Ban Saladan Town

Really much more of a village than a town, Ban Saladan situated on the north east of Lanta Yai is where nearly all travellers will first set foot on Island.

Holiday makers arriving by road will arrive by the car ferries slightly south of the town and those coming by sea come alongside the docks in town.

There are not many roads here for you to walk around and do a bit of window shopping, keep that for the cities. From the passenger ferries a short walk to the north passing a mixture of houses and restaurants just out in to the sea standing precariously on stilts. Reaching a junction the road continues north with more sprinklings of places to eat or stay.

At the junction going East means your paddling in the sea so it`s best to head west where this road continues and eventually runs down the west coast of the island with the abundance of beaches.

In the town itself, you should find everything you need. clothing stores, maybe you need an extra hat or forgot a bikini. Dive shops if you want to arrange some underwater activities. Tourist centres for those who have wandered here and need to find some accommodation for a few days. Optical shops are abundant, I noticed at least four in this tiny village so you wont have problems finding some sunglasses.

• As a side note, We did not see many Thai people wearing glasses for seeing, maybe they all wear contact lenses or just have excellent eyesight here.

The mini mart in town is stocked well and should be a one of your fist stops to stock up on all those sun creams and toiletries that have been left behind at the airport security. 7-11’s , ATM Machines,Pharmacies and Banks for those currency exchanges can be found and even a tailor shop should you even need a suit.

There are lots of restaurants, some with quite an international flavour. Italian, Mexican and of course Thai. As you continue further along this road, the buildings become a bit more sparse and the spaces are take up by local food stalls and travelling markets.

Ban Saladan is small but it still can offer a nice visit and break from the beach.

Koh Lanta The Island

Situated near the southern tip of Thailand are the islands of Lanta,  A little bit more remote than some other destinations that the country has to offer but nonetheless just a beautiful.

Regionally the location is Krabi Provence and comprises the area of Amphoe District. Here is where the islands are situated. Koh Lanta Noi and Koh Lanta Yai are the two main islands and generally Koh Lanta Yai is referred to as Lanta for us tourists.

Basking itself in the Andaman sea on the west side of Thailand the islands is mainly covered in tropical forest and with high hills running down its spine. Most of the locals and have set up home around the coast in small fishing villages.

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The first port of call for visitors is usually the small village of Ban Saladan on the north of the island which hosts the car ferry crossings to the mainland and the passenger ferries from islands further afield. Roads lead down the east coast to Lanta old town near the south of the island and on the west coast little settlements and tourist resorts are speckled among the long beaches.

Shops, markets, street stalls are abundant along the roads and you are never really far from the smell of something tasty cooking. Buildings on the island are not high and keep nuzzled below the tops of the trees. The signs of concrete can be found but mostly the island looks natural and untarnished by construction.

The beaches stretching down the coast are long and we found them to be extremely peaceful and quiet. A lot of the resorts sit on their own little bit of beachfront along with lots of restaurants and a few bars. These places are ideal for that lazy afternoon meal or in the evening watching the fabulous sunsets while sipping a cool drink.

The people of the are are mostly Muslim along with a mix of Buddhists, Thai-Chinese and the ocean settlers the sea gypsies. This mixture along with the influx of tourism makes the island very accommodating to everybody. But still everybody should be a little bit aware of customs.

Violence is extremely low and even with it being a destination spot for western tourists. The unwelcome baggage that is generally associated with them is left behind and the island still keeps it ambience of peacefulness.