The Sea Gypsies of Koh Lanta: Chao Leh Culture

What "Chao Leh" and "sea gypsy" mean

"Chao Leh" is the Thai term for the sea-oriented peoples of the Andaman coast, including the Urak Lawoi, Moken and Moklen. "Sea gypsy" is an older outsider label that many people now regard as outdated, so this site uses Chao Leh or Urak Lawoi, the group's own name, whenever possible. The name Urak Lawoi is commonly explained as meaning "people of the sea".

These are distinct communities with their own languages and histories, not a single group, and they are Thai citizens and neighbours, not relics of the past. Details vary by village and by source, so treat any short summary, including this one, as a starting point.

A long presence on Koh Lanta

Published histories of the island describe Chao Leh settlement on Koh Lanta stretching back centuries, with the east-coast settlement now known as Old Town (Sri Raya) originally a sea-people village before it became a trading port frequented by Chinese and Arab merchants. Over time it became home to Thai Muslim, Thai Chinese and Chao Leh families living side by side.

Today Urak Lawoi families live in several villages on Koh Lanta, with Ban Sangka-U in the south-east often cited as one of the best-known. Like other coastal communities in Thailand, they have been affected by tourism, land-ownership questions and changes to traditional fishing life, which is worth bearing in mind when you visit.

Read about Koh Lanta Old Town

Festivals and traditions

The best-known event is Loi Ruea, often translated as the boat-floating ceremony. It is generally described as taking place twice a year, around the sixth and eleventh lunar months, as an occasion to honour ancestors and send away misfortune, with small boats decorated with flowers and offerings, music and traditional dance. Villages on Koh Lanta are named in published accounts as hosting it.

Dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year, and the ceremony is a community event first and a spectacle second. If you want to attend, ask your accommodation or the Old Town community museum about current dates and how visitors are welcomed, rather than relying on a fixed date from a website.

Visiting respectfully

Villages are homes, not theme parks. Ask before photographing people or ceremonies, dress modestly, keep to public paths, and buy directly from local sellers where you can. Be sceptical of tours that promise staged "sea gypsy village" experiences, and prefer options that are run with or by the community and say clearly how they benefit it.

The Old Town on the east coast, where the island's Chao Leh, Thai Muslim and Thai Chinese histories overlap, is the easiest place to start, and its community museum is the natural place for context.

Plan your trip with the Koh Lanta travel guide