Ko Lanta: The Thai Isle That Remains Paradise
Posted: 04/14/2014 | Apr 14th, 2014
It all started with 2 French girls. It was 2006, in addition to I was v months into my outset round-the-world trip. I’d arrived inward Thailand 2 weeks before, run across a friend, in addition to jetted off to Ko Phi Phi, a house I didn’t enjoy. Another friend emailed me nigh a beautiful, out-of-the-way, hidden isle close the Malaysian edge called Ko Lipe in addition to suggested I come. It sounded perfect. “I’ll live correct there,” I replied.
But in addition to therefore I ran into those beautiful French girls with their seductive accents.
A few nights before, I’d met them inward i of the many bars on the island. I saw them in i trial to a greater extent than on the ferry dorsum to the mainland; they were heading to Ko Lanta. I’d never heard of it, but when they invited me to come upward along, I set my Ko Lipe plans on check in addition to joined them.
I tin never enjoin no to a French accent.
Arriving at Ko Lanta, nosotros institute ourselves on an isle paradise that has since expire i of my favorite places inward Thailand.
Back inward 2006, the isle was rustic. It had few resorts, restaurants, or bars, in addition to most bungalows had entirely mutual frigidity H2O in addition to fans. Air conditioning in addition to hot H2O were a luxury. Even on its most touristy beach during high season, at that topographic point was hardly a person around. H5N1 bar was considered busy if it had to a greater extent than than v people inward it. We spent 4 days biking the island, lying on the beach, gorging on inexpensive seafood, in addition to watching only about of the most unbelievable sunsets of my life.
Ko Lanta was paradise. H5N1 beautiful, seemingly unknown house located inward a share known equally the epicenter of Thailand tourism. How everyone managed to miss this paradise with its long in addition to broad white sand beaches, inexpensive food, in addition to sunsets (the isle faces west) boggled my mind.
But everyone’s loss was my gain, in addition to those 4 days left a deep impression on me.
When I returned to Ko Lanta inward 2009, I was nervous. Three years had passed. That’s a long fourth dimension inward Thailand. Development happens similar a sandstorm, in addition to Ko Lanta’s advert had been coming upward to a greater extent than frequently on websites in addition to alongside travelers. I feared the worst: my tiny piffling beach bungalows replaced past times resorts in addition to those serenity beaches filled with bars in addition to overpriced restaurants. Gone would live the days of $6 bungalows.
I stepped off the ferry, took a depth breath, and…exhaled a huge sigh of relief. Yes, prices were higher, at that topographic point were to a greater extent than people, in addition to only about resorts had popped up, but the low-key, relaxed nature of the isle remained intact. The beaches hadn’t been overdeveloped, at that topographic point wasn’t trash everywhere, it was however slowly to acquire most of the beach to yourself, in addition to inexpensive bungalows however existed.
Fast frontwards to Feb 2014 when I took my Thailand tour grouping to Ko Lanta. With its white sand beaches, delicious seafood, plethora of activities, in addition to relaxed atmosphere, it was the perfect means to terminate the tour.
But in i trial to a greater extent than I held my breath.
It had in i trial to a greater extent than been years since I was concluding on the island, in addition to fifty-fifty though recent pictures I’d seen illustrated that the isle was however beautiful, I was worried nonetheless.
But I was worried for nothing.
The isle was however paradise and, piece to a greater extent than developed than before — with a few to a greater extent than high-end resorts, international restaurants, in addition to higher prices — it however offered seclusion in addition to serenity.
Ko Lanta seems to buck every tendency inward tourism inward Thailand. Despite its growing popularity, it hasn’t been overdeveloped similar every other isle inward the country. There’s a lot of potential here, in addition to with its beautiful beaches in addition to sunsets, this house could easily expire the adjacent Ko Samui, Krabi, or Phuket.
But it hasn’t.
And that’s skillful for us. Uncontrolled evolution has ruined many islands inward Thailand, but Ko Lanta has remained a paradise for a few reasons. It’s pretty difficult go to acquire at that topographic point with the machine ferries. Only therefore many people tin live brought over at once. The authorities has focused its efforts on developing other parts of the region, in addition to the local, tight-knit community has been quite coordinated inward how they desire the isle to develop. This community collaboration (rare inward Thailand) has allowed it to avoid the free-for-all evolution fate of other Thai islands.
I’m unsure how long this volition last, specially equally the structure of a dyad from the mainland finishes. In Thailand, naught is always certain. Your island paradise could plow into your isle hell inside the dyad of a unmarried season.
However, for now, Ko Lanta remains i of the best islands inward Thailand to see in addition to my isle paradise.
One day, I’ll discovery those 2 French girls in addition to give thank yous them for bringing me hither all those years ago.
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