Bohemian Vibes of Klong Nin (Lanta)

Nestled within the turquoise waters and rich marine life of the Andaman sea, lie the powder white sands of Koh Lanta, a beautiful island with a trove of treasures to uncover and explore.

But succumbing to the inevitable fate of many beautiful Thai islands, Lanta has too, been bitten by the unforgiving teeth of tourism, the worrying speed of which is all too evident with each return I make to the island.

It’s of no great surprise, given how easy it is to reach the island. Within a few hours of arriving at Krabi, you can be effortlessly whisked away on the airport minibus directly onto the ferry and delivered to the doorstep of your chosen hotel. And given the choice of beautiful beaches, proximity to many neighbouring tropical islands to explore and the ever growing nightlife – and day life – on the island, it’s no wonder. Establishing itself as the bohemian cousin to Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lipe, with hippy youngster Koh Jum and paradise stunner Koh Rock just next door, Lanta is possibly one of the best placed islands in Thailand.

It’s been some 6 years since I last visited, pre-Covid, and I noticed many changes throughout the island. The sandy dirt tracks and makeshift beach huts were fast diminishing as major new roadworks were underway to support the ever expanding infrastructure. Resorts and beach bungalows were claiming every available space and open air Thai Boxing gyms and stadiums were now a staple on every developed beach. Not to mention the eye-watering number of weed shops that have popped up since Thailand legalised cannabis. Not a trick to be missed.

But …the island still has that wee something.. a little sprinkle of magic dust maybe…

The beaches, which lie down the West coast of the island, I’d say mostly get cleaner, and more beautiful but more expensive the further south you go. For me, my favourite? Well, having visited a few, the one I always return to is Klong Nin.

This gem of a beach still retains an air of bohemian magic and distinct soulful charm, that she’s fiercely clinging on to.

There’s a good mix of locals, travellers, musicians, bohemians, artists and tourists. The local and expat communities integrate as friends and bond with mutual respect and rhythmic synergy. It is nice to see, and to feel Thai hospitality and the warmth of the local people.

Klong Nin, despite the growth in tourism throughout the island as a whole, is thriving. It has taken ‘development’ at a slower pace, and has embraced a more bohemian and low key growth.

The local Muslim communities are still the majority and offer beautiful homestays in natural settings, often serving delicious traditional meals, served with the warmest hospitality and the kindest of smiles. It is good to see that the small local businesses are still holding onto their beautiful beach and mass overdevelopment has so far been kept out. So far.

And there is a treasure-house of hidden adventures to be had on this compact little island. You can explore the mangroves by kayak around the East coast, take a snorkel trip to the breathtakingly beautiful Koh Rok, or climb up to the waterfall on the south of the island. Maybe stop for a beer and a dance on the way back at the hippy jungle party.

You can hire a scooter, and try to catch a glimpse of a passing elephant, meditate in the monastery or take the old road over to explore Old Lanta town with its strong Chinese influence and architecture.

Heading back, you could stop by the butterfly / orchid farm with its menagerie of rescued wildlife and fascinating history or take a gentle walk through the countryside, soaking in traditional village life enroute to the Khao Mai Kew caves.

And so, if you are still looking for something else, there are regular Thai boxing matches at one of the stadiums or.. try a few classes yourself? But expect guaranteed sore wee legs, bums and arms the next day. …Nothing a beach side Thai massage won’t fix, followed by a plunge in the turquoise sea and a sundowner cocktail!

Businesses here in general, seem to work in harmony and collaboration and the general vibe within the craft shops is bespoke handmade, handcrafted wares, musical instruments, jewelry, boho clothing and the like. There are lots of treasures to be found often made within the little shops themselves, by talented craftspeople who clearly love their work.

