A BIG Thank You for Ko Lanta Suggestions

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By: leelefever on April 22, 2006 - 8:43pm

Dear TwinF readers,

You were right. A few weeks back, I asked for suggestions about where to go in Southern Thailand and the overwhelming feedback from comments and email pointed us towards Ko Lanta, an island in the southern part of the Krabi province.

We arrived yesterday for a 7 day stay and already we wish it were 20 days instead. This is the Thailand we were looking for and we might not have come without your suggestions.

Ko Lanta, from the bit we've seen so far, is relatively undeveloped and really, really laid back. Along the beach there are a few bars with long haired thai guys that make you feel like a best friend, memorizing your name, asking about you and always smiling. Though my past experiences make me put up my guard when people are too friendly to tourists- I think these guys are the real thing. They remind Sachi of the local boys in Hawaii and they do live the aloha lifestyle, with Bob Marley and all. :-)

It helps too that we've already made more traveler friends here than all the other places in Thailand combined. Everyone here seems ready to be friendly and just let the world pass by.

Ko Lanta may end up being our favorite in Thailand overall...at least that's the vibe I'm feeling on day 2. Thanks again folks!


By: Anonymous (not verified) on April 22, 2006 - 10:30pm
I'm just really glad some of the ko lanta I remember is still there, post-tsnumami! =) I loved this place for all the reaosns you are mentioning. If possible, please post as much info as you can on locals' impressions of the impact on ko lanta of the tsunami, and how things are now? awesone, thanks and have a good time being laid back...
By: leelefever on May 2, 2006 - 11:44pm
I meant to write about this earlier. Ko Lanta was comparatively unscathed from the tsunami, thanks to it being a hilly island. Most of the property directly on the beach was destroyed, but has been rebuilt better than before. Ko Phi Phi had about 1500 deaths and it is just off the coast of Ko Lanta.