Alone in Royal Lanta Resort and Spa

This would be our second trip to the island and Royal Lanta came out on top here. We have to thank my Other Half for this, I don't know how she found it. Needless to say it was quite a gem.



The rooms or huts were supposedly designed on traditional Thai houses and were extremely roomy. Laying back on the bed and looking past the large fan above our heads we could see forever. That is to say the roof space was big, I`m sure another floor could have been fitted up there.






The bathroom had and indoor and outdoor but enclosed shower. We never indulged in the outdoor shower but I guess being exposed to the elements will be attractive for guests.



Outside we had some decking that allowed us to sit and take in the atmosphere. Altogether I think there might be around 50 rooms here, all spaced out in the gardens. And very tropical gardens they are too. Lots of foliage and trees making it feel very much like your living in a tropical jungle.

The resort had two pools and unfortunately we never took the plunge in either of them. One was near the entrance and the other was nearer the beach. The latter one would have been ideal for use but renovations were in progress.


We were not too sad about that as the Royal Lanta opened up on to the beach. The Green netting in the last photograph is just for storm protection during the low season. Going in the other direction is was just short walk up to the road where lots of great Thai food could be had.

Our four night here were in September and we had expected Lanta to be bit quiet. It turned out much quieter than we had expected. Very few people were seen on the beach and we had noticed the extreme quietness in the resort. As we passed the hotel reception we asked and found out we were the only guests.
It's very hard to accept that this beautiful island and the fabulous resort has so few visitors while we were there.

The resort is more luxurious that we would have needed to enjoy a holiday but it was an amazingly cheap price for us. Would we stay here, definitely.

The Trip from Koh Lanta to Kamala Day 15

An early morning departure for our next and last destination, Kamala Beach in Phuket. The weather was wonderful with a few white clouds high in the sky and the temperature was getting hot. The minivan arrived on time and we departed, from our nearly exclusive resort, Royal Lanta.

As we were near the north of the island there was just one more stop for tourists before we were on our way. We were quickly on the ferries connecting the island of Koh Lanta with the mainland and there seemed to be a quietness in minivan.

Maybe everybody was just as sad as us to leave the island or more likely everybody was still half asleep.

The route to Kamala took us back to the transfer station just out side Krabi where we had breakfast. A couple of bowls of chicken noodle soup which tasted much better than I'd imagined.


The transfer station started to fill up with travellers waiting for onward transport. We noticed a few departing going in our direction but it seemed to more popular beaches in Phuket. Kamala did not seem attractive to our fellow holidaymakers and infact we were the only ones heading there.

We were spotted by a driver and he didn't look to happy to take us initially. He was on the hunt for other destinations. Eventually he gave in and we piled on board with others heading to the west side of Phuket and we were off.

There was some quite stunning scenery along the route but the driver had his foot down and we were on the highway. Everything was flashing past really too quick to admire the rock formations and jungle forests.

After a couple of hours we were back in Phuket Island and left the highway to road that took us at a slight slower pace, a kind of follow the contours of the land road. It was still quite quick going and Kamala came in to view.

Down there was Kamala Bay hidden behind the, believe it or not, red taxi.

The whole journey from Koh Lanta to Kamala Beach took around 5 hours and that was including the stopover in Krabi.

Lazing on Klong Dao Beach Day 14

This would be our last full day on Koh Lanta. The time passed too quick and we would be leaving tomorrow heading back to Krabi. We still had today to enjoy and the long golden sandy beach was all ours.



At the North end of Klong Dao Beach, near Kaw Kwang, we remembered there was a semi-secret beach from last year. Going there would give us a long walk along the sand along with the occasional splash in the water.



The secret beach was no so secret any more. Last year there was a new resort on top of the hill but they might have missed the beach. Now they seem to have found it and built a set of stone steps leading down to the sand. It was never our beach but we couldn't help feel a bit of sadness finding other people swimming in its waters.



Sanuk Bar offered an opportunity for a cool drink on the way back along Klong Dao before heading down to the south end. Here it was a bit more rocky and there were a few fish trapped in pools but all quite small.  The beach and road nearly join at the south end of the beach so it was an easy cross over.



