A koh lanta koh rok tour takes you from Koh Lanta to two island groups in the Andaman Sea. The boat stops at Koh Haa and Koh Rok for snorkelling. Lunch is part of the day.
The sections below cover the two island groups, the national park and Koh Lanta. They also cover piers, boats, snorkelling, marine life, safety and the seasons. Other sections cover tours from Koh Lanta, GetYourGuide listings and common questions. To plan trips elsewhere in the country, start from the Thailand Tours homepage.
What does a koh lanta koh rok tour cover?
A koh lanta koh rok tour is a one-day boat trip from Koh Lanta. It visits the Koh Haa and Koh Rok islands. Pickup runs from 8 to 9 am. The day adds snorkelling, a buffet lunch and a late-afternoon drop-off at your hotel.
Day plans for a koh lanta koh rok tour share the same core steps. The list below follows the plans that three operators publish, plus one traveller account. One of those plans names only Koh Rok.
- Meeting point: operators name Saladan Pier or Laem Kho Kwang Beach as the start.
- Crossing: the speedboat sails from about 9 to 9:30 am.
- Koh Haa: two plans put a snorkel stop in the Koh Haa lagoon, one at the start and one at the end.
- Koh Rok: snorkel stops sit around Koh Rok Nok and Koh Rok Nai, including the channel between the two islands.
- Lunch: a Thai buffet is served on the beach on Koh Rok.
- Beach time: one plan gives free time on Koh Rok Nai from noon to 1:30 pm.
- Return: the voyage finishes at Koh Lanta pier, where staff move guests on to their hotels.
Stop order differs by operator, so check it when you compare each koh lanta koh rok tour. One operator starts in the Koh Haa lagoon, then moves on to the Koh Rok twin islands. A traveller account follows the same order.
A third plan starts between Koh Rok Nok and Koh Rok Nai. It has lunch on the beach and ends with a snorkel stop in the Koh Haa lagoon.
The Koh Rok-only plan skips Koh Haa. It lists two timed snorkel stops, lunch on the beach and free time to relax and swim. A last snorkel stop lies between Koh Rok Nok and Koh Rok Nai.
Three day plans each list three snorkel stops. Check the stop count and stop length before you pick a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Plans add extras after lunch. A traveller was offered a choice at about 2 pm between beach time and one more snorkel stop.
One schedule runs from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Any koh lanta koh rok tour fills the day from pickup to drop-off.
A snorkel mask, a life jacket, an English-speaking guide and life insurance are also listed.
Each later section covers one step of a koh lanta koh rok tour in detail. For trips elsewhere in the country, browse our Thailand tours.
Where is Koh Rok on a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Koh Rok is a pair of limestone islands inside Mu Ko Lanta National Park, south of Koh Lanta. A koh lanta koh rok tour heads for the pair. Koh Rok Nai is the inner island and Koh Rok Nok is the outer island.
Koh Rok is not one island but two. The Thai names are Koh Rok Nai and Koh Rok Nok. One travel guide uses plain Koh Rok for the pair as a whole. The same guide uses Koh Rok Nai for the main beach and bay.
Both islands lie in Krabi Province, inside Mu Ko Lanta National Park. The group that a koh lanta koh rok tour visits is called Mu Ko Rok. Wikipedia lists Mu Ko Rok at 3.5 square kilometres. It is one of four island groups in the Ko Lanta district.
One travel guide says the two islands share similar dimensions. On a koh lanta koh rok tour, each island is roughly 2 kilometres long and 1 kilometre wide. A travel site adds that Koh Rok Nai lies offshore, so visitors cannot simply drive there.
A shallow sea channel separates the two islands. Whichever koh lanta koh rok tour you book, the islands face each other across it. Guides disagree on its width. Three give about 250 metres and one gives roughly 100 metres. Another site lists the islands as 0.3 kilometres apart by sea.
One guide says the channel is shallow enough in parts to wade or swim across. A yacht pilot says it is deeper, at 3 metres, closest to Koh Rok Nok. The same pilot says the Marine Department laid 25 orange mooring buoys in the channel and around the islands.
A koh lanta koh rok tour reaches Koh Rok Nai, where the national park keeps a sub-ranger station. A yacht pilot places the park headquarters jetty on the south side of the island.
One side of Koh Rok Nai rises into steep cliffs. The eastern side has sandy beach areas and coral formations around the rocks. The northern part includes Laem Thong and Ao San Chao.
Koh Rok Nok has no roads, large settlements or dense commercial facilities. Hat Thalu and Ao Man Sai lie at the far end of the island. Its main sandy and reef areas lie on the south-east and south sides. A yacht pilot also lists an animist temple on its north beach.
One travel site sets the two islands side by side. It calls Koh Rok Nok known for its beach. It calls Koh Rok Nai known for its cliffs and reefs.
Names change from page to page. One operator writes Koh Rok Yai and Koh Rok Noi for the two islands. One travel guide reports Koh Rok Nok as Koh Rok Noi, and Koh Rok Nai as Koh Rok Yai. A koh lanta koh rok tour listing can carry either set of names.
What are the Koh Haa islands on a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Koh Haa, also called the Ha Islands, is a group of uninhabited limestone islands. They lie west of Koh Lanta, between it and Koh Rok. On a koh lanta koh rok tour, operators place a snorkel stop in the central lagoon.
The name Koh Haa means five islands in Thai. Guides count five islands in the group, but one dive centre counts six. One guide lists the group as Muko Ha. The same guide gives the spellings Ko Ha, Koh Ha and Ko Ha Islands.
Operator pages use both Koh Ha and Koh Haa for the same place. A koh lanta koh rok tour page can carry either spelling. Operator itineraries list the group as a separate stop from Koh Rok, so check that the page names both.
Koh Haa lies west of Koh Lanta, in the Andaman Sea. One operator places it roughly midway between Koh Lanta and Koh Rok. One guide says the islands are accessible only by boat from Koh Lanta. A koh lanta koh rok tour makes that crossing by boat.
One dive centre names Koh Haa Yai as the biggest island of the cluster. Deep water channels separate the islands, according to a dive guide. Another guide calls them small limestone outcrops that poke up out of the sea.
A sailing guide says the group sits in deep water and is exposed. One guide says the islands are off-limits to development.
The lagoon sits in the middle of the group. One guide places it between the two largest islands. It calls the water shallow and free of current. One dive centre describes a large protected lagoon with a small white powder sand beach.
Another guide describes a ring of steep limestone islets around calm, pool-like water. Two operator itineraries for a koh lanta koh rok tour list a stop in the Koh Haa lagoon. One lists it as the first snorkel stop and the other as the last.
One guide describes sheer karst cliffs that drop straight into the sea. A dive guide says the outer walls of Koh Haa plunge into deep blue water.
Limestone cliffs also ring a lagoon on a boat trip from the Krabi coast. Do you need to book ahead for a hong islands tour Krabi? A separate guide answers exactly that.
The cave is the other landmark of the group. One dive centre says Koh Haa Yai is also called The Cathedral or The Cave. It says the cave has two chambers. The opening goes all the way up to the surface.
Another guide says natural light filters into a large underwater chamber there. Divers can surface inside and see overhanging stalactites. One dive guide calls The Cathedral the signature dive of Koh Haa.
Koh Rok and Koh Haa are different kinds of stop. Koh Haa is a cluster of limestone islands around a lagoon. One guide says the two sites sit close together and show different reef types. A koh lanta koh rok tour that names both stops covers both settings.
What is Mu Ko Lanta National Park, and does a koh lanta koh rok tour visit it?
Yes. Nineteen ninety saw the founding of Mu Ko Lanta National Park, a marine park within Krabi Province. It covers 134 square kilometres. A koh lanta koh rok tour visits Koh Rok and Koh Haa, two island groups that lie inside it.
The park was established on 15 August, nineteen ninety. It was the 62nd national park of Thailand. Every koh lanta koh rok tour sails into a park that has existed since that year. Thailand’s DNP, the national parks department, manages the park. Its IUCN category is II, the national park class.
Krabi is the closest city, and the park occupies the south of Krabi Province. It covers 83,750 rai, which is about 134 square kilometres. It takes in large islands, small islands and the offshore areas around them. Only a small part of Ko Lanta Yai belongs to the park.
Wikipedia lists Mu Ko Rok, Ko Mai Ngam, Ko Talabeng and Ko Ngai as park islands. It adds parts of Ko Lanta Yai. The same list names Ko Rok Nai, Mu Ko Maa and Ko Hin Dang. Travel guides place Koh Haa inside the park as well.
Both stops on a koh lanta koh rok tour therefore belong to the national park.
The park headquarters sits on Laem Tanod, at the southernmost end of Ko Lanta Yai. The terrain is mountainous, especially near that southern tip. The tallest peak in the park rises to 488 metres. Slopes above 35 degrees cover the larger share of the park. Plains are found only on beaches in the southern part.
The park was set up to protect islands, beaches, mangroves and coral reefs. It was established as a marine park. Because of that purpose, a koh lanta koh rok tour runs inside a protected marine area.
Mangrove forest covers Ko Ngu, Ko Mai Ngam and Ko Mai Ngam Tai. The mangrove trees average about five metres tall. Their species include Avicennia alba, Rhizophora apiculata and Rhizophora mucronata.
Rainforest covers about 19.42 square kilometres of Ko Lanta Yai, with trees 15 to 25 metres tall. Beach forest grows on Ko Ngai. It includes bengal almond, Millettia pinnata and beach morning glory.
Wikipedia sorts the island animals into six groups. Bats are the listed mammals. Deer, tigers and barking deer once lived on the islands. Reptiles include the Asian water monitor, the reticulated python and cobras. Amphibians include giant mountain frogs, ornate froglets and the common tree frog. Birds include the brahminy kite, the bridled tern and the emerald dove.
The reefs that a koh lanta koh rok tour visits lie in the same park as this land wildlife. Both island groups therefore sit inside a protected area.
Which facts about Koh Lanta matter when you book a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Koh Lanta Yai lies between the Phi Phi Islands and the mainland. It is 6 km wide and covers 81 square kilometres. Ban Saladan, the main town and port, sits at its northern tip. Use this layout to plan a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Ko Lanta is a district of Krabi Province. It has three major islands: Ko Klang, Ko Lanta Yai and Ko Lanta Noi. The whole district covers about 340 square kilometres. At the two thousand and twelve census, it held 30,500 people. The terrain is mangroves, coral-rimmed beaches and tree-covered hills.
Among the district’s islands, Ko Lanta Yai is the biggest. Guides call it simply Ko Lanta, because tourist activity is centred there. The two Lanta islands sit just off the mainland at the southern end of Krabi Province. A koh lanta koh rok tour is a trip from this island.
Ko Lanta Noi is the smaller of the two Lanta islands. The Siri Lanta Bridge links it to Ko Lanta Yai. Ko Lanta Yai held 10,830 people at the two thousand and twelve census. Ko Klang, the third island, is separated from the mainland by a small river and a road bridge.
Ban Saladan, the main town and port, is at the northern tip of Ko Lanta Yai. One guide calls it the tourist centre of the island. Transport, diving trips, banking and shopping are all there. Dive and speedboat trips leave from Saladan, another guide says. A koh lanta koh rok tour is a boat trip of the same kind.
The main places to stay cluster along the west coast, where nine beaches run down the shore. Klong Dao lies at the northern end and is about 3 km long. Phra Ae, or Long Beach, is about 4 km long. Klong Nin is split in two, and its northern stretch is better for swimming.
Kantiang Bay lies 18 km south of Ban Saladan and is about 1 km long. Beaches at the southern end are much less accessible. Check the road before you pick a southern base for a koh lanta koh rok tour. The last 8 km to the southern tip are hilly and unpaved.
The roads are in better shape in the north and worsen toward the south. The east coast is much less developed and consists mainly of mangroves. The road just north of the national park is unpaved dirt, one guide says. Motorbikes are common on the island.
Lanta Old Town sits on the east side, roughly two-thirds of the way down the coast. Old wooden shophouses fill the town. It also has a post office, a hospital, temples and shops that sell handmade hammocks and batik. Old Town is a land-based stop, because a koh lanta koh rok tour spends the day on the water.
Where does a koh lanta koh rok tour start, and how does pickup work?
Listings for a koh lanta koh rok tour name Saladan Pier as a meeting point. The pier is in the port town at the northern tip of Koh Lanta. Hotel pickup runs from 8:00 to 9:00 on three listings. Operators confirm the exact time after booking.
Ban Saladan is the main town and port at the northern tip of Koh Lanta Yai. Operator listings name Saladan Pier as the place where guests meet the boat. One listing spells it Sala Dan Pier. Another lists Saladan Pier as one of its hotel pickup zones.
A koh lanta koh rok tour from one operator asks guests to meet at Saladan Pier at 7:50. A different listing puts the boat’s pier departure at 9am. The 7:50 listing also gives a hotel pickup window of 8:00 to 9:00. The page does not link the two times, so ask the operator which one applies.
Three listings for a koh lanta koh rok tour give a hotel pickup window of 8:00 to 9:00. One of them collects guests from any hotel on Lanta Island. Two list the hotel round trip transfer as included.
One operator splits Koh Lanta into pickup zones and gives an estimated time for each.
- Old Town: 7:30 to 7:40
- Kantiang Bay, Klong Jak Bay and Bamboo Bay: 8:00 to 8:10
- Klong Nin Beach and Klong Hin Beach: 8:10 to 8:20
- Long Beach and Klong Kong Beach: 8:20 to 8:30
- Kaw Kwang Beach and Klong Dao Beach: 8:30 to 8:40
- Saladan Pier: 8:40 to 8:50
The operator calls these estimates, because they depend on where each resort sits in its zone. It tells guests the exact boarding time in person or by confirmed email. After booking, a further operator emails guests to confirm the precise collection time.
Pickup differs by resort on a koh lanta koh rok tour. One operator picks guests up by car from the hotel lobby. At certain resorts, its speedboat collects guests from the hotel beach. The choice depends on the resort.
That operator’s koh lanta koh rok tour offers three meeting points for guests it does not collect. These are its office in Saladan, Laem Kho Kwang Beach and Saladan Pier. It points guests who drive, or who stay outside its service area, to the pier.
One traveller describes a start at Laem Kho Kwang Beach. A songthaew collected other tourists along the way. Other tours share that beach, so the traveller advises checking that you are in the right group. At about 9am the guests were ready at the speedboat.
One review on an operator page says the drive from hotel reception to the pier took about 40 minutes. The same page lists the return transfer to the hotel at 4:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. Another listing gives 4:00 to 4:30. The traveller above was back at the hotel around 5pm.
How do you get to Koh Lanta for a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Fly to Krabi Airport, then take a van to Ban Saladan before your koh lanta koh rok tour. The van crosses one car ferry and one bridge. Two guides give the trip as two to three hours.
Travellers on a koh lanta koh rok tour can fly into three airports, at Krabi, Trang and Phuket. Krabi Airport is the top choice for Koh Lanta travel. It lies in Nuea Khlong subdistrict, in Krabi Province. Bangkok has daily flights to Krabi.
By road, the van drives 90 minutes south from Krabi on Highway 4. It then takes a public car ferry to Koh Lanta Noi. Two guides name the Hua Hin pier as the crossing. A bridge links Lanta Noi to Lanta Yai. After the ferry, one guide adds 30 to 40 minutes of driving.
The car ferry leaves when it is full. In high season, the line can turn a two-hour trip into three or four, says one guide. Another guide lists a queue of 10 to 90 minutes, depending on the hour. It expects 10 to 20 minutes for departures before 10:00 or after 16:00.
The car ferry runs daily until 22:00, say two guides. One guide calls the Hua Hin crossing short and sheltered. Guides list different last-van times from Krabi Airport, so check before you book a late flight. Leave time for the line if you arrive the day before a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Krabi Town is another mainland start. Wikipedia puts the Koh Lanta district about 70 km away. One guide says vans and buses leave there roughly every hour until about 16:45. From Ao Nang, vans run through the day. A private taxi picks up only your group. Bring water and snacks for the journey.
A ferry links Phuket’s Rassada Pier with Koh Lanta, and one guide lists the journey at 1.5 hours. By road, one guide puts Phuket Airport five to seven hours away by bus and car ferry.
The same guide lists 3 hours by car from Phuket Airport to Krabi Airport. Count those hours in if a koh lanta koh rok tour is the reason for your trip.
A passenger boat runs from Klong Jilad pier in Krabi Town to Saladan pier. Two guides say it sails from November to April only. The vans run all year, even when boats stop.
Trang Airport lies 7 km from downtown Trang. The nearest train station to Koh Lanta is in Trang Province, just south of Krabi. Trains run from there to and from Bangkok. One Lanta guide says flying into Krabi is much quicker than flying into Trang. Pick Krabi if a koh lanta koh rok tour is your plan.
Which boats run a koh lanta koh rok tour?
A koh lanta koh rok tour runs on a speedboat, a big speed catamaran or a longtail boat. One operator lists a maximum of 45 people on a speedboat and 60 on a big speed catamaran. No scheduled public boat serves Koh Rok.
Speedboat is the transport named in the shared-tour listings we read. One operator lists round-trip speedboat transport from Koh Lanta. Another lists a speed boat from Koh Lanta towards Koh Rok. Look at the vessel type first when choosing a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Two hulls of the same size, set side by side, make up a catamaran. The wide gap between the hulls adds stability against rolling and overturning. A catamaran also draws less water than a single-hull boat. Under the caps above, a catamaran carries 15 more people than a speedboat.
A longtail boat uses an ordinary car engine. The engine is mounted on a pole that can rotate through 180 degrees. A long metal rod lengthens the driveshaft, which places the propeller in the water. One guide says longtail hire takes significantly longer and is more exposed to sea conditions.
A koh lanta koh rok tour by private longtail is also listed. One listing sets a maximum of 4 people per boat and includes life jackets and snorkelling gear. A second listing says the private format means travellers are not grouped with strangers on a crowded tour boat.
One operator describes a boat with an outdoor saloon, an indoor saloon and a toilet. It says the boat has the latest safety and navigational equipment. It also says all crew are trained in first aid and CPR. Other listings we read do not describe the saloon or the toilet. Compare these details on each koh lanta koh rok tour.
Life jackets appear in the inclusions on five listing pages we read. Fins, a mask and a life jacket are named together in one listing. Another names a life jacket, a snorkel mask and a first aid kit.
One operator says speedboats carry passengers as close to the beach as they can. Passengers hop off and on the boat from there. The water can be above the knees, so the operator advises shorts. Plan to step into the sea on a koh lanta koh rok tour by speedboat.
Reviewers of one speedboat listing report different group sizes. One says about twenty people left by boat. Another reports nearly 40 people. The listings give no engine power and no seat counts. Compare the boat type, the cap and the safety details on every koh lanta koh rok tour before you book.
One reviewer wrote that it was possible to sit in the sun and in the shade. Another called the boat not very comfortable and a bit tight. A reviewer of a premium Koh Rok and Koh Haa trip feared the boat’s size beforehand. The boat was really big, new and in very good condition, the reviewer wrote.
Boats matter in Bangkok too, from narrow canals to markets where vendors sell food from boats. One guide asks whether a Bangkok canal tour is the same as a floating market trip. Another explains how floating market tours in Bangkok count children.
Wikipedia says a longtail driver steers by moving the engine with a lever. Larger longtails can carry more than one tail, with operators piloting in tandem. Wikipedia adds that long-tail boats are now used to transport tourists.
How long is the boat ride on a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Operators quote less than one hour by speedboat on a koh lanta koh rok tour. Tours that add Koh Haa break the crossing with a snorkel stop there.
Published sources give different distances, so this page leaves the figure out. One operator says Koh Rok and Koh Haa sit south and west of Koh Lanta.
One operator timetable for a koh lanta koh rok tour gives each leg half an hour. The boat heads out at 09:00. The first snorkel stop at the Koh Haa lagoon starts at 09:30. At 10:30 the boat continues to the twin islands of Koh Rok and arrives by 11:00.
A traveller timed a speedboat tour in a review. The group was ready on the boat at about 9 am. The boat took about 45 minutes to reach Koh Haa. After about 45 minutes of snorkelling, it took about 30 minutes to reach Koh Rok.
One travel guide gives 45 minutes to an hour by speedboat from Koh Lanta. A dive operator says its speedboat takes less than one hour to reach Koh Rok. The guide calls long-tail hire possible but significantly slower. A koh lanta koh rok tour by speedboat has the shorter crossing on that comparison.
The way back takes longer than either outward leg in the review. The reviewer reports about an hour and a half from Koh Rok to Koh Lanta. One operator timetable allots one hour, from 15:00 to 16:00. The same timetable lists a pass by Koh Rok Waterfall by speedboat between 14:30 and 15:00.
Operators do not run one fixed order. Three operator itineraries put Koh Haa first and Koh Rok second. One of them calls Koh Haa the first main stop to get comfortable in the water.
Another of the three has the boat reach Koh Haa at 9:30. It sets off for Koh Rok at 10:40. The same itinerary has the boat leave Koh Rok for Koh Lanta at 3 pm.
A koh lanta koh rok tour from a fourth operator starts at Koh Rok and serves lunch there. Its boat arrives at the first snorkel stop, between the two Koh Rok islands, from 10:00 to 10:50. It snorkels at the Koh Haa lagoon at 14:50. It leaves Koh Haa for Koh Lanta pier at 15:50.
Operators say the order of a koh lanta koh rok tour can change on the day. One lists tide and weather conditions as the cause and gives no advance notice. Another says its schedule can differ with weather and sea conditions. A third says it can change the programme to suit the weather without prior notice.
The same guide names a day tour with an operator as the standard way to cross.
How does the reef look from the water on a koh lanta koh rok tour?
A koh lanta koh rok tour takes you over shallow coral reefs in turquoise water. One operator says much of the coral lies within 5 metres of the surface. Itineraries list snorkel stops of 40 minutes to one hour.
One operator describes soft and hard coral reefs in the channel between the twin islands. Its itinerary lists 40 minutes of open water snorkelling there. Another operator lists a first snorkel point between Koh Rok Nok and Koh Rok Nai, also for 40 minutes. Choose a koh lanta koh rok tour that names the channel stop.
One snorkelling guide names the two islands Ko Rok Yai and Ko Rok Noi. It calls the reef along the west coast of Ko Rok Noi the main snorkelling site there. That reef is 3 to 5 metres deep. The guide places the Seafan Garden and Clownfish Reef dive sites along it.
The coral heads there are mainly massive, digitate and leaf coral, and the guide calls them quite healthy. It also reports giant clams and starfish among the coral. At one spot on Ko Rok Noi, a tour guide told a traveller to look for anemones with clownfish.
The same guide describes a reef along the southeast coast of Ko Rok Yai. Water over the reef is 1.5 to 4 metres deep. Near the beach, the seabed is sand before corals quickly cover it. The guide calls these corals mainly massive and in good condition.
That reef includes The Plateau and Bermuda Ridge dive spots. The guide says you enter the water from your boat or from the beach, depending on the tour. On a koh lanta koh rok tour, ask which one applies. A pilot guide to anchorages lists good snorkelling right off the boat at the Rok islands.
Operators describe the water in similar words. One lists clear turquoise sea water, and another lists crystal turquoise waters. One traveller wrote that the water at Koh Rok Noi looked much more blue and turquoise than at Koh Ha. The snorkelling guide calls the underwater visibility at the Ko Rok islands generally excellent.
On the southeast coast of Ko Rok Noi, you slalom between the coral heads. It also says the islands are very crowded. Ask whether your koh lanta koh rok tour leaves at staggered times.
One operator lists two 40-minute snorkel stops on its koh lanta koh rok tour. Another puts a one-hour snorkel at Koh Rok Nok as its last snorkel stop. One dive centre gives the maximum depth around Koh Rok as 20 metres.
One traveller on a Koh Rok trip found good snorkelling spots beside the Koh Rok Yai beach, the lunch stop. Low tide made swimming there harder. One operator says its itinerary can change with tide and weather conditions.
What is snorkelling at Koh Haa like on a koh lanta koh rok tour?
On a koh lanta koh rok tour, Koh Haa gives you a shallow lagoon ringed by limestone cliffs. One operator lists 40 minutes of snorkelling there, and one dive centre calls the calm water ideal for snorkellers.
The lagoon at Koh Haa suits snorkellers. One dive centre describes it as shallow and crystal-clear, with calm water and a gentle depth. One dive operator adds that it has a small white beach.
One dive operator says the lagoon is dotted with a variety of hard corals in shallow, clear water. On a koh lanta koh rok tour with a lagoon stop, you swim over this coral.
One reviewer saw healthy corals, including brain corals, and a variety of fish at Koh Haa. The reviewer said it felt like swimming in a big aquarium. They found no anemones or clownfish at that spot. The water was a bit rough, but the visibility was good.
On a koh lanta koh rok tour, the tide decides whether you can swim into the caves. One dive operator rates Koh Haa Yai as better at low tide, to enter the caves by swimming. One travel guide says a partly submerged cave opens at the base of one limestone island at low tide.
Inside, the same guide says snorkellers can swim into a dimly lit chamber where the ceiling rises above the waterline. Water slapping against the walls echoes there. At high tide, the entrance can be very low and harder to enter. The guide adds that experienced guides time the cave visit to match the tide.
Other operators list different times. One itinerary gives the first snorkel stop in the Koh Haa lagoon a one-hour slot. One reviewer spent about 45 minutes at the spot. One operator says tide and weather can change its itinerary without notice. Check the stop length before you choose a koh lanta koh rok tour.
On the east side of Koh Haa Yai, one dive operator lists a very long, shallow coral garden. It describes the water there as calm and clear, and it rates the spot as suitable for beginners.
One dive operator lists a chimney at Koh Haa. Its entrance lies at 18 metres and opens into a small chamber. South of the chimney, limestone pinnacles form channels and swim-throughs, it adds. A snorkeller stays near the surface and swims the lagoon and the shallow coral instead.
One travel guide calls the lagoon between the islands a natural calm zone. This holds even when the outer sea is moderately choppy. It says the lagoon centre has the shallowest water and suits beginners and families.
Beginners on a koh lanta koh rok tour can start in the sheltered lagoon. A second guide recommends the inner lagoon for macro snorkelling in calm water.
Which sea creatures turn up during a koh lanta koh rok tour?
A koh lanta koh rok tour shows hard corals, clownfish, moray eels and turtles. Dive centres also list sharks at Koh Rok and octopus at Koh Haa. Both island groups lie inside Mu Ko Lanta National Park.
One dive centre says Koh Rok Nok has a good collection of hard corals. It also lists barrel sponges, gorgonian wire corals, sea whips and sea fans there. Koh Rok Nai has a long, sloping reef that runs the entire length of the island.
A koh lanta koh rok tour reaches reefs where clownfish and moray eels live. One dive centre lists both on the reef of Koh Rok Nai. It also names sweetlips, angelfish, tuna and swarms of baitfish at that island. Another dive centre calls anemone fish and nudibranchs residents of Koh Rok.
At Koh Rok, one dive centre lists sea turtles, hawksbill turtles, stingrays, squid and sea slugs. It says there is a chance of meeting a shark and names leopard sharks. A second dive centre says a turtle can be spotted while diving. Watch for turtles on a koh lanta koh rok tour.
One travel blog reviews a snorkelling trip to both island groups. The writer lists parrotfish, titan triggerfish, moorish idol and trumpetfish. The same trip showed starfish, black sea urchins and giant clams. Snorkellers on a koh lanta koh rok tour swim at the same two island groups.
At Koh Haa, a dive centre lists octopus, cuttlefish, squid, mantis shrimps, harlequin shrimps and ghost pipefish. It adds schools of barracuda on wall dives. A sailing guide lists moray eels, black tip reef sharks and the odd turtle at Koh Ha Yai.
The same travel blog saw healthy corals at Koh Haa, including brain corals. The writer saw no anemones or clownfish at that spot. The writer found both at Koh Rok instead. Pick a koh lanta koh rok tour that visits both island groups to compare the reefs.
Across Mu Ko Lanta National Park, Wikipedia lists staghorn coral, Fungia fungites and anemone coral as coral reef animals. It also lists coral reef fish and lizard fish among the marine fish.
Park officials have recorded bleaching at both island groups. Rising water temperature, pollution and sedimentation can all cause it. A survey found 10 to 15% of corals bleached at one to five metres around Rok Island. Hump corals were hit hardest. Giant clams and sea anemones also showed bleaching.
At the Ha Islands, 5% of corals at one to five metres were bleached. Staghorn corals were hit hardest there. The water was 31 degrees Celsius at both sites.
A koh lanta koh rok tour visits that protected area. A sailing guide says anchoring is no longer allowed near the Ha Islands. It adds that National Parks mooring buoys are in place at all three of its spots.
What are the beaches like on a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Eastern shores of the Koh Rok pair hold the white sand beaches that a koh lanta koh rok tour visits. Koh Rok Nai has the main beach, with a ranger station and a restaurant nearby. Koh Rok Nok has fewer visitors.
Two guides describe the main beach on Koh Rok Nai as a curved bay of fine white sand. A Thai park page calls the east-side sand fine and clean white. One plan for a koh lanta koh rok tour invites you to relax, sunbathe and walk around Koh Rok Nai.
Guides place the sand on the east coast. One guide puts the main beach of Koh Rok Nok there, backed by tropical vegetation. It says the west side has limestone cliffs and smaller coves. Another guide says the beach on Koh Rok Nok has fewer visitors. Operators also write of white powder sand and clear turquoise water.
On Koh Rok Nai, shade is available under the tree line at the back of the beach. The open sand has no natural shelter from the midday sun. Another guide says the ranger station sits just behind the tree line.
One guide calls Koh Rok Nai the developed half of the pair. A koh lanta koh rok tour finds a ranger station and a restaurant there, according to a national parks guide. The restaurant is near the ranger station and covers basic meals and drinks.
One guide says the main beach has no sun loungers for hire, no beach bars and no vendors. The same guide says the national park keeps basic facilities in peak season, including toilets and a ranger station. A Thai park page says there are no amenities like those in ordinary tourist towns.
Thailand also has a national park in Chiang Mai Province, in the north. Readers asking how far a Doi Inthanon national park tour is from Chiang Mai get the distance in its guide.
One operator lists the Pha Samed Daeng viewpoint on its koh lanta koh rok tour. The viewpoint looks north to Koh Ngai and Koh Lanta. A guide says a short trail behind the Koh Rok Nai beach climbs to a viewpoint over the bay. It calls the climb a ten-minute scramble if the boat schedule allows.
A traveller review of a Koh Haa and Koh Rok snorkelling tour mentions swings along the shore. A blog also mentions beach swings and hammocks next to the sea. The review adds that visitors can see monitor lizards, which are scared of people.
One guide calls the coves on the west side of Koh Rok Nok better suited to swimming than snorkelling. One traveller reports that the tide was too low, so swimming at the beach was a little bit difficult. One operator notes that the itinerary of its koh lanta koh rok tour can change with tide and weather.
A Thai park page says the east-side sand suits resting during the boat trip. It adds safe swimming and a view of nearby Koh Rok Nok. The page lists a nature study trail among the facilities.
Can You Stay Overnight on a Koh Lanta Koh Rok Tour?
Yes, but not on the standard day trip. A koh lanta koh rok tour takes the whole day and ends back at Koh Lanta. A night on Koh Rok needs special permission from the park headquarters.
Almost all visitors come to Koh Rok as a day trip, says one island guide. One operator’s itinerary ends with the boat leaving Koh Rok for Koh Lanta pier. A transfer back to the hotel follows.
On a koh lanta koh rok tour, one reviewer stayed on the island for about two hours. The same review says the tour takes the whole day.
Koh Rok Nai has a ranger station, a restaurant, a campsite and an accommodation zone, says one national park guide. The park has two camping areas in total. One is at Laem Tanod, the headquarters area, and the other is on Koh Rok.
The park must approve a stay on Koh Rok. One guide says you obtain that permission by calling the headquarters. Another says the campsite is by advance permission only and is not a walk-up option. Sort this out before you pay for a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Accommodation bookings are managed by the Department of National Parks. One visitor writes that Koh Rok accommodation can only be booked with the National Parks directly. A third guide advises making reservations in advance, especially in high season.
At both camping areas, tents and accessories are available to rent. One visitor lists two options on Koh Rok: a bungalow with hot running water, or a tent on the beach. Rented tents come with sleeping bags, roll mats and pillows. You can also bring your own tent and pay for the pitch.
One blogger who camped for two nights booked a day tour with a stop at the island. The tour stopped at the Ha Islands first, then Koh Rok. The blogger needed a ride back and asked the speedboat captains at the floating pier where they were heading.
The camper found a boat captain with Koh Lanta as the return destination. Another account says a boat operator will also carry people who plan to stay overnight. Ask the operator when you pick a koh lanta koh rok tour.
A camper sees what a koh lanta koh rok tour cannot show: the island after the boats leave. In one account, the last tour boat left at 3 pm and the island was quiet once more. The same camper calls it a private island for the next 12 hours or so.
That camper says all the lights go out at night, leaving only starlight. Another visitor describes the park’s camping and bungalow area as behind the trees.
The island restaurant opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner, says one visitor. That visitor still packed instant noodles and cereal bars as a backup. The headquarters area at Laem Tanod has a visitor centre, park accommodation, a campsite and a restaurant.
Is the national park fee included in a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Not always. Koh Rok sits inside Mu Ko Lanta National Park, so a fee applies on every koh lanta koh rok tour. Check each listing first, since a package either covers the fee or bills it apart.
The entrance fee for Koh Rok is the Mu Ko Lanta National Park fee. One operator says the fee helps rangers keep the park protected and clean. The national parks and wildlife department issued the fee notice. A news report on that notice names Koh Rok and Koh Haa.
Pick a koh lanta koh rok tour that states the fee in its listing. Operators handle it in different ways. One operator page says its price does not include national park fees. One travel blog says the park fees were included in its per-person price.
One guide says every visitor pays the entrance fee. One operator lists a fee for adults and a separate fee for children. One guide to Koh Rok tells travellers to read package details before booking. It says this avoids duplicate payment or a misunderstanding at the pier.
On a koh lanta koh rok tour, foreign adults pay a higher rate than Thai nationals. One guide says Koh Rok falls inside the park’s special higher-fee zone.
The two fees are not the same payment.
One operator lets you pay the fee at booking or on the day of the trip. Its page asks guests to bring the fee in cash and pay at check-in. Check which option your package uses.
One guide says the tour operator or a park checkpoint collects the fee on a koh lanta koh rok tour. Another guide says the checkpoint on arrival or the tour price covers it. One itinerary lists the national park office of Koh Rok as an arrival stop.
A koh lanta koh rok tour visits a protected area. One operator says Koh Rok is protected as part of Mu Ko Lanta National Park. One guide says visitors avoid disturbing wildlife, feeding fish, standing on coral, touching coral, collecting shells and littering.
The same guide tells visitors to take all rubbish back. It asks them to behave respectfully around the shrine and not to move or touch offerings left by local worshippers. It also says travellers use a licensed tour boat, a private charter or an organised tour package.
Park fees in Thailand are updated from time to time, one guide notes. It tells visitors to check current fees with the park or their operator. Confirm the rate before you book a koh lanta koh rok tour.
The news report on that notice also sets out who pays nothing. Monks, children under the age of three and people with disabilities can enter for free. It defines children as people aged three to fourteen and less than 140 centimetres tall.
One guide says travel to Koh Rok is controlled through boat regulations, designated landing areas and waste rules. It tells snorkellers to wear life jackets, listen to guides and never chase fish. For the Koh Rok Nai waterfall, it tells travellers to follow only permitted routes.
When does a koh lanta koh rok tour run each year?
A koh lanta koh rok tour stops each year on the sixteenth day of the fifth month. The park then closes Koh Rok and Koh Haa to visitors until October or November. Travel guides name November to April as the time for calm seas.
The islands open for only part of each year. One travel guide lists the open window as 1 November to the fifteenth day of the fifth month. One operator lists its tour from 15 October to the fifteenth day of the fifth month. It cites the tropical monsoons and the closure of the national park in low season.
A koh lanta koh rok tour cannot run while the islands are closed. A yearly closure ordered by the Department of National Parks is reported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. It covers Koh Rok Nok, Koh Rok Nai and Mu Ko Ha. Closure starts on the sixteenth day of the fifth month and lasts until 14 October.
Sources disagree on the date the closure ends. One national park guide puts the end on 14 October, and so does the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Wikipedia and one travel guide give 31 October. For the Koh Rok pair alone, that guide lists a closure between 1 June and 30 September.
Guides give two reasons for the closure. One national park guide names visitor safety and marine life recovery. The Tourism Authority of Thailand adds that the annual monsoon can make conditions unsafe. One news report says the closures give nature time to recover. That is why a koh lanta koh rok tour pauses every year.
Reopening depends on the sea. One travel guide says the islands reopen around 1 November, sea conditions permitting. The same guide warns that operators cancel or reroute at short notice when swells build. Another guide points readers to the official park website, dnp.go.th, for the current opening status.
Travel guides recommend November to April for a koh lanta koh rok tour. They give calm seas and clear visibility as the reasons. One guide adds more reliable boat access. Another guide ties November to April to the dry season.
The same guide describes the monsoon months as heavy rain and choppier seas. Outside November to April, one guide advises checking the marine forecast before you commit.
One operator calls November to April the high season. It tells travellers to book a koh lanta koh rok tour early in these months and on national holidays. It says seats sell out fast. A second operator lists all seven days of the week as tour days.
Koh Rok is not open all year, and it is not closed for good. One travel guide says Koh Haa shuts alongside both Koh Rok islands. A koh lanta koh rok tour returns each year once the park reopens the islands.
What are the weather and sea conditions on a koh lanta koh rok tour?
The southwest monsoon brings Thailand’s wet months, from the fifth month’s middle until mid-October. In a strong spell, Thai Meteorological Department warnings put Andaman Sea waves at 2 to 3 metres. Operators can postpone or cancel a koh lanta koh rok tour in bad weather.
Wikipedia says Thailand’s climate follows two seasonal monsoon winds, the southwest and the northeast. In the southwest monsoon, moist air moves from the Indian Ocean to Thailand and causes abundant rain. The wettest stretch of the year falls in August and September. Tropical cyclones also add heavy rain during the rainy season.
Southern Thailand follows its own pattern. Wikipedia says the southern parts get abundant rain in both the northeast and southwest monsoon seasons. The peak on the western coast comes in September. In the south, the northeast monsoon (mid-October to mid-February) still brings plenty of rain, especially in October and November. Temperatures stay mild all year.
Wikipedia gives climate figures for Mu Ko Lanta National Park, which includes Ko Rok Nai. That island is the lunch stop on one operator’s koh lanta koh rok tour. Rainfall peaks in September at 391.4 mm, the wettest month. January is the driest, with 6.5 mm. September has 21.6 rainy days. February has about 1.6.
Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warnings name the strong southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea. One warning says the strong wind forces waves in the upper Andaman Sea up to 2 to 3 metres. It adds that waves go above 3 metres in thundershowers.
The same warning expects about 2 metres in the lower Andaman Sea, and above 2 metres in thundershowers. Another warning puts Andaman Sea and Gulf waves at 2 to 3 metres, and above 3 metres in thundershowers.
The TMD advice to boats is short. TMD advises all ships to proceed with caution and keep off thundershowers. Small boats in the upper Andaman Sea keep ashore. A news report on one warning calls it especially relevant for fishing boats, tour boats and marine operators.
Operators write the weather risk into their terms. One operator says sea conditions can shift, and a koh lanta koh rok tour can cancel in rough weather.
Another operator says its koh lanta koh rok tour programme can change with the weather and sea conditions. It says bad weather or rough seas can postpone or cancel the trip with a full refund. It also says it will inform you in advance if it must cancel.
A third operator reserves the right to change its programme subject to the weather. Its page for Koh Rok also lists free date or destination changes for a koh lanta koh rok tour. One reviewer of its premium Koh Rok and Koh Ha trip wrote that half of the way was rain.
What food comes with a koh lanta koh rok tour?
A koh lanta koh rok tour includes a Thai buffet lunch, served on the beach at Koh Rok. One operator also lists drinking water, soft drinks and seasonal fruit. Another offers a vegetarian option if you ask when you book.
Lunch is part of the price. Five operator pages put the buffet lunch in their inclusions list. Seven operator pages place the meal on a beach at Koh Rok. Two of them name the beach as Koh Rok Nai. One traveller account describes a buffet-style lunch stop at Koh Rok Yai beach.
Not every feeding in Krabi happens at a lunch table. Elephants are fed at a Krabi elephant sanctuary, and a separate guide explains what makes one ethical.
One listing calls the lunch stop a break from the snorkelling. A dive centre’s Koh Rok dive trip also stops for lunch on a white sandy beach. The same dive centre serves fresh fruit, cold drinks and snacks between dives. These plans put lunch on land, so a koh lanta koh rok tour sets time aside for it.
The clock times differ by operator. One plan lists a Thai buffet at Koh Rok Nai beach from 11:40 to 12:00. A second plan serves the buffet on the beach at 12:10 pm. It adds leisure time for relaxing, sunbathing, swimming and sightseeing. One listing describes a 1.5-hour beachside lunch with free time for swimming.
The food is Thai. One operator lists its buffet as Thai foods. Another listing describes fresh seafood and Thai dishes. A traveller on a koh lanta koh rok tour reports chicken curry with rice at the lunch stop. The same traveller reports fresh pineapple and watermelon, with drinks included.
Drinks come with the day. One operator lists drinking water and soft drinks. Another lists bottled water and soft drinks. A third lists soft drinks and seasonal fruit. One page says drinking water and fruit are provided throughout the day. One listing says guests can bring their own food and drinks on a koh lanta koh rok tour.
The island has a small restaurant too. The same guide lists drinking