After a mostly soggy few days in Krabi, we were pretty excited to get some solid beach time on Koh Lanta. We were dreaming of the postcard-worthy beaches Thailand is famous for and we were not disappointed.
Chill Out House
On our first night we headed to Chill Out House, an absolute hippy dream of a tree house hostel, filled with hammocks, tie dye sarongs and baggy-trouser-clad backpackers. We absolutely loved the vibe of this hostel and it was an awesome place to relax during the evening, but unfortunately the beds were little more than planks of wood and the plentiful mosquito population deterred us from staying another night. Having spent a few months on the road we were happy to take the hit and splurge the extra 80 baht for some comfort, moving to a hostel just down the road with a proper fan and fully functioning hot showers, luxury.
Road Trippin’
We spent our time on Koh Lanta situated either on the sand or a scooter seat, spending much of our days riding around the island searching for the best beaches and viewpoints. The island turned out to be a lot larger than we’d originally thought, and although we managed to cover a lot of ground and see some gorgeous views, after our first day of exploring we still had so much to see. We headed back and flopped down on the beach, discovered one minute later by Giacomo, Matteo and Renzo, who had just arrived on the island. Koh Lanta sunsets were just as spectacular as Koh Tao’s, and we were truly spoiled by the dramatic light show in the sky every evening. We caught up over a few 7-Eleven beers and called it an early night.
The following day the 6 of us all hopped on scooters for a full island adventure, stopping at Lanta Old Town to check out the small shops and restaurants there, and a local fishing village towards the South of the island. We didn’t stop for too long as we were on a mission to get down to the National Park.
At the National Park we headed straight for the nature walk, which to be honest, we had underestimated and struggled through quite begrudgingly due to the heat. It was a steep uphill climb through jungle and after several hours driving around in the sun, none of us were in the best shape. After we’d huffed and puffed our way through the trail, we settled on Epic Beach for a well-deserved and scenic rest.
On the way back, around 20km away from the hostel, Matteo’s scooter decided it had had enough after an already ropey journey. The engine had struggled to get him up the hill at the best of times and had finally given up, resulting in a long wait for the rental company to come and pick him up. A not so perfect end to a pretty perfect day.
4 Island Tour
Annie and I had planned to put our new diving certifications into practice during our stay on Koh Lanta, but unfortunately the storm and the waves had stirred up all the sand, resulting in visibility as low as 2 meters. Still craving some time underwater, we opted instead for the 4 island tour which includes snorkeling spots near the small islands close to Koh Lanta.
The initial boat journey to the first island was less than pleasant, with a stomach churning, rough sea and waves that soaked us all so regularly it was a struggle to open our eyes. When we arrived at our first snorkeling spot we could see from the surface that the water was full of jellyfish, also washed up by the storm. Having recently had a nasty jellyfish sting on Railay Beach I was not keen to experience this again, so Annie and I stayed firmly on the boat for this one. Ros, however, braved it and confirmed that the stinging was pretty relentless.
We were then taken to Morakot Cave, also known as the Emerald Cave, a lagoon accessible via a cave underneath the limestone rocks. After surveying the water there and seeing only a few jellyfish, we decided it was worth the risk. Swimming through a dark cave with just a torch is always a thrill, but with the added risk of unseen stingers we were a little on edge until we saw the light flooding in at the other end. We emerged into a gorgeous lagoon with shallow, clear water and a white sandy beach, completely surrounded by limestone rock.
Our second snorkeling stop was a real treat; we were able to swim away from the boat and towards a rocky outcrop to see the small reef and tropical fish hanging out there. The visibility wasn’t the best but still enough to see a mini underwater paradise.
The final stop of the day was Koh Ngai, which apart from a small resort, is relatively untouched and one of the most stunning beaches we’d seen on our trip. This was the paradise island we’d been waiting for in Thailand, the water was crystal clear and the sand powder white. The tour guides cooked up an incredible Thai buffet lunch which we tucked into on the beach, followed by bobbing about in the water and watching the fish swim around us.
Spa Time
By this point in the trip I was truly regretting having not taken full advantage of the cheap massages and spa treatments on offer in Southeast Asia. I’m a spa lover but somehow I had just not found the time to prioritize it, with us opting for more adventurous activities most of the time (and perhaps the intensity of our massage in Laos had put me off slightly).
On our final night in Koh Lanta a massage was the only option for how to spend my evening, so I headed to the beach near our hostel and settled in for the most incredible massage of my life, for just £7.50. An hour later when I went back to join the gang, I was so relaxed I was barely awake.
It was soon time to say goodbye to Koh Lanta, and to our old and new travel friends. We’d had such a great time catching up with Giacomo and getting to know the Renzo and Matteo, but it was once again time to say farewell and move on to a new country, Malaysia!
Pint-Sized Adventurers 