The Thai Orchid Restaurant provided another nice place to stop off from the heat of the day and a bit of something to eat. Our host was praising his brother the chef and how great he was but were were just looking for a little snack and a cool drink, maybe next time we are in town we could pop in for a meal.

An so it as back to Royal Lanta and the beach for the rest of the afternoon. We did not have the whole resort to ourselves now, another couple had arrived so that made two rooms for the housemaids to tidy in the morning. I wonder how they felt about getting a double workload.

Our time was running out and it seemed the the weather was getting better and hotter. The few showers mostly came at night and did not last long before they were gone and dried up by the next morning. Taking in the last of the beach and watching the last of sun go down we reluctantly left.



Our last meal had to be at Arnee`s. We had become quite comfortable eating here and her Spicy Tom Yum soup was quite excellent.

Back at the resort we packed what we could and got ready for an early morning pick-up to go back to Krabi before heading off to the last resort on our holiday. This would be Kamala Beach on the west coast of Phuket Island. It was another new beach for us and we hoped it would just be as fantastic as the rest.

Around Koh Lanta and Ban Saladan Day 13

Another beautiful morning on Koh Lanta. And it was going to be another hot one. Along with no plan whatsoever. Still some things need to be taken care off and breakfast first.

The German Bakery was close by and convenient so that the first port of call. For some reason I can`t remember what we ate here although it was taste. It must have been a western style of food and something we were ashamed of consuming in Thailand.

Further up the road, North, was Ban Saladan and it was worthy of a walk. Maybe it is our memories  but there seemed to be much more buildings and shops along here. One thing we did notice there was much less calls from taxi drivers than our last trip.

The main town of  Saldan looked much the same, just a lot lot quieter. Shops were still open and restaurants serving but quite a lacking of tourist. Wherever everybody is going too it is not Koh Lanta. I feel they might be missing something.



Not much for us to see in town, we never needed to buy any supplies and we had just eaten. Everything seemed to be resting, even the dogs we passed hardly raised an eye. Around the ferry piers we did catch a glimpse of some fish swimming under the boats and the houses built out in the the sea. Without going on a dive or snorkelling trip I don't think we will get much of a chance to swim with them. The last place swam with tropical fish was in Kota Kinabalu when we had a trip in Malaysia.



For the afternoon we just had to settle for our paradise beach. Still mostly having it all to ourselves and the sun just to warming to want to do anything else. It just felt quite perfect apart from the occasional need to cool down.

I wonder if the other beaches further south on Koh Lanta would be as quiet as ours. Maybe one trip we might take a resort in another place but would the range of restaurants be as accessible as they are here.



By the time the sun was setting we were back in town on the search for some tasty food to eat. The skies looked like they would bring some more monsoon rains for the night and were laden with water. This gave us a spectacular sight with the sun setting. The hills became a wonderful reddish orange colour with the light. I know there is a name for this but I can't remember it now.
Showers did arrive along with some lightning but it seemed mostly out a sea and we managed to avoid a torrential downpour.

Koh Lanta an Island to Ourselves Day 12

Our first night in Royal Lanta and the monsoons had brought the rains. There were patches of water still on the ground but the sun was already up and drying things up.


The resort which was situated in its own little tropical forest was not serving breakfast. Low occupancy during the low season means some staff are seasonal. What we soon discovered is that we were the only guest staying here. That came as quite a surprise considering how luxurious the resort was and well the weather was not really a problem.

Our tropical forest cabin, which was said to be a traditional Thai design, had a roof was so high I`m sure we could lie on bed and see stars.

It was just a couple of hundred meters walk up to the road for food and we stopped in at Arnees again. The food was good and the heat was starting be turned up. We relaxed for a while sitting under the shade with a couple of taste servings for breakfast and watched life go past up and down the road.



Having eaten which was one of the main pleasures for us being on holiday it was time to take in the second pleasure. Hitting the beach. Back to the resort to change and as we walked from under out canopy of green the beach came in to view.



I could say there was a scramble for some place to sit down but like the other beaches we had visited this trip the whole length was nearly deserted. It was just as we had remembered it from out last trip but just a little bit more messy. A lot of driftwood had been washed up on the shore and there were a few lines of refuse near the high tide mark.

