel pickup, or the boat from Saladan.
- When to go
- About November to April. The cave usually closes from June to September.
2. Koh Rok and Koh Haa, Mu Ko Lanta National Park, well south of Lanta
The best snorkelingTwo uninhabited islands with the clearest water in the Lanta area, shallow reefs a few meters down with anemonefish, moray eels and angelfish, and a buffet lunch on Koh Rok's beach. Most trips stop at the five rocky islets of Koh Haa on the way.
Speedboat days cost about ฿1,600–2,200 and take about eight hours, and the ฿400 park fee is extra on most of them, so check. The park closes Koh Rok from 1 June to 30 September, and in the shoulder months a rough sea can cancel the boat that morning, so keep a spare day.
- Getting there
- Speedboat from Saladan with hotel pickup.
- When to go
- November to April, on a calm day.
3. Mu Ko Lanta National Park and the lighthouse, The southern tip
The view and a jungle walkThe white lighthouse stands on a headland above two coves at the end of the island, and the ride down is half the fun, with langur monkeys sitting along the road. The last stretch is steep and winding, so take it slowly on a scooter.
Walk the nature trail, about 1.7 km through forest with sea views, clockwise as it's signed, so you climb the steep part rather than slide down it, then swim at the beach, which has lifeguards. Two kinds of monkey work the trail and they're quick with an unattended bag. Entry costs ฿200 for adults and ฿100 for children, plus ฿20 for a scooter.
- Getting there
- Drive to the end of the west-coast road.
- When to go
- Opening time, at 08:30, before the heat.
4. Lanta Old Town, The east coast, about halfway down
History and seafood over the waterThe island's original port, one street of wooden shophouses, many on stilts over the water, where Chinese, Muslim, Thai Buddhist and Urak Lawoi families have lived side by side for generations. I've been to Lanta Old Town, and it's the half day I'd add to any beach stay on the island.
It's free and takes two or three hours. Come on a weekend, when the street market runs on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 22:00, or early on a Sunday for the local morning market from about 08:00 to 11:00. My Lanta Old Town guide has the walk stop by stop.
- Getting there
- About 25 minutes by scooter across the island from Klong Dao or Long Beach. There's no bus.
- When to go
- Late afternoon and an early dinner.
5. Sunset on the west coast, Khlong Khong, Long Beach and Kantiang
Every eveningEvery main beach on Lanta faces west, so the sun sets over the sea wherever you stay. Khlong Khong is the one for a drink, with a long row of beach bars, cafés and massage huts on the sand.
Swim there in the morning, because by mid to late afternoon the tide drops and leaves coral exposed at the waterline. Long Beach shelves more steeply and stays swimmable at low tide, if you want a dip with the sunset.
- Getting there
- Any west-coast beach. Khlong Khong is in the middle of the island.
- When to go
- From about an hour before sunset.
6. A scooter day down the south coast, Kantiang Bay, Nui Bay and Bamboo Beach
The prettiest beachesThe beaches get emptier and prettier the further south you ride. Kantiang Bay is about 1 km of sand between jungle hills, about 25 minutes from Saladan, Nui Bay is a small sheltered cove down a steep road that's good for a swim and a snorkel, and Bamboo Beach is the last one before the park.
I'd ride south in the morning, swim at one of them, see the lighthouse, and come back up through Old Town. My Koh Lanta travel guide has every beach north to south and which suits whom.
- Getting there
- By scooter or a tuk-tuk hired for the day.
- When to go
- Morning, before the day-trippers reach Nui Bay.
7. Following Giants elephant sanctuary, Off Klong Chak Waterfall Road, in the south
Elephants, without touching themEleven rescued elephants on 45 acres of hillside forest, watched from a distance with a guide. There's no riding, no bathing, no feeding and no performances, which makes it one of the strictest places in the south and the one I'd pick on Lanta.
The two-hour program costs ฿1,800 for adults and ฿1,000 for children, the half day ฿2,750 and the full day ฿3,850, all with transfers, which are free on Lanta Yai. The trails are steep, so it's hard going for anyone with mobility problems.
- Getting there
- Free pickup on Lanta Yai. Book on followinggiants.net.
- When to go
- Morning, when it's cooler.
8. Khlong Chak Waterfall, Inland from Bamboo Beach, in the national park
A jungle walk and a swimA hike of about 2 km through the forest to a waterfall with pools you can swim in. The trail is marked but uneven, with wet rocks and mud, so wear proper shoes, and bring water and snacks, because there are no facilities.
Entry is ฿200, or free on the same day with your Mu Ko Lanta park ticket, and a guide at the parking area costs another ฿200 and adds a cave and the spiders' nests along the way. It's open 08:30 to 17:00. The water is fullest during and just after the rains, so it's thin by the end of the dry season.
- Getting there
- By scooter, on the way to or from the park.
- When to go
- Morning. The falls run fullest during and just after the rains.
9. Diving Koh Haa and Hin Daeng, Offshore, south of Lanta
DiversKoh Haa's lagoon and swim-throughs are the easier dives, and the two deep pinnacles of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are for advanced divers, known for mantas and the odd whale shark, best from about February to April by the operators' accounts.
Two dives at Koh Haa cost about ฿3,240–3,600 and at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang about ฿4,240–4,700, plus a ฿600 park fee per diving day. The dive shops cluster in Saladan, and some boats leave from Kantiang Bay.
- Getting there
- Dive shops in Saladan and on the beaches pick up from your hotel.
- When to go
- November to April.
10. Lanta Animal Welfare, Sala Dan, in the north
An hour with rescued cats and dogsA non-profit shelter for the island's street cats and dogs, where a guided tour of about an hour shows you the clinic and the animals, and visitors can also take the dogs out for a walk. It's as good on a wet day as a dry one.
Tours are small and run to a booking, so reserve a slot on lantaanimalwelfare.com, and leave a donation, which is what pays for the care.
- Getting there
- By scooter or tuk-tuk to Sala Dan.
- When to go
- Book a morning or early-afternoon tour.
11. A Thai cooking class, Sala Dan and Klong Dao
A rainy afternoonLanta Thai Cookery School in Sala Dan teaches several dishes in a half day, with vegan and vegetarian versions, and on some days the class starts with a walk to the local market for the ingredients. It's open 10:00 to 20:00, and you eat what you cook.
Time for Lime starts with a cocktail class before the cooking, and the rescue dogs on site are part of the visit. Both fill up from November to April, so book a day or two ahead.
- Getting there
- In Sala Dan, a short ride from Klong Dao and Long Beach.
- When to go
- Any day. Morning classes leave the afternoon for the beach.
12. Kayaking the mangroves, Thung Yee Peng, the northeast
A quiet half dayThe east coast is mangrove forest, and at Thung Yee Peng, about 10 km north of Old Town, local guides paddle visitors through the narrow channels by kayak, with walks in the forest too. Kayak Cafe & Mangrove Tour runs the tours from a café in the village, so ask ahead about times, which change with the season.
From Old Town's pier, longtails also run out to Koh Talabeng, Koh Por and Koh Bubu if you agree the price and the pick-up time with the boatman first.
- Getting there
- By scooter up the east coast road.
- When to go
- Morning, before the heat.
13. Khao Mai Kaew cave, Inland, central Lanta
A muddy adventureA cave system in the jungly middle of the island that you scramble, climb and squeeze through by headlamp, with a guide from the local family who look after it, for a few hundred baht. It's real exploring rather than a lit show cave, so wear shoes you don't mind ruining and clothes that can get muddy.
- Getting there
- By scooter, then a short walk in.
- When to go
- Morning, and it works on a rainy day.
14. A Thai massage, Sala Dan and every beach
After a boat dayThere are massage huts on every beach, and Khlong Khong's line the sand. For a proper traditional Thai massage, Faikham Lanta in Sala Dan is the one the reviews keep coming back to, open 10:00 to 21:30 every day, so it fits around a boat trip. Book ahead in the high season.