One of the local places I loved was Lemontree Homestay & the Drum Workshop. This is a joint husband and wife team run by laidback Nuki and his lovely wife Kat, situated on the road running down to Klong Nin beach opposite the Muay Thai boxing gym. There they run a very beautiful and relaxed homestay together with their drum workshop/ shop/ bar. Nuki makes many of the drums and artifacts by hand onsite, and also sells beautiful, ethnic pieces often made by his friends. Kat runs the cosy homestay and on Fridays and Sundays, they both host a laid back jam session where you can chill with a beer and soak up the good vibes or take part in the jam.

I’d also check out the amazing handcrafted belts, clothing and stunning jewelry in the boutique shop in front of the Rasta Baby Reggae bar, run by Nina and her partner Whitt (who owns Rasta Baby). Nina also makes some of her wares onsite which are very beautiful and unique. The falafels and Sunday live music nights there are also unforgettable!

There is a dizzying rainbow of homestays, bungalows, resorts and hostels to choose – from a simple fan hut in the jungle where you can fall asleep listening to the orchestral symphonies of the vocal geckos and crickets, or you can opt for the luxury aircon beach bungalows, set in tropical gardens with infinity pools, massage parlours and beach bars.

Many of the smaller homestays are not listed on booking.com and it can be worth waiting til you arrive to check out a few places and find a hidden gem. But bear in mind, during peak season the whole island fills up pretty quickly and there’s been reports of people sleeping on the beach, unable to find a budget room. So maybe get the first night sorted out in advance…. Then have a wee gander.

I stayed at 2 homestays during my trip, and both were lovely. The first, Dareen Garden Home was a short walk from the beach set within a beautiful, small jungle garden. My very basic fan hut had everything I needed- fridge, hot shower, hammock, shaded veranda and the chorus of crickets belting out bangers each night. The homestay also had a small swimming pool and for 600 bht/ night included a breakfast of eggs, toast, fresh fruits and tea/coffee, and a thriving community of hopping frogs. The lovely Muslim family who run it are extremely friendly, helpful and kind, making you feel like part of the family.

Later, I moved on to meet friends, and this time chose to stay right on the beautiful, golden sandy beach at Blue Moon 2 bungalows. The super relaxed and friendly owner, Gaeng, has built an amazing space with his beach bungalows nestled in a sandy garden and centered around a fire pit and a newly opened bar and kitchen. With crimson suns falling into turquoise waters, tropical beats and a laid back vibe, this is one of the best value and friendliest places to stay on the beachfront.

The nightlife scene is pretty decent in Klong Nin too. Although very low key compared to Phuket or Phi Phi, and given that it’s a slightly older traveller crowd with a large amount of musicians and beatniks travelling through, there is generally some good quality live music/ DJ/party in at least one of the bars on the beach, on most nights. The focus is generally on live music/ jam sessions and fire shows with DJs starting and finishing the night off.

One particular DJ to look out for is DJ Mish, a Scottish ray of sunshine whose good vibes and positive energy spill out all over his music and down onto the sandy, barefooted dance floor. His seamless, colourful mixes are the perfect blend of summer sundowners mixed up with cracking Latino, Baltic, Gypsy, Electro and Jazz, with a few oldies thrown in to boot …and which always guarantees a full dance floor and a belter of a night.

DJ Mish has been coming to Lanta for 20 years and is a regular at lots of the bars, including the Beach Club and Horizon, along Klong Nin. He lives here each season with his partner Elaine, who equally has been unable to retire conventionally!

Elaine’s radiance and warmth oozes from every pore in her lovely being. And having recently retired and unable to sit still for too long, she has now set up an adventure project for kids, both living or holidaying locally on Lanta. You can book in your pint-sized warriors for an afternoon of den building / treasure hunting / bush skills and crafting on the beach, where they learn everything from problem solving to team work and a bunch of pirate skills to boot. Those are lifetime memories for the wee dudes and dudettes..

There’s so many more hidden gems waiting to be discovered by sandy toes in the nooks and crannies of Koh Lanta …And despite its increasing popularity, I’m sure it will forever hold onto a little piece of magic, and keep on shining in the sand like a prize seashell.

Peace & Love

Oh.

The first rule about Lanta…

….We don’t talk about Lanta….

Shh…