What Are The Best Beaches In Koh Lanta? 14 Beautiful Beaches
What Are Koh Lanta’s Best Beaches?
Looking for the best beaches in Koh Lanta? Having spent nearly three months exploring this Thai island’s coastline, I can help you discover its best shores as well as the best things to do in Koh Lanta.
I am somebody who has travelled extensively throughout Thailand over the last two years, I can confidently say that Koh Lanta’s beaches offer something truly special.
If you’re after soft golden sand with clear water, you can find it on Koh Lanta.
Long Beach, Bamboo Beach and Ta Naoad Beach are the best beaches in Koh Lanta in my opinion.
With this said, I’ll share my firsthand experience of every notable beach on the island, helping you choose the perfect spot for your visit.
I promise to walk you through everything you need to know about Koh Lanta’s best beaches.
Before going further, are you travelling to Koh Lanta from Krabi? Plan your trip effectively with my posts!
You can find out what The Best Hotels In Koh Lanta are with my in-depth guide!
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Best Beaches In Koh Lanta Map
The Beaches In The North Of The Island
Laem Kho Kwang Beach
Laem Kho Kwang Beach is one of the best beaches in Koh Lanta.
This twin beach is located at the northwestern point of the island.
During our visit, dozens of locals, perhaps a hundred, were scattered across the beach catching seafood in the sand and water. We even chatted with one local who proudly showed us his catch of the day.
The atmosphere was wonderfully authentic, a place where local families gathered to enjoy the beautiful, long expanse of beach.
Though it was cloudy with a few light showers when we visited, the beach retained its beauty and proved to be a great spot to explore while on Koh Lanta.
Relatively close to this beach is Koh Lanta Night Market, which is totally worth visiting!
Khlong Dao Beach
Another spectacular beach in the north of Koh Lanta is Khlong Dao Beach.
The sunsets here are breathtaking. Like most of the western coast, you can see the Phi Phi Islands as the sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant pinks and oranges.
This beach also has some of the best restaurants in Koh Lanta.
During our visit to Khlong Dao Beach, we enjoyed a fantastic dinner at the Koala Bar, which serves excellent BBQ and seafood.
With live music playing and our toes in the sand, watching the sunset was truly magical, exceptional even by Koh Lanta’s high standards.
Afterwards, we headed to Boogie Bay Bar, where the atmosphere was electric with live reggae, ska, and rock music.
The dance floor was packed, and free-spirited travellers swayed to the music in a haze of sweet smoke.
It was great to experience this place.
Long Beach
This is probably the best beach on Koh Lanta for many reasons.
The beach is simply perfect. Stretching for almost three kilometers, you can enjoy amazing sunset walks along the seaside.
There are many amazing places to eat in this area. San Sunset, Tamarind and The Glasshouse are all great affordable options. You can expect to pay 3-4 euros for a main dish.
When we stayed in Long Beach, we could enjoy the amazing sunset every night. Many evenings we stayed in the water, bouncing up and down as the gentle waves moved us lightly around while the sky looked incredible.
People would kayak every night on the water. We experienced amazing fire shows right on the beach.
Even though I accidentally crashed my drone into the water here (silly me), that didn’t diminish my love for this beach. When the sky is clear, the water is so clear it rivals Indonesia, and I’m not exaggerating.
This beach is great for swimming, especially at sunset.
A really nice place to have a fresh coconut is Pangeabar & Kitchen during the hottest part of the day!
Thats where we spent our last day on Lanta!
Relax Bay
A little further south of Long Beach is Relax Bay, and I loved it here.
When we visited this beach on more than one occasion, it felt much less busy than the other beaches further north.
There is a really nice place called Lay Ley Restaurant. While it’s not currently on Google Maps, it’s right on the left as you walk onto the beach, perfect for enjoying a fresh coconut.
While I must admit there was a little bit of litter on the beach, it was hardly noticeable.
When we ventured further south along the beach, we saw some sea gypsies preparing their boats for fishing.
Several boats were sitting on the sand, some undergoing maintenance work while others appeared to have various issues.
Secret Beach
You can actually walk from Relax Bay to Secret Beach.
This small beach is a little over 120 meters long, and while it can be a little challenging to reach from Relax Bay (you need to walk to the end of Relax Bay and through some trees), it is totally worth the journey.
If you want to feel like it’s your own private beach, it’s unlikely you’ll see many people around here.
This place is a really nice spot to lounge around and not do much for a while.
Secret Beach is totally worth a visit!
Beautiful Beach
Beautiful Beach is truly beautiful!
Located just south of Secret Beach, it requires a 300-meter downward walk from the road to reach the shore.
During our visit, we found this beach wonderfully uncrowded. The waves crashed hard against the coast, creating a really picturesque scene.
The beach features a small eatery and sunbeds for visitors. Palm trees create a natural border along the shore, and when conditions are good, the water is incredibly clear.
Beautiful Beach is ideal for swimming when conditions allow. Be mindful of the rocky areas while swimming.
As always, the sunsets here are breathtaking.
The Beaches In The Middle Of The Island
Khlong Noen Beach
Another one of Lanta’s best beaches is Khlong Noen Beach.
A long beach with plenty of places to eat and drink, as well as great swimming. I felt the further south we went from this point it became more and more secluded.
Rasta Baby is a great place for breakfast as they offer a nice meal deal. A great place for a drink to watch the sunset is The Blue Moon Beach Bar.
It’s literally right on the beach, and you can use the outdoor shower to clean sand off your feet!
Klong Nin Beach
You can walk south from Khlong Noen Beach to Klong Nin Beach.
Between the two beaches, it stretches almost 2.5 kilometers, making it a perfect place for those long sunset strolls.
