Koh Lanta Questions

[Nisa]

Hi, I am planning to stay on Koh Lanta for 6 days & nights and had a few questions since I have never been there ...

Is it easy to get around by car? I can rent a car at the airport for 7500 baht for a week and since there will be three of us (wife & adult daughter) was thinking if this might be the best way to go. I was originally thinking about just renting a bike for the week or the days we wanted to go exploring but if I don't have a car I'll probably end up spending 2500 for the private hotel van from the airport since we are getting in about 7:30. However, I don't want to have a car sitting around we are not really going to be using, especially if there are areas more accessible by motorbike than car and days we may just want to walk the beaches near the hotel.

Also, any recommendations on where to stay too? I would prefer not to have to move and look around after getting there and just book the same place for all the nights. I am told Lanta Paviliion is nice and I spoke directly with them and they are willing to give me a good deal if I book in advance directly with them. Their normal price is 2500(2-people) for a Deluxe Garden Bungalow this time of year. Normally I don't do much vacationing in High Season like this so am used to paying closer to 1,500 for the same type of setup but from the pictures and what a friend told me, this is the type of place that seems like what we are looking for. Just wonder if anyone knows of any nice place offering good discounts like low season prices now given there has been some bad press coming out of there lately and we are not too far into the high season.

Only been to Krabi one other time (couple months ago) and stayed in Railay for like 4 or 5 days and absolutely loved it but want to go to a different area this time. Also, anybody know if the water fall is actually falling this time of year?.

Really appreciate any thoughts and experiences.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Nisa

[phuketrichard]

posted on the Krabi thread u started,

rent the car and drive down and look, 3 wont fit on a bike, try not and arrive on Friday/sat if possible.

There are so many new places going up its better to look when u get there than reserve. less than a 2 hour drive from Krabi airport

Should be able to get a car for less than 7,500

http://krabi.sawadee.com/lanta.html

[smokie36]

We have booked up to stay around peak season at Xmas, having not been for three years or more. Prices have risen considerably.

I used to stay at http://www.sayangbeachlanta.com/ but I notice prices have risen heavily. Can recall staying for 200 Baht a night in low season....maybe 2007!

Nice quiet location at the north end of long beach.

Hiring a car and driving around is the way to go....don't miss Lanta Old Town....nice spot for a drink in the evening over the water.

Also the two hilltop restaurants on the way there are very pleasant for lunch.....great views.

[taninthai]

Have to disagree a car on ko lanta is a waste of time ,there is only one road really that runs the length of the island and when you get down the southern end the roads a bit small for a car, you can drivevfrom one end of the island to the other in 30 min ko lanta really not that big that you need a car.

[smokie36]

Have to disagree a car on ko lanta is a waste of time ,there is only one road really that runs the length of the island and when you get down the southern end the roads a bit small for a car, you can drivevfrom one end of the island to the other in 30 min ko lanta really not that big that you need a car.

Perhaps. Its useful for a day or two to have a good look around though.

[taninthai]

Have to disagree a car on ko lanta is a waste of time ,there is only one road really that runs the length of the island and when you get down the southern end the roads a bit small for a car, you can drivevfrom one end of the island to the other in 30 min ko lanta really not that big that you need a car.

Perhaps. Its useful for a day or two to have a good look around though.

Yep ok for a quick look around and if the op is going to pay 2500 bht for hotel transfer bus arriving and then again 2500 when he leaves (real bad price by the way) it probably is worth taking a car just for the convenience of avoiding the mini bus transfers,but still for seeing the island a couple of bikes better lots of small dirttracks leading to beaches of main road which a car may not even be able to get down.

Edited November 13, 2012 by taninthai

[LivinginKata]

Yes, I would recommend hiring a car from Krabi airport. Makes for a more leisurely holiday, and gives the flexibility of driving about Lanta. Yes, Lanta ain't that big and it does not take long to drive all over the island. But self drive flexibility is well worth the modest costs. Hire/drive a m/bike at your own cost to life and limb.

[Nisa]

Thanks guys (and gals if applicable). Still unsure on the car. I guess the thing that might sway me is how easy it is to get across the ferry with a car especially given we are getting into the airport at 7:30 at night. Hotel says no problem for them but not sure if they have their own connections with a ferry or if the public ones goes late into the night.