Royal Lanta has two swimming pools one near the entrance and the other just off the beach. The first one was a bit out of the way and the beach side was getting renovated but we had the sea and that was big enough.



Klong-Dao-Beach stretched into the distance to the north and to the south, we were practically in the middle. In front of us the sand slowly sloped into the sea and that kept the water shallow. No need to say it felt good especially in that heat. There were few clouds in the sky to keep the sunshine at bay so cooling down in the waves felt quite fantastic.

 
Next door was Sanuk Bar which we spent quite a few days watching the sunset while drinking something cool but it looked like nobody was home. Luckily we were wrong and took up position with a cool beer, 2 glasses, and watched the sunset on the horizon. It was paradise again.

With darkness making us reluctantly leave the beach, the evening took us on a short walk around the town. Well that was the idea, the monsoon rains put a stop the that and some how we ended up in Arnee's restaurant again. It was quite a downpour with thunder and lightning illuminating the skies around us.

That would put and end to our day, but we stayed and ate casually for a couple of hours with the storm torrents outside. The whole experience seemed quite exciting in a way.

Travelling back To Koh Lanta Day 11

A day of travel and heading back to Koh Lanta. We had fond memories of the island and we just had to include the beaches on our itinerary for this trip.




We were getting picked up around 10.30am. That left us with enough time to take the early morning with ease. Breakfast, included with the room, was over and our bags packed. We waited out side sitting at one of the table of the restaurant having a view of the street.


The skies were looking a little bit more clouded this morning, still incredibly warm and not a hint of rain. That was fortunate as our wait took a bit longer then we had anticipated. When the minivan arrived it was nearly full of other tourist, so we have them to blame for the delay.

We waved goodbye to Ao-Nang and we were on our way down south to Koh Lanta. There was a couple of stops, first at the transfer station out side Krabi Town and in Krabi Town itself as we waited for passengers. I guess picked the wrong transport company for this leg of the trip.



After enough time for a leg stretch we were back on the road again. The trip down to Koh Lanta was reasonable quick and a couple of little waits for the two car ferries to dock. Luckily there were no long queues of traffic waiting and before we knew it we were on the island.

Like our journey from Khao Lak, we just had one other couple in the van with us. We ere all staying near the north end of the island which means there was not a lot of driving around dropping people off.

In the short time it took us to get off the car ferry, past Ban Saladan and over to the west side of the island the heavens opened. Monsoons had brought the rains and it was heavy. It rained the first day of our trip last year, did we bring it with us?


Hotel check in was quick and the whole place was quiet. The Royal Lanta has a bit more quality than we usually make do with and we have my Other Half to thank for finding this treat. The resort looked quite stunning even if the rains were pouring down.

The Royal opens up on to Long Beach but that had to wait. It was getting late in the afternoon and the good food was in the other direction towards town.
As well as opening on to he beach, the Resort was not far from the road. Armed with a pair of hotel umbrellas we headed to find a particular place to eat. When we stayed a Kaw Kwang we had quite a walk but this time it was on our doorstep.

Arnee Restaurant, a place we visited so often last time with a particularly good chef who we kept calling mum. Good food was eaten and the rains eased off. It was getting to late to take in the beach so we had a wander up and down the road seeing what we could remember. The whole place felt a lot more built up, outlets and restaurants that felt like they were new or maybe we just were forgetful.

We took and early dinner with the monsoon opening up again and settled down for another meal, this time with a Muslim flavour. That says no beer but the food was tasty and thoroughly enjoyed.

With the rains having a break we took the chance to head back to the resort. Stocking up at 7-11 with snacks on the way. The dampness brought out the frogs and we were serenaded by their croaks along with a sight that was quite awesome.


With the streetlights behind and nearly complete darkness the air was filled with specks of light passing between of the trees. Flashing on and off, we had entered the firefly zone. Every place we looked they were flying around, flashing in front of our eyes and then vanishing into the darkness.

It turned out to be a wet first day but we still had a few more days here to get some warm beach time.

The Andaman Holiday Resorts List

The trip planning began to show some sign of coming together. Flights times were looked at and commute times between the resorts were arranged to allow as much beach times as possible.

