The small resort town of Ao Nang is located on the coast of Thailand’s Andaman Sea, in an area known for its great natural beauty. While Ao Nang has a beautiful beach and other activities to keep you entertained, it is also a popular jumping off point for the fantastic islands just offshore, including Phi Phi and Koh Yao Islands. Or, a little further south, Koh Lanta with its three islands. As part of the Mu Ko Lanta National Park, these islands have beautiful white sand beaches and an interesting mix of landscapes to explore, including mangroves, tropical jungles, forests, hills and coral reefs that make this place a perfect destination for scuba diving.
Options to travel from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta’s three islands are separated by small bodies of water. In fact, these straits are so narrow that Koh Klang is often seen as part of the mainland and the separation is just a small river. Therefore, getting to Koh Klang is very easy and you just have to cross a bridge. The next island is Koh Lanta Noi. It is a relatively small island that was not very developed until recently. This island is connected to Koh Klang by a car ferry, and is now also connected to the third island, Koh Lanta Yai, by a bridge. The opening of this bridge has made Koh Lanta Noi more accessible and has allowed the arrival of more tourists and more developments.
Koh Lanta Yai is the most developed and most visited of the three islands. It is usually simply referred to as Koh Lanta to avoid confusion. Although it is connected to Koh Lanta Noi by a bridge, it is not directly connected to the mainland. If you come by car or decide to go by taxi or van, you can cross on the car ferry. Another option is to take a boat to Koh Lanta directly from the mainland.
As you can see, the options for getting from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta depend to some extent on the island you want to go to. While you can get to Koh Klang by road, you’ll probably want to visit the livelier areas of Koh Lanta Yai or go closer to quiet Koh Lanta Noi, so you’ll need to take a boat. Combined van or taxi and ferry tickets are available, so the journey from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta should not be difficult.
From Ao Nang to Koh Lanta by car ferry
Car ferry operating between Koh Klang and Koh Lanta Noi © nitinut380 / Shutterstock.com
If you are adventurous and traveling through Thailand with your own car or motorbike, you will be interested to know that Koh Lanta is one of the few islands where you can take the car. That may make it more appealing if that’s the case for you, but you don’t have to drive. There are combined van or taxi and ferry tickets that you can purchase from the reputable travel website 12Go.Asia, and you can choose from different service providers and different collection options. The most practical is to choose a company that will pick you up directly from your hotel in Ao Nang and take you to the door of your hotel in Koh Lanta. With these tickets you only pay once and the full service is included. Prices vary quite a bit between different taxi companies so do some research before booking. The duration of the trip also varies greatly from one option to another as some companies have scheduled trips of 45 minutes and in other cases the duration is 3.5 hours as they follow different routes.
The good thing about these taxis is that although they are more expensive, it is possible to split the cost between all passengers. With a vehicle for 9 people, the price per person is quite low.
If you’re looking to travel from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta in 12Go, keep in mind that this website offers options from several departure points. They can pick you up from your hotel in Ao Nang or stop at other places such as the most popular beaches or Krabi Town, which is a short drive from Ao Nang.
From Ao Nang to Koh Lanta on the passenger ferry
The door-to-door service offered by the taxi from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta is very convenient. It is also a good option for those who are not much into boat trips as the duration of the ferry trip is very short and the waters are usually calm. However, if you enjoy traveling by water and prefer to do most of the journey from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta by boat rather than by car or van, there are other options that may interest you.
It is possible to take a passenger ferry directly from Ao Nang, from Nopparat Thara Pier, which offers free bus pick-ups from Ao Nang beach, making it quite a convenient option. You will just have to make the journey yourself when you arrive in Koh Lanta to your hotel, but it won’t be difficult for you as there are always taxis or tuk tuks ready to take you, or the hotel can have a transfer service from the port.
Another passenger ferry operates from Krabi Passenger Pier in Krabi. It’s not a very comfortable alternative if you’re staying in Ao Nang, but it’s another interesting option if you’re considering visiting Krabi.
The most important thing to know about these passenger ferries is that they only run during the high season, from November to April, and never during the low season. If you decide to go in low season, you can get from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta with the first transportation option we mentioned, the vehicle ferry, as this service operates all year round.