| Ko Lanta เกาะลันตา |
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|---|---|
| — Amphoe — | |
| Amphoe location in Krabi Province | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Province | Krabi |
| Seat | Ko Lanta Noi |
| Tambon | |
| Muban | |
| Amphoe established | |
| Area | |
| • Total | 339.843 km2 (131.2 sq mi) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 27,654 |
| • Density | 81.4/km2 (210.8/sq mi) |
| Time zone | THA (UTC+7) |
| Postal code | 81150 |
| Geocode | 8103 |
Ko Lanta (Thai: เกาะลันตา, also Koh Lanta) is a district (amphoe) in Krabi Province, Thailand.
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Based upon Krabi province, it holds the slogan as of the province i.e.:
"The province of coal mines , Fossil shell beach , towering mountains, beautiful streams, an abundance of islands, palm plantations, sandy beaches, wonderful sea world, Emerald of Andaman, and heavenly Phi Phi Islands."
The district was established in December 1901.
The origin of the name is unclear, but it may originate from the Javanese word lantas, meaning a type of grill for fish. The name of the island was officially changed to "Ko Lanta" in 1917.
From archaeological discoveries, it is believed that the area was one of the oldest communities in Thailand dating back to the prehistoric period. It is believed that this province may have taken its name after the meaning of Krabi, which means sword. This may have stemmed from a legend that an ancient sword was unearthed prior to the city’s founding.
The district,located approximately 70 km from Krabi Town, consists of two major islands, the larger, more populated Ko Lanta Yai (Commonly known as simply Ko Lanta) and the smaller Ko Lanta Noi, as well as several minor islands. The island (Ko Lanta Yai) has 9 attractive white sandy beaches, splendid scenery; coastlines have more than 70 small islands and plenty with forest, coral reefs and under water life. The geography of the island is typically mangroves; coral rimmed beaches; and rugged tree covered hills. A popular tourist destination, the islands are known for their long, sandy beaches and scuba diving.
Neighboring districts are Nuea Khlong to the northwest and Khlong Thom to the northeast and east. Whereas, the rest of the sides are surrounded by Andaman Sea.
134 km² of the district belong to the Ko Lanta National Park, which was established in 1990 as the 62nd national park of Thailand.
The district is subdivided into 5 subdistricts (tambon), which are further subdivided into 37 villages (muban). Ko Lanta Yai has township (thesaban tambon) status and covers part of the tambon Ko Lanta Yai.
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Roads
There are only two main roads on Ko Lanta, one in the north-east and another in the south-west, which runs parallel to the beach. On Ko Lanta Noi there is just one main road in the east and a smaller one that links with the ferry pier. On the mainland, Highway 4206 connects with Khlong Thom district, passing Khlong Yang and Koh Klang sub-districts to a public car ferry at Baan Hua Hin.
Ferry Boat
There are regular daily ferry boats operating between Ko Lanta and Krabi, Phuket and Ko Phi Phi. Ferry Boat of Phetpaily daily departs from Klongdao pier of Koh Lanta to Koh Ngai and Koh Mook.
Long-tail Boat
Tourists enjoy hiring long-tail boats to take them to nearby islands.
Motorbike
These can be either hired or taxied out. The island is full of both motorbike rental places and motorbike-taxi drivers.
Songthaew (public passenger pick-up vehicle)
Songthaews run up and down the main roads and have fixed fares for passengers. This is a very common way of transport for locals.
Train
The nearest train station to Ko Lanta is in Trang province just south of Krabi. From there, there are trains to and from Bangkok.
Air
The nearest airports are at Krabi, Trang and Phuket. All three airports have diect road and boat connections. Krabi Airport, the most popular one for travel to Ko Lanta, is approximately 10 km from the provincial town and operates international flights to several foreign destinations. Destination Air runs a private charted seaplane to the island.
Tourism on Ko Lanta, like the rest of Krabi province, has exploded only very recently. In the early 1990s only the most adventurous travelers visited the island, staying in only the most basic accommodation costing the likes of 50-100baht a night. Nowadays, however, the place has turned into one of the major destinations for visitors to Krabi. The development however, is still nothing on a par with the likes of Phuket or Ko Samui.
Scuba Diving
The diving surrounding Ko Lanta are considered by many to be among some of the best the country has to offer. There is an enormous variety of fringing reefs, marine life, caves, rocks and islets.
Hin Daeng and Hin Muang near Ko Lanta are perhaps the best dive sites in Thailand (ranking in the world’s top ten) with more than 200 hard corals and 108 reef fish catalogued in a study underway, but thousands more organisms abound. Hin Daeng has the steepest and deepest in the whole of the country with beautiful marine life. Hin Muang next door is completely underwater and it is covered with delicate violet coral. The sites also have one of the world's highest incidences of manta ray sightings, with fairly frequent whale sharks.
