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Lanta Islands

Lanta Islands National Park covers 152 square kilometers of Lanta Islands. This island forms the most southern district of Krabi Province. It was known long ago by its name in the Malay language, Pulao Satak, which means Long Beach Island. Later so many Thais, both Buddhist and Muslim, came to live on the island that there seemed to be a million eyes, which is what some people think Lanta means in Thai. Others hold that the name is corrupted from Javanese Lan Tas, and means a grilled fishes (which is built of wood with a square grill on top where the fish are set in a circle). Several important islands are in the national park.

Lanta Yai Island (Koh Lan Ta Yai): The island is where the District and National Park offices are located. Island geography is mountainous and rugged, especially near the southern tip; some beaches are gravelly, others have fine white sand. A clan of Chao Ley, or sea gypsies are resident on Koh Yao Yai, and they preserve many of their ancient customs and ceremonies; e.g., the setting of ceremonial boats adrift to bring good luck and prosperity on the full moon nights of the sixth and eleventh months. This and other features of their lives are open to view.

To visit the island take a regularly scheduled ferry from Ban Huo Hin Pier in Tambon Koh Klahng, Bor Muang Pier in Tambon Sai Kao, or Chao Fa Pier in Krabi Town.

Taleng Beng Isalnd: This island is in some ways a smaller version of Phi Phi Ley: Made of limestone-honeycombed with caves, inhabited by the same swifts whose nets are made into soup. Small beaches and caves appear when the tide ebbs.

Hah Islands: A group of five Islands. Hah Yai Island has a field of grass on its ridgeline. Another Island resembles in shape a sailboat; one has water that passes from one side to another beneath it. There is some coral in shallow waters.