Where should I stay on Koh Tao for a diving course?

Sairee Beach. Most dive schools are based there, many bundle accommodation with courses, and being able to roll from bed to briefing to boat is exactly the convenience you want mid-course.

Which part of Koh Tao is best for non-divers?

Chalok and the southern bays for calm swimming and an easy pace, or an east-coast cove like Tanote if snorkelling is your thing — some of the island's best reef sits within fin-kick of the beach.

Is Koh Tao good for families?

Yes, with the right base. Chalok Baan Kao and Shark Bay offer sheltered, shallow water and a quieter scene than Sairee. Just note the island is hilly and taxis are pricey, so pick a bay you're happy to mostly stay in.

Do I need a scooter on Koh Tao?

Not if you stay on the west side — Sairee and Mae Haad connect by an easy flat walk. For the east and south coasts you'll want wheels or boat rides, but be honest about your riding: Koh Tao's hills are steep and its roads unforgiving for beginners.

Where to Stay on Koh Lanta: Beach by Beach

The island is a line, not a circle

Almost everything on Koh Lanta sits along one road down the west coast. Saladan, the little town at the northern tip, is where the ferries dock and where the banks, dive shops and supermarkets are. From there the road runs south, and every kilometre takes away a little more noise and adds a little more travel time to dinner.

That makes the choice simple to think about: decide how far south you want to be. The north is convenient and busy, the middle is the compromise most people are happiest with, and the far south is beautiful and genuinely remote. Since the bridges opened you can drive onto the island, so a scooter turns the whole line into your neighbourhood.

Transport

Tickets & connections

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Tours

Tours & activities

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Quick guide

Which beach

Klong Dao — families, shallow water, closest to Saladan
Long Beach (Phra Ae) — most choice, sunset bars, easy first stay
Klong Khong — cheap and laid-back, rocky at low tide
Klong Nin — the balanced middle, good swimming
Kantiang Bay — beautiful, quiet, you will need a scooter
Lanta Old Town — stilt houses and character, no beach

North and middle: Klong Dao to Klong Nin

Klong Dao is the family beach — a wide, shallow, gently sloping bay ten minutes from the pier, with the shortest walk to a shop or a pharmacy. Phra Ae, better known as Long Beach, has the widest choice of places to eat and sleep and a row of sunset bars, and it is where most first-timers end up.

Klong Khong is the shaggy, cheap, hammock-and-reggae stretch, lovely at high tide and rocky at low. Klong Nin, further south, is the sweet spot for a lot of people: a proper swimming beach, a handful of restaurants you can walk to, and none of the crowd.

Good to know

Before you book

Distances are real: Saladan to Kantiang is about 45 minutes by scooter.
Many places in the south close from May to October — check before booking low season.
Tides matter more here than on Phuket; some beaches are shallow and rocky at low water.
Bridges connect the island to the mainland, so minivans run all year even when boats do not.

Loungers under palms on a Koh Lanta beach

The far south: Kantiang and the national park

Past Klong Nin the road climbs and the bays get smaller and steeper. Kantiang Bay is the postcard one — a deep horseshoe of sand under a green hill, with only a few places to stay and eat. It is stunning, and it means driving twenty-five minutes for anything you did not think of in advance.

Beyond that is Mu Ko Lanta National Park at the southern tip, with a lighthouse, a short jungle trail and monkeys with no manners. There is also a second Lanta most visitors miss: Lanta Old Town on the east coast, a row of wooden stilt houses over the water, with no beach and a lot more character than the resort strip.

Frequently asked questions

Which beach is best on Koh Lanta for a first visit?

Long Beach (Phra Ae) or Klong Nin. Both have swimming, a choice of restaurants within walking distance, and enough quiet to feel like Lanta rather than Phuket.

Is Koh Lanta good for families?

Very. Klong Dao in the north is shallow, wide and calm, and it is the shortest trip from the pier — which matters with tired children.

Do you need a scooter on Koh Lanta?

In the north, no. From Klong Nin south, yes — otherwise every meal becomes a taxi fare, and taxis on Lanta are not cheap.

Is Lanta Old Town worth staying in?

For a night or two if you like old wooden towns and quiet water. There is no beach, so most people visit for an afternoon instead.

Where to stay on Koh Lanta