Koh Lanta National Park – A Trip to the South

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The Kon Lanta National Park is officially named the Mu Ko Lanta National Park and covers 134 square kilometers. It includes several islands like Koh Lanta Yai, Koh Lanta Noi, Koh Rok, Koh Ngai, and many more. However, there is a small part of the national park in the south of Koh Lanta that you can visit on an excursion.

A Trip to Koh Lanta National Park

In this small part of the national park, which was originally established as a marine park and therefore includes many islands, you can discover quite a bit. There’s Rocky Beach, Sand Beach, the lighthouse of Koh Lanta, some animals, and hiking trails you can explore. In this article, we present everything you need to know if you want to visit this area of Koh Lanta. We think it’s definitely worth it.

How to Get To Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta does not have its own airport, which is why the best way to arrive by plane is via Krabi International Airport. Various airlines, such as AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Thai Air and more, fly to Krabi from within the country and Qatar Airways or AirAsia from abroad. For more information on flights and times, kindly check Skyscanner.

Further arrivals can be made either by bus or minivan from Krabi. Another option would be to reach Koh Lanta by ferry from e.g. Ao Nang, Phuket or Koh Phi Phi. There are daily connections to Koh Lanta in both variants. Prices, times and tickets can be found on 12go.asia.

Accommodation on Koh Lanta – Our Hotel Tip

The Lanta Sand Resort & Spa is located directly on the popular Long Beach and offers a beautiful beachfront location. Rooms and bungalows are modernly furnished and equipped with everything you need – from air conditioning, TV, refrigerator, to free Wi-Fi. The rooms have either a terrace or balcony, some even have their own plunge pool or direct access to one of the swimming pools.

Our recommended hotel features a total of four swimming pools, a playroom for children, a small fitness center, and a spa for massages. Sand Restaurant serves a diverse breakfast buffet in the morning, and The Sand Sunset Bar offers delicious drinks in the afternoon and evening to enjoy the sunset.

Additionally, there is a 24-hour reception that is happy to assist, absolutely friendly staff, and a tour desk at the reception. Nearby, you’ll also find a few dining options if you’re on foot. We felt completely comfortable and would choose the resort again for a stay on Koh Lanta.

If you prefer to stay at another beach on Koh Lanta, there is a large selection here on the island.

Getting to Koh Lanta National Park

To get to Koh Lanta National Park, you must always drive south. In the small village at Klong Nin Beach, turn right onto Horizon Road and do not follow the road into the island’s interior. The route is also signposted as Mu Ko Lanta National Park. Now the road leads you along the coast.

It takes about 25 minutes after you’ve turned off. Passing many resorts and beaches, the road is sometimes not always in the best condition. So drive carefully. Also, because of the monkeys that are on the road, the further south you go. You can also perfectly combine this trip with a visit to the southern beaches.

Entrance Fees and Opening Hours

Before you take the last hill down to the national park’s parking lot, there is a small house (see photo) where you have to pay the entrance fee. Tickets cost 200 Baht for adults and 100 Baht for children up to 14 years old. Children under 3 years have free admission. For a car or a scooter, you have to pay an additional 30 or 20 Baht, respectively.

The Koh Lanta National Park is open daily from 8.30 AM to 5.30 PM. We would recommend coming in the morning or late afternoon, as the blazing sun can be really strong otherwise.

Once you’ve paid the entrance fee, you drive down the hill and can park on the left side. There are more than enough parking spaces, some even in the shade, which is definitely better. Otherwise, after your visit, you’ll have a very heated seat from the sun. By the way, you’ll also find the entrance to the hike (see point 4) there, and there are toilets here as well.

1. Rocky Beach

Shortly after the parking lot and the large national park sign, you’ll find Rocky Beach directly. The name is self-explanatory, as it’s simply a rocky beach. Nevertheless, it’s especially worth it as a photo spot because from here you have a great view of the large rock with the lighthouse.

