The Lanta Islands Guide | Activities in Ko Lanta

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	Ko Lanta activities: There is not a great deal to do on Ko Lanta - and that's the point. Most people come here to relax, read a book, or generally chill out. If you do wish to stray from your hammock, there are a number of things to do, however - and we list a few below.
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The Lanta Islands Guide: Activities and things to do

Below, you'll find information about scuba diving, snorkelling, island tours, fishing and other water-based activities in Ko Lanta.There's also some ideas of things to do inland, such as elephant trekking, cookery classes, driving tours and exploring caves.

Scuba diving

Most people don't associate Ko Lanta with diving - Ko Phi Phi is the place most think of in Krabi - but it is growing in popularity. Some 20-odd dive schools now line the coast, ready to teach newbies the basics, as well as improve the skills of licensed divers and take them out on fun dives.

You should be aware, however, that the levels of teaching, safety and equipment vary quite dramatically, as many schools - even with the best intentions - will only be fly-by-night operators. If you're not happy with the service offered in the dive centre in or closest to your resort, we would advise you to hop in a tuk-tuk to Saladan, where the major dive companies have their head offices. You can then compare a few different schools before making your choice; hotel transfers are offered by all dive centres as part of the deal, so there is no need to worry about transport on the day.

When choosing a dive school, follow your instinct: these will be the people looking after you on the boat and in the water, so it is important that you feel comfortable with them. For example, you may find an instructor who speaks your own language is preferable to learning in English. Ko Lanta dive schools between them offer instruction in all major European languages as well as Japanese and Thai.

You can also ask about their dive equipment and, if possible, to see what condition it is in. A school that invests in good quality, new equipment is also likely to be more aware of your general safety.

So now you have chosen your dive school, what next? Take the plunge with more info on diving in Ko Lanta...

Snorkelling and Island Tours

Unlike mainland Krabi and Ko Phi Phi, there is not much snorkelling to be done locally around the shore in Ko Lanta. Neither are there any local islands easily accessible by longtail boat. This means that all snorkelling must be done on organised tours, usually on a speedboat, as the nearest islands are quite far away.

But this inconvenience seems relatively small when you see your destinations... more info on snorkelling and island tours in Ko Lanta.

Fishing

As one of the traditional activities of the Lanta Islands' inhabitants, fishing is one of the easiest things to organise yourself. Most of the longtail boatmen will be able to take you out - although they may have only the old-style reel of wire and hooks to offer as equipment. This can be fun in itself, and you will learn a lot about the local culture.

Your resort will also be able to arrange a fishing trip, either with local people who have more modern fishing rods, or with an organised tour - whose aim is usually to catch big game fish such as barracuda, or big snappers.

The best part of fishing is, of course, that you can eat what you catch: most resorts will be happy to cook, or barbecue your very own 'catch of the day' in the evening when you get back - what could be more satisfying?

Elephant trekking

There are two elephant camps in Ko Lanta. Both offer short treks through the countryside - one through the rubber plantations, the other to a cave with a waterfall. You can feed the animals and also ride on their backs, sitting in a chair. This is the best way to experience these amazing, sure-footed creatures, as they powerfully crash their way through the jungle, or delicately balance on stones to cross a river.

With logging now illegal in Thailand, tourism is the only way for these elephants - who have grown up in captivity - to survive. There is simply not enough jungle left in Thailand to release them back into the wild. The trekking is not hard on them and they are generally well taken care of - if you do see any abuse, please report it to your tour agent or resort.

Cookery schools

A good rainy day activity, learning to cook Thai food is great fun - but don't expect to become a master chef in one day! There are a couple of schools in Lanta and half and one day courses can be arranged through your resort's tour counter. Teaching is mostly hands-on and practical, so you will be cooking your own food within minutes - and, of course, getting to eat it afterwards.

Basic tuition in ingredients (and their substitutes that can be used at home) and how to balance flavours is also given.

Driving tours and cave exploring

Most people spend one day of their holiday in Ko Lanta driving around the island on a rented motorbike or 4 wheel drive car (4WD is essential as the roads are very steep and rocky towards the south west of the island).

Once you have your vehicle, you can just take a map and go. Being an island, it's fairly hard to get lost - and if you do, this in itself will be an experience! Inland, you'll find lots of small villages that seem completely undisturbed by tourists, beaches used only by fishing boats, lush landscapes of rice paddies and plantations, as well as a great viewpoint on the way to the fascinating Old Town in the south east.

There is also a network of caves at the centre of the island, just past Klong Nin village, going inland. Called Mai Kaew, these caverns are only accessible with a guide from the family who live near the entrance (signposted). The caves are spectacular, but not for the claustrophobic. You will also need a healthy sense of adventure - some of the wooden ladders are fairly precarious and rickety.

A note on sea gypsies (Chao Leh)

Many websites and guidebooks talk about Ko Lanta's sea gypsies as if they were a tourist attraction. Unfortunately this is not the case. How would you like it if complete strangers peered into your house taking pictures and pointing?

The Chao Leh people have enough problems as it is - eviction from their traditional fishing grounds and resting places; forced settlement; erosion of their culture - without the added impact of western tourism.

Of course, some Chao Leh have chosen to work with tourists, usually driving boats - but they do not need to be visited at home - unless you are invited.

Unethical tour operators are attempting to turn the sea gypsy village, Sangka-Ou, into a human zoo, often asking the residents to perform traditional songs and music - associated with specific rituals in the lunar calendar - on demand for money. This degrades and devalues an ancient culture, as well as exposing them to rather sordid capitalist values.

If you care about the sea gypsies, don't visit them. There is, in any case, little to see.

If you are interested and wish to learn more about Chao Leh people and their fate, you can find more information at these sites:
- The Urak Lawoi people - Andaman Pilot Project from Chulalongkorn University
- Study of the impact of tourism on the Urak Lawoi people - by Anne Granbom, Lund University, Sweden.

Lanta

Ko Lanta activities: There is not a great deal to do on Ko Lanta - and that's the point. Most people come here to relax, read a book, or generally chill out. If you do wish to stray from your hammock, there are a number of things to do, however - and we list a few below.