Getting to Koh Lanta: Flights, Ferries and Transfers

Koh Lanta has no airport

Unlike Phuket or Koh Samui, Koh Lanta has no airport of its own. The nearest is Krabi International Airport (KBV), which has domestic connections from Bangkok and other Thai cities plus a growing list of international routes. If you are flying long-haul, you will usually connect through Bangkok or another regional hub. For the full story on why the island has never had a runway, see Koh Lanta Airport: why there isn't one.

Phuket International Airport is an alternative if the flight prices or schedules suit you better, but it adds hours to the journey. Unless there is a strong reason to fly into Phuket, Krabi is the sensible choice.

From Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta

This is how the large majority of visitors arrive. From the airport the road heads south through the Krabi hinterland to a mainland car-ferry pier. The ferry carries cars, minivans and motorbikes across to Koh Lanta Noi, the flatter and quieter northern island. From there the road runs across Koh Lanta Noi and over a bridge to Koh Lanta Yai, the island with the beaches and almost all of the hotels.

Your transfer operator handles all of this: the ferry fare is normally part of a pre-booked transfer price, but confirm that when you book. Options run from a shared minivan (cheapest, with other pickups and drop-offs on the way) to a private car (fixed price, direct, better with luggage or kids) to a taxi arranged at the airport. For every option and how to choose between them, see Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta: all transfer options.

If you would rather not rely on airport queue-hunting, our comparison of airport transfer services covers pre-bookable options.

The car ferry crossing

The car ferry between the mainland and Koh Lanta Noi is the one water crossing on the standard route, and it is the part of the trip you cannot control. Several vessels operate through the day and into the evening, and services are generally reported to run year-round rather than seasonally, but queue times swing with traffic, and rough weather or maintenance can slow things down, particularly in the rainy season.

We deliberately do not print a fixed timetable or fare here, because both change and out-of-date numbers cause real problems. For what to expect on the day, see our car ferry guide and ferry schedule and booking tips, and confirm current details with your transfer operator or the ferry operator close to your travel date.

A road bridge from the mainland to Koh Lanta has been proposed for years and has been reported as planned for later this decade, but it is not open. Treat any source that tells you the ferry is already gone as out of date, and check locally.

From Phuket and elsewhere

Phuket is farther away and the route is more complicated: a long road transfer toward Krabi followed by the same ferry crossing, or, in the drier season, boat services that link Phuket with the Phi Phi islands and onward to Koh Lanta. Boat schedules are seasonal and weather-dependent, so verify them before you build a plan around one. Either way, expect a long travel day rather than a couple of hours. Our Phuket to Koh Lanta guide compares the routes.

Coming from Ao Nang, Koh Phi Phi or Trang, a road transfer or, in season, a boat is usually the simplest way in. If you are still deciding between Koh Lanta and those places, read Koh Lanta or Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta or Ao Nang.

Shared minivan or private transfer?

Whichever you choose, tell the operator which beach you are staying on. Koh Lanta is long, and the difference between dropping off at Klong Dao near the north and Kantiang Bay in the south is a meaningful chunk of the journey. Our where to stay guide explains how the beaches line up along the coast.

Once you are on the island

Koh Lanta Yai is long and narrow, and the beaches run down its west coast. Most people rent a scooter or use songthaews and taxis. See getting around Koh Lanta and, if you plan to ride, the motorbike rental guide before you commit.