Koh Lanta – Accommodation

Originally a backpacker haven with no concrete road, no electricity and a few bamboo huts dotted around some of the beaches, Koh Lanta has become more developed over the years. Koh Lanta is ‘all about the beach’ and so virtually all the accommodation is right on the sand, or very close to it. The west coast is where all the nice beaches are, so that’s probably where you’ll stay – 90% of Koh Lanta’s accommodation is here.

 

You can still find some budget bungalows and rooms on Koh Lanta (some for 150 baht per night), but these are now few and far between. Most Koh Lanta bungalow owners have upgraded from the traditional fan cooled wooden hut with one bare light bulb hanging down – now these resorts have mostly concrete bungalows with a choice of aircon or fan – you’ll find these all over Koh Lanta.

 

In the town of Ban Saladan, Koh Lanta, you can find some clean, comfortable guesthouses at low prices, with fan and aircon rooms from around 500 baht. You can also find options like these in other places on Koh Lanta – on the road in Klong Dao and Phra Ae. These places can give you good deals for a long stay on Koh Lanta.

 

If you want to be on or close to one of Koh Lanta’s beaches, (and thats why you came to Koh Lanta, right?) most accommodation is in the mid range and caters to everyone, be it singles, couples or families. You can find accommodation in this range on most of Koh Lanta’s western beaches, with most resorts offering detached bungalows (fan or aircon) for 500-2000 baht. Some of these are small independent operations with around 10 bungalows, others are larger places with up to 50 bungalows – most of the larger places have swimming pools.

 

A recent trend has seen some more upscale ‘boutique’ resorts popping up on Koh Lanta. These tend to be smaller places, but with luxury rooms up to around 5000 baht per night. Why not make your stay on Koh Lanta a little more luxurious?

 

If you need 4-5 star full service resorts, there are a few of these on Koh Lanta in Klong Dao, Long Beach, Klong Nin and Ba Kantiang.

A few years ago, a mini real estate boom on Koh Lanta saw the development of private villas and apartments, some right on the beach or a short walk away. You can also find some of these tucked away on the hillsides with amazing panoramic views. In total there are about 150 private properties dotted around Koh Lanta – many are available for rent when the owners aren’t staying there. You’ll find these mostly in the north of Koh Lanta around Klong Dao and Long Beach, with a few scattered further south.