Koh Lanta Currency and Paying on the Island

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.

Frequently asked questions