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There are many more interesting things Koh Lanta has to offer,
so if you are here take a break from the sea and explore the other
faces of lanta make sure you don't miss out.
 List
of Tourist Attraction In Koh Lanta :
National Marine Park : There are two beaches in the National
Park; Had Hin Ngam (Beautiful Stone Beach) and Tanod Beach (Palm
Beach). These two beaches are on the National Park area where there
are no resorts. The road to here from Klong Hin beach becomes narrower
and has some quite sudden dips and rises, sometimes sharp curves.
Around the area rich and diverse with great tropical nature, trekking
trail, bird and wild life walk way, great views where a lighthouse
is located (the symbol of Koh Lanta). This marine park is at the
southern tip of the island at the end of a spectacular drive. The
beach here is a great place for a picnic, and dont forget to prepare
your own food and drinks.
Khao Mai Kaew Cave : A great break from the beach is a trip
to the Khao Mai Kaew caves which are located in the centre of the
island, offering a wonder of rocks and caverns and housing spectacular
stalactites and stalagmites. Even the hike to the caves is through
a pleasant forest. Moreover, the real fun begins when you descend
through a small indistinct hole in the rocks and enter the series
of diverse caverns. Some sections are large as church halls, others
require you to squeeze through on your hands and knees. Sights include
impressive stalactites and stalagmites, bats and some sections in
the cave create a cavern pool that you can swim in. To explore the
cave, you really need a guide to find your way around, particularly
inside the caves, and the service is definitely worth it; a Muslim
family who lives near the trailhead to the cave offers a guide service
for between 50 Baht per person. The cave is located justt off the
lower of two cross-island roads, down a narrow 1.5 kilometer dirt
path through the rubber plantation that ends up at the Muslim home.
 Sea-Gypsy
Village : Visiting their village is thus a worthwhile experience.
Sea gypsies are called in Thai as Chao Le or Chao Nam, and are known
as the minority group of "Thai Mai", meaning new Thai
People. Originally, the sea gypsies of former centuries were living
in their boats and were feared as pirates. The large community of
sea-gypsies is settled in the Village of Ban Sangkha-Ou on the southern
tip of the island. Nowadays, as being considered eligible for citizenship
in Thailand, they began to settle along the coast in their stilt-built
houses erected between the water level of high and low tide. Despite
the close relation to other villages, the sea gypsies do not integrate
into Thai population. They earn their living on fishing, catching
lobster, and other sea foods as well as collecting bird's nest for
the Chinese cuisine. Their belief in supernatural and traditional
spiritual worship is still influential in the community as seen
in their traditional ceremony "Loy-Rua (Floating Boat)".
The village men will build a symbolic boat and place wooden statues
of themselves in it along with nail pairings, hair and popped rice.
By performing this ritual, they ask for forgiveness from the sea
gods and for any offences they have made to the sea. It is believed
that all evil is carried away in the symbolic boat. They still retain
their own language, traditions and ceremonies.
Cock-fighting arena : Another good experience is the exciting
fight of the well-trained cocks. Most Muslims men on the island
are enjoy cock-fighting as their hobby; gambling is also involved
in this hobby. The skilled fighting cock is considered as the apple
of its owner's eye and also costs much.
Lanta Old Town : This is a good place for experiencing the
living of local people. Situated on the southeastern coast of the
island, the district capital locally called the Old Town offers
the rustic atmosphere of the town of the past years. It has a post
office, police station, wooden houses and hospital represent well
its existence as a center of the island. The buildings are more
solid looking than in Ban Saladan. The village of Ban Sangkha Ou
on Lanta's Southern tip is a traditional Muslim fishing village,
as well as a long pier, which can reach you to nearby islands, such
as Bu Bu Island etc.,
Orchid nursery farm : One more place to recommend for flower
lovers or if you like flowers to visit is the Orchid Nursery Farm
located at Long Beach (Pra Ae beach). the entry fee is 30 Baht per
person and it's easily accessible by bike or motorbike.
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