Koh Lanta’s beaches are some of the best in Thailand; beautiful stretches of sand line the island’s western edge. The most northerly of these are well developed, offering a range of accommodation options, bars, and restaurants – yet somehow, they never feel overcrowded. As you travel south, the beaches get harder to reach, quieter and more remote. Don’t expect as many amenities down this way!
No matter which of Koh Lanta’s beaches you visit, you won’t be disappointed. Beaches like Khlong Dao deliver kilometres of golden sand, lined with hotels, resorts, restaurants and bars while quieter spots like Khlong Chak feel like they’re transporting you back in time thirty years!
The Best Beaches in Koh Lanta, Thailand
Map & Resources
MORE INFO (links open in new tab):
- 🎒 Koh Lanta Backpacking Guide
- 🇹🇭 Thailand Travel Guide
- 🏖️ Must Do Activity: Beach Bumming
- 🚤 Nearby Places: Phuket | Krabi | Koh Lipe
🚮 Good To Know!
During low season, ocean currents can wash a huge amount of rubbish up onto many of Koh Lanta’s beaches. As peak tourist season arrives, the sea’s behaviour changes and the rubbish doesn’t make landfall. A visit to Koh Lanta’s beaches in the low season can sometimes be a bit disappointing.
Koh Lanta’s Top Beaches – Quick Answers! 😎
- Khlong Dao Beach – Family-friendly
- Long Beach – In the heart of the action
- Beautiful Beach – A quiet escape
- Khlong Kong Beach – Hippy vibes plus nearby amenities
- Khlong Nin Beach – Relaxed with food and drink options
- Nui Beach – Ideal for isolation
- Backantiang Beach – One of the most picturesque beaches
- Nui Bay – Hard to find, worth the effort
- Khlong Chak Beach – Hippy haven in southern Koh Lanta
- Bamboo Beach – Clean and quiet near the national park
- Waterfall Bay – Pristine south-facing beach
The Best Koh Lanta Beaches ☀️
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Khlong Dao Beach
Located in the north of Koh Lanta Yai – the main island referred to as Koh Lanta – Khlong Dao Beach is a beautiful spit of sand protruding west, away from the town of Saladan. With calm, shallow water and an array of excellent accommodation options, Khlong Dao is popular with families as well as high-end and mid-range travellers. The beach is easy to reach by scooter, taxi or walking.
Even with the resorts, bars and restaurants, the beach never feels overcrowded, even in the middle of peak season!
Where to Stay Near Khlong Dao Beach: Oasis Yoga Bungalows
🛶 What the Khlong?!
You’ll notice a lot of beaches in Thailand include the word Klong, or Khlong in their name. Khlong translates to ‘canal’ and refers to the rivers or waterways that flow over the beach and into the sea. Both Khlong and Klong are accepted spellings.
Long Beach (Phra Ae)
Only a short journey south from Khlong Dao is one of Koh Lanta’s most popular spots – Phra Ae a.k.a. Long Beach. Given its name, you won’t be surprised to hear Long Beach stretches almost five kilometres, making it an excellent place for early morning runs or peaceful evening strolls.
There are plenty of food and drink options but some are for resort guests only, so keep your eyes peeled for relevant signs. Even with the number of facilities on Phra Ae, the beach’s length means you can almost always find a secluded spot to relax! The water is clear, and in peak season, very calm, making it a popular swimming spot. But beware, it gets deep quick, so keep an eye on little ones!
Where to Stay Near Long Beach: Bluesky Beach Bungalows
Beautiful Beach
Around a third of the way down the island is a fantastic collection of smaller beaches and bays. Beautiful beach is a good starting spot, with plenty of parking and easy access. Beautiful Beach has garnered its name for a reason – it’s stunning! It’s a small bay with golden sand and little else. There are a couple of small shops and one massage place but otherwise, it’s just you and a handful of other travellers.
Just north of Beautiful Beach is Secret Beach. This tiny bay is often empty, despite being a short walk over the rocks. It’s not as clean as Beautiful Beach though, so don’t be surprised if you’re sharing the beach with some fishing detritus.
North again, just a few hundred metres is Relax Beach. A little busier than the previous two beaches, Relax Beach is well-served by restaurants, bars and accommodation options.
Finally, just south of Beautiful Beach is Tricky Trocky Beach. Due to its rocky nature, it’s less appealing to spend a day here, but it’s often empty and makes for a fun walk.
Where to Stay Near Beautiful Beach: Zabit Bungalow
Khlong Khong Beach
Just under halfway down the island is one of my favourite Koh Lanta beaches – Khlong Kong. Less popular than other big beaches in the north, generally due to less favourable swimming conditions, Khlong Kong is laid back and well-served by beautiful bars and restaurants.
Accommodation here is cheaper than further north and in my experience, it’s the first beach as you head south that retains those old-school backpacker vibes. As with most beaches along Koh Lanta’s west coast, you can enjoy beautiful sunsets while sipping on a cold beer here!
Where to Stay Near Khlong Kong Beach: Lanta Wild Beach Resort
Khlong Nin Beach
The further south you get, the quieter the beaches become. Khlong Nin is a stunning example of what’s on offer! It’s long, with beautiful fine sand and just enough bars that you can find shade under an umbrella with plenty of drinks to keep you going.
