lantaoldtown.com

Ko Por Cultural Homestay: Now you can experience, first-hand, the life of a local island family by spending a few days on the island of Ko Por living in a local family’s house and joining in with their daily routine.

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. Continue reading →

LANTA LANTA FESTIVAL
March  7th, 8th & 9th 2010

Don’t miss out on our annual party in Lanta Old Town, it is a showcase for the diversity of the Islands inhabitants.  Many food and beverage stalls, traditional arts & crafts, local music and dance.

Lanta Lanta Festival is an event that attracts people from all over the island and beyond, creating a fun atmosphere throughout the whole town, it is an absolute must do.

See you there!

The Old Town Walking Street Festival was a smashing success and has added many more dates for the 2010 season!
Join us from 4pm till midnight on the following dates:
JANUARY 2/3 AND JAN 30/31
FEBRUARY 6/7 AND 27/28
LAANTA LANTA :  MARCH 6/7

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!

Artist Walking Street

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!

Floating Flower Arrangement for Loy Krathong

The local authorities here in Old Town have just announced a ‘Loy Krathong’ festival. Loy Krathong is an annual event celebrated in the whole of Thailand which allows you to appease the spirits and to get rid of your bad luck all at the same time!

To do this you must set adrift a ‘Krathong’ which is an ornately decorated float made from a piece of banana tree (actually it’s not a tree, it’s a plant, hence banana plantation) this is then decorated with flowers, incense, money, bits of hair, fingernails, candles and stuff like that. The idea is that the ‘Krathong’ drifts with the wind or current and disappears along with all your bad luck! It is a very beautiful festival and this year, as a promotion of Thai culture and traditions, the powers that be are making a special event in Old Town, for Thais and tourists alike.

Loy Krathong Festival Goers

On November 2nd, starting around 4pm, there will be a parade through old town with displays of magnificent Krathongs and beautiful Thai ladies! this will be followed by a beauty pageant, a competition for the best Krathong, a competition for the best ideas for promotion and preserving this kind of Thai tradition, stage shows and, of course the launching of the krathongs.

Best Krathong Competition

In true ‘Old Town’ fashion, we expect this to be a really great event and we invite all of you to come along, with your ‘krathongs’ (no Styrofoam please!) and enjoy it with us.

The Lanta Old Town Vegetarian Festival is an annual event held during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the vegetarian festival and its accompanying sacred rituals bestow good fortune upon those who religiously observe this rite. During this time, local residents of Chinese ancestry strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. Sacred rituals are performed at the Lanta Old Town Chinese Temple and aesthetic displays such as walking barefooted over hot coals are performed by entranced devotees known as “Ma Song”.

OCT, 4th & 5th 2009.  Traditional Chao Ley Festival (literally translated: ‘Boat Day’) celebrated with food, music and dance in Hua Laem 2, Lanta Old Town. From Sunset to Sunrise

Art cooperative starting in Ko Lanta!
We are a group of eclectic artists and are dedicated to promoting visual arts and handicrafts in Lanta Old Town, Ko Lanta, Krabi, Thailand. We are looking for a few more Artists to join our cooperative. Our goal is to create, show and sell our work  together.  Must volunteer 1 day a week to work in our shop.  Come be apart of  this charming village.

Contact Susanna for more info.

Join Sun Island Tours for five fun hours in one of Thailand’s most popular green season destinations: Sri Raya, also known as Lanta Old Town!
Sri Raya is located on the east coast of the island in a large harbor that’s protected from the seasonal rough seas, making boat trips safe and enjoyable for people of all ages from April through November. This personalized tour is perfect for families, friends and couples wanting to discover the history and culture of Koh Lanta. Come visit the museum, explore the shops, and discover the nearby islands in and around Sri Raya. Continue reading →