History

When walking through the quiet, quaint little village that Lanta Old Town is today, one might not immediately suspect that this was once the bustling centre of the island.
It were the calm, surrounding waters, however, that made this part of the island a natural safe harbor and initially caused the Sea Gypsies to settle here, followed by Muslim communities from the south and later on the Chinese traders who turned the town into a thriving commercial port.
Each of those ethnical groups brought their own beliefs & traditions which they passed on to their future generations, making Lanta Old Town the culturally diverse town it is today.
Both the museum and the Laanta Lanta festival are dedicated to the different communities and celebrate the island’s history.