Koh Lanta beaches – this is the most frequently typed phrase in the search engine regarding this Thai island. Which beach on Koh Lanta is the most beautiful? Which one is worth staying at with kids? Which is suitable for a romantic date? And which beach is the most atmospheric but dangerous due to sharp rocks? We have created a small guide to Lanta’s beaches for you.
If you are just starting to plan your trip and wondering which destination fits your family best, be sure to check out our broader guide to Koh Lanta, Thai islands, and Thailand with kids.
On Koh Lanta, you will find plenty of smaller and larger beaches. Most of them are located on the west coast of the island, and the further south you go, the more wild and rocky it gets. But before we take you to our paradise beaches, before you dip your feet in the turquoise water of the Andaman Sea and drink a refreshing coconut with us.
O tym przeczytasz
Koh Lanta – Beaches We Fell in Love With
I must admit it’s hard to pick our favorite beach. Each one is different, each has that special something. Sometimes we remember a wonderful sunset, sometimes a great time spent with friends. Other times, it’s the sparkle in our child’s eye when they managed to jump over huge waves once again. You know how it is, places stick in our memory thanks to the emotions that accompany us when discovering them.
We start our guide to Koh Lanta’s beaches from the north of the Island, heading down the west coast to the very south.
Long Beach / Pra-Ae Beach – The Perfect Beach for a Family
This is one of our favorite beaches. It’s 4 km long, wide, clean, with plenty of atmospheric spots along the coast. The easiest way to get there is through the entrance right next to the dive center where we work. You can leave your scooter or car right in front of the beach.
Long Beach is great first thing in the morning when there’s no one around except runners or people on SUP boards (like us!). It’s awesome during the day because it’s never crowded. It’s also wonderful just before dusk
(remember that on Lanta, dusk falls around 6:30 PM)
when we come here for walks with our dog. The sunsets are truly phenomenal.
Jakie miejscówki polecamy? Bardzo lubimy chodzić do Funky Fish (dobre jedzenie, fajna atmosfera – są leżanki, hamaki, zwykłe stoły, obok są super panie masażystki). Dobre śniadania (bananowe naleśniki z nutellą – dla dzieci prawdziwy raj), fish&chips, ryby i owoce morza w San Sunset Bar, pyszna kawa i ciacho jest w Escape Cafe. Myślę, że każdy znajdzie tu coś dla siebie.
★★★
Bakantiang Beach / Kantiang Bay – The Perfect Beach to Meet with Friends (and Kids Too!)
This beach was shown to me by Milena Dorosz, our tropical and maritime medicine doctor, with whom we prepared for both of our trips to Asia. We met there when Milena was passing through Lanta to record a podcast for you about safe travel to tropical countries. First, we sat in our doctor’s favorite pub, Why Not Bar, and then went for a walk along the beach.
Since then, we really like coming to Kantiang Bay – the beach has nice, pleasant sand, it’s clean, and the bars and restaurants by this relatively small beach are super atmospheric and have plenty of cool nooks, like the Kiki micro-jewelry shop at the back of Why Not Bar. In the evenings, you can listen to live music, sit on huge cushions, and just stare at the starry sky.
How to get to Bakantiang Beach in Kantiang Bay?
You can leave your car at the back of Why Not Bar – there is a small parking lot there. Just type the name of this bar into Google Maps.
★★★
Khlong Chak Beach – A Beach Near the Khlong Chak Waterfall
You can head to this beach right after a trip to the phenomenal Khlong Chak waterfall (you must go on this walk – you’ll find all the details on our blog). Even though it doesn’t stand out with anything in particular, it will be a nice option to rest after the walk. There are a few pubs with Thai food and a few hotels by the beach. The vibe is a bit more touristy.
★★★
Bamboo Beach – An Atmospheric, Wild Spot for a Tropical Date
This beach is the perfect spot to just sit on the sand or in the shade of the trees right by the beach. Even though Bamboo Beach is incredibly charming, a bit wild, and therefore fascinating, we do not recommend swimming in the sea there. The coast is extremely rocky, and the rocks sticking out of the water and on the bottom are very, very sharp (I cut my hand and thigh there). However, if you want to spend some time just the two of you, Bamboo Beach will be perfect for a romantic little date under a palm tree.
How to get to Bamboo Beach?
You get to the beach via a gravel path, which you have to turn into from the main road right by the sign (Way to Bamboo Beach) – Google doesn’t show this road.
★★★
★★★
Mu Ko National Park – A Paradise Beach at the Very South of Koh Lanta
This is one of our favorite beaches. Located at the southern tip of Koh Lanta, the beach in the Mu Ko National Park (we wrote about it on the blog) is one of the most beautiful places on the Island. The water is incredibly clear, and the sand on the bottom is super soft. There are no sharp rocks there. There are also no crowds. The only downside (which is actually an upside): you have to pay to enter the beach – as I wrote, it’s located within the Mu Ko National Park.
Lying on the beach can be combined with a walk in the jungle and visiting the nearby lighthouse (you can see it from the beach). There is a restaurant on site, and there are also cottages where you can stay.
Jak dojechać na plażę Ko Mu?
You drive to the parking lot at the Mu Ko National Park and leave your car there. To reach the beach, you have to walk a few hundred meters.
★★★
Are There Any Beaches We Do Not Recommend?
Yes. There are many more beaches on Lanta, like the very famous Klong Dao Beach, located close to the port in Saladan, where the ferry from Krabi arrives. We went there once and won’t go again – lots of hotels, lots of bars and parties, and… lots of trash. Seriously, we haven’t seen such a littered beach as Klong Dao in a long time. In general, I will write a separate post soon about the problem of trash and omnipresent plastic in Thailand.
★
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