We settled on 5 different locations that we thought were worth visiting. For me the beach was the most important factor while the Other Half thought about the quality of the hotels. I would have settled for a bamboo hut with a trickle of sea water for a shower but I had to give in and accept that some comforts were needed.

The flight would land on Phuket Island to start us off. With the landing around midnight a resort close the airport was chosen.

Nai Yang on the west of the island looked good and it was just for two nights. I was not really very happy about going to Phuket but it all turned out much better then I expected. We would have two nights and one day here then catching transport to the second beach.

Khao Lak around 50 kilometers north of Phuket was a hopefully short commute and we had planned 4 nights here. This was an unknown for us but it turned out to have an absolutely fabulous beach or rather beach after beach.

Ao Nang took us back into Krabi Provence. This was a longer section of the journey but we had hoped not to waste more than 3 or 4 hours travelling.

The fourth stop was Koh Lanta. The island was so near that we just couldn’t miss out spending a few days here.

Lastly is was back to Phuket and this time we picked out Kamala to spend a few days before catching the plane back home.

That was our list and as it was really off season we managed to get most of the hotels quite cheap and extra offers of stay 4 nights and just pay 3.

Getting transport between the sandy beaches was still largely unconfirmed. We had a vague idea of connections, a mix of bus and mini van routes. If we got stuck we could always fall back on getting a Taxi although that was not really in the plan.

Hoping for some good food, long quiet sand beaches, warm clear water and tasty spiced food we were ready. All the locations were unknown to us apart from Koh Lanta, so excitedly we set off for the first resort on our list at Nai Yang.

Thailand Island Holiday once Again

Thailand called to us once again and we found it had to resist the pull of the exotic beaches and spicy hot food. We had an initial plan but as it all came together the end result was quite different.

Rather than staying the whole trip in one place, something more adventurous was called for. Not quite totally carefree travel but we did manage to take in five resorts which meant we has a little bit of travelling to do.

Our first plan was to take in some more locations on the Gulf of Thailand. Island hopping through Ko Tao, Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Samiu became a tentative plan. Ko or Koh Samui was the destination of a recent trip which we found quite enjoyable. A little resort on the north shores of the island. It was not far from the town of Chaweng, which was typically busy and full of tourist. Our beach was quite a contrast with hardly another person on the beach apart from a few local Thais fishing in the water.

The idea looked good, a few days on each island before moving on to the next. The plan started to settle for a few days, but Krabi was still on our mind. Maybe something was pulling us back there.

Nothing was fixed yet, no hotels or flights booked yet so it`s of no surprised that the trip suddenly changed. Was it Krabi calling to us? No quite and not even Thailand. Further south in Malaysia the island of Pinang over on the western coast looked a great starting point. It was easy to get too with a direct flight for us and initiated the idea of another trip.

Starting in Pinang then ferrying over to Langkawi with the island further up the coast in Thailand looking like good resting places with their beaches. Taking in Ko Sukon, Ko Libong and Ko Muk then further north.

OH! it was suddenly Krabi and Ko Lanta, how could we not miss a chance to renew some our memories of those long long beautiful beaches. It is an island so we have no reason not to put it on our list. Form Koh Lanta it would be over to the famed Phi Phi islands immortalized in the move “The Beach”. We had been reliable informed that there are no dangerous sharks in the seas around Thailand.

Ending the trip was the island of Phuket to spend the last days before jetting out back home.

As with most plans, there is always something to mess them up. The lure of exotic paradise islands were a real temptation but how do we get there.

The thorn in the plan was “Off Season Travel”. Getting ferry connections to some of the islands would be quite hard for us to plan. I expect when you are there on the ground the possibilities of getting from A to B are much easier, but for us thousands of miles away it seemed like it was not going to be practical.

In the end, taking some of the islands that we thought were going to be hard to get too and the thought of spending precious beach time waiting for connections the second plan began to fall apart.

You`ll be glad to know we eventually did arrive at a suitable plan for our journey. Koh Lanta and Krabi did welcome us along with some new places that will be going on the list of places to return to one day.

Travelling to Koh Lanta

The trip to Koh Lanta was relatively easy despite the island being quite remote. The closest airport serves Krabi province and is an ideal point of of entry as it was for us without a long overland journey.

