Relax and enjoy real Lanta living

Click to see Mango House website

Special Old Town Promotion:

Book a week in one of Mango House’s over the sea suites or villas and get two nights for free!

This limited time offer is good for the periods between November 1st – December 14th 2010 and January 16th – May 1st 2011.

For reservations call:

(In Thailand) 086 948 6836

(Abroad) +66 86 948 6836

or visit www.mangohouses.com

A unique opportunity to take part in an islander’s way of life, the Ko Por Cultural Homestay lets you get to know a traditional Thai fisher-family’s way of life in a way that not many other people in the world will ever experience.

Ko Por Cultural Homestay visits can be arranged on request by contacting Mr. Sanae:
Mobile: +66 (0)874 743 247
Email: sanae.yamae [at] yahoo.com

How much does it cost?

• 700 THB per person, per night

this is payable in cash, each evening, to your host family

What’s included in the price?

• Return Longtail boat transfers from Old Town Pier to Ko Por
• 3 meals per day
• Simple accommodation in the host family’s home. (A bed with a mosquito net is usually provided in a private room)
• Daily activities with your host family – usually the normal daily activities they do every day

What’s activities can I expect to take part in

• Cutting and collecting Sap from the Rubber Trees in the Plantation
• Fishing Trips by Longtail boat to catch crabs or prawns
• Digging for Mussels at the beach
• Preparing freshly caught seafood to eat
• Making hand-made curry pastes
• Sight seeing around the Island or Bird Watching

If you decide to stay longer, we can arrange for more activities such as visiting nearby islands or snorkeling trips.

Please note: All activities depend on the Tides and the time of the day. Sea conditions are considered very carefully and trips will only be made if the weather permits.

What do I need to bring with me?

• Sun cream
• Mosquito repellent
• Personal toiletries
• Sarong
• Long sleeved tops and long trousers (for the early evening when mosquitos may be around)
• If you’d like to swim off the beach, you’ll need modest clothing too – bikinis are not allowed (board-shorts and a rash guard is fine – or even shorts and a T-Shirt) and you should try to cover up as much as possible in accordance with the Muslim faith. A short-sleeved T-Shirt and long shorts is acceptable – spaghetti-string tops and hot pants are not!

Please don’t bring alcohol, no gambling, please dress discreetly and kindly respect the Muslim way of life.

Other customs that need to be respected include:

• Alcohols and Drugs are strictly prohibited
• You must sleep in separate bedrooms if you’re not married, due to Muslim Regulations
• All activities depend on the Tides and the time of the day
• Sea conditions are considered very carefully and trips will only be made if the weather permits

Ko Por Cultural Homestay visits can be arranged on request by contacting Mr. Sanae:
Mobile: +66 (0)874 743 247
Email: sanae.yamae [at] yahoo.com

KO LANTA HONORED AS A TOP DESTINATION IN TRIPADVISOR’S 2010 TRAVELERS’ CHOICE DESTINATION AWARDS

Ko Lanta, Thailand, was chosen as a Best Destination in 3 categories, Beach & Sun, Romance, and Relaxation & Spa by TripAdvisor® in the 2010 Travelers’ Choice® Destination Awards, with Lanta Longtail / Sun Island Tours, Kantiang Bay and Lanta Klong Nin Beach being given a special mention in the ‘Don’t Miss’ section of each award.

• Beach & Sun: Ko Lanta – 1st Place in Thailand, 3rd Place in Asia
• Romance: Ko Lanta – 1st Place in Thailand, 4th Place in Asia
• Relaxation & Spa: Ko Lanta – 2nd Place in Thailand, 6th Place in Asia

The TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Destination awards and honours the world’s top destinations, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers.

TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on the millions of real reviews and opinions from travelers on TripAdvisor.com™. The top destinations were determined by a combination of TripAdvisor travelers’ favorite places and overall popularity on TripAdvisor.

“Millions of travelers on TripAdvisor have identified the world’s most amazing destinations”

said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor.

“From stunningly beautiful locales to spots with outstanding attractions, the 2010 Travelers’ Choice Destination Award winners are truly incredible places that travelers love.”

• For reviews on Koh Lanta, go to Ko Lanta Reviews.
• For the complete 2010 Travelers’ Choice Destination Awards list, go to Travellers’ Choice Destinations.

About TripAdvisor:

TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 34 million monthly visitors*, 15 million registered members and 30 million reviews and opinions. Featuring real advice from real travelers, TripAdvisor-branded sites cover more than one million destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions. TripAdvisor and the TripAdvisor logo are registered trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries.

©2010 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved.

What 'Low' Season?

The weather is generally fine with blue skies and hot sunshine, shops are open as usual, there are plenty of places to stay and things to do. Boat trips and tours are departing regularly from the pier.

Old Town can be found on the East coast of Ko Lanta and is about a 20 minute drive from Saladan in the north.

Lanta Old Town enjoys the best of the weather in Lanta, all year round. During the high season (the hottest months) there is a gentle breeze rolling in from the east, and during low season (May – October) any wind and rain tends to come from the west, so Old Town is naturally protected by its location on the east coast and the area around the pier forms a natural harbour. Many people choose to moor their boats in Old Town during the low season to take advantage of the calm seas and gentler weather.

Avoid the crowds in low season

This year’s weather and rainfall has been normal, which means that low season (May – October) is much like the ‘high’ season but with a few showers here and there. This pattern should continue until around September when we normally get a bit more rain but for the next few months you can come and experience the culture of Old Town and enjoy some great day trips to the islands, without ever being in a crowd!

If you’re planning a holiday to Ko Lanta during the low season (or even the high season) things to bear in mind about the weather include; the temperature stays around 30+ degrees all year round, if it does rain it usually lasts an hour or so, but occasionally there may be a few days or even a week where it can rain pretty non-stop. The months with the most rainfall are typically May and September, but with changing weather patterns all over the world, the weather is getting harder to predict.

One real bonus of coming to Ko Lanta during the low season is that accommodation prices are much cheaper than during the busier high season months – so you can really treat yourself without breaking the bank.

Saladan is the main arrival point in Lanta. During low season the car ferry runs all day, every day from 6:30am to 10:00pm. There is a regular minibus service from Krabi Town and Trang with minibuses departing every 1 or 2 hours throughout the day. The last minibus from Krabi Town leaves at 6:00pm. During high season there are also passenger ferries that run from Phuket, Phi Phi and Krabi. Other alternatives for getting here during the low season include private transfers by taxi from Phuket, Krabi, AoNang and Trang.

Orange House and Mango House are open for accommodation and tours are available from Tailor Made Marine Tours, Sun Island Tours and Scubafish Dive Centre. Come and enjoy.

Your dining table

Orange House are offering Xmas dinners for private parties of 6-8 guests on their unique, over the sea, private dining deck. In Orange House style, you can expect this to be a huge ‘gut-busting’ meal of the highest quality. The menu includes roast turkey and/or roast beef, stuffing, roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, sausage wraps, 3 veg dishes, and of course ‘Orange House’ famous gravy. For dessert you can choose from Xmas pudding with cream, custard, or brandy butter, or cheese cake with blueberry topping and cream. Tea, coffee, fruit juice, water, soft drinks, and ‘reasonable’ quantities of beer and wine, are also included in the set price of 1250 baht / head.

Advanced booking is essential and a 50% deposit is required at the time of booking. Bookings are taken on a ‘first come first serve’ basis, so early booking is recommended to ensure you get the date you want. There is only 1 sitting per day, in the afternoon, or evening.

To book, call into Orange House or telephone Graeme on +66 (0)831 043 109.