I have no problem with renting a motorbike and actually enjoy it and no problem with riding the three of us on the bike. Going back we'd probably just use the cheaper public van service but still with 3 people probably about 1500 baht when all is said and done. Also guessing a motorbike rental is 300 a day. So, if I rent a bike for 5 days that is 1500 plus the 2500 van to get there and 1500 to get back.which puts me at 5500. Still cheaper than renting a car which isn't the main consideration but just more about what I get out of having a car on what sounds like a fairly small island in terms of getting around and the possible headaches of parking the car vs a motorbijke.

If the ferry is easy to use at all hours then it does open up the possibility of driving to other places one day off of Koh Lanta.

UGH, I hate when I over think sh@t.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Nisa

[Nisa]

By the way -- anybody know if they are hurting now tourism wise. They have been getting some bad press about crime including the Evil Man of Krabi video and now just saw something about some mystery deaths and illness among many people on Koh Lanta ... I believe it was locals though.

[smokie36]

Thanks guys (and gals if applicable). Still unsure on the car. I guess the thing that might sway me is how easy it is to get across the ferry with a car especially given we are getting into the airport at 7:30 at night. Hotel says no problem for them but not sure if they have their own connections with a ferry or if the public ones goes late into the night.

I have no problem with renting a motorbike and actually enjoy it and no problem with riding the three of us on the bike. Going back we'd probably just use the cheaper public van service but still with 3 people probably about 1500 baht when all is said and done. Also guessing a motorbike rental is 300 a day. So, if I rent a bike for 5 days that is 1500 plus the 2500 van to get there and 1500 to get back.which puts me at 5500. Still cheaper than renting a car which isn't the main consideration but just more about what I get out of having a car on what sounds like a fairly small island in terms of getting around and the possible headaches of parking the car vs a motorbijke.

If the ferry is easy to use at all hours then it does open up the possibility of driving to other places one day off of Koh Lanta.

UGH, I hate when I over think sh@t.

Given the time you are arriving I would recommend you find a hotel in Krabi Town for the night, enjoy dinner at the night market and take the ferry the next day to Koh Lanta.

http://www.lantainfo.com/getting_ko_lanta_krabi.htm

You can rent a car on Koh Lanta if you feel the need.

Alternatively you should be aware that in high season you may have to wait for three or even four ferries....adding fifteen minutes each ferry to your journey time.

As you know you need to take two ferries....the journeys themselves are easy enough at around fifteen minutes each.

Have a great trip!

I don't know how late the ferries run....maybe someone else will provide that info for you.

[smokie36]

Just wanted to add, its at least an hour drive to the first ferry from Krabi Airport......at least a twenty minute wait....then another fifteen minute drive to the second ferry....another wait....

I would allow three hours minimum to get to Lanta. If you choose to drive do it early morning!

[Nisa]

Thanks guys (and gals if applicable). Still unsure on the car. I guess the thing that might sway me is how easy it is to get across the ferry with a car especially given we are getting into the airport at 7:30 at night. Hotel says no problem for them but not sure if they have their own connections with a ferry or if the public ones goes late into the night.

I have no problem with renting a motorbike and actually enjoy it and no problem with riding the three of us on the bike. Going back we'd probably just use the cheaper public van service but still with 3 people probably about 1500 baht when all is said and done. Also guessing a motorbike rental is 300 a day. So, if I rent a bike for 5 days that is 1500 plus the 2500 van to get there and 1500 to get back.which puts me at 5500. Still cheaper than renting a car which isn't the main consideration but just more about what I get out of having a car on what sounds like a fairly small island in terms of getting around and the possible headaches of parking the car vs a motorbijke.

If the ferry is easy to use at all hours then it does open up the possibility of driving to other places one day off of Koh Lanta.

UGH, I hate when I over think sh@t.

Given the time you are arriving I would recommend you find a hotel in Krabi Town for the night, enjoy dinner at the night market and take the ferry the next day to Koh Lanta.

http://www.lantainfo...lanta_krabi.htm

You can rent a car on Koh Lanta if you feel the need.

Alternatively you should be aware that in high season you may have to wait for three or even four ferries....adding fifteen minutes each ferry to your journey time.

As you know you need to take two ferries....the journeys themselves are easy enough at around fifteen minutes each.

Have a great trip!

I don't know how late the ferries run....maybe someone else will provide that info for you.

Thanks - some good info I didn't know (including possible wait time at ferry) and I thought about staying in Krabi for the night but just want to wake up and be where I need to be. Kind of the same thing in terms of booking a room for a night or two on Koh Lanta and then looking for a better place and/or deal.

I think I am going to just take the van service from the hotel and even though it is more expensive at least we'll have plenty of room and can take nap or whatever. Then on the island I will rent a motorbike or look into renting a car/jeep for the day.

Do you have any experience with renting a vehicle on Koh Lan? I didn't know they rented cars but I thought I saw that they rented ATV type vehicles and jeeps on Koh Lanta. I guess just more interested in knowing if I need to beware like renting a Jetski in Phuket. It might be nice to have a real vehicle made for 3 people for a day to explore but after that a motorbike will be fine just to get to different points we may want to go each day.

[smokie36]

Inspect the vehicle before you hand over any cash. Yeah they are jeeps but get a decent one if you want to see the south of the island....it is very difficult driving down there.

What is this "hotel airport transfer"?

Last time I did this I had an, admittedly pretty, girl sitting on my knee all the way from Lanta until we reached the outskirts or Krabi Town....when the van broke down and we all had to get out and push. Except the French girl who wasn't going anywhere.

True that is....I take a taxi or the ferry since that happy event....and yes the bus that day was packed solid.

Edited November 13, 2012 by smokie36

[Nisa]

Inspect the vehicle before you hand over any cash. Yeah they are jeeps but get a decent one if you want to see the south of the island....it is very difficult driving down there.

What is this "hotel airport transfer"?

Last time I did this I had an, admittedly pretty, girl sitting on my knee all the way from Lanta until we reached the outskirts or Krabi Town....when the van broke down and we all had to get out and push. Except the French girl who wasn't going anywhere.

True that is....I take a taxi or the ferry since that happy event....and yes the bus that day was packed solid.

Hotel Airport Transfer ... The hotel will pick us up in a private van and bring us to the hotel for 2500 baht which seems the going rate for using the hotels van services. Since we get in at 7:30 at night, I am concerned there could be problems trying to get there using the cheaper vans since there is 3 of us it would still be about 1600 anyway and at least using the private van we can have the driver stop for bathroom and not worry about sitting on people's lap ... though I wouldn't mind sharing my seat with a pretty French girl, not sure how the rest of the vacation would go with the wife after that.

2500 seems a bit steep and why I was toying with the idea of renting a car. Although it seems a bit expensive, best I can tell it is the going rate and I don't want to negotiate with the hotel on this since I already got them to discount the room price dramatically.

Thanks for the heads up on the Jeep and south of the island. I think we will definitely rent a jeep for a day .. sounds like fun.

[taninthai]

I would go with smokies idea of staying in krabi town for the night,I know the last ferry to leave lanta is 9-9.30 pm and I presume it's the same to go there,the problem you may have is that you are coming in on the last flight of the day and it is quite often delayed we have had customers come our resort at 11pm from that flight and our resort is only ao nang.

[Nisa]

I would go with smokies idea of staying in krabi town for the night,I know the last ferry to leave lanta is 9-9.30 pm and I presume it's the same to go there,the problem you may have is that you are coming in on the last flight of the day and it is quite often delayed we have had customers come our resort at 11pm from that flight and our resort is only ao nang.

I am going to roll the dice. Had I thought or knew of this before I would have booked an earlier flight but just chose this one because it was 1/2 the price (now maybe I know why). I checked with a few van services as well as the hotel and they all assured me there should be no problem even if the plane is a little late. They say it takes an hour to get from the airport to the ferry at this time. Worst case we'll have to get a place or figure out how to there without the van but am keeping my fingers crossed things will go smooth. That is why I didn't chose to stay in Krabi for the night because I just want to deal with checking into one place one time and not spending multiple days dealing with this kind of stuff when I could be relaxing.

[smokie36]

I would go with smokies idea of staying in krabi town for the night,I know the last ferry to leave lanta is 9-9.30 pm and I presume it's the same to go there,the problem you may have is that you are coming in on the last flight of the day and it is quite often delayed we have had customers come our resort at 11pm from that flight and our resort is only ao nang.

I am going to roll the dice. Had I thought or knew of this before I would have booked an earlier flight but just chose this one because it was 1/2 the price (now maybe I know why). I checked with a few van services as well as the hotel and they all assured me there should be no problem even if the plane is a little late. They say it takes an hour to get from the airport to the ferry at this time. Worst case we'll have to get a place or figure out how to there without the van but am keeping my fingers crossed things will go smooth. That is why I didn't chose to stay in Krabi for the night because I just want to deal with checking into one place one time and not spending multiple days dealing with this kind of stuff when I could be relaxing.

You'll get there tired Nisa but......get up in the morning and have a swim and that stress will very quickly disappear. Have fun!