- Getting there
- Sala Dan, or the hut on your beach.
- When to go
- The evening after a day on the water.
15. Saladan's Walking Street, Sala Dan, by the pier
A cheap dinnerThe village by the pier turns into a night market in the evenings, with clothes and souvenir stalls, an outdoor food section and restaurants over the water, and noodles, satay and curries from about ฿40. It runs in the high season at least, so ask your hotel which nights it's on outside it.
- Getting there
- A tuk-tuk or scooter to Sala Dan.
- When to go
- Evenings from about 17:00.
16. A fire show at a beach bar, Kantiang Bay and Long Beach
A night out on a quiet islandLanta's nightlife is beach bars, and the fire shows are its big night. At Why Not Bar on Ba Kantiang, a short walk from Pimalai, the live music starts around 20:30 and the fire show follows, and the mains cost about ฿150–250.
Long Beach has the most bars that stay open late. My Koh Lanta nightlife list has the rest.
- Getting there
- Stay nearby, or book a tuk-tuk back.
- When to go
- After 20:30.
17. Yoga, Klong Dao and around the island
Long staysLanta suits people who come for weeks, and yoga is part of that. Oasis Yoga Bungalows by Klong Dao runs daily classes for every level with bungalows on the same grounds, and you'll see posters for classes all over the island.
- Getting there
- Klong Dao, at the north end.
- When to go
- Early morning.
18. A night on Koh Jum, The next island north
Somewhere even quieterKoh Jum is a small island between Lanta and the Krabi coast, quieter still, and it's better as a night or two than a day trip. In the high season some boats from Saladan call there, and my Koh Jum guide has the options.
- Getting there
- A high-season boat from Saladan.
- When to go
- November to April.
19. Muay Thai training, Near Sala Dan
A morning workoutLanta Muay Thai Complex runs classes with Thai trainers at a friendly pace for first-timers, in the morning and the late afternoon, so the middle of the day stays free for the beach. Walk in for a class or take a weekly package.
- Getting there
- By scooter, minutes from the pier.
- When to go
- Morning or late afternoon.
Koh Lanta Attractions, Hours and Prices at a Glance
| Place | Open | Cost | Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Islands trip | About Nov–Apr | About ฿1,000 by longtail, park ฿200 (child ฿100) | A full day |
| Koh Rok and Koh Haa | Closed 1 Jun–30 Sep | About ฿1,600–2,200 by speedboat, park ฿400 on most trips | A calm day |
| Mu Ko Lanta National Park | Daily from 08:30 | ฿200 adult, ฿100 child, ฿20 scooter | 08:30 |
| Lanta Old Town | Always open | Free | Late afternoon |
| Old Town street market | Sat–Sun 11:00–22:00 | Free | Late afternoon |
| Following Giants | 08:00–17:00 daily | ฿1,800 for 2 hours (child ฿1,000), half day ฿2,750 | Morning |
| Khlong Chak Waterfall | 08:30–17:00 daily | ฿200, or the same-day park ticket, guide ฿200 | Morning |
| Diving Koh Haa | About Nov–Apr | About ฿3,240–3,600 for two dives, park ฿600 a day | Early start |
| Diving Hin Daeng and Hin Muang | About Nov–Apr | About ฿4,240–4,700 for two dives, park ฿600 a day | Feb–Apr |
| Lanta Thai Cookery School | 10:00–20:00 daily | Book ahead | Any day |
| Faikham Lanta massage | 10:00–21:30 daily | Book ahead in high season | Evening |
| Wednesday market, Sala Dan | Wed 07:00–12:00 | Free | Early |
| Thursday Food Market, Sala Dan | Thu 10:00–12:00 | Free | Late morning |
| Why Not Bar fire show | Bar 11:00–02:00 | Mains about ฿150–250 | After 20:30 |
| Lanta Muay Thai Complex | 07:00–20:00 daily | Walk-in classes or a weekly package | Morning or late afternoon |
| Scooter rental | Daily | About ฿200–300 a day | Every day |
Hours come from each place's Google listing in our records and can change on Thai public holidays and in the low season. Park fees are the national park's posted rates. Tour prices are typical and vary by operator.
