Kaw Kwang Beach –
Kaw Kwang Beach ist the most northern beach of the island, only 1 km away from Saladan and the piers. This small beach with white sand is never crowded because there are only a few resorts. Beside these accommodations you will not find shops, ATM’s, 7-Eleven or restaurants there. You can watch great sunsets directly from the beach and enjoy the feeling of a private one. At low tide Kaw Kwang Beach is not rocky, a perfect place for swimming, and it’s possible to walk to a little island at the end of the cape. Visitors from the northern part of Klong Dao can walk to this beautiful small beach.
Klong Dao –
Kong Dao is about 3 km away from the main town Saladan and it was the first beach which was developed on Koh Lanta. It is one of the most popular one but in spite of a lot of resorts and hotels it is not overdeveloped. The beach is about 3 km long with soft powdery and white sand. The water is calm and there are great safe swimming conditions. This is one of the reasons why Klong Dao is a perfect place for families with children. The tides are not very strong what means that swimming is possible at every time. At low sea level the beach is a perfect place for every kind of beach sport because it becomes really bride. Like on many other beaches on Koh Lanta Klong Dao is a romantic viewpoint for watching the beautiful sunsets. When you walk the few minutes to the road area you can find a lot of shops, restaurants, bars, and budget accommodations too.
Phrae Ae (Long Beach) –
Phrae Ae, better known as Long Beach, is the next one to Klong Dao heading to the south. It’s about 8 km away from Saladan and with 4-5 km length the longest beach on Koh Lanta. The clear water goes deep quicklier then at other beaches and the tide is very mild – these are two reasons why swimming at Long Beach is perfect at every time. The beach is really wide and even on a busy day you don’t have the feeling that it is overcrowded. There is a layed back and relaxed atmosphere at all the time. At Long Beach you can find every kind of accommodations, from simple back packing huts to luxury resorts. Especially the north is popular for young people, here you can find most of the budget options. All over Long Beach there is plenty of nightlife, means some great bars with live music and party. The sunsets at Long Beach are really beautiful, because of the length of the beach you have a wide and open view. You can enjoy them in one of the beach bars or directly from the beach. When you walk to the main road you will find some more great restaurants, bars, many shops and different kind of accommodations.
Klong Khong –
This 3 km long beach is the next one situated after Long Beach. It lies in the middle of Koh Lanta and has a really special laid back atmosphere. The beach itself with the white sand, clear water and palm trees may not be perfect for some people, it’s the rockiest one on Koh Lanta and swimming at low tide is not possible. But this is one of the reasons why you will not find big resorts here but many backpacker-style bungalows and middle-class accommodations. Most of them are family run and cheaper than on other beaches. You will find some great restaurants with good quality, everything is not over-prized and served from local people. In the evening you can watch great sunsets on the beach and visit some of the many funky beach bars with fire shows and parties. You can meet other travellers very easy, and everyone seemed to enjoy the special kind of vibe at Klong Khong.
Klong Toab
Klong Toab is a very small and quite beach in a walking distance to the more southern Klong Nin. There are only a couple of resorts and they are all at the end of the beach. At some places Klong Toab is rocky, some parts are good for swimming. The water of the beach is clear and you can find enough shade for enjoying it a long time.
Klong Toab is the last beach on the main road. After it you can decide if you turn right to follow the road on the west coast to Klong Nin and the other beaches in the south or you can continue the road to the east coast to visit Old Town for example.
Klong Nin –
Directly after Klong Toab you will arrive at Klong Nin, it’s about 15 km away from the main port village of Saladan. At Klong Nin you can find a white sandy beach with clear water, the beach itself is a few kilometers long. At some places there are some rocks in the water, but most parts have perfect conditions for swimming, even at low tide. Klong Nin is one of the quieter beaches on Koh Lanta, you can find a large selection of resorts and all types of accommodations but because of its length it is never too crowded. Here you will find a relaxed and layed back atmosphere, not only when watching the great sunsets from the beach. Wherever you stay there it is no more then 2 minutes walk to the beach. At the road of this small village or directly at the beach there are different kind of restaurants, from traditional local ones to french, italian, indian restaurants. On the beach there are many bars, here you can have a great time at night. At Klong Nin you will find everything you need, from ATM’s, supermarkets to little shops. If you are tired of spending the whole time on the beach you can visit a thai cooking class or rent a bike and drive to the National Marine Park or the east coast, both is not far away.
