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Saladan Village & Pier
When you arrive by boat you can already see the for Koh Lanta traditional houses on stilts in the water. Around the Saladan Pier is a lively village with hotels / hostels, restaurants, ATM, food stalls, travel agencies, laundry service, diving schools and several supermarkets (including a 7-Eleven).
You can also get a massage or have your hair cut and a suit made to measure in the village near the Saladan Pier. In short, everything the average tourist needs is present at the pier! If you want something to eat or drink in this village you have a wide choice of nice restaurants at the waterfront.
Arrival Saladan Pier
Even before you set foot on the Saladan Pier, you will be asked on the boat if you want transport to a certain beach and if you have already booked a hotel. If you like to have it already arranged, you can do it. But it is not necessary to arrange your transport or hotel already on the boat, it’s almost always cheaper to arrange it yourself. Don’t think of it as a free service to you. Once ashore at the pier you have to pay 10 baht p.p. cleaning fee.
The arrival at the pier of Saladan can be a bit hectic, taxi drivers and hotel staff will certainly approach you. If you want to save on transport costs you walk about 5 minutes towards the village. Walk along the persevering taxi drivers, this way you can save up to half the costs!
Price indication: From Saladan Village to your hotel at Long Beach should not cost more than 100 baht per person. If you don’t have too much luggage with you, you can rent a scooter in the village and drive yourself to your hotel. The roads are fine on Koh Lanta!
Good restaurants in Saladan
A number of restaurants near the pier have been built on stilts above the sea, creating nice terraces. A popular restaurant near the pier is Moo Uan (The Fat Pig). It has a nice bar on the street side and a nice terrace above the sea. The food is a mix of Thai and western. The Maharaja Indian Restaurant is another great restaurant that is worth a visit. Another one is called The Frog and has a romantic garden and is the place to be if you not only like good food but also good wine! Of course the Saladan Pier is an excellent place for fresh fish, look around there is plenty of choice (fish in the sea to have a good sea food meal)!
Check our list with best restaurants on Koh Lanta!
Nang Sabai German Bakery
Homesickness or suddenly a great craving for a schnitzel or delicious freshly baked sandwiches with golden cheese or salmon? The German Bakery offers comfort and fulfils your desires. Nang Sabai German Bakery belongs to the best bakers on Koh Lanta! The German Bakery is unfortunately closed in low season (May to October).
Spending the night in Saladan
Also for hotel bookings you often pay more on the boat or pier than if you had booked it yourself via for example Booking.com. If you have already booked a hotel you can ask if they have a pick up service and want to pick you up. Of course you can also sleep in the surroundings of the Saladan Pier and explore the island by scooter. Beaches like Klong Dao Beach or the popular Long Beach are only 5 to 10 minutes away from Saladan Village and therefore a good option to stay overnight if you want to stay near the pier.
In the immediate vicinity of the pier are many hostels or budget and middle class hotels. Popular hotels in Saladan Town are the inexpensive Lanta House, the super clean Journey Hostel, and The Hotel Zealonta, a modern and very comfortable middle class hotel.
We slept in the luxurious Twin Lotus Resort on Klong Dao Beach. Klong Dao beach is a beautiful beach and is a 5 minute drive from Saladan. Read our review for more information about Twin Lotus or check out our lists of best accommodations on Koh Lanta in the InfoBox below.
Saladan Weekend Market
Contrary to what the name Saladan Weekend Market suggests, there is a market every day and not just on weekends. The merchandise consists of clothing, souvenirs and handy travel essentials. Think of backpacks, dry bags and electronics. Bargaining is necessary if you don’t want to pay too much. For the gourmets the food stalls are interesting, Mango Sticky Rice, Roti Pancakes, fruit shakes, Pad Thai, it’s all there! The weekend market is also a nice place to visit when it rains because the market is largely covered. Around 3 PM the stalls are built and opened and at 10 PM the market closes. On the spot the market is also called Lanta Plaza Market or walking street.