The Ko Haa Archipelago which is just across from Ko Lanta in the Andaman Sea offers some of the best conditions for beginner to advanced divers, with stunning visibility and beautiful underwater landscapes, with its' underwater caverns and abundance of soft coral.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling can be done around the 4 islands, Koh Haa, Koh Bida and Koh Rok which are all accessible from Koh Lanta via speedboat or longtail boat companies.
Fishing
Fishers usually catch the likes of marlin, sailfish barracuda, red snapper and tuna during a long tail boat trip having a choice of either day fishing or night fishing.
Kayaking
The east side of Ko Lanta with its rich mangroves is the most suitable for kayaking in peace and quiet while admiring the natural surroundings. Kayaking is also the best way to explore caves. Kayaking can also be done in mangrove swam at Baan Tungyeepeng and Ko Talabaeng, the limestone cliff near Ko Lanta.
Trekking
Ko Lanta’s pristine forests with excellent flora and fauna are suitable for trekking. Elephant riding are usually arranged to take visitors to the top of the hill in Ko Lanta National Park.
Thai Boxing
There is one small boxing stadium on the island which hosts regular fights. The stadium is a popular place with foreigners for learning the art.
Ko Lanta now has its very own mini-boxing stadium which arranges regular fights. These are popular with foreigners interested in this ancient martial art. Tourists can train there if they wish as there is also a training camp.
Thai Cooking
Thai cooking courses on Ko Lanta offer foreign tourists the chance to learn to cook up all their favourite dishes such as tom yum kung, sweet green curry and chicken with cashew nuts.
Spa
Traditional Thai massage, characterized by its holistic approach to health, is aimed at enhancing not only one’s physical and emotional state but also to allow one to grow spiritually. There are many spa places on this island. However, massage on the beach is also possible – you won’t know however, if the person is well-trained (otherwise there could be risks involved)
Batik
Even though it is Indonesian in origin, the art of batik has embedded itself within the local culture. There are also a lot of handicrafts such as pineapple paper.
Since it is a small island relatively free of crime and drunkards, the local law-enforcers are more lenient about allowing bars along the beach to stay open until what time they wish, and that is usually when the last customer goes home. Many of the beer bars have hostesses.
Krabi and Ko Lanta are a melting pot of Buddhists, Thai-Chinese, Muslims and even sea gypsies. The majority of the population in the rural areas is Muslim. The area, however, has no religious tension and the people live in peace and harmony. Most of them speak with a thick Southern dialect that is difficult for even other Thais to understand.
Under this kind of multiculturalism, Krabi is always celebrating something, be it Thai Buddhist, Thai-Chinese or Thai-Islamic tradition.
The unique lifestyle of the Chao-Le (sea-gypsy) in Ko Lanta particularly is well worth a look, a lifestyle that has been almost completely unaffected by the booming tourism on the island.
In general, Southern Thai food is renowned for its spiciness. Much of the cuisine has its origins in Malay, Indonesian and Indian food. Favourite dishes from the south include Indian-style Muslim curry (massaman), rice noodles in fish curry sauce (Khanom Jeen) and chicken birayani.
As for Ko Lanta, reasonable priced and tasty seafood is obviously what most tourists long for when visiting a coastal province like Krabi. In this connection, the wing shell (หอยชักตีน) is Krabi’s famous cuisine. In addition, stirred fried Spotted Babylon (หอยหวาน), which is found in mangrove forests, with chilies and basil is also famous. This cuisine is common in Ko Lanta’s restaurants. Another great Krabi taste is, of course, seafood. The Ko Lanta beach areas have several restaurants with the 'catch of the day' displayed on ice outside. One can find all kinds of fish; juicy crabs and langoustines; shellfish, including giant oysters; as well as squid and lobsters.
The major and the most common medical facility providers are: the Ban Saladan Clinic in Saladan and on the eastern side of the island: Koh Lanta Hospital.
Ko Lanta is ideal for retirees who want to retire in peace and quiet and lead a no-hassles life. The weather is just right for those who are fed-up of the cold back home and want instead to enjoy tropical weather. The locals are renowned for their friendly nature, crime is virtually non-existent and the cost of living is cheap.
Nationwide television, cable TVs, local cable TV channels are available on Ko Lanta especially in tourist spots. International newspapers and magazines are available at some bookstores.
Landline telephones, satellite phones, all mobile phone systems, high-speed internet (ADSL) are available. There is also a post office with parcel services.
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