I believe that the hardest to get to places are always the ones which are far more worth it. Easily accessible tourist islands are often overcrowded and overpriced. So take the time to get a bit further off the track, such as Koh Lanta. And what’s the best thing to do once you get there? Hire a motorbike of course! Mr C and I have only recently discovered the joy and freedom a bike gives you. We literally haven’t looked back! Once you get to Koh Lanta scooter to these beautiful sights in Koh Lanta Yai (the south island – yes there are two!).
Top Tip – I advise you arrange your hire before you get there because everyone is doing it, and we struggled to get one. But as you can see we persevered and here are my suggestions for places to go and visit.
Koh Lanta National Park & Lighthouse
Down at the very bottom of the island along the west coast you will find a stunning national park with a variety of things to do. We left early in the morning and headed straight down to the bottom so we could beach hop on the way back and I didn’t anticipate staying long to be honest. However, when we arrived the Park Ranger told us about the 2km trail we could do in the jungle, Mr C was intrigued. I had already set off to the beach to spot the lighthouse and was climbing over the boulders exposed at the low tide.
The Lighthouse
Take the time to climb up here and get yourself some stunning 360 views from the top. We could see the jungle from here and it looked like and easy route…….
The Jungle Trek
The beginning of the trail should have said it all, an uneven staircase quickly petering out to actual jungle which quickly became quite vertical in places. I’m not going to lie, from the entrance point we can in at the first half a mile was HARD. Infact i repeatedly asked Mr C if he wanted to turn back but he kept saying no…. So onward we ploughed. Thankfully a pathway finally emerged which had a hint of flooring that wasn’t just roots and mud and out pace quickened. Along the route are information boards telling you about the flora and fauna around you which was a great touch. We went clockwise around the trail and were rewarded near the end with an amazing view across the beach towards the lighthouse.
Make sure when you scooter to these beautiful sights in Koh Lanta you take plenty of water with you as you may just find yourself on a 1 hour trek you hadn’t anticipated!
Beach Hop
There are just too many stunning beaches on Koh Lanta to name them all, however just about everywhere (apart from pirate beach – didn’t like that one) are all incredibly instagrammable. Make sure along your route you take the time to stop and take in the views!
Visit Koh Lanta Old Town
Walking Street
You will find this lovely charming old town on the east coast of the south island about half way down. The walking street is full of shops and restaurants on stilts built over the sea. Take a walk to the pier via the roundabout with a shrine on it.
Old Town Lobster
You won’t miss this gigantic statue at the entrance to the pier, it is huge! Take a walk to the end of the pier and you can look back at all the houses on stilts.
Roundabout Temple
At the south entrance to the walking street is a beautiful white and gold temple right in the centre of the roundabout.
Sunshine Hill Restaurant
We stumbled upon this lovely restaurant set on top of the hill overlooking the sea when we ventured further down the east coast to find Pirate Beach. We found the beach, it was not photographable so we turned around and headed back to this restaurant we spotted on the way down. Run by a local family it was some of the best food I have ever eaten! Food with a view too, and super cheap as always in this kind of area. Make a point to head to here and support local people, I promise you will not be disappointed. For other amazing places to eat on the island read Koh Lantas best hidden restaurants.
Ban Saladan Fishing Town
The island is so small you can travel from south to north in literally no time, and this is what we did after lunch. As we headed north the roads got busier and the population expanded. If you are after a party area then this little town is the place for you! So many bars and restaurants line the streets and there are several beach areas with nice looking hotels too. If you have forgotten to bring something or your suitcase has got lost then this is where you can replenish your stock too. It’s not the prettiest place on the island but it has a certain vibe to it that you can get caught up in.
Find the art cafe in Ban Saladan
Nearer to the beach on the edge of the town we stumbled across this quirky little bar with a really good sea view. It’s owned by the resident artist who has a shop on the site too if you fancy a gift or too.
The Time When So Fast
As you can see from the Koh Lanta post I wrote before we visited I had grand plans for all the things we would do on the island. We should have stayed more days as we literally ran out of time, so I didnt get to see the Emerald Cave let alone trek to the waterfall. However you can see all of the amazing things I found to do on Koh Lanta in the map. Go and find your own adventure and scooter to these beautiful sights in Koh Lanta 🙂