Koh Tao or Koh Lanta?

[mims]

Hi everyone,

I'll have about 4 days in Thailand in mid October and wonder where I should go for a few dives and sightseeing. Is it rainy season in Koh Tao or Koh Lanta at that time? I'm interested in big animals, which one is a better place to see them?

I'll be flying out from BKK, how easily is it getting to Koh Tao/ Koh Lanta?

Thanks in advance for all your feedbacks.

/m

 

[stevenl]

IMO the Andaman Sea offers year round the best diving. So I would recommend the Andaman Sea, Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi, Koh Lanta. Flying from Bangkok Phuket and Krabi are easiest to reach, but from Phi Phi you'll have the divesites closest by.
Shark sightings (leopard and black tip) normally from all mentioned places, anything else big like whaleshark or manta ray does happen but is exceptional.

 

[drbill]

I stayed on both back in 2001. The dive infrastructure seemed to be much better on Koh Tao then, but I only free dove on Koh Lanta. Did my Andaman Sea diving out of Koh Phi Phi which I absolutely loved (but that might have been due to the beautiful Dutch divemaster I dove with!)

 

[Bubble Junky]

Having lived and worked on both islands, and Koh Phi Phi, I'd say that the diving is definitely better on the west coast. Koh Lanta is also my favourite Thai island for living. Lanta might also be easier for you travelwise. You can get a cheap flight between Krabi and Bangkok, and from Krabi airport it's an hour's drive down to the car-ferry to Lanta... Lanta is also probaby the best place to dive at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang where you get good chances of mantas and maybe even whale sharks...

 

[mims]

Since I'll be travelling with a non diver, is there anything else to do in Koh Lanta like trekking or any other activities? How about staying at AoNang/Krabi and take day trip diving?

 

[Quero]

Being an island, Lanta is focused on water activities, but there are some things to do, though other than offshore island kayaking (which is super organized and you don't really get time to do much kayaking) they're not actually organized, so you have to be self-sufficient and pretty adventurous. Lanta has some healthy mangrove stands and it's possible to go kayaking among the rocks in the area, and also sea kayaking at Boo-Boo and Talabeng islands. There are some caves sort of in the middle of the island, and you can explore them, but the ladders and paths are precarious, so I wouldn't do it, but if you're a cave kind of person and are used to that, it's an option. And there's a national park on the island with trails that can be followed. You can get more information from the park headquarters. Be aware, however, that just because it's a "national park" doesn't mean that the trails are prepared for mass tourism or even maintained. Please don't go elephant trekking at all.

 

[stevenl]

Since I'll be travelling with a non diver, is there anything else to do in Koh Lanta like trekking or any other activities? How about staying at AoNang/Krabi and take day trip diving?

Yes, there are activities on Koh Lanta, but in that respect Ao Nang will be better, more to do in the vicinity. Also faster to rwach from Bangkok than Koh Lanta, although the latter is not difficult to reach, Ao Nang is just a bit more convenient.

 

[Bubble Junky]

Lanta also offers good island hopping day trips to places like the Emerald Cave and Koh Rok. It has much better beaches than Ao Nang/Krabi too... And there is, as in other locations, some great Thai cookery courses....