Ko Lanta is popular with tourists seeking a holiday away
from the parties: more walking on the beach and watching the sunset than
drinking and dancing. It is also popular with families with young children,
and of course, with divers. The two largest islands are Ko Lanta Noi and Ko
Lanta Yai. Although Ko Lanta Noi is inhabited, Ko Lanta Yai is the primary
tourist destination.
Ko Lanta is a little less well-known than nearby Ko Phi Phi but it is hardly
undiscovered: the several beaches on the west coast of Ko Lanta Yai are each
strung with an unbroken line of resorts and bungalows. Ko Lanta is
especially popular with Swedish tourists: although the "tourist
language" is English as it is in most places in Thailand, and you will
find menus and so on are translated into English, expect the poolside
language to be Swedish much of the time.
Ko Lanta sustained limited tsunami damage in December 2004, but virtually
all businesses are now operating normally again.
