Koh Lanta

Under the Mongolia–Thailand bilateral agreement, an ordinary passport gives 30 days visa-free. The general 60-day exemption ended on 15 September 2026, but this does not affect Mongolia. With good reason the stay can be extended once (1,900฿); overstaying is fined 500฿ per day. Your passport should be valid for more than 6 months and you should hold a return ticket.

Every foreigner entering Thailand fills in the TDAC on the official site within 3 days before arrival — free. Enter your passport, flight and hotel address and save the QR code you get. Immigration is done at your first Thai airport (usually Bangkok).

November–April is best for Lanta: the sea is calm and every trip runs. In the May–October monsoon many hotels and restaurants close, the small islands and Koh Rok are shut and speedboats barely run. Hospitals are far, so travel insurance is a must.

Tip: Plan to land at Krabi before noon — the trip on to Lanta takes about 3 hours.

Shared minivan-and-ferry tickets cost ≈350–600฿ per person at the counter in arrivals and drop you at your hotel. From Hua Hin pier you cross two short car ferries to Lanta Noi and then Lanta Yai, 2.5–3 hours in all. A private minivan is ≈1,500–2,500฿ per vehicle — handy for families.

November–April only: the ferry from Ao Nang to Saladan pier is ≈700฿ (children 500฿), about 2 h 15 min. Ferries also run daily from Phi Phi. From May to October it is minivan only.

AIS and TrueMove H counters in the Bangkok or Krabi arrivals hall: an 8-day plan with about 15 GB ≈299฿, 15–30-day plans up to 599฿. Show your passport and staff will set it up.

If your phone supports eSIM, install one before the flight. Coverage is good in Saladan, Long Beach and Klong Dao, but the signal drops in the southern hills and on remote islands, so download your maps for offline use.

Tip: Top up your SIM at 7-Eleven in Saladan or Long Beach.

Tuk-tuks wait all along Saladan, Long Beach and Klong Dao — agree the fare before you get in. Most visitors rent a motorbike, but the southern road is hilly with sharp bends — don't ride without an international licence and a helmet. With children, hire a car with a driver.

The park with the lighthouse at the island's southern tip is open 8:30–16:30; the fee is 200฿ (ages 3–14 100฿), plus 30฿ per car or 20฿ per motorbike — cash.

4 Islands, Koh Rok and Koh Haa trips leave from Saladan pier and tour companies pick you up from your hotel. National park fees are usually not included and are paid separately in cash. Koh Rok is closed June–September and the other small islands from mid-May to mid-October.

Almost every Thai bank ATM charges about 220฿ (some 250–350฿) per withdrawal with a foreign card. Take out larger sums at once; ATMs cluster in Saladan and Long Beach and are scarce in the south.

Tuk-tuks, markets, small restaurants and national park fees are cash baht only. Hotels, larger restaurants and tour companies take cards. Change dollars at exchange booths in Saladan or Long Beach.

Tip: When paying by card, choose to pay in baht — the dollar conversion is expensive.

Southern Thai sour curry (gaeng som), massaman curry, roti, grilled seafood, tom yum, mango sticky rice. Many Lanta families are Muslim, so halal food is easy to find. Ask for 'mai phet' if you want it less spicy.

Tip: Drink only bottled water; ice is usually factory-made and safe.

Saladan's stilted restaurants over the water, seafood in the Old Town and the Long Beach evening market are cheap with lots of choice. Beachfront restaurants price fish by weight, so ask before ordering.

Police 191, ambulance 1669, Tourist Police 1155 (24 hours, English). For scams, theft or disputes, call 1155 first.

In the monsoon don't swim when the red flag is up — rip currents pull you away from shore. Wear a life jacket on boats and accept it when a trip is cancelled for waves. Watch children for jellyfish. Never show food to monkeys.

Koh Lanta Hospital — a public hospital near the Old Town; private clinics in Saladan and Long Beach. Serious cases go to Krabi Town or Phuket, and the ferries cost time. Guard against heat, sunburn and dehydration.

Insulting the royal family is a serious crime under Thai law. The King's portrait is on every banknote, so never step on money. Stand when the royal anthem plays in cinemas.

Most of Lanta's locals are Muslim, so dress modestly in villages and the Old Town. Cover shoulders and knees at temples and take your shoes off. In the Chao Leh sea-gypsy village, don't photograph people or homes without asking.

Don't walk around town in swimwear, and topless sunbathing is not allowed. Touching or standing on coral and taking shells is forbidden. Losing your temper means losing face in Thailand — keep calm.

12Go — minivans from Krabi Airport to Lanta and ferries to Ao Nang and Phi Phi. Grab — food delivery (few cars). Google Maps — beaches, restaurants and offline maps.

LINE — the chat app hotels, tour operators and shops all use in Thailand. The Thailand Tourist Police app connects you straight to the Tourist Police and shares your location. Download Thai in Google Translate for offline use.

From Lanta to Krabi Airport is 2.5–3 hours by minivan and ferry; in peak season ferry queues add 20–40 minutes. Leave your hotel 5–6 hours before a domestic flight. Check whether you must re-check your bags in Bangkok for the international flight.

In shops displaying 'VAT Refund for Tourists', show your passport and ask for the form. At the international airport where you leave Thailand, show the goods at the customs counter before passport control to get the stamp.