You’ll find fewer people as you walk along, though during high season (November to February) it’s still quite busy. In the low season, expect it to be much quieter.
Laze on the sand, get a massage as the sun goes down or swim until your heart’s content, Klong Nin Beach will be perfect for any of these needs.
Khlong Hin Beach
Though a little rocky around the edges, Khlong Hin Beach is a really nice place to visit.
The water can be brilliant, and the authorities have recently developed a nice new pathway along the beach road, which was under construction when we visited.
I didn’t see many people here, mostly fishermen working on their boats before heading out to sea.
So if you’re looking for a tranquil beach away from the crowds, this could be a good choice.
It may not be the smoothest beach on Koh Lanta, but it’s definitely worth visiting at least once.
The Beaches In The South Of The Island
Nui Bay
Nui Beach is a small but dreamy little paradise found in the middle of the west coast of the island.
When we visited, we saw only three other people swimming in the sea.
Apart from that, there were just a few monkeys around who did their best to steal our bags as we went into the water for a swim.
Be careful about where you leave your belongings on this beach.
There are a couple of small shacks and a toilet on the beach. You can find shade from the sun during the hottest part of the day.
The beach is not that long, maybe 260 meters total. But it’s charmingly beautiful. There is a path you must take, which is a little steep but manageable.
The view from the road down onto the beach is postcard-worthy.
Nui Bay is truly one of the best beaches in Koh Lanta.
Kantiang Bay
Kantiang Bay is one of Koh Lanta’s most famous and beautiful beaches.
It features a graceful bend at its northern point and sweeps along the coast until it merges with Bakantiang Beach.
While we didn’t get to walk on its golden sands, we stopped with our driver at the lookout spot above the beach. The views were stunning and made it look like heaven.
In high season, there’s a man-made floating blue pier (commonly found throughout Thailand) where boats can drop off travellers from different parts of the island or elsewhere in Thailand.
Bakantiang Beach
Bakantiang Beach is further south, but technically it’s the same beach as Kantiang Bay.
Brilliantly stunning when the weather is good. I suggest you do what we did and make your way up to the viewpoint on the road to stop for a moment.
I feel it offers a view that sums up Koh Lanta with great beaches, views, and water.
The most southerly part of the beach is rocky, that’s for sure, so when the tide is in, be careful where you walk and swim.
After six months of traveling through Thailand, I always bring water shoes. They are a real lifesaver, and you won’t regret picking up a pair.
Bamboo Beach
Bamboo Beach is stunning.
When we first visited in 2023, it made me fall in love with the island’s beaches. With its deep sand, it’s the perfect place to spend a day lounging by the shore.
I did get stung by a jellyfish, but these things happen. I didn’t mind as we were swimming in the tropical waters and relaxing under the shade of palm trees along the beach.
The beach stretches for almost 800 meters of pure bliss. There are plenty of restaurants to be found all around.
I must admit I had the best massaman curry of my life at the Restaurant and Bar near the north point. It’s the only place there, so you can’t miss it.
My advice? Grab a beer, sit back, and watch people stroll along one of Koh Lanta’s best beaches.
Ta Naoad Beach
One of Koh Lanta’s most special beaches is found at the most southerly point.
When we visited, the water and sky merged into one another in the bluest of blues. Perfect day for a perfect beach.
A little over 300 meters in length, this beautiful beach loops around where you can find the famous Koh Lanta lighthouse.
There was only a small group of young travellers on the entire beach, and it felt amazing swimming around in the water with the lighthouse overlooking us as we went.
We ventured up to the lighthouse where, after encountering some shy monkeys, we took in the views all around. It was peaceful and stunning.
You can purchase cold drinks near the toilets at Mu Ko Lanta National Park. There are also some outdoor bamboo bars overlooking the beach.
This is a great place to enjoy a coconut or Chang beer after spending a few hours sunbathing on the island’s most southerly beach.
Final Thoughts
Without sounding too cheesy, Koh Lanta’s beaches will always be special to me. The island is totally worth visiting.
While the island gets very busy from November to February, it’s basically a ghost town during the other months, in my experience.
I spent time on Koh Lanta in April, September, October, and November, and outside of peak season, it’s wonderfully peaceful.
My personal favorite beach was Long Beach—in my view, the best beach on Koh Lanta.
There are so many magical beaches where you can relax all day or spend time in the water.
One thing is certain: if you visit, you’ll be blown away by the beaches all around the island’s coastline.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you check out my Southeast Asia packing list to ensure you don’t forget anything essential.
Thanks for reading,
James
FAQs
Which Is The Best Beach On Koh Lanta?
The best beach on Koh Lanta is Long Beach, particularly if you love long stretches of sand where you can walk along and watch the sunset over the Phi Phi Islands. There are other great beaches like Khlong Nin Beach, Beautiful Beach, and Laem Kho Kwang Beach, a charming twin beach on the north of the island. Lanta has some amazing beaches to suit all different types of preferences.
Which Part Of Koh Lanta Is Best?
The best part of Koh Lanta is Long Beach or the Old Town. Long Beach is a dreamy, golden-sanded stretch with crystal-clear water on sunny days. The Old Town is full of character, with its Chinese influence evident from the moment you arrive. You’ll also find some amazing places to eat in the Old Town.
What Is The Quietest Beach In Koh Lanta?
The quietest beach on Koh Lanta, in my view, is Nui Beach. This small beach lies in the southern part of the island. While most travellers heading south typically visit Koh Lanta National Park, Nui Beach remains peaceful. Though it does attract some visitors, in my experience, it’s far less crowded than Long Beach or Khlong Nin Beach.
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