Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and now, the country I’ve certainly been looking forward to for long enough, Thailand.

My first entry into Thailand was via Koh Lanta, on the Southwestern coast. This smallish island is a new-ish vacation destination, and as such, still has the laid back thai island vibe. Koh Lanta is accessed through Krabi, and in the interest of time, I flew up from Kuala Lumpur to Krabi, and then took a bus and ferry over to Koh Lanta. In Koh Lanta, I met up with an old friend who was on her final days in Thailand before departure. Although Lanta only lasted a few days, it was certainly a fun, relaxing intro to Thailand, and gave me a great starting point for island hopping and rock climbing in the south.

The ferry from Krabi to Ko Lanta

In Koh Lanta, I stayed at the New Coconut Bungalow. The place is right on the beach, and overall I had a great experience there – friendly staff, good food, and decent rooms. However, beware that since the recent Tsunami, the place has only been halfway rebuilt. THe photo I have of the pool and beach are looking from the edge of the rebuilt area – behind me is a barren dusty parking lot and a few dying trees. That being said, for the price I paid, it was still a great time, and I ended up meeting a bunch of cool people after my friend left.

Sunset on the first night. When the tide goes out, the low water reveals a beautiful rocky bottom, filled with tidal pools. I followed a local fisherman out onto the rocks to learn how to fish for octopus in the tidal pools.