Koh Lanta 7-day itinerary

Arrive on Koh Lanta via ferry from Krabi or Koh Phi Phi, docking at Saladan Pier on the northern tip. Check into a beachside bungalow on Klong Dao Beach — the island's most accessible beach with a wide, gently sloping shoreline ideal for swimming. Walk the 2km length of Klong Dao and feel the pace of the island immediately: Koh Lanta is slower, quieter, and more local than its neighbours. Rent a scooter in Saladan (200–250 THB/day) for the week.

Explore Saladan, the island's main village at the northern tip where the ferry arrives. The small town has travel agencies, a 7-Eleven, pharmacies, and a handful of good restaurants. Browse the afternoon market for Thai snacks — grilled chicken skewers (20 THB), mango sticky rice (60 THB), and fresh fruit shakes (40 THB). Stock up on essentials for the week — Saladan has the best prices on the island for basics.

Klong Dao Beach faces directly west across the Andaman Sea. Grab a 60 THB Singha beer from a beach bar and settle in for the sunset. The wide beach catches the last light beautifully — the sky often turns deep orange and purple as the sun drops behind the horizon. For dinner, eat at one of the beachfront restaurants where fresh seafood is laid on ice: pick your fish, choose your cooking style, and watch the cook prepare it over coals.

Ride 5 minutes south to Long Beach (Phra Ae), the island's longest and most popular beach at 3km. The sand is wider and the vibe slightly more social than Klong Dao, with beach bars, yoga studios, and dive shops lining the road behind the beach. Swim, rent a kayak (300 THB/hour), or join a morning beach yoga class (300 THB) offered by several studios along the strip.

Cross the island to Lanta Old Town on the east coast. The atmospheric village of stilted wooden shophouses was once a major trading port for the Andaman Sea, with Chinese, Malay, and Chao Ley (sea gypsy) communities living side by side. Walk the single waterfront street, visiting art galleries, craft shops, and the small community museum. Eat crab curry or stir-fried morning glory at a waterfront restaurant overlooking the mangrove-lined channel.

Take an evening Thai cooking class (1,000–1,500 THB, 3–4 hours). Several operators on Long Beach and Klong Dao run classes where you visit a local market to buy ingredients, then learn to prepare 4–5 dishes: pad thai, green curry paste from scratch, tom yum soup, papaya salad, and mango sticky rice. You eat everything you cook. The classes are hands-on and fun — a highlight of many Koh Lanta visits.

Board a longtail boat at 8am for the Four Islands tour (800–1,200 THB). First stop is Koh Chuek with its shallow coral reef — snorkel among parrotfish, clownfish, and triggerfish in 2–3 metres of clear water. Next is Koh Mook's Emerald Cave (Tham Morakot): swim 80 metres through a pitch-dark sea cave to emerge in a hidden lagoon enclosed by jungle-covered limestone cliffs and open to the sky. A tiny beach sits at the lagoon's edge.

Snorkel the coral reef at Koh Ngai, where the water clarity is exceptional and blue-spotted stingrays rest on the sandy bottom between coral heads. Lunch is served on the beach — pad thai, fried rice, watermelon, and pineapple. The final stop is Koh Maa, a tiny island connected to Koh Lanta's northwest tip by a sandbar. Walk across the sandbar at low tide and snorkel the calm waters on either side.

After a full day on the water, treat yourself to a Thai massage on Long Beach (300 THB/hour) — several beach operators set up massage beds right on the sand with the sound of waves. For dinner, head to one of the southern beach restaurants on Klong Nin or Kantiang Bay for a change of scenery — grilled squid with tamarind sauce and a cold Singha overlooking the darkening Andaman.

Join a day trip to Ko Rok Nai and Ko Rok Nok (1,500–2,000 THB, available November–April only), twin islands in the Mu Ko Lanta National Park about 30km south. The speedboat ride takes 1 hour. Ko Rok has some of the best snorkelling in all of Thailand — pristine coral reefs in turquoise water with visibility exceeding 20 metres, hawksbill turtles, blacktip reef sharks, and massive schools of fusiliers and surgeonfish.