Going out in Saladan
There are no real bars or entertainment venues in the immediate vicinity of the Saladan Pier. Most restaurants close at 10 PM. When you follow the main road to the south for about 5 minutes you will reach the bars Fat Monkey and Cheeky Monkey. They are located directly on this main road, so you can hardly miss them. The Fat Monkey at Klong Dao serves almost the same menu as The Fat Pig!
Looking for more bars? Read our article with the best bars of Koh Lanta!
4 islands tour & snorkeling
The snorkeling possibilities of Koh Lanta are not spectacular, but the surrounding tropical islands make up for this. In the village of Saldan you stumble over the travel agencies that can arrange excursions to tropical beaches and beautiful snorkeling spots for you. These tours can also be arranged at your hotel, for which you usually pay a small surcharge.
The 4 islands tour to the surrounding islands is one of the highlights for many. You will visit beautiful islands with crystal clear water such as Koh Ngai and go to the special hidden Emerald Cave of Koh Mook. For which you first have to swim or canoe through a dark cave to see it! A day tour to Koh Phi Phi is also possible. From Koh Lanta you can literally go towards all directions!
Fun activities on Koh Lanta
Besides the lively Saladan Village, there are other fun activities and places to discover on Koh Lanta! We have picked out some nice places and restaurants on Koh Lanta for you. Please check the InfoBox below for more tips and information!
Spending the night on Koh Lanta
On Koh Lanta you can sleep as cheap or expensive as you want. The range of accommodations is very diverse. From luxury resorts to back to basic in a nice small bungalow, the choice is yours! In general, the price-quality ratio on Koh Lanta is better than on the surrounding islands.
This is our selection of the best places to sleep on Koh Lanta:
- The best luxury resorts on Koh Lanta
- The beste mid-range hotels on Koh Lanta
- The best cheap places to sleep on Koh Lanta
Also read our reviews of:
Good dining at Koh Lanta
- Yang Garden UPDATE 2021: Yang Garden is closed – We hope they will reopen one day!
This is without a doubt our favourite restaurant on the island! Everything’s right here! Of course the food is great but also the location and staff get a big 10/10 from us! Do it! - Drunken Sailors
Near one of the most beautiful beaches of Koh Lanta (Kantiang) lies this gem! You can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner here. Already eaten? The cocktails are also great here, just ask those swaying sailors who walk out the door… - The Reggae Bar
All the way to the north of Koh Lanta and not far from the village of Saladan you can enjoy great dishes and powerful cocktails in your own private (tree) hut on a rocky beach! This special location belongs to the beautiful Avani+ Koh Lanta Resort. - Rareview Coffee & Restaurant
Not only the dishes and drinks are here to savour, also the view is very appetizing! The team at this restaurant in Koh Lanta’s Old Town is super friendly and will do everything to make sure you have a great time! - Global Local – Home of the serious burger
They take the hamburger seriously here, very seriously! Taste it yourself! - Pad Thai Rock n Roll
Dance for joy as you taste the pad thai or other dishes here! Located just before Kantiang Bay in the south of Koh Lanta. - Di Farina Pizza
The best pizza of Koh Lanta can be found in Old Town, unfortunately closed in low season but if you are here in the months November to May then you know where to go!
If you want to know more about the above restaurants read our article about the best restaurants on Koh Lanta.
Going out on Koh Lanta
There are a number of not-to-be-missed bars on Koh Lanta where you can socialize and have a drink. Do you only want the best of the best? Then read our article about the best bars on Koh Lanta.
