The nearest airport to Koh Lanta is in Krabi, although many visitors fly into Phuket or Bangkok since they offer a much broader flight schedule. Krabi’s airport is very small and is only serviced by Thai Airlines from Bangkok and Tiger Airways from Singapore. The ferry to Koh Lanta is 40kms south of the airport and the only transportation available from Krabi’s terminal is by private taxi.
More visitors tend to fly into the busier Phuket International Airport since it offers daily flights from 19 airlines servicing a number of regional international destinations. The only drawback is that it is quite far from Koh Lanta, so you will need to arrange transportation Koh Lanta. You may be able to save a bit of money on your air ticket, but the extra time required may not be worth it. There is an airport information booth to help you find the easiest way to Koh Lanta (tel: +66 076 327 2307).
As yet, there is no land bridge to Koh Lanta, which means every visitor will have to take the car ferry or a boat to get onto the island. All ferries leave from Baan Hua Hin on the mainland 40kms south of Krabi and arrive at Sala Dan, the island’s main town. The ferries operate everyday from 07:00 to 22:00. Once on Koh Lanta, there will be hoards of red truck taxis and minivans vying for your business. There is essentially one paved road which runs from Sala Dan south along the western coast for about 30kms. The taxis will drop you off anywhere along the way. It’s possible your resort might provide pick up service, so check on that option. You can also rent a motorbike in Sala Dan and drive yourself if you are travelling light.
To get to the ferry crossing, you can take a bus or private minivan from Krabi to Baan Hua Hin. There are also ferries which leave from Klong Chi Lard Pier about 5kms south of Krabi, but transportation availability changes often, so always check with a local travel agent.
If you don’t want to fly from Bangkok to the south, you can take a VIP bus. These fairly comfortable coaches run frequently from Bangkok’s bus terminal to Krabi, where you can arrange to get to Koh Lanta. There is no train service to Krabi, but you can take the train to Surat Thani, on the eastern coast and catch a bus to Krabi. Once on Koh Lanta, the only way to get around is to rent a motorbike for the day or flag down a passing red taxi.
