5 Days in Koh Lanta

Fly into Krabi Airport (KBV) and transfer to Klong Jilad Pier by taxi or Grab (45–60 min, THB 500–700). Take the ferry to Saladan Pier on Koh Lanta (30 min, THB 150–250). Check into your accommodation — Hat Khlong Dao is the most practical base for a 5-day trip. Rent a motorbike immediately for THB 200–250/day.

Walk the full length of Hat Khlong Dao beach (2.5km) to get your bearings. The beach is wide with gentle waves — swim, rent a kayak, or simply acclimatise. Stop at a beach cafe for your first Thai coffee (cha yen) and a plate of pad thai. Note the restaurant options for the evenings ahead.

Choose a beachfront restaurant on Hat Khlong Dao for your first sunset dinner — the Andaman sunsets here are immediate and dramatic. Order grilled barracuda or red snapper, a southern Thai green curry, and watch the colours unfold. Retire early — Day 2 starts at the dive shop.

Koh Ha (Five Islands) is Koh Lanta's premier dive site for most ability levels — five interconnected limestone caves and caverns with extraordinary light effects in the morning. The dive starts at 8–8:30 am from Hat Khlong Dao's dive operators. The cavern dives here are spectacular — shafts of light pierce the water through cave openings, illuminating reef fish, sea turtles, and nudibranch-covered walls. Non-divers can snorkel the same area.

The afternoon dive typically visits Koh Bida Nok or Koh Bida Nai — two adjacent limestone pillars rising from the sea with steep walls covered in sea fans, large gorgonians, and regularly patrolled by leopard sharks resting on sandy ledges. Green turtles are reliably sighted. Surface by 3 pm for the boat ride back to Koh Lanta.

After diving, the rest of the afternoon is for rehydrating and resting. A gentle evening walk along Ao Phra Ae (Long Beach) — 10 minutes south by motorbike — makes a change of scenery. Dinner at a beachside restaurant with an early night.

Depart for the four-island tour from Saladan Pier at 8–9 am. The classic route visits Koh Mook (Emerald Cave), Koh Kradan, Koh Chuak, and Koh Waen. The boat crossing to Koh Mook takes about 45 minutes through open Andaman water — watch for flying fish alongside the speedboat.

At Koh Mook, swim through the dark 80-metre cave to the hidden inland beach — the Emerald Cave experience. After Koh Mook, head to Koh Kradan for the trip's best snorkelling: healthy coral gardens in shallow water with strong fish diversity. Lunch is served on the boat or at a beach restaurant on Koh Kradan.

Back on Koh Lanta by 4–5 pm. Head to Saladan's evening market for cheap, fresh Thai food from market stalls. The market is the social heart of the local community in the evenings — you'll eat alongside Thai families rather than fellow tourists. Try the rotee (Thai crepe with banana and condensed milk) for dessert.

Join a guided mangrove kayaking tour — the channels north of Saladan and around the adjacent small island Koh Lanta Noi are weaved with mangrove forest navigable by kayak at high tide. Tours typically run 2–3 hours (THB 400–800/person) and include sightings of kingfishers, herons, mudskippers, and occasionally sea otters. The quiet and the birdsong inside the mangrove make it a completely different experience from the beach scene.

After kayaking (back by noon), ride 15 minutes east across the island to Lanta Old Town. Spend 2–3 hours walking the main street of wooden shophouses on stilts, visiting the local history museum, browsing craft stores, and having lunch at one of the atmospheric Old Town restaurants — fresh seafood in a 100-year-old building over the water, for THB 150–300.

Ride 20 minutes south from Hat Khlong Dao to Khlong Khong beach — the island's most social beach, with a row of laid-back bars, bean bags on the sand, and fire shows in the evenings. Order a bucket or a beer and watch the sunset with a more social crowd. Return north by 9–10 pm.

Set off south early (8–9 am) for the 45-minute ride to Kantiang Bay. Stop at Relax Bay and Khlong Nin en route — both are beautiful beaches worth a 10-minute stop. Kantiang Bay itself is one of Thailand's finest small bays: a horseshoe of white sand with jungle hills on either side and crystal-clear water. Swim in the sheltered bay for an hour.

Walk the 15-minute trail down to Nui Beach — a hidden crescent of sand accessible only on foot (or by boat). The descent is steep and best in good footwear, but the beach is genuinely secluded and beautiful. After Nui Beach, continue 10 minutes further south by motorbike to the Mu Ko Lanta National Park entrance (THB 200 entry). Walk the trail to the southern lighthouse for a panoramic view over the national park islands.

Return to Kantiang Bay for a sunset farewell dinner — the best way to end a Koh Lanta trip. The bay's restaurants serve excellent fresh grilled seafood in one of Thailand's most beautiful settings. Budget THB 300–600 per person for a full meal with drinks. Ride back north after sunset on the well-lit main road for a last night on Hat Khlong Dao.