How To Get From Koh Lanta to Ao Nang Thailand | The Easiest Way!

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There are a couple of ways to get from Koh Lanta to Ao Nang. But for me the most hassle free, easiest way was to take a shared minibus with accommodation pick up and drop off. In this post I’ll share what to expect travelling from Koh Lanta to Ao Nang!

Koh Lanta to Ao Nang

🚐Hotel transfer Koh Lanta to Ao Nang journey time via road: between 2hr45 to 4hr30
(⛴️Saladan Pier to Nopparat Thara Pier journey time via ferry: approximately 2hr15)
💰Cost: ฿500 (approximately £11)

12Go

One of the easiest ways to book transport in Thailand is using 12Go. Not only is it great for seeing the different options to get between two places, but you can easily make many different reservations through the site too.

It acts similar to booking.com where it is a ‘middleman’ for many different companies and providers.

They do have an app, however, I personally found it easier to use the web-based version. I booked 3 transfers: Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta, Koh Lanta to Ao Nang and Ao Nang to Krabi Airport. They all arrived early and the vehicles were extremely clean and comfortable.

I had printed off my tickets, but I didn’t really need to. All the drivers just asked for my name. So in hindsight, I could have just had it saved onto my phone just in case I needed the reservation number.

🚐Minibus/Van | ⛴️Ferry

Koh Lanta to Ao Nang Minibus/Van

At Lanta Vacation

My transfer was with At Lanta Vacation. They have 2 departures from Koh Lanta to Ao Nang each day. An early morning one (6.30am) and a late morning/noon pick up (10.30am).

Unfortunately, if you are staying in the south of Koh Lanta, the journey time can be an extra hour longer compared to if you are staying in Saladan/Klong Dao Beach. I lucked out and was last to be picked up, yet the first to be picked up, so my journey was around 2hr 45.

When I made my booking through 12Go I had to name my pick up and drop off locations. I just copied the accommodation addresses from Google Maps. You are then given approximate pick up times for the different areas of Koh Lanta.

Being in Klong Dao, I was given a time bracket of 11.45am – 12pm. You have to be at the meeting point 20 minutes early and my driver arrived around 11.30am.

Jijie Tour and Travel also do Koh Lanta to Ao Nang transfers. I used them for my Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta journey and they were good too.

Minibus

Many of the minibus transfers use Toyota HiAce style buses that can often seat between 10-14 passengers. As I was the last to be picked and travelling solo, I was given the front seat which was PERFECT as I could see where we were going.

Similar to a plane, passengers can take one x25kg suitcase/backpack and a hand luggage bag. It is a squeeze. Because I only had a 30L backpack and my small bag, I kept mine with me on the floor in front of my seat.

The Journey

Saladan Koh Lanta from Siri Lanta Bridge

After being picked up from the hotels on Koh Lanta Yai, you cross onto Koh Lanta Noi via the Siri Lanta Bridge. If you look to the left as you crossover the bridge, you get a good view of Saladan with the buildings on stilts along the Lat Bo Nae river.

Khlong Mak Pier Koh Lanta — Khlong Mak Pier, Koh Lanta Noi

Koh Lanta Car Ferry

Koh Lanta isn’t attached to the mainland, so from Koh Lanta Noi, you have to get the car ferry from Khlong Mak Pier. When booking a minibus/van transfer, the car ferry price is included in the cost of the ticket.

There was a short wait for the ferry where you could get out and stretch your legs quickly. A couple of stalls sell fruit and drinks etc.

The ferry leaves once it is full, but travelling in November it pretty much filled up as soon as it arrived. There is also a squat toilet on board but this is the only opportunity to use one. It takes 10 – 15 minutes to reach Hua Hin Pier on the mainland.

While waiting to get off the car ferry the driver then confirmed our drop off points.

It then takes around 2 hours to reach Ao Nang. The route passes Krabi International Airport, Krabi town and then onto Ao Nang. Passengers for Krabi Airport use a different transfer.

Coming into Ao Nang, the road winds around all the limestone cliffs, which is cool to see!

Krabi to Ao Nang Thailand — Krabi to Ao Nang

As it was booked as a hotel transfer, I was dropped off right outside of my hotel in Ao Nang. This was great as I didn’t have to worry about trying to find my accommodation while carrying all of my luggage. It was so easy being a door-to-door transfer, I could just sit back and enjoy the journey.

Private Taxi

Of course, you can also get a private taxi transfer from Koh Lanta to Ao Nang. This is the most expensive option, but you don’t have to worry about having to go around everyone else’s accommodation first.

Search Koh Lanta to Ao Nang transfers here

Koh Lanta to Ao Nang Ferry

Alternatively, there are passenger ferries from Koh Lanta to Ao Nang. The cheapest is the same price as the van transfer (฿500/~£12).

In theory, it is quicker, just over 2 hours, however, it doesn’t factor in transfers between hotels on either end. The time is just ‘pier to pier’ and for most of the tickets, you will have to make your way independently to and from the piers.

On 12Go, you can buy a ticket which includes the Koh Lanta to Ao Nang ferry plus a hotel transfer within Ao Nang. You’d still need to get to Saladan Pier in Koh Lanta though.

There are also shared minibuses, tuk-tuks etc available at either end (depending on the direction of travel). But you’ll need to pay extra for these. As far as I’m aware it’s ฿150 for a hotel transfer via shared minibus. This makes the passenger ferry more expensive than the shared hotel-to-hotel van transfer by road.

At the time of writing the Koh Lanta to Ao Nang ferry departs at 1.30pm and 4.30pm. It either drops off at Nopparat Thara Pier in Ao Nang or you can get off at the Floating Pier in East Railay. (This post may help you decide where to stay: Ao Nang or Railay Beach?)

Search Koh Lanta to Ao Nang Ferries here