Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [592]
Old Town can be a charming place to spend the night if you’re looking for a calm retreat from the frenetic package-holiday vibe on some of Ko Lanta’s west-facing beaches. Check out www.lantaoldtown.com, a site developed by the local expat community, for more information about things to do and see in Old Town.
KO LANTA MARINE NATIONAL PARK
Established in 1990, this marine national park (adult/child 400/200B) 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 fee applies if you visit any of these islands.
The national park headquarters is at Laem Tanod, on the southern tip of Ko Lanta Yai, reached by a steep and corrugated 7km dirt track from Hat Nui. There are some basic hiking trails and a scenic lighthouse, and you can hire long-tails here for island tours during the low season.
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 total coverage 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.
Close by, but reached by a separate track from the dirt road leading to the marine national park headquarters, Tham Seua (Tiger Cave) also has interesting tunnels to explore; elephant treks run up here from Hat Nui.
Activities
DIVING & SNORKELLING
Sometimes Ko Lanta can feel like the dark horse in Thailand’s diving scene. Newbies flock to Ko Tao off the gulf coast, others head to Khao Lak (the gateway to the Similans), and holidaymakers who want a side order of scuba wind up on Phuket or Ko Phi-Phi. Vacationers here will be delighted to find that some of Thailand’s top spots are within arm’s reach. The best diving can be found at the undersea pinnacles called Hin Muang and Hin Daeng, about 45 minutes away. These world-class dive sites have lone coral outcrops in the middle of the sea, and act as important feeding stations for large pelagic fish such as sharks, tuna and occasionally whale sharks and manta rays. Hin Daeng is commonly considered to be Thailand’s second-best dive site after Richelieu Rock, near the Burmese border ( Click here). The sites around Ko Haa have consistently good visibility, with depths of 18m to 34m, plenty of marine life and a cave known as ‘the Cathedral’. Lanta dive outfitters also run trips up to the King Cruiser Wreck, Anemone Reef and Ko Phi-Phi ( Click here).
Trips out to Hin Daeng/Hin Muang cost around 5000B to 6000B, while trips to Ko Haa tend to be around 3500B to 4500B. PADI Open Water courses will set you back around 14,000B to 17,000B.
The best dive operation on the island is Scubafish (0 7566 5095; www.scuba-fish.com), located at Baan Laanta Resort ( Click here) on Ao Kantiang; there’s also a small second office at the Narima resort ( Click here). Unlike some of the large