There are very few direct flights to Krabi Airport so if you are origination from overseas then Bangkok international airport will be your arrival point. Every time we have entered Thailand via Bangkok we found it to be quite efficient for getting through immigration and customs without much delay.

Bangkok to krabi Airport.

Our flight connections favored us with a short stopover with just enough time for a bite of food before we were off again. Krabi airport is mostly served with flights from Bangkok with internal flights but there are flights from Koh Samui in Thailand as well as Singapore and Malaysia.

Flying time was quick and we were soon at Krabi airport and without waiting for baggage as we were traveling light we were soon ready for the next part of our journey.

Krabi Airport caters well for the traveler with pickup and drop off for minibus routes as well as taxi hire. It was a bit like being herded like sheep as the the passengers were segregated in to groups depending on destination and soon picked up by transport. There is a bit of trust here but the Thai people at the airport do get your sorted even if you do not have much of a clue what is happening.

Krabi Town to Koh Lanta

We could have went to Koh Lanta from the airport by getting picked up by a minivan but we decided to spend a night in Krabi Town instead.

The only problem anybody might have is timing, especially if they are arriving late and taking a taxi. There are two ferry crossings and some drivers may not want an over night stay on the island as the ferries do not run overnight.

The seasons affect how you will get there. Some services run only during the more busy season but the minivan service runs all the year round.

If your staying in Krabi your hotel can arrange a pickup by minivan. We we were just around the corner and took the time to get a coffee and walk to the pickup. It just took a couple of hours with the ferry fares included in the price of the ticket we were dropped off at our resort and ready for the beach.

Our choice of transport suited us as we were just heading for Koh Lanta. If your travelling around a few places and expect lots of modes of transport then you might be a little bit upset. Ferry services and speed boat hire can be had from other locations like PhuKet but may just run a high season service or run infrequent.

Our next trip will possibly be a straight in and straight out single destination holiday like we have done before . But if we were planning to experience a few more locations on a holiday in this part of Thailand then I think we would set aside a few extra for travelling and not expect frequent transport connection.

You will not be stranded but it just might take a bit longer to get there. As this is Thailand and anybody arriving here should have left the stress and speed of city life behind then a few extra hours relaxing and taking in the beauty should not matter.

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.

View Larger Map

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.

Secret Beach on Koh Lanta

Before we took our trip to the islands of Lanta we had read about the resort having a secret beach hidden away someplace. I guess there are lots of little secret beaches around the world either made up to for adding a little bit of spice to the location. At the other end of the scale they are so secret that every body knows and decided to visit on the same day as you.

The resort at Kaw Kwang was really spoilt for its beach front and with not many other tourists soaking up the ambience of the place the secret beach idea drifted from memory. We were just spoilt for space and sand and had no need to go searching for that little bit extra quietness.

But on chance after a few days it did cross our minds and although we never really went searching our curiosity made it’s location reveal itself. Really we could have just asked and somebody would have pointed us in that direction.

Kaw Kwang beach ends at the top of the island with a rocky outcrop with covered in lots of tropical greenery, trees and bushed growing thickly. But Through this jungle a little path was spotted leading up the rocks. Climbing up the hill expecting a long trek which really turned out to be 50 or so meters of well kept path and suddenly ending at the edge of a cliff. Climbing here in darkness and you`d be over the edge.

Down below gradually exposing itself was the secret beach. A short stretch of sand bounded by rocks on either side and totally deserted. The clear water gently lapping up the sand as the waves break on the shore.

Unfortunately the sun was setting and probably not the best time to venture down – actually there was a set of wooden steps leading down to the beach. Managing a few photographs and walking back down the path the only animal life here I noticed were a few hermit crabs, not where you`d expect to find them far from the water.

Maybe next time we might make a point of really going there, but as the other beaches were extremely quiet the idea fell from memory. But if you want a little bit of tranquillity you might find it here or maybe there a few other hidden beaches along the island.

Looking back it was a missed opportunity. Then we did have a lot of happiness from the days we spent on the island. It is probably something that will keep for the next visit unless everybody finds out about it.

Leaving Koh Lanta on the Ferry Crossings – Day 10

Weather – Brilliant

Woke to sunshine peeking under the curtains and it felt particularly crystal this morning. This was our last day here on Koh Lanta and we arose together and not much conversation was had. It might have been the sadness of leaving or maybe the more than healthy amount of beer consumed the night before.