There is even a small viewing platform that extends a bit over the beach. During our visit, it was low tide; otherwise, the beach is sometimes even submerged. On the opposite side of Rocky Beach, by the way, there is a beautiful palm grove with a path through it that you can take to the eastern end of Sand Beach or to the second starting point of the hike (see point 4).

2. The Lighthouse in Koh Lanta National Park

One of the highlights in Koh Lanta National Park is the lighthouse. It is somewhat like the landmark of Koh Lanta and can be seen in many photos. The official name of the lighthouse is the Patchachot Vachirapa Lighthouse. It stands high atop Tanote Cape, the southernmost point of the island. Almost directly on the cliffs and overlooking the national park.

There is a small path up from the western end of Sand Beach. It is an easy path, but in Thailand’s heat, it can become quite sweaty. Once at the top, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the national park and the two beaches to the right and left of the lighthouse.

The lighthouse itself was closed during our visit. Previously, it was apparently possible to climb it, but perhaps this is now prohibited for safety reasons. A little further past the lighthouse, there is a small platform for photos with a great view of the cliffs. You should definitely take the path up to the lighthouse when visiting Koh Lanta National Park. But always be careful and don’t get too close to the cliffs. It can get a bit slippery there.

3. Sand Beach

After the climb to the lighthouse, you can relax at Sand Beach. Sit under the trees in the shade or take a dip in the water. The sea here is very clear and clean. Maybe not the most beautiful beach on Koh Lanta, but it’s quite presentable. Sometimes, even longtail boats from tours dock here. There are also some small huts where you can sit if you’ve brought something to eat, for example, and don’t want to sit in the sand.

The best thing about Sand Beach, however, is that you are usually alone and have the beach all to yourself. At low tide, however, it can become a bit rockier in the water; the eastern end is then better suited for swimming or bathing.

4. Hiking Trail in Koh Lanta National Park

From the parking lot, you can also hike along the Nature Trail, which will then lead you out of the jungle at the eastern end of Sand Beach. Depending on where you want to start, you can, of course, walk the trail in the other direction. It is just over two kilometers long in total and takes about an hour, depending on your pace. But you can take your time and enjoy nature.

Along the way, you can discover much of the rainforest’s flora and fauna, some species of monkeys (see next point), birds, and insects. At the eastern end, near Sand Beach, there is also a viewpoint overlooking the beach.

You can read about which exact hiking trails there are in the rest of Mu Ko Lanta National Park, also on other islands, here. If you enjoy hiking, you should definitely take a look.

5. Animals in Koh Lanta National Park

You can also discover a few animals in Koh Lanta National Park. While you have surely seen some macaque monkeys along the roadside on the way there, there are also sometimes langurs to be seen among the trees here. You can especially spot them on the hike (see previous point). But sometimes they also like to hide in the wooded area behind the toilet building, very close to the parking lot.

But caution! There are also some signs warning not to feed the monkeys, as they can bite. Otherwise, you can, of course, see lizards, birds, or snakes in the national park, although you might not want the latter. We only saw some monkeys, even though they hid a bit deeper in the trees. They sometimes jump from tree to tree, so always watch for movement in the trees if you want to spot them.

Our Conclusion on Koh Lanta National Park

A trip to Koh Lanta National Park is worth it, in our opinion. The tranquility on site is especially wonderful. If you enjoy hiking, then it’s even more worthwhile. But also if you just want to enjoy the view from the lighthouse, visit the secluded sandy beach, or take a walk.

You won’t need more than 2-3 hours on site, but in combination with the beaches of Koh Lanta in the south, it’s a nice excursion destination. The entrance fee is a bit high, but it is very well maintained on site, which perhaps justifies it.

Koh Lanta: Tours and Tickets

Do you prefer to be accompanied by a guide who knows the area well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way, you can get to know Koh Lanta in a completely different way. At GetYourGuide, you’ll find many exciting tours for Koh Lanta.

Have you already been to Koh Lanta National Park? Is it worth a visit for you? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments.

Photos: Photo 10 (Langur monkey): Smarta/shutterstock.com