Kantiang Bay –
This wonderful cove has to be rated as the islands most stunning beach, with white powder sand and crystal clear water. You can find Kantiang Bay in the south of Koh Lanta when you follow the road on the west coast, about half an hour drive from Saladan village. This 2 km long beach is surrounded from the hills and the tropical rainforest, it is a really picturesque scenery when you are at the never crowded and calm beach. The water is safe for swimming and you can enjoy it even at low tide or at rainy season. At Kantiang Bay you can find all kinds of accommodations, some are directly at the beach, some on the hills where you have an awesome view at the andaman sea and the sunsets. Kantiang itself is a laid back little village with friendly locals but large enough to have great restaurants, travel agencies, plenty of little shops, a 7-Eleven and ATM’s. When you are staying at Kantiang Bay for some days you will have the feeling of being part of the local community due to its seclusion from the rest of the island. If you follow the road to the south there will be only 3 more beaches before entering the National Marine Park.
Ao Nui (Nui Bay) –
Ao Nui is a small bay which you will find, when following the road from Kantiang to the south. A sign shows the way, to visit it you have to walk about 50 meters down the hill. Ao Nui has golden sand and clear water. It is surrounded by cliffs and when you walk the way down to the beach you will have a breathtaking view over this beautiful bay. Ao Nui is completely untouched and at many days you will have this cast away feeling because you have to share it with only a few people, sometimes with no one else. If you visit Ao Nui or the 2 other following beaches before entering the National Marine Park be sure you have everything. Kantiang Bay is the last possibility to find a 7-Eleven or ATM’s.
Klong Jark Bay –
Klong Jark Bay – also called Waterfall Bay – is the second last beach before the National Marine Park and about 1,5 km away from Ao Nui. This beautiful beach is surrounded by tropical trees and is hidden from green hills – a really idyllic landscape. The sand is white, the water crystal clear. At low tide there are some stones in the water but it is always possible to swim at this beautiful part of Koh Lanta. With only a few resorts the vibe on the beach is relaxed and it has an untouched feel to it. Close to Klong Jark Bay is an elephant trekking and a waterfall, you will find a sign on the side of the road.
Ao Mai Pai (Bamboo Bay) –
Ao Mai Pai is the last beach before entering the National Marine Park, about 1,5 km away from Klong Jark Bay. This slightly curved beach is about 500 meters long and has white sand and clear water. Here you will find what is so typical for many of Koh Lanta’s beaches in the south – it can often feel like your own private beach and here you can live the dream of a desert island. The beach itself is rocky at some parts, the middle part is perfect for swimming, in the northern part snorkeling is possible. Ao Mai Pai is a perfect place to enjoy the sunsets directly from the beach or from the only few resorts. If you want to visit Ao Mai Pai you can rent a scooter to come here, on the side of the road you will find a sign.
Old Town –
Located on the east coast of Koh Lanta, Old Town was the main town and the main port for trade of the island. This changed when more tourists came to visit Koh Lanta and arrived with car ferries in Ban Saladan. Getting more popular and bigger, this town became the main city of Koh Lanta.
At the beginning Old Town was the home for the sea gypsies, over the years Chinese traders came and settled down. You can still see this past influence when walking through the road of Old Town, the original wooden Chinese houses are still there and are decorated with traditional laterns. Now the community is composed of Thai-Chinese, Thai-Buddhist, Thai-Muslims and some western people.
In Old Town you can find many charming restaurants selling fresh seafood in houses built on stilts in the water. Little shops opened selling gifts or handmade local goods. In the meanwhile it is possible to stay in Old Town over the night, there are some great accommodations where you can live directly on the water enjoying a breathtaking view over the eastern islands and the mainland. It is a different kind of feeling than staying on the touristic beaches on the west coast. Here you can enjoy a special kind of natural charme and relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. If going out early the day it is possible to watch the sunrise and the fishermen starting their day at work. In Old Town you can rent a longtailboat for visiting the eastern islands or it is possible to book a tour through the mangroves.
To get to Old Town just follow the road on the east coast from Ban Saladan heading to the south or it is possible to choose the west coast road until Klong Nin, then it cuts across the island. The drive itself is magnificent because of the great landscape through the rainforest or next to the ocean.