Koh Lanta Currency and Paying on the Island
What to expect when it comes to cash, cards and ATMs on the island.
Summarize this page with AI
Thailand's official currency is the Thai Baht (THB), and it's what you'll use for essentially every transaction on Koh Lanta. Cash remains the most reliable way to pay across much of the island, small restaurants, beach bars, market stalls, scooter rentals and songthaew drivers typically expect cash, and many simply don't have card facilities at all.
Card acceptance is improving but still patchy, especially outside the larger resorts, established restaurants and bigger shops near Saladan and the main beaches. Don't assume a smaller guesthouse, beachfront café or rental shop will take a card. It's common for card payment to be unavailable or to come with an added surcharge, so carrying enough cash for a day or two is the safer habit.
ATMs are available on Koh Lanta, mostly concentrated around Saladan town and the busier beach areas like Long Beach and Klong Dao, but they thin out toward the quieter southern parts of the island. Most Thai ATMs charge a foreign transaction fee on top of whatever your home bank charges, so withdrawing larger amounts less often can reduce the total fees you pay. It's worth arriving on the island with some baht already in hand, from an ATM or exchange at Krabi Airport, for example, rather than assuming you'll find one immediately on arrival.
Exchange rates and bank fees change, so check your own bank's foreign-transaction and ATM fee policy before you travel. If a card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, choosing Thai Baht is usually the better option, but compare for your card.
Keep small notes handy for songthaews, markets and tips, and avoid carrying more cash than you need.
Cash or card: what to expect, place by place
The table sums up what we have seen and reported across the island's guides. It describes the usual pattern, not a rule: individual businesses change their setup, so ask before you order or book if you plan to pay by card.
| Where | Usually | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Larger hotels and resorts | Card accepted | A surcharge on card payments is possible, check at check-in |
| Established restaurants near Saladan and the main beaches | Card often accepted | Smaller beachfront places are still mostly cash |
| Small restaurants, beach bars, market stalls | Cash | Many have no card terminal at all |
| Scooter rental shops | Cash | Agree the price and deposit before you ride: see our motorbike rental guide |
| Songthaews and tuk-tuks | Cash | A tuk-tuk from Saladan to the mangroves usually costs 50 to 150 THB; small notes help |
| National park entrance | Cash | Card payment isn't guaranteed at the booth: see the entrance fee guide |
| Tours booked online in advance | Paid online | Keep some cash for small extras on the day |
Withdrawing baht: where and how to limit fees
- Where the ATMs are: mostly around Saladan (with its banks and 7-Elevens) and the busier beaches, Long Beach and Klong Dao. They thin out towards Klong Nin, Kantiang Bay and the south, so withdraw before you head down there.
- Two layers of fees: most Thai ATMs charge a foreign transaction fee, and your home bank may add its own. Withdrawing larger amounts less often reduces the total.
- Currency conversion: if an ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, choosing Thai baht is usually the better option. Compare for your card.
- Arrive with some cash: withdraw or exchange at Krabi Airport before the transfer, rather than counting on an ATM the moment you arrive on the island.
Exchanging cash and choosing your cards
Exchanging money before you leave home is possible, but many travellers simply withdraw baht on arrival. Whichever you choose, rates and fees vary between banks and providers, so compare your own bank's foreign-transaction and ATM fees before you travel rather than relying on a general rule.
Carry more than one way to pay: a bank card for ATMs, a second card kept separately as a backup, and enough cash for a day or two. That way a swallowed card or a terminal that is down doesn't leave you stuck, especially in the quieter south.
Tipping and small change
Keep small notes for songthaews, market stalls and tips. Tipping isn't compulsory, and there is no fixed rate we can honestly quote for Koh Lanta; leaving the small change or a modest tip for good service is a kind gesture, not an obligation. Larger notes can be hard to break at small stalls, so use them at 7-Elevens or bigger shops when you can.
Budgeting for the trip?
Our realistic budget guide helps you estimate how much cash you'll go through per day, and things to know before visiting covers the other practical basics.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, plan for it. ATMs and shops thin out towards Klong Nin, Kantiang Bay and the national park, and the park entrance booth may not take cards, so withdraw enough in Saladan or on the northern beaches first.
Sometimes, but not everywhere. Larger hotels, resorts and some established restaurants accept cards, but many smaller restaurants, bars, rental shops and market stalls are cash-only, so carrying Thai Baht is essential.
They're available but concentrated around Saladan and the busier beaches like Long Beach and Klong Dao. They become sparser toward the quieter southern beaches, so it's worth withdrawing what you need before heading further south.
See a realistic Koh Lanta budget guideYou can, but many travellers withdraw Baht from an ATM on arrival. Compare your bank's fees and rates first, since they vary.
Plan your days
Book the experiences that make the trip
Compare the best-rated Koh Lanta tours, check live prices and availability, and book in a few clicks.