How to get from Krabi to Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta is an island in Krabi Province that lies south of Krabi Town proper. The island can easily be accessed by road and a short ferry ride or by sea. It takes roughly three hours to travel on land from Krabi to Koh Lanta, a distance of approximately 85 km. A minivan, taxi or ferry can get you to Koh Lanta from Krabi town or airport, and there are numerous companies that offer transport services for this route.
Traveling to Koh Lanta overland is cheaper and there are more options, including vans and taxis. Though expensive, a taxi is the fastest choice for this route. Using a highspeed ferry can be costly and the sea can be rough resulting in cancellations of the trips. However, larger boats are a popular option especially when travelling in the opposite direction, from Koh Lanta to Krabi.
From Krabi to Koh Lanta by Van
Minivans are quite popular when traveling to Koh Lanta because they are small and less crowded and drive faster than commercial buses. They also charge less than taxis.
Bus Cooperative of Krabi operates from Krabi bus terminal and offers air-conditioned vans. You can board the vans at the Krabi Bus Terminal or there is an option to order a pick-up from a hotel in Krabi Town for the same price.
Normally all the van operators between Krabi and Koh Lanta deliver you to any hotel in Koh Lanta – so even if you have not booked your accommodation in advance have in mind the point where you want to be dropped off.
The whole trip including a short ferry ride (you do not need to leave the van) lasts three hours.
Bus Cooperative of Krabi vans offer scheduled trips from 7.00am and every two hours after that until 4.00pm when the last van leaves. Regardless of where you board the van, tickets will cost THB 360.
It is important to note that:
If you are boarding the van at the Terminal, make your way to Counter number 11 (or 33) at the bus terminal, present your voucher and notify the staff about your drop off point and again when you check in.
If you would like to be picked up from your hotel, ensure that you are in hotel's lobby 30 minutes before departure. If you have huge luggage, consider paying for an extra seat.
From Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta
There are direct vans to Koh Lanta from Krabi Airport, too. They normally leave shortly after the arrival of the flights and take approximately the same time you need if travelling from Krabi Town.
If you miss the departure for some reason, you can get to the Krabi Bus Terminal first and then hop onto a van to Koh Lanta from there. It takes 25 minutes to get from the airport into Krabi town.
From Krabi to Koh Lanta by Taxi
There are several advantages of using a taxi to travel to Koh Lanta from Krabi. Taxis are faster and more comfortable and it takes approximately one hour and a half hour to get to any hotel in Koh Lanta from Krabi town. Also, there are no scheduled times for taxis, therefore, you do not have to worry about missing your ride. However, it is important to note that taxis are way more expensive than vans.
Andaman Taxis and Lanta Gardenhill primarily provide taxi services for this route. Lanta Gardenhill offers 9-passenger taxis from Krabi town to Koh Lanta at a cost of THB 2,800 and from Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta for THB 2,600.
Andaman Taxis offers two types of taxis; comfort taxis that carry a maximum of 3 passengers and the regular 9-passenger taxi. A ticket from Krabi Town or Bus Terminal to Koh Lanta costs THB 3,000 for the comfort taxi and THB 3,200 for the 9-passenger Andaman Taxi. From Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta, you can board a comfort taxi for THB 2,800 and a 9-passenger taxi for THB 3,000.
From Krabi to Koh Lanta by Ferry
Tigerline Travel offers combination van+ferry tickets from Krabi bus station, Krabi hotels and beaches in the Krabi province including Ao Nang, Klong Muang and Railey Beach.
Their shuttle van leaves the Krabi Bus Station Terminal at 10.00am and brings passengers to the Hat Yao Pier where you'll board a high-speed ferry for Koh Lanta. You’ll alight at the Saladan Pier at 2.30pm. For this combination ticket, you’ll need THB 1,250 for adults, THB 875 for children 2-11 years, and THB 500 for infants under 2 years.
The same shuttle van picks up passengers at the Krabi Airport at 10.30am; tickets cost exactly the same.
Starting from Krabi beaches (Ao Nang, Klong Muang and Railey Beach) will make the trip longer and more expensive and we feel like it is not actually worth considering travelling by ferry over this route. In Ao Nang he shuttle van departs from the Ao Nang Center next to the Ao Nang Cliff Beach Resort at 9.00am.
Tip: Due to varying reasons including weather conditions, ferries from Krabi to Koh Lanta mainly operate from November till April.