Even with the amenities, the beach is never crowded – you can always find a quiet spot to set up for the day!
Where to Stay Near Khlong Nin: Walden Koh Lanta – Tiny Homes by the Sea
Nui Beach
A little tougher to reach than the previous beaches, Nui Beach is a sight to behold. Access is via a steep forest path or the steps at Nui Beach Bar – both can be a bit challenging for children or anyone who struggles with steep terrain. The beach bar is a great place to stop for a drink on a hot day, but bear in mind, this is the only food and drink option.
A visit to Nui Beach is usually a quiet one; you can expect to share the sand with only a scattering of other tourists. And monkeys. Beware of the monkeys! They’ve been known to rifle through bags they find on the beach and will happily steal whatever they can get their tiny hands on!
Where to Stay Near Nui Beach: Seaside Sanctuary Bungalows
🚮 Rubbish On the Southern Beaches!
Due to less infrastructure and fewer visitors, trash washed onto Koh Lanta’s southern beaches during low season hangs around for longer than on beaches in the north. Even a month or two into high season, you may well find pockets of plastic at the high tide line. Bars and restaurants on most of the beaches do a great job of clearing the area near their property but rarely bother to do the whole beach.
Backantiang Beach
The first of Koh Lanta’s beaches that can be considered ‘in the south,’ Backantiang offers a beautiful stretch of sand for you to relax for the day. The top of the beach, connecting to Kantiang Bay, is where you’ll find a collection of bars and restaurants, as well as easy access to the road and local town, but the rest is almost empty. A large resort takes up a lot of real estate along the beachfront but this only makes the sand quieter!
Expect to see a few sailboats bobbing around in the water off the beach – it’s a popular spot for sailing during high season!
Where to Stay Near Backantiang Beach: Bakantiang Resort
Nui Bay
Not to be confused with the similarly named Nui Beach, Nui Bay is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of place. This, combined with the steep walk to reach it, makes Nui Bay feel like a true hidden gem. A troop of cheeky macaques can kill the vibe if you’re not careful with your stuff though!
There is one small bar but it’s not usually open year-round. If you visit in low season, remember to pack plenty of drinks and snacks – just don’t tell the monkeys…
Where to Stay Near Nui Bay: Kantiang Bay View Resort
Khlong Chak Beach
Confusingly known as Khlong Jark, Khlong Jak and referred to as Khlong Chak on online maps, this is another of the amazing, quiet beaches that make Koh Lanta such a popular tourist destination. Never busy, Khlong Chak is all about those laid-back hippy vibes. A few small bars dot the shoreline, most of which offer hammocks or beanbags for customers.
The southern end of the beach offers the best swimming, with fewer rocks and beautifully clear water. Beware though, there is very little shade – budget for a stop at one of the bars to give yourself a chance to cool down!
Where to Stay Near Khlong Chak Beach: Klong Jark Bungalows
Bamboo Beach (Had Mai Phai)
The last beach before entering Mu Ko Lanta National Park, Bamboo Beach is a slice of Thailand from yesteryear. This wide bay is easy to access and well-signed from the road. There’s plenty of room to park your scooter too!
As one of the furthest beaches from Koh Lanta’s tourist hotspots, Bamboo Beach sees fewer visitors than it deserves. Even so, there are a couple of bars offering nice shaded areas you can set up in. Time your visit to Bamboo Beach right and you may get to see the herd of cows that migrate across it each day.
Where to Stay Near Bamboo Beach: OYO 1085 Ma Lanta House
Mu Ko Lanta National Park – Waterfall Bay
Access to arguably the best beach on Koh Lanta will set you back 200THB (approx. $5.50USD). There’s an additional 20THB (approx. 0.50USD) fee if you arrive by scooter. After parking, you have two options, walk straight down to the beach or take the one-hour(ish) hiking trail – it’s pretty steep in places, so bring decent shoes!
The beach itself is an unspoilt gem protected within the national park. White sand and turquoise waters attract a lot of travellers to the national park, so this is often the busiest of the southern beaches! It’s south-facing, unlike most of the other beaches on Koh Lanta, so gets sun all day! The only shade is provided by trees lining the shorefront. On the western side of the beach, you’ll see Koh Lanta’s famous lighthouse. It’s worth making your way up to this point for the views alone! There’s a small bar selling shakes and soft drinks nearby too.
Where to Stay Near Mu Ko Lanta National Park: LaLaanta Hideaway Resort
Koh Lanta’s Best Beaches – A Round-Up 🏖️
The simplest way to find yourself on a beautiful, quiet beach on Koh Lanta is to travel south. The further you go, the fewer people you’ll be sharing the sand with. But if you want plenty of amenities and easy access to the main road, the island’s more northerly beaches are for you – and even on these, it’s not hard to find an empty stretch of sand to spend the day!
Which is your favourite beach on Koh Lanta? Share your experience with us in the comments!
Tim Ashdown | Gear Specialist
After a life-changing motorcycle accident, Tim decided life was too short to stay cooped up in his home county of Norfolk, UK. Since then, he has travelled Southeast Asia, walked the Camino de Santiago and backpacked South America. His first book, From Paralysis to Santiago, chronicles his struggle to recover from the motorcycle accident and will be released later this year.