Boat Trips From Koh Lanta, and When They Run
Two trips cover the best of the sea around Lanta, and I'd do both in a five-night stay. The 4 Islands trip goes south to the Trang islands for the Emerald Cave, Koh Ngai and the snorkeling stops. The Koh Rok trip goes further out, by speedboat, for the clearest water and the reefs, usually with Koh Haa on the way. Take the longtail for the cheaper, slower 4 Islands day and the speedboat for Koh Rok, because it's a long way out.
The season matters more than the operator. The national park closes Koh Rok from 1 June to 30 September and the smaller islands from 16 May to 14 October, and operators start and stop at slightly different times, so the trips run from about November to April. From mid-October Bundhaya's island-hopping speedboat also runs south from Saladan to Koh Ngai, Koh Mook and Koh Kradan, so you can stay a night on one instead of a day trip. On Kradan, snorkel at Ao Niang, because the reef off the main beach has been closed to snorkelers since 2024.
Koh Lanta's Beaches
Lanta's west coast is one long run of beaches, and they change character as you go south. Khlong Dao, about 3 km of shallow, gentle water near Saladan, is the one for small children. Long Beach is the busiest, with the most restaurants and the most reliable swimming. Khlong Khong has the beach bars and the sunsets but rocks at low tide, and Kantiang, Nui Bay and Bamboo Beach in the south are the prettiest and the quietest.
My Koh Lanta travel guide has them all in order, north to south, with where to stay on each, and the best beaches in Koh Lanta list ranks every one we cover.
What to Do on Koh Lanta When It Rains
From May to October the sea is rough on the west coast, most boat trips stop and many bars and bungalows close, so plan the island, not the water. Old Town's restaurants and its weekend market keep going all year, and on a wet day it's one of the best things to do on Lanta. Khao Mai Kaew cave, a cooking class, Lanta Animal Welfare and a long massage all work in the rain.
The rains are also when Khlong Chak Waterfall runs fullest, so go between showers, and the elephant sanctuaries stay open. Treat Koh Rok and the Emerald Cave as closed from June to September.
Arriving in Koh Lanta
Top-Ranked Hotels in Koh Lanta
The top of my ranked list of the 10 best hotels in Koh Lanta. Each button opens the hotel on Booking.com with your dates filled in.
#4Lanta Sand Resort & Spa4.4 (950 reviews)
Contemporary quarters with balconies in an elegant resort offering direct beach access & a spa.
Check rates
#5Lanta Pearl Beach Resort4.5 (700 reviews)
Unpretentious bungalows in a laid-back resort, plus straightforward dining & a cocktail bar.
Check rates
#6Lanta Lazy Days Bungalows4.7 (332 reviews)
Rustic bungalows in a laid-back beachfront hotel offering a restaurant, a garden & free Wi-Fi.
Check rates
Things to Do in Koh Lanta With Kids
Lanta is one of the easiest islands in Thailand with children, because the northern beaches are shallow and calm in season and the island is quiet. Base yourselves on Khlong Dao for the gentlest water, and save the south for a day out. The lighthouse beach in the national park has lifeguards, and the monkeys on the trail are fun to watch from a distance, so long as nobody's holding food.
Following Giants charges ฿1,000 for children on its two-hour program, and Lanta Animal Welfare's tour is short enough for small kids. The boat days are long, seven to eight hours, and the 4 Islands trip has a swim through a dark cave in the middle, so I'd save them for older children who swim well. The best beaches in Thailand for families guide compares Lanta with the other family beaches.
Things to Do in Koh Lanta at Night
Nights on Lanta are quiet, and that's most of the appeal. Eat at the Walking Street in Saladan, or at a restaurant on the sand, and stay for a fire show at a beach bar, at Why Not on Ba Kantiang from about 20:30 or on Long Beach, which has the most bars open late.
On a weekend, Old Town's market runs until 22:00, but the street is quiet after dark and Pinto, the best-reviewed kitchen there, closes at 21:00. My Koh Lanta nightlife list has the bars by beach.
What to Skip
Skip Koh Rok and the Emerald Cave from June to September, when the park closes them, and don't book a boat trip in the shoulder months without a spare day, because a rough sea can cancel them on the morning. And don't make a special trip to Khlong Chak late in the dry season, when the falls are at their lowest.
Don't book an elephant program that offers riding or bathing. Following Giants doesn't let you touch the elephants, and that's the reason to go there. And don't go snorkeling off Koh Kradan's main beach, which has been closed to snorkelers since 2024 to let the coral recover.
How Many Days, and Where to Stay
Five nights covers it. One day for the 4 Islands, one for Koh Rok, a scooter day to the south with the park, Khlong Chak and Kantiang and Old Town on the way back, and two days on the beach with a cooking class or the elephants. Stay on Long Beach or Khlong Dao for a first visit, with the most restaurants and the shortest ride to the boats, or in the south around Kantiang for quiet.
From Krabi airport the van takes two to three hours for about ฿400–540. My Koh Lanta travel guide has the hotels, the boats from Phuket and Phi Phi and the weather in more detail.
Plan the rest of the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Things to Do in Koh Lanta.
Long, quiet west-coast beaches with a sunset every evening, a relaxed pace that suits families and long stays, and boat trips to the Emerald Cave on Koh Mook and the reefs of Koh Rok. It's not a party island.
The 4 Islands trip, for the 80 m swim through the Emerald Cave into a hidden lagoon, with snorkeling and lunch on Koh Ngai. It costs about ฿1,000 by longtail. For snorkeling alone, Koh Rok's reefs are better.
From about November to April. The national park closes the island from 1 June to 30 September, and in the shoulder months a rough sea can cancel the speedboat on the day.
Some, at Nui Bay and off the rocks in front of Ba Kantiang, but the best snorkeling is offshore, at Koh Rok, Koh Haa and the Trang islands, which you reach by boat.
The beaches and the sunsets, Lanta Old Town and its weekend market, the Walking Street in Saladan, and the morning markets. The national park and Khlong Chak Waterfall cost ฿200, on one ticket if you do them the same day.
Go to Old Town, which stays open all year, take a cooking class, visit Lanta Animal Welfare, explore Khao Mai Kaew cave or book a long massage. Khlong Chak Waterfall is at its fullest in the rainy season.
Following Giants is a no-touch sanctuary with 11 rescued elephants, no riding, bathing or feeding, and programs from ฿1,800 for two hours with free transfers on Lanta Yai.
A little. It's beach bars with live music and fire shows, on Long Beach and at places like Why Not Bar on Ba Kantiang, rather than clubs. The island is quiet by Thai standards.
Five nights, for the 4 Islands, Koh Rok, a scooter day to the national park, Khlong Chak and Old Town, and two beach days. Three is the minimum to make the trip from Krabi or Phuket worth it.
Where to stay in Koh Lanta
Compare prices across major booking sites, and filter for free-cancellation rooms if you want to reserve now and decide later.
- Compare prices across sites
- Filter for free cancellation
- Secure checkout on the partner site
Compare rates on Booking.com
Largest selection
Compare rates on Expedia
One Key member prices
Compare rates on Trip.com
Strong across Asia
We may earn a commission from bookings made through these links — at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
You Might Also Like
Bangkok City Guide
A city of three zones and a river — understand the layout and everything else falls into place.
Chiang Mai City Guide
A walled square, a mountain, and the best-value good living in Thailand — once you know the calendar.
Things to Do in Bangkok
Ten experiences worth the trip — ranked, priced, and timed so you catch each at its best hour.
Things to Do in Chiang Mai
Twenty-five things worth the trip north, ranked, priced, and timed around the mountain, the markets and the smoke-free months.
Best Time to Visit Thailand
November to February for most trips, and the right coast for the rest of the year
Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
More about MacReady to build your itinerary?
Use our free itinerary builder to save places, organize days, and share your trip.
Open Itinerary Builder