As we left Railay Beach we felt like we were robbed of something. Our time there had us feeling low and the travel day out to Koh Lanta did not make it any better. As the ferry was full we were forced to take the chicken run. We boarded a long tail boat for the 10 minutes back to docks, lingered around confused for 25 minutes then squeezed into minivan towards Krabi town. From here we waited even longer until a second minivan made an appearance where the four of us jigsaw puzzle pieced ourself into the back three seats with bags on our knees and others stacked over our heads. The air-conditioning could not keep up and the vinyl seats were even less than friendly. The 2.5 hours of moving travel time took nearly 5 hours with all the waiting around.

Needless to say it was a welcome site when we checked into Hatzanda Resort off Khlong Noen Beach with the oversized pool, lovely rooms and minutes walk to the water.

Koh Lanta or Koh Lanta Yai as its actual name, is the largest of 52 islands in the that make up the Koh Lanta district in the Thai Province of Krabi. Located a short 75 or so kilometres south of Krabi town it can be easily reached from Phuket and any other island in the Andaman Sea coast or a day trip from Bangkok or Malaysia to the south. Many of the more familiar named islands in Thailand are known for its bustling nightlife, swarms of tourists and local interactions kept well out of the tourists eyes. Koh Lanta, to us, didn’t seem that way. The streets were not as smooth, cultures were easily visible as you passed by and everything seemed to move at a much slower pace. The easiest way to get yourself around was renting your own scooter or hopping in the box of a set route pickup truck. The area is lined with multiple beaches on the west coast and a large section of mangrove mud flats on the east coast. The more mountainous interior is devoured with forests and tropical jungles. The heat barely dips below 30°C during the day and the humidity fluctuates between 75% and 85% at all times of the year.

We chose to make our way down to Koh Lanta to experience something new with hopes of a quieter and slower paced few days, and that is exactly what we got……. sort of. The front desk of our hotel, as many do, also arranges tours and trips to keep you entertained and busy on the island. We were torn between a full day tour of the mud flats and mangroves with stops at the local islands to the north east for kayaking, cave exploring and relaxing in the sun, or a 4-island boat trip to the south with snorkelling the local reefs, relaxing on the white sand beach and swimming through a cave to explore a secret lagoon hidden on the other side. Both trips included transporting along with food and drinks. As we could not fully commit to eliminate either we just decided on both. The hotel staff worked with the tour company to give us a deal because we would be doing both; and the girls would be no charge because of their age.

We took the casual way through the dusty street down to the beach to enjoy the sunset, let the girls collect shells allowing us to discuss and plan the next few days, and relax. The beach here had hotels and guest houses with restaurants and clubs, however the atmosphere seemed incredibly mellow and I found it hard to believe that the minimal tourists we saw would be up all night partying and more like they would relaxing and talking until the sun started to rise.

Our first voyage took us to the north. After getting picked up just after 8:00 am, we loaded into the back of a truck and continued our loop to load up more. Once we were more than full we proceeded to Tungyeepeng Pier were we were loaded into one of many awaiting long tail boats. We toured our way through the maze of mangroves where we eventually opened up into the clear blue ocean. After pushing north we circled Koh Phee with its neck-wrenching limestone cliffs and unusual stalactite cave formations.

We then circled back to Talabeng Island were we pulled into a secluded sandy bay and our guides pulled out 2-man sit on top kayaks hidden amongst the foliage. The four of us piled on and skirted our way around the base of the island cliffs. At one point we reached a cave where at water level we could paddle in and stretch our legs on the sandy beach hidden inside. The girls even took their turn escorting the two of us around for a while. The tide was perfect for our next stop resulting in a sand bar laying just below the water surface to join two islands nestled in together. Once we arrived the monkeys took notice. They suddenly appeared out of the trees. Lurking on the rocks and down logs but never getting close enough to feel threatened but just on the cusp so we could never really relax. One little guy even made a daring four metre jump from high on the rocks then swam the 10 metres to join his buddies. Eventually paddling our way back to the original bay we stowed the kayaks, we boarded the boat and toured our way over to Bu Bu Island.

This Remote part of the earth made us feel like we were a long ways from anything but did manage to have a shelter from the sun as well as a resident house that cooked us up more food than we could eat. The majority of us limited our time on the white sand beach as the sun was taking its toll on our skin. Shade was the best option for most of us.

