Itinerary Ideas: Ko Lanta, Krabi, Khao Lak

When it comes to choosing where to stay on a beach holiday in Thailand, visitors are spoiled for choice. There are countless island-hopping combinations to choose from that can encompass every style and every budget. Although boat trips between the islands can be part of the adventure, not everyone enjoys jumping in and out of boats, especially those of us who are less agile than we once were.

For this latest edition of our Itinerary Ideas series, we’ve picked two beach destinations on the mainland: Krabi and Khao Lak. We’ve also included Ko Lanta. While Ko Lanta is an island, it’s only a short ferry hop across from the Krabi mainland and this laid-back island adds another option for a multi-centre beach holiday. For a two-week holiday, you could divide your time like this:

• 4 days Ko Lanta
• 5 days Krabi
• 5 days Khao Lak

With international airports at Krabi and Phuket and good internal flight connections with Bangkok, the order in which you do this itinerary is flexible. For example, you could fly to Phuket and make the transfer by taxi to nearby Khao Lak (around 1.5 hours depending on where you are staying in Khao Lak). After Khao Lak, travel down to Krabi and then Ko Lanta.

An alternative option is to fly to Krabi and head straight to Ko Lanta. From Ko Lanta head over to the Krabi mainland to continue your beach holiday before finishing up in Khao Lak. From Khao Lak, you can fly out of Phuket airport without the need to double back to Krabi.

Ko Lanta

Located in Krabi province, the island of Ko Lanta is an excellent choice for a relaxing beach holiday. The island offers a laid-back atmosphere and a quieter alternative to nearby resort destinations like Ao Nang or Phuket.

Many repeat visitors regard Ko Lanta as the perfect Thai island. It’s big enough that it never feels crowded even during high season, but still small enough to explore easily. The island is easy to reach from the Krabi mainland and offers a variety of attractive beaches and a range of accommodation options across all budgets. Although it’s a popular tourist destination, Ko Lanta has not been overly developed and it still retains much of its local charm. This all-around appeal makes Ko Lanta suitable for everyone, whether you’re a solo traveller, a family, or a couple.

If you are planning a trip to Ko Lanta, be sure to check out our Ko Lanta page for ideas on where to stay. We also have an article about the best things to see and do on Ko Lanta that you might find helpful.

Krabi

Krabi is one of the most attractive destinations in Thailand. With its dramatic limestone mountains, idyllic islands, and gorgeous beaches, Krabi draws in a diverse range of visitors, from retired couples in search of winter sunshine to solo travellers looking for adventure. While relaxing on the wonderful beaches and exploring the stunning islands are great reasons to visit Krabi, it’s also a region with an interesting history and diverse culture that’s worth exploring.

Ao Nang is the main beach resort area on the Krabi mainland but by no means the only option. However, it is convenient to catch boats to nearby Railay Beach and also easy to get to or from Krabi Town.

Railay Beach and Phra Nang are only accessible by boat and although they are located on the mainland, staying here does feel like staying on an island.

Adjacent to Ao Nang is the long stretch of sand at Nopparat Thara Beach which is a popular choice for locals. Further north along the Krabi coastline, the quieter Tubkaak and Klong Muang areas offer some outstanding hotels.

Take a look at our Krabi page for ideas of where to stay and what to see and do. You can also find more travel inspiration in our article here: 10 reasons to add Krabi to your Thailand itinerary.

Khao Lak

Located to the north of Phuket, the stretch of coastline that makes up Khao Lak offers a serene and laid-back atmosphere. Khao Lak is perfect for families or couples who are looking for a relaxing beach holiday. This family-friendly beach resort area is an excellent base from which to explore nearby attractions such as the incredible Khao Sok National Park and the stunning Similan Islands and Surin Islands.

The area referred to as Khao Lak in travel guides and by travel agents encompasses various beaches and small towns that are spread out along a 20-mile coastline. Although there is a small beach that goes by the name ‘Khao Lak’, what is widely regarded as central Khao Lak is located at Nang Thong Beach.

Read our Khao Lak page for ideas of where to stay and what to do.

Good to know

The best weather for a beach holiday in this region is from late November to mid-April. In Khao Lak and Ko Lanta, some smaller hotels and guest houses close for the low season (May to October).

Travellers can fly to Krabi or Phuket (for Khao Lak) with frequent flights to and from Bangkok with a flight time of around 90 minutes.

Onward transfers from Krabi to Ko Lanta or Khao Lak can easily be arranged in Krabi. Vehicle ferries operate all year round between the mainland and Ko Lanta. During the high season (mid-late October to April) there is also the option of taking the passenger ferry from Krabi Town to Ko Lanta.

Journey times

• Krabi Airport to Ao Nang: 40 minutes
• Krabi Airport to Ko Lanta: 2 hours
• Ferry from Krabi (Klong Jilad Pier) to Ko Lanta (Saladan Pier): 2 hours
• Phuket airport to Khao Lak (Nang Thong): 1.5 hours
• Krabi (Ao Nang) to Khao Lak (Nang Thong): 2.5 hours

All journey times are approximate.

Itinerary Ideas
This article is part of our Itinerary Ideas series. These particular itineraries are for anybody, but may appeal more to repeat visitors to Thailand looking to explore different destinations on their next trip or anyone seeking meaningful travel experiences. If you’re a first-time visitor to Thailand or looking for more ideas of where to go and what to do, check out these articles too:
2-week Thailand itinerary
3-week Thailand itinerary
4-week Thailand itinerary

You may also enjoy: