01
Pimalai Resort & Spa
Our base on Koh Lanta. We stayed in a spacious duplex private pool villa, giving us somewhere to properly switch off between swims, meals and island adventures.
OUR KOH LANTA
An island escape at an easier pace.
Koh Lanta felt like exactly the kind of island escape we were looking for. Beautiful beaches, warm water and a slower pace made it easy to settle into holiday mode without feeling that we needed to fill every day. We stayed at Pimalai Resort & Spa in a spacious duplex private pool villa, which quickly became our own little retreat. Days developed an easy rhythm — swims, time around the villa, daily Muay Thai lessons, relaxed meals down the beach and plenty of time simply enjoying being together.
FROM OUR CAMERA
Koh Lanta, as we saw it.
BEST TIME
November – April
The dry season is generally the best time to enjoy Koh Lanta, with warmer, sunnier days and calmer seas.
THE FEELING
Slow & relaxed
Koh Lanta has a wonderfully unhurried feel. Long beaches, warm water and evenings that don't need a plan.
GETTING AROUND
Easy island life
Scooters, cars and local transfers make exploring the island straightforward, while many of the best days require very little travelling at all.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
Places & experiences we loved.
02
Life by the beach
Some of our favourite moments were the simplest ones — swimming, wandering down the beach and settling into a relaxed meal as the day started to cool.
03
A chef at the villa
Having a chef come and cook for us on the terrace was one of the highlights of the stay. It turned an evening at the villa into something that felt genuinely special.
04
Muay Thai
Daily Muay Thai lessons became part of our island routine. A brilliant way to start the day before heading back to the pool, beach or breakfast.
05
Old Town
Koh Lanta's east coast offers a completely different side of the island, with traditional wooden buildings, small restaurants and a quieter local atmosphere.
06
Koh Lanta National Park
At the southern end of the island, the national park brings together forest, coastline and a wilder side of Koh Lanta that feels far removed from the resort life.
FROM THE JOURNAL
Koh Lanta, our way.
Koh Lanta felt like exactly the kind of island escape we had been looking for. Beautiful beaches, warm water and a slower pace made it easy to settle into holiday mode without feeling that we needed to fill every day.
Our days developed their own rhythm. Daily Muay Thai lessons, swims, relaxed meals down the beach and time around the villa were enough. One of the highlights was having a chef come and cook for us on the terrace — the sort of evening that makes a family holiday feel very different from everyday life.
Perhaps that was what we liked most about Koh Lanta. There was always somewhere to go or something to see, but there was never any pressure to do it. Sometimes the best island days were simply the ones where we stayed close to the water.
MORE FROM OUR CAMERA
More from Koh Lanta.
OUR MAP
Koh Lanta.
An island of long beaches, jungle-covered hills and slow days on Thailand's Andaman coast. Koh Lanta now joins the places we've explored across Asia.