- Majestic Bar Koh Lanta
A great place for a drink! - Why Not Bar
A popular bar at perhaps the most beautiful beach in Koh Lanta. In the bay of Kantiang you come to relax and enjoy the fire shows that are held here! - The Reggae Bar
Not far from Saladan Village and situated on the grounds of a beautiful luxury resort you can drink special cocktails in an equally special setting… - Rasta Baby Bar
On Klong Nin Beach there is relaxed reggae and jungle playing all evening. The friendly family at this bar will make sure you have a great night, yah man! - Big Bang Bar
Attention beer lovers! On the beach of Klong Nin you can enjoy countless different craft beers.Let yourself be seduced by names like Coconut Cream and imagine yourself on a tropical island while taking your first sip…wait, you’re already on a tropical island! Cheers! - Freedom Bar
A beautiful beach, good music, nice people and nice drinks. Feel happy and free because here on Klong Khong Beach it is wonderful to stay! - Funky Monkey
Singing talent wanted! At the Funky Monkey near Long Beach you can grab prizes if you make the most of your singing talent. Who knows, you might get a record deal and become a famous pop star in Thailand, but of course you can also go for the free drinks! - Pangea Beach Bar
If the Funky Monkey (tip above) is a place for nightingales, then this bar is the ultimate place for night owls! From Techno to Deep House you’ll find it at Long Beach. - Cheeky Monkey Bar
If the Funky Monkey (tip above) is a place for nightingales, then this bar is the ultimate place for night owls! From Techno to Deep House you’ll find it at Long Beach.
Koh Lanta is a lovely island to explore by scooter or car. You bypass the high taxi prices and you can visit nice places at your leisure. We have a very good experience with Lanta Sky. You can rent a scooter or car from them that they bring and pick up again when it suits you best. If you want to rent a car you have to leave your passport, that is Koh Lanta everywhere. Renting a scooter without your passport is often possible when you pay a few thousand baht deposit. Are you going to Mu Koh Lanta National Park? Then ask for a powerful scooter, especially if you want to go with two people on a scooter. The roads to the National Park go up a lot and that calls for some extra power.
What else to discover on Koh Lanta?
- Saladan Village & Pier
Almost everyone arrives at the pier in the village of Saladan. The small village has everything a traveler needs. - Klong Dao Beach
Klong Dao Beach is a nice long and wide beach near the village of Saladan where beautiful resorts such as Twin Lotus are located. - Long Beach
Long Beach is the most popular beach of Koh Lanta, you have plenty of choice of nice bars and good restaurants. - Klong Khong Beach
Klong Khong Beach, also known as Relax Bay has a hippie vibe, you will find nice bars and budget accommodations at the beach. - Kantiang Bay
According to many visitors of Koh Lanta, Kantiang Bay is the most beautiful beach on the island. - Bamboo Bay
Small paradise beach with not much more than a white beach and a blue sea. - Ao Nui Beach
Lovely small beach with a few nice beach bars for a cool drink. - Mu Koh Lanta National Park
The Mu Koh Lanta National Park is a beautiful area all the way south of Koh Lanta. Just the ride on the scooter is already worth it! - Old Town
Old Town has beautiful authentic houses, souvenir shops and nice restaurants with the famous Instagram swings by the sea. - Time for Lime
You can find the best and most enjoyable cooking course at Time for Lime! And the great thing is that a large part of the proceeds are donated to Lanta Animal Welfare! - Lanta Animal Welfare
Straight dogs and cats get a better future thanks to Lanta Animal Welfare! A must visit if you are on Koh Lanta.
Take a look at our selection of some impressive pictures of Koh Lanta through our ninth Picture This article.
We put a lot of time, money and passion into this site… That’s why we would love it if you would support us! You can easily do this by using our links on the site to book your hotel and / or domestic trips. It costs you nothing extra but we get a small percentage of our partners like Booking.com, Agoda and 12GoAsia. Even if you decide to book another place to sleep than we mention, if you first click on our link you will already help us. You can also click on the links in this box to book something (not only in Thailand but anywhere in the world). Thank you in advance!
Spending the night on Koh Lanta
On Koh Lanta you can sleep as cheap or expensive as you want. The range of accommodations is very diverse. From luxury resorts to back to basic in a nice small bungalow, the choice is yours! In general, the price-quality ratio on Koh Lanta is better than on the surrounding islands.
This is our selection of the best places to sleep on Koh Lanta:
- The best luxury resorts on Koh Lanta
- The beste mid-range hotels on Koh Lanta
- The best cheap places to sleep on Koh Lanta
Also read our reviews of:
