Earlier this year I spent six weeks in Thailand, soaking up culture and sunshine while simultaneously staging a one-woman study to determine how much pineapple the human body can realistically consume (a lot). After I left and started talking to people about my travels, I noticed a pattern emerge. When I mentioned Thailand, people would invariably ask about one of three things – the food, the famous beaches or the full-moon parties.
While I can speak passionately for hours about pad gra prao, pad thai and som tam, and I firmly believe life should be lived with sand between your toes, the topic of full-moon parties brings me to a halt. Thirty thousand intoxicated teens and twentysomethings crammed onto a one-mile stretch of beach, drinking themselves into oblivion with cheap liquor served in plastic pails, while ear-shattering electronic music blasts until the sun comes up? No thanks. I was in search of an entirely different Thai experience, one that included lazy afternoons in the shade with a cocktail in hand, outdoor yoga sessions on the beach and maybe a few colourful characters to keep things interesting. I found it all on Ko Lanta.
The archipelago sits off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea, just 70 kilometres from the mainland. It’s a popular spot for French, English and Scandinavian travellers, but remains relatively “undiscovered” compared to neighbouring isles. Visitors arrive in one of the open-air traditional longtail wooden boats that dot the turquoise waters. Or they can feel the wind in their hair and the salt water on their face while an outboard motor buzzes along at a volume that threatens to raise the dead. They can also get there by speedboat. I chose the latter.
I was picked up at the harbour by Atichat, the owner of Serendipity, a small collection of bungalows near Phra Ae (more commonly known as Long Beach) that opened earlier this year. Atichat is a slight man with a mighty smile. As we drove the 10 minutes to his property, he proudly informed me that, in addition to being a Ko Lanta native, he’s also a Canadian citizen. During my week on the island, I heard many stories about his days in Montreal, working in a shoe store and shivering through the winter. It’s no surprise he eventually returned home, where the sun shines 300 days a year, and anything more than two vehicles on the same road counts as a traffic jam. Life moves more slowly in this part of the world.
My first priority was to rent a scooter. At 30 kilometres from end to end and a population just under 11,000, Ko Lanta Yai (the main island in the Ko Lanta archipelago) is one of Thailand’s largest islands, and I was eager to explore.
After a few minutes of lessons on a deserted road next to the beach, I was deemed fit to ride, and sent off with a helmet and a warning to go slowly and refrain from trying to keep up with the locals. I understood why when, a few minutes later, as I was driving 30 km/h down the island’s main road (and felt as if I was flying), I saw a man whiz past, ladder balanced over his shoulder, one hand on the throttle, and the other holding his smartphone to his ear.
I set off in search of the Old Town, where a handful of small shops and restaurants mix with century-old low-rise teak houses, sitting atop stilts, jutting out over the sea. Here, the traditional economy of fishing endures, along with rice paddies, fruit, coconut and rubber plantations in other parts of the archipelago. But all are supplemented by the growing tourism industry. After checking out the Hammock House that sells only (you guessed it) hammocks, buying a $2 chapeau from a roadside stand and wandering through the Ko Lanta Community Museum, it felt like time for a snack, so I crossed back over to the west side.
I found myself at Same Same But Different, a popular spot for food and shade on Kantiang Bay, where bare sandy feet and bikinis are acceptable attire. Sadly, the server informed me (with a big trademark Thai smile) that the electricity was out and the blender wasn’t working. Still, the shade was welcome and the local Singha beer was cold. Coupled with the view directly onto the Andaman Sea, it was tough to complain.
The next morning – pushing 30 degrees despite the early hour – I joined half a dozen eager yogis at the Asylum, a bar/restaurant/hostel that offers a daily yoga practice. We struck pose after pose in an open-air shala six metres from the sea, and we were grateful for a cool breeze and the rhythm of the waves lapping at the shore.
After class, I heard my yoga instructor raving about the fresh bread at Kunda, a local vegetarian restaurant. I had a hard time believing that her svelte frame ever met a simple carbohydrate. Still, I followed her advice and discovered a backyard garden of Eden, where colourful pillows lined the floor around low-lying tables and a sanguine cat made itself comfortable at my feet.
Over a ginger lime detox smoothie and pesto egg sandwich, I congratulated myself for starting the day with 60-minutes of exercise – on vacation no less. My reward, I decided, was to spend the rest of the day on one of the dozen beaches that line the west coast of the island. There was not a soul in sight as I settled under a palm-leaf pergola on a stretch of white sand.
I contemplated a dip into the clear warm water and thought, if there’s a full moon tonight, maybe I’ll return with a bottle of Singha and celebrate. That sounds like a party to me.
IF YOU GO
The Phuket International Airport services daily connecting flights from most major Canadian cities. From there, an express transfer by minivan and speedboat takes just 11/2 hours to Ko Lanta.
Where to stay
If you’re looking to be pampered, head to Pimalai Resort, a gated luxury resort set in the mountainous jungle on the southwest tip of the island. Rooms from $243 in low season. www.pimalai.com
The Houben is another high-end choice, close to a small stretch of restaurants, bars and boutiques on the main road. Rooms from $200. thehouben.com
For budget-conscious travellers, Serendipity offers exceptional value on the island. Bungalows are clean and conveniently located just a five-minute walk from the beach. Rooms from $26 in low season. facebook.com/serendipitykohlanta
Where to eat
When you need a break from curry, pad thai and tom yum soup, head to Kunda for a menu of continental vegetarian dishes and healthy smoothies. The garden seating is a bohemian paradise. 91/16 Klong Khong, facebook.com/kundaether
Feel the sand in your toes at Same Same But Different, a beachside bar and restaurant that serves up continental cuisine and cocktails under palm-roofed huts. Kantiang Bay,
facebook.com/samesamebutdifferentlanta
Time for Lime is Ko Lanta’s most popular cooking school and one of the island’s best restaurants, serving sophisticated versions of traditional Thai cuisine. Six days a week, owner Junie Kovacs teaches the finer points of Thai cooking over cocktails and plenty of laughs. Profits support Lanta Animal Welfare. 72/2 Mo 3, Klong Dao Beach, timeforlime.net