Koh Lanta

[spiekerjozef 4,490]

On 7/25/2020 at 1:46 PM, zzzzz said:

Can someone IN KOH LANTA, if ur not, dont reply

 

[soi3eddie 1,575]

I was in Koh Lanta on 21st and 22nd June this year. The place was DEAD. Some resorts open but very few (I stayed at Blue Andaman resort - bungalows, pool and right on the beach). Some restaurants open but very few. It was miserable and sad to see the situation. The only highlight was that The Irish Embassy Pub was open (and busiest place). Great food, drink and a warm welcome from Jamie and his staff. I expect that more places are now open. Can you post a trip report of your experiences here please? 

Edited July 29, 2020 by soi3eddie

[Will E Vormer 169]

There are quite a few hotel and apartment buy to let businesses in real trouble. Inc famous Swedish resort where owners haven't seen  rental income from last season and the owner hasn't returned emails in months. Sad times in koh lanta 

 

[wimpy 197]

On 7/28/2020 at 9:32 PM, fin5prtw said:

If you drive from Phuket it's quite a long way, you have to go down past Krabi and then across on the car ferry, probably around 6-7 hours for the whole trip.

Your laughing reaction is not particularly helpful. It was a serious question / comment, as I am planning to drive down from the North very soon. My GPS routing software is usually pretty accurate about estimating drive times. Are you saying this is not the case in this instance? Anyone done the drive from Hua Hin or Phrajuib to the Lanta ferry? Would like to get an idea of the drive time involved. TIA.

[thaibeachlovers 32,993]

On 7/26/2020 at 5:33 PM, Keyser Soze666 said:

Is Ko Lanta worth the hassle to get there, isn't it a few hours on a ferry from Phuket? If so, what is the best area to stay? Thanks

Lanta is lovely, or certainly was early this century, and was worth it. I stayed at Lanta Villa, but I doubt it's the same now. One of the real benefits of Lanta's west coast was that there were NO longtails trawling for customers, so it was very peaceful.

Can also get there overland from Krabi town.

[thaibeachlovers 32,993]

On 7/30/2020 at 3:10 AM, soi3eddie said:

I was in Koh Lanta on 21st and 22nd June this year. The place was DEAD. Some resorts open but very few (I stayed at Blue Andaman resort - bungalows, pool and right on the beach). Some restaurants open but very few. It was miserable and sad to see the situation. The only highlight was that The Irish Embassy Pub was open (and busiest place). Great food, drink and a warm welcome from Jamie and his staff. I expect that more places are now open. Can you post a trip report of your experiences here please? 

I'm puzzled that you were miserable just because of some places closed. Obviously the locals not making money were miserable, but that should no affect YOUR enjoyment of the beach. I'd love having the beach to myself, but I didn't need fancy restaurants or night life to do so.

[thaibeachlovers 32,993]

On 8/3/2020 at 12:14 AM, wimpy said:

Your laughing reaction is not particularly helpful. It was a serious question / comment, as I am planning to drive down from the North very soon. My GPS routing software is usually pretty accurate about estimating drive times. Are you saying this is not the case in this instance? Anyone done the drive from Hua Hin or Phrajuib to the Lanta ferry? Would like to get an idea of the drive time involved. TIA.

Perhaps his laugh emoji was that you apparently believe a machine that doesn't take into account of all the things that can happen on the roads of LOS.

I once had to wait several hours while the police decided what to do about a full diesel tanker that had overturned blocking both lanes. Their solution was to empty the fuel onto the road which melted it, but that's just part of the rich tapestry of life in LOS.

If I had to be anywhere at a specific time and day, I'd always travel to the destination the day before, just to allow for any delays.

[Keyser Soze666 1,898]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Lanta is lovely, or certainly was early this century, and was worth it. I stayed at Lanta Villa, but I doubt it's the same now. One of the real benefits of Lanta's west coast was that there were NO longtails trawling for customers, so it was very peaceful.

Can also get there overland from Krabi town.

You're a bit late to the party, moved on from this weeks back.

[soi3eddie 1,575]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm puzzled that you were miserable just because of some places closed. Obviously the locals not making money were miserable, but that should no affect YOUR enjoyment of the beach. I'd love having the beach to myself, but I didn't need fancy restaurants or night life to do so.

You read wrong. The place was miserable. Mostly closed down and the Thai people there clearly having a hard time. No fun at all. Sad to see. I'm not miserable and look for the best in everything. 

[fin5prtw 34]

On 8/2/2020 at 7:14 PM, wimpy said:

Your laughing reaction is not particularly helpful. It was a serious question / comment, as I am planning to drive down from the North very soon. My GPS routing software is usually pretty accurate about estimating drive times. Are you saying this is not the case in this instance? Anyone done the drive from Hua Hin or Phrajuib to the Lanta ferry? Would like to get an idea of the drive time involved. TIA.

It's certainly doable, but personally I would break it up over 2 days - I frequently drive from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat and usually stop around Chumphon on the way down and Prachuap on the way back. 

 

Many of my friends drive from Lanta to Bangkok or vice versa in a day, but that's driving at full speed with very few breaks - a long and arduous journey. 

[zzzzz 546]

driving down, i usually stop in Cha am and than next day on to phuket, (about 8 hours)
from hua hin to the lanta ferry would be around 11 hours BUT as there is no place to stay there and the ferry does not run at night,better stopping in krabi ( apx 9 1/2 hours)

[wimpy 197]

2 hours ago, fin5prtw said:

It's certainly doable, but personally I would break it up over 2 days - I frequently drive from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat and usually stop around Chumphon on the way down and Prachuap on the way back. 

 

Many of my friends drive from Lanta to Bangkok or vice versa in a day, but that's driving at full speed with very few breaks - a long and arduous journey. 

Thanks for that. We are coming down from Lampang. Plan to spend two nights in Pran Buri, and then on to Koh Lanta on day 3. Lampang to Pran Buri is no problem. Just wasn't sure about Parn Buri to Koh Lanta.

[wimpy 197]

On 8/22/2020 at 9:23 PM, wimpy said:

Thanks for that. We are coming down from Lampang. Plan to spend two nights in Pran Buri, and then on to Koh Lanta on day 3. Lampang to Pran Buri is no problem. Just wasn't sure about Parn Buri to Koh Lanta.

In case anyone is planning similar, it was about 8 hours drive from Pran Buri to the car ferry. Pretty close to what my GPS was estimating. Am on Lanta now. Staying in one of the over water houses in Old Town. Very pleasant experience. Lots of places are closed, but enough open to make it worthwhile. Loving the absence of people.

[soi3eddie 1,575]

1 hour ago, wimpy said:

In case anyone is planning similar, it was about 8 hours drive from Pran Buri to the car ferry. Pretty close to what my GPS was estimating. Am on Lanta now. Staying in one of the over water houses in Old Town. Very pleasant experience. Lots of places are closed, but enough open to make it worthwhile. Loving the absence of people.

Hope you have a great and peaceful time. Weather OK?

[wimpy 197]

27 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

Hope you have a great and peaceful time. Weather OK?

Thank you. Some really great monsoon downpours, but they don't last so long as to ruin your day. If you are thinking about it, come. A lovely experience, and they need the business.