Whatever the reason it didn’t last long once we were out on the veranda gathering the heat and the occasional pop back inside to pack another t-shirt. Somehow the bags became full and the beach hut returned to the tidier condition in which we first found it.

Pool towels returned to the reception and turning for a last look at the resort we sat down to wait for the mini-van to arrive. And we waited…And waited. After about half an hour later it arrived fully laden with other passengers that were scooped up from all corners of the island. I guess waiting in the shade of reception was probably much better than waiting inside the stuffy hot bus for other passengers to arrive.

Bags loaded and we were soon off to the first ferry crossing. There was very little waiting to get on here but a little wait for more vehicles to fill up the vacant spaces on the ferry. The second ferry was similar with just a short wait. The longer stretch of water gave a little time out to take some pictures of people taking pictures.

It was a busy little strip of water with at least four ferries chugging back and forward. Fortunately the water would be warm and the distance to the shore looked swimmable, I mention that for no particular reason.

Weather – Monsoon

About 15 minutes after crossing the two Koh Lanta islands the heavens opened and the rain came down in buckets. You could say we were lucky with the weather apart from the first few days. The journey of a couple of hours, which felt more like four, gave a little bit of time to remember the things we were leaving behind on the island but Krabi Town was nearing and soon we would experience a little but more of Thailand's hospitality.

Passengers were dropped off at the airport and some at a ferry terminal in town, we were getting dropped off at our hotel. One passenger had booked an onward journey only to find there was no onward connection. The driver offered to take him to a tourist agent to buy another ticket so we all piled back in the bus expecting to go at least a few blocks. Unexpectedly the driver just did a U-turn to the opposite side of the street and there was the destination. We all looked at each other with smiles that indicated we were laughing out loud inside. Here we were asked where we were going and offered a taxi to the airport tomorrow – we declined (can`t fault them for asking for the business).

The excitement over and dropped at our hotel and while checking in the reception asked where we were going and offered a taxi to the airport tomorrow – we declined (somehow that sounds familiar).

There was still some light so after a shower it off to do some adventuring in krabi Town.

Kaw Kwang Beach For The Last Time – Day 9

Weather – Brilliantly Hot

The Lanta Holiday is nearly coming to an end with our last full day here on the island. The beaches are still quite deserted which is quite unbelievable, I guess in a few years time the beautiful views of desolation will be hard to capture as the tourism industry becomes more commercial. But for now this seems to be the place to be for anybody that wants a few days of quiet relaxation.

Today the weather was hot, nearly unbearable without a few attempts at cooling off in the sea. The low tide exposes a huge stretch of sand down to the sea and once in the water there is still quite a distance for the coolness to reach a depth over your knees.

It really probably was a day to take cover under some sensible shade, but as it’s all nearly over for us we were out trekking along the sand. Suitable amounts of bottled water along with hat for survival but for me I had already been exposed too much to the rays and my skin was peeling off like paper.

There were more signs of preparedness happening in the resorts. Storm nets were getting removed and a bit maintenance on the grounds, but still relatively few guests around to be seen.

The empty Golden Leaf Restaurant and Royal Lanta Resort sitting empty. Both places, along with all the other resorts and restaurants, looked just as quiet as the beach. It might have just been the heat keeping everybody indoors, probably where we should have been as the temperature was getting too much for some and any cool place was a welcome relief.

Food and shade for a while, then off on our travels again. Getting away from the beach front there are quite a few buildings that are not quite what they used to be. Maybe once the high season picks up these places will be buzzing with life, just maybe.

Late afternoon, it was still just as hot, there was a little bit more life on the beach. It was hard to find but it was there. Time moves slowly here but for us the past 8 days seem to have really been a flash.

Not everybody’s perfect holiday but one of our most enjoyable. Secretly, I think this is because we just took each day as it came without sticking to any schedule. Spending a day on a touristy trip might have felt like a day wasted. Maybe next time we will see the elephants, caves, forest, monkeys, island trip and all those other things that you spend 2 hours getting there , half an hour watching and 2 hours getting back from. If that is your style then it is available here on Koh Lanta if the quietness is too much for you.