Things to do in Ko Lanta
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Scubafish
One of the best dive operations on the island is located at Baan Laanta Resort on Ao Kantiang; there's also a small second office at the Narima resort. Unlike some of the large and impersonal operators based in Ban Sala Dan, Scubafish runs personal and personable programs tailored to one's needs, including the Liquid Lense underwater photography program. The three-day dive packages (9975B) are quite popular.
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Time for Lime
On Hat Khlong Dao, this place has a huge, professional kitchen with plenty of room to run amok. It offers cooking courses with a slightly more exciting selection of dishes than most cookery schools in Thailand; five-hour courses cost 1800B with substantial discounts if you take more than one class. Profits from the school help finance Lanta Animal Welfare.
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Drunken Sailors
This hip, ultra-relaxed, octagonal pad is smothered with beanbags. The coffee drinks are top-notch and go well with interesting bites like the chicken green curry sandwich.
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Bar Kantiang
Excellent Thai food comes out of this ramshackle kitchen near Ao Kantiang. It’s exceptionally popular with the local expat crowd, who secretly come for the karaoke.
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Beautiful Restaurant
This is the best of the Old Town's seafood houses. Tables are scattered on four piers that extend into the sea. The fish is fresh and exquisitely prepared.
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Ko Lanta Marine National Park
Established in 1990, this marine national park protects 15 islands in the Ko Lanta group, including the southern tip of Ko Lanta Yai. The park is increasingly threatened by the runaway development on the western coast of Ko Lanta Yai. The other islands in the group have fared slightly better – Ko Rok Nai is still very beautiful, with a crescent-shaped bay backed by cliffs, fine coral reefs and a sparkling white-sand beach. Camping is permitted on Ko Rok Nok and nearby Ko Haa, with permission from the national-park headquarters. On the eastern side of Ko Lanta Yai, Ko Talabeng has some dramatic limestone caves that you can visit on sea-kayaking tours. The national-park f…
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Hammock House
A stop at the Hammock House is a must. The friendly owners have amassed the largest selection of quality hammocks in Thailand. They are stunning and unique creations woven by indigenous hill tribes. Don’t forget to pick up a copy of their awesome (and free) Lanta Biker Map, a free leaflet detailing some of the coolest spots to stop if you’re tooling around on a motorbike.
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Sun Island Tours
Run by a husband-and-wife team, these high-quality tours meander around the Trang Islands or the eastern islands in the Ko Lanta archipelago. A full-day trip costs 1500B per person and includes a traditional Thai meal. Overnight camping trips to Ko Nui are also available upon request.
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Liquid Lense
This digital-imaging academy runs a slew of hands-on courses from one-day, two-dive seminars (7100B) to six-day, nine-dive videography tutorials (32,900B). The Tips & Tricks course (2700B) is a popular option for those who already have a bit of photo experience.
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Freedom Adventures
This family-run company focuses on day trips to the Trang Islands. Day trips cost 1400B to 1700B. Overnight camping trips to Ko Ngai, Ko Kradan and Ko Rok cost 2300B to 2800B.
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Red Snapper
A Dutch-run tapas restaurant on the roadside in Ao Phra Ae, the garden setting is romantic and the duck breast with shitake mushrooms comes highly recommended.
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Tham Khao Maikaeo
Monsoon rains – pounding away at limestone cracks and crevices for millions of years – have created this complex of forest caverns and tunnels. There are chambers as large as cathedrals, dripping with stalactites and stalagmites, and tiny passages that you have to squeeze through on hands and knees. There's even a subterranean pool you can take a chilly swim in. Sensible shoes are essential and getting totally covered in mud is almost guaranteed.
Tham Khao Maikaeo is reached via a guided trek through the jungle. A local family runs treks to the caves (with torches) for around 200B. The best way to get here is by rented motorcycle, or most resorts can arrange transport.
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Lanta Seafood
The best option of the seafood-by-weight options. Order the Ъlah tôrt kà mîn – it's white snapper rubbed with fresh, hand-ground turmeric and garlic, then deep fried.
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Ban Ko Lanta (Old Town)
Halfway down the eastern coast, Ban Ko Lanta (Lanta ) was the original port and commercial centre for the island, and provided a safe harbour for Arabic and Chinese trading vessels sailing between Phuket, Penang and Singapore.
Some of the gracious and well-kept wooden stilt houses and shopfronts here are more than 100 years old. Pier restaurants offer up fresh catch and have views over the sea. There's a small afternoon market on Sunday, and if you're looking for sturdy, attractive handmade leather goods, stop by Lanta Leather; for quality hammocks don't miss Hammock Housewhere you can also pick up its fabulous Lanta Biker's Map full of off-the-beaten-path recommendations.
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