After our feast we loaded back up and made our way back to the mangrove. By now the tide had dropped a bit and the the monkeys were eyeing us up. I believe they knew what a slow moving long tail boat meant. We had food and they knew it. We slowed down enough to notice the monkeys make their move. One started to swim, then another and a third. They were all heading straight for us. The fastest one was rewarded the prize, climbed aboard and the boat captain sped off before the others could get a hold of us. I guess a boat with two monkeys aboard is not a fun time for anyone. This little guy would make his rounds collecting watermelon and pineapple from our hands and proceed to eat as much as we would let him. Lidija even got up the nerve and asked us if she could feed him; which she did bravely. Once we were out of melon scraps he leapt back into the water and went on his way.

Circling back we could saw the mud flats full of fish that had been trapped by the receding tide. At first we thought the lurking stray dogs and seagulls soaring over head were going to have a feast but then our guide explained to us that these are not just any fish, they are mudskippers. A unusual breed that seems stuck between life on land and in the sea. They have adapted to breathe air through their skin and have eyes on the top of their head similar to a frog. And if you are wondering, these fish do have eyelids and have their own version of blinking. Watching these little guys struggle as they walked and hopped around on land lets you realize that they are a long ways yet to living out of the water full time.

From here we returned the way we came back though the maze of tidal foliage to the docks, and returned to our hotel.

A great day was had by all and we finished it off on the beach to watch the sun set over another amazing day.

The following day had us back in the trucks by 8:30 and down to the Old Town Pier. This was a much different scene than the day prior. Larger versions of the longtail boats were barged together. Tourists were lined up and organization seemed minimal to the untrained tourist eye. But sure enough, before long the four of us and many others loaded up and we were under way heading south for a tropical island tour. Our first stop was at Koh Chuek where we all leaped into the water with snorkels and masks to explore the underwater world. The area was drastically small for the quantity of boats and snorkelling edict was lacking. We did manage to find a quiet little area free from fins in the face to bob in the waves and watch the fish and coral beneath us.

Back on the boat we motored over to Koh Mook. This is where we heard our guide mumble something like “that’s a lot of boats”. He was correct. The area was lined with vessels of all shapes and sizes. Some multi-floor setup must of been entertaining nearly 100 people. This was not to appealing to us but the reason for being here was drastically stronger. The 25 of us put on our lifejackets and swam our way to the base of the cliff. From here he turned on his flashlight and entered the black underground tunnel network into the darkness. Shannon and I were both hesitant about the girls and their emotions towards swimming 75m through a winding Morakot Cave in the dark but we did our best to keep things positive and act like it was no big deal and that it was just what people do. They didn’t even seem phased by our adventure between the water and rocks and enjoyed the echo sounds of people passing by. After a few corners we could see the light of day as the tunnel opened up to a sandy beach with thick jungles and impassable walls. There was only one way into this place and we just swam it. The area resembled the lagoon similar to the one on Railay with a different approach and slightly larger in scale. Fortunately enough we seemed to pass most of the boat passengers on our way in so the crowds inside were dramatically lower. Relaxing on the shore, admiring the scenery and just taking everything in was nothing short of spectacular. My mind is often blown how mother nature can create such a place.

One hour later we slipped back into the water and wove our way back through the darkness to our waiting boat. Koh Maa was our next stop where everyone tossed themselves into the aquamarine waters for another round of snorkelling. The fish quantity seemed a bit lacking at this location but the coral colours, clams and seemingly non-moving aquatic life would impress anyone. People began to filter back into the boat as hungry bellies entered our thoughts. A short ride later we dropped anchor on the breathtaking white sandy beaches of Koh Ngai for lunch. A serving table was set and we enjoyed fresh fruit, chicken and rice along with vegetables as our toes dug deeper into the sand. Our 1.5 hour stop gave us plenty of time to walk the shore, explore the beach and relax in the sun. By 3:00 we were now on our way back to Koh Lanta, and come 5:00 we were relaxing poolside at our hotel. It was an amazing day of new explorations and we all were fast asleep by 9:00.

Our fourth day on Koh Lanta had me feeling a bit rushed with all the previous activities but it was now time for us to leave. The quiet pace and large scale of Koh Lanta could trap anyone into spending at least a week or more exploring the beach-lined coast and waterfall options, but for us that was not the case. A truck picked us up and proceeded on to the ferry terminal where we got our second chance at the Railay Beach experience.