I visited Thailand  intent on lying in the sun and doing as little as possible. In fact, I selected a destination in Thailand, far from the pulsing bar scene, trendy beach scene, and tourists traps. I envisioned going to an area in Thailand that was fairly deserted, but still with some of the conveniences of a tourist spot. In short, I wanted a nice, peaceful, family-oriented  beach area, lined with cute seaside restaurants and maybe a shop or two, all within walking distance.

Long Beach, Koh Lanta, Thailand

So, during my winter break from work, while my friends headed to Bangkok and Phuket, I landed in Koh Lanta Yai, in Krabi, during a 10-day solo vacation. Some destinations are solo-friendly; you feel comfortable traveling there alone. You’ll meet friends and fantastic people while there. Koh Lanta is such a place.

Diversity in Koh Lanta

When I arrived that January, I was surprised to find that I was often the only African-American woman on the beach. In fact, most of the tourists were Swedish or German. For the most part, I found that the people were warm and friendly. I met other single women who invited me to join them, and a fantastic mother from Singapore who shared a long  lunch with me during an excursion to Phi Phi. I did have one incident at my resort. A woman kept asking me if I was a worker, and wanted me to get her get ice cream. I politely pointed out that the employees were wearing uniforms, and she should ask a uniformed employee for help.

Things to do in Koh Lanta

For a girly, girl like me, the best thing about Koh Lanta was the Thai massages on the beach. I love being pampered, and getting neck and shoulder massages, coconut oil massages, or Thai massages, were a luxurious daily ritual that I began to crave. The massages cost about $10 per hour and were always different. Sometimes they edged on being painful, but mostly they were relaxing and eased my chronically sore muscles.

When I wasn’t lying on the beach or chilling and blogging at Fat Jak’s Cafe,  I read and relaxed in my beach bungalow, just steps away from the beach. There are bungalows all along Long Beach. Accommodations are priced according to the season. The rates are lower during the rainy season, which runs from June to October, according to the Guide to Thailand.  Sometimes you can catch a deal during the high season and get a small  bungalow for $15 per night. These tiny, rustic, wooden bungalows usually have electricity and a small attached bathroom, but they are not air conditioned, and are definitely no-frills.  You can get a better air conditioned bungalow with a TV for about $45 a night during the high season.

Most of the sightseeing activities in Koh Lanta revolve around snorkeling around neighboring islands. There are day-long tours to Phi Phi and surrounding islands; Koh Rok, and four island tours to Koh Ngai, Koh Chuek, Koh Ma and Koh Mook. These tours are provided by several speedboat companies including Lanta Gardenhill Speedboat Island Tours, which charges about $45 for each of the tours.  However, in addition to snorkeling, you can go on an elephant tour, shop in Saladan, tour Old Town, or visit the National Park. There is also a monkey show. A lot of people rent motorbikes and tour the island.

How to Get There

Take a flight in to Krabi International Airport and take a mini van or a speedboat to the island. Check the times for speedboat and mini van pick-ups before booking your flight to coordinate your arrival with your transportation to the island.