After snorkelling, relax on Ko Rok's powder-white beach — one of the most beautiful in the Andaman Sea. Lunch is served on the beach (included in the tour). In the afternoon, the boat moves to a second snorkel site on the channel between the two islands, where the current attracts larger fish and the coral coverage is dense and colourful. Keep an eye out for banded sea kraits — beautiful black-and-white striped sea snakes that are venomous but non-aggressive.

Return to Koh Lanta by late afternoon. Ride to Kantiang Bay for a sundowner at one of the beach bars. This crescent bay — backed by jungle hills — is quieter and more intimate than the northern beaches. Eat at Same Same But Different for excellent massaman curry, or splash out at Phra Nang Lanta for upscale Thai seafood (mains 300–600 THB). The stars over Kantiang Bay on a clear night are spectacular — minimal light pollution this far south.

Explore the national park (200 THB entry) at the island's southern tip. Walk to the lighthouse at Tanod Cape for sweeping views across the Andaman Sea. Follow the nature trail through coastal forest where monitor lizards bask on rocks and hornbills call from the canopy. The park's secluded beaches are ideal for a morning swim — bring a mask for the rocky reef at the lighthouse headland where colourful fish congregate.

Head to Thung Yee Pheng on the east coast for a guided mangrove kayak tour (500–700 THB, 2 hours). Paddle through tunnels formed by interlocking mangrove roots, spotting mudskippers, fiddler crabs, kingfishers, and brahminy kites overhead. The guides explain the mangrove ecosystem's importance as a fish nursery and coastal protector. The channels are narrow and shaded — a welcome break from the beach sun.

End the day at Klong Nin Beach, a mid-island beach that attracts long-term travellers and has a relaxed, slightly bohemian feel. The beach has a mix of beach bars, small restaurants, and reggae-themed spots. Watch the sunset from a hammock, then eat at one of the roadside Thai restaurants behind the beach — cheaper and often more authentic than the beachfront places. Khao pad (fried rice) and som tam (papaya salad) for under 150 THB.

For certified divers, Koh Lanta is the gateway to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang — two of Thailand's premier dive sites. A day trip (3,500–4,500 THB for 2 dives) takes you 60km southwest to twin submerged pinnacles where manta rays, whale sharks (season-dependent), and massive schools of barracuda and trevally patrol. The walls are covered in soft coral — Hin Muang (Purple Rock) is named for its dense purple soft coral coverage. For non-divers, Discover Scuba courses at local reefs cost 2,500–3,500 THB.

Spend the afternoon at Relax Bay (also called Phra Ae South), a quiet stretch between Long Beach and Klong Nin. The beach is less developed, with a few bungalow operations and beach bars spaced well apart. Read in a hammock, swim in the gentle surf, or join an afternoon yoga session (300 THB) at one of the beachside studios. This is what Koh Lanta does best — unhurried, uncrowded island life.

On Saturday evenings, Saladan hosts a small night market with Thai street food, fresh grilled seafood, fruit shakes, and souvenir stalls. Pad thai for 60 THB, grilled corn for 20 THB, and coconut ice cream for 30 THB. Several bars on Long Beach have live acoustic music on weekend evenings — Funky Fish and Cha Cha Bar are reliable. The vibe is mellow, not a full moon party — exactly why people choose Koh Lanta.

Ride to Bamboo Bay (Ao Mai Pai) on the far southern coast — one of Koh Lanta's least-visited beaches, backed by dense jungle and reached by a steep road that deters casual visitors. The beach is wild and beautiful. Nearby, the Khlong Chak Waterfall trail (30-minute walk through rubber plantation and jungle) leads to a small but refreshing waterfall with a natural swimming pool at the base. Combine both for a peaceful final morning.

Return to your favourite beach for a final swim and some pad thai. If you haven't visited Nui Bay (sometimes called Diamond Cliff Beach), the short rocky scramble down to this tiny cove is worth the effort — a private-feeling beach hemmed in by dramatic cliff formations. Pack up and prepare for your onward journey. Return your scooter to the rental shop in Saladan.

Ferries and speedboats to Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lipe, and Phuket depart from Saladan Pier throughout the day. The last ferries leave around 3–4pm. Minivans to Krabi Airport depart regularly (350 THB, 2.5 hours). If heading south, the Koh Lanta to Koh Lipe speedboat (November–April only, 1,800 THB) is one of Thailand's most scenic boat journeys through the islands of the lower Andaman. Book a day ahead in peak season.