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Koh Lanta / Koh
Lanta Yai
● Koh Lanta
in Brief
Area: 152 sq.km. This island
forms the most southern district of Krabi province.
It was known long ago by its name in the Malay language,
Pulao Satak, which means Long Beach Island. Later, so
many Thais, both Buddhist and Muslim, came to live on
the island that there seemed to be a million eyes, which
is what some people think Lanta means in Thai. Others
hold that the name is corrupted from Javanese "lan-tas",
and means a fish grill (which is built of wood with
a square grill on top where the fish are set in a circle).
Several islands are in the National Park:
Koh Lanta Diving Packages
●
Lanta Yai Island
is where the District & National Park offices are located.
The island geography is mountainous and rugged, especially
near the southern tip; some beaches are gravelly, others
have fine white sands. A clan of Chao Ley, or "Sea Gypsies"
are resident on Koh Yao Yai and they preserve many of
their ancient customs and ceremonies; e.g. the setting
of ceremonial boats adrift to bring good luck and prosperity
on the full moon nights of the sixth and eleventh month.
This and other features of their lives are open to view.
To visit the island take a regularly scheduled ferry
from Ban Hua Hin Pier in Tambon Koh Klahng, Bor Muang
Pier in Tambon Sai Kao or Jao Fah Pier in Krabi Town.
● Taleng Beng
Island
This island is in some ways
a smaller version of Phi Phi Ley; made of Limestone,
honeycombed with caves, inhabited by the same swifts
whose nests are made into soup. Small beaches and caves
appear where the tide ebbs.
● Hah island
A group of five islands. Hai Yai
island has a field of grass on its ridgeline. Another
island resembles in shape a sailboat; one has water
that passes from one side to another beneath it. There
are some corals in shallow waters.
●
Ngai island
A fine sandy beach and coral reef run down the east
side of this island. It is perfect for diving. Regular
ferries and charter craft are available from Pak Meng
Beach in Trang Province.
●
Rok Nai Island
is composed largely of formidable cliffs. On the
east side are a fine sandy beach and coral gardens growing
around sea rocks. On the northern side are San Jao Bay
and Thong Bay
●
Rok Nok Island
The southeast and southern ends of this island have
fine sand beaches and shallow water corals. Also not
to be missed are Man Sai Bay and Talu beach. Transport
to the island is via charter from either Pak Meng Beach
in Trang Province or from Lanta Yai Island. There are
tents for rent, contact Lanta National Park Tel.: +66
(075) 629018-9.
● Hin Dang
This submerged open water reef in
the Andaman features a multiplicity of colorful corals
to attract serious scuba divers. |
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Local festivals and Religious Rites
● The Setting
Adrift of the Chao Ley Boats
takes
place on Lanta Island during full moon of the sixth
and eleventh month in the lunar calendar. This is a
religious rite performed by Sea Gypsies who gather on
the beach near Ban Saladan Village. They dance their
famous "rong ngeng" round the boats to be set adrift.
Ceremonies feature singing and dancing; the reason for
the festival is to bring prosperity and happiness to
the participants, it is something hard to find elsewhere.
● Krabi Berk
Fah Andaman
This festival takes
place in November and celebrates the opening of the
tourist season in Krabi. Water sport competitions, cultural
shows and good-natured fun are the schedule. |
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Getting to Koh Lanta
● By air
(to Krabi Airport) See timetables
here
●
By bus (to Krabi) See timetables
here
●
By car
From Bangkok take
Route 4 passing Petchburi, Prajuab-Kirikan, Chumporn,
Ranong, and Phang-nga Provinces before reaching Krabi;
a total distance of 946 kilometers. An alternate route
is to take Route 4 to Chumpom and then tum onto Route
4L. This leads through Lang Suan District of Chumpom
to Chaiya and Wieng San Districts of Surat Thani; from
there follow Route 4035 passing Ao Lur District of Krabi,
back onto Route 4, and down to Krabi Town. This shortcut
is just 814 kilometers, and is followed by the bus services
from Bangkok. For information regarding bus transport,
contact tel. (02)435 1195-6 (non-air conditioned buses);or
tel. (02)435 1200(air conditioned buses).
From Phuket Take
Route 402 to Route 4 and pass Tambon Koto Kloy of Takua
Tung District in Phang-nga; Tap Puhd District, Phang-nga;
and enter Ao Lur District of Krabi; the total distance
is 185 kilometers. Regarding bus transport, tel.(076)
211 480. |
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:: FERRY TIME TABLE
:: |
:: MINIVAN TIME
TABLE :: |
|
KRABI - KOH LANTA |
KOH
LANTA - KRABI |
|
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
|
10:30 |
13:00 |
08:00 |
10:30 |
|
13:00 |
15:30 |
13:00 |
15:30 |
| |
|
|
|
|
KOH
LANTA |
> KOH
PHI PHI > |
PHUKET |
|
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
|
08:00 |
09:30 |
09:30 |
11:30 |
|
13:00 |
14:30 |
14:30 |
16:30 |
| |
|
|
|
|
PHUKET |
> KOH PHI PHI
> |
KOH
LANTA |
|
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
|
08:30 |
10:30 |
11:30 |
13:00 |
|
13:30 |
15:30 |
15:30 |
17:00 |
|
- |
14:00 |
15:30 |
| |
|
|
|
|
AO NANG - KOH
LANTA |
KOH LANTA - AO NANG |
|
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
|
10:30 |
13:00 |
13:00 |
15:30 |
|
|
KRABI
- KOH LANTA |
KOH
LANTA - KRABI |
|
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
|
11:00 |
13:00 |
08:00 |
10:00 |
|
13:00 |
15:00 |
13:00 |
15:00 |
|
16:00 |
18:00 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
TRANG
-
KOH
LANTA |
KOH LANTA - TRANG |
|
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
DEPART |
ARRIVE |
|
10:00 |
12:30 |
08:00 |
10:30 |
|
11:30 |
14:00 |
12:00 |
14:30 |
|
12:30 |
15:00 |
- |
|
13:30 |
16:00 |
- |
|
14:00 |
16:30 |
- |
|
15:30 |
18:00 |
- |
|
●
By train
From Bangkok Station take
the train to one of the following stations: Trang, Putt
Pin in Surathani Province, or Tung Song in Nakorn Sri
Thammarat Province; from any of these places a bus may
be taken onward to Krabi. Regarding train schedules
and costs, contact the travel office of State Railway
of Thailand, tel.(02)223 7010.
 ●
Remark
Until recently limited
access has been the major restraining factor in the
growth of Krabi's tourism industry. The nearest airport
was 155km to the east in Phuket and the drive on what
is a rather basic road took a good two hours. But all
of that has changed with the opening of Krabi Airport
(see issue7). Now the problem is no longer access rather
accommodation. Currently Karbi has a total of 5,000
hotel bedrooms of which 3,000 are in the three to five
star category. Several resorts are working flat out
to be complete and open for the start of the high season
in November as 1,000 bedrooms extra bedrooms are already
fully booked and paid for by major Travel Agents allocation. |
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Map of Koh Lanta Yai
(click on Krabi
map to zoom in) |
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