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.

Performances include Shadow Puppet Theater (Nang Talung), Traditional Thai Dance and Sea Gypsy Folk Music (Rong Ngeng) Enjoy great and affordable Thai & Western food, beer, coffee and many local Arts & Crafts exhibits. Get away from the crowds and become a part of a real Thai Fishing and Cultural Community!

December 26 & 27th, 2009

4pm until midnight

The LANTA OLD TOWN ARTIST WALKING STREET will be held on December 26th and 27th, 2009 on the main waterfront street in charming Lanta Old Town. Local and Foreign Artists and their crafts with a fine selection of Jewelry, Batik, Leather, Watercolors, Clothing and much more. Authentic food with an abundant choice of delicious snacks and meals available through out both evenings. Local Bars + Restaurants  will offer dinner and drink specials. Starts nightly at 4pm until 12 midnight.

Thai number for booking booths: 081 970 5972 or 085 884 9459.

Don’t Miss Out!

The 'Khulula Experience'

All aboard the good ship ‘Khulula’ for Ko Lanta’s most unique day trip!

The Flotilla

Tailor Made Marine Tours are offering a truly unique trip aboard their classic 50′ sailing cutter ‘Khulula’.  Although Khulula is the main base for the day, a flotilla of other boats come along too! There is a traditional Longtail boat, kayaks and a 10 man RIB (Rigid-inflatable-boat) which all help make this an unforgetable experience!

Exploring by kayak

From Old Town the fleet sails either to the beautiful eastern islands, or to the clear waters of Ko Ngai and Ko Chuek. where Khulula is then anchored. From here you can choose to do as you like! Snorkelling, Take a kayak and explore the shoreline, go on a mini-cruise with the longtail, a spot of fishing perhaps, a different mini-tour in the RIB, A visit to amazing Talabeng cave, cliff jumping or just relax aboard Khulula. The choice is yours.

Talabeng Cave

While you are away enjoying yourselves, our crew will be busy preparing a delicious BBQ and buffet lunch aboard Khulula which can be taken at a relaxed pace over the lunchtime period. When the time is right, we’ll hoist the sails and take a gentle sail through the islands and back to Old Town, where you can take a stroll through the main street before returning to your resort.

Please visit our main page ‘Tailor Made Marine Tours’ for more information and prices.

Never in a Hurry -

Never in a Crowd!

Tailor Made's Luxury longtail

‘Tailor Made Marine Tours‘ have announced a new tour.

Sun beds

The tours are aboard a luxury traditional longtail boat and are of the highest quality.

The first part of the tour is island hopping around the beautiful southern islands, with stops for snorkelling, cliff jumping (for those who dare!) a scenic cruise, and a visit to the magical ‘Emerald Cave’

Sumptuous Beach BBQ

The afternoon is spent enjoying free time to swim or stroll along the beautiful beach at Ko Ngai while a sumptuous BBQ is prepared, followed by a gentle cruise along the east coast of Ko Lanta before returning to your resort.

Visit our main page for more details. Tailor Made Marine Tours.

Never in a Hurry,

Never in a Crowd!

PADI Dive Courses All Year Round

During the high season (November – April), Scubafish’s boats are moored in Kantiang Bay in the south of Ko Lanta, and during the low season (May – October) the dive boats depart from the pier in Lanta Old Town, making it really convenient if you plan to stay in Lanta Old Town during the summer months.

Ko Lanta is the best place to base yourself if you want to dive some of the top dive sites in Thailand. With spectacular reefs, unmatched marine diversity and great visibility, Ko Lanta offers the convenience of day-diving with the chance to enjoy the relaxed and laid back atmosphere of island life.

PADI 5-Star Dive Centre, Scubafish offers the full range of PADI Dive Courses from complete beginner through to professional Dive Instructor.

Courses start from Bubblemaker – for kids (1 Day Course, Age 8+), Discover Scuba Diving (1 Day Course, Age 10+) or the full PADI Open Water certification (3-4 Day Course, Age 10+) and go right up to a 6-8 week Divemaster Training Course or 2 week Dive Instructor Course (Age 18+).

You can even start your PADI Dive Course on-line to day!

For further information about staying in Lanta Old Town during low season (and why this is actually the best time to come), see Low Season? Not In Old Town.

New and spacious Traditional Longtail Boat.

Tailor Made Marine Tours, based at Orange House in Lanta Old Town, have announced the arrival of a brand new traditional Longtail boat for their popular cruises to the islands surrounding Ko Lanta. The boat has comfortable seats with back-rests, a gangway between the seats for easier movement around the boat, a reliable new engine with silencer and all the equipment needed for the activities on a cruise. Add to this Tailor Made’s unique  tour programme which includes cliff jumping, snorkelling, fishing, caving and beach BBQ’s, and you’ll have a truely memorable day out.

Cliff jumping if you dare!

A Relaxing Beach BBQ

Great food

Low Season Specials

Contact Tailor Made Marine Tours for booking or further information.

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.

lanta longtail

Lanta Old Town’s preferred tour operator Lanta Longtail/Sun Island Tours are pleased to announce their brand new 42 hp turbo motor—and muffler for the 2009 high season. They probably have the quietest long tail boat on Ko Lanta. Outfitted with a lovely new canopy and cushions, it’s a very comfortable ride.

Well-stocked with ice-cold beer and fine Thai cuisine, this is 5 STAR LONGTAIL BOATING!

Open all year round, Lanta Longtail/Sun Island Tours offers authentic longtail boat trips to many Islands off Ko Lanta’s east coast, including Ko BuBu, Ko Talabeng and the famous Emerald Cave / Four Island Tour.

Come see why they are number one!
Call  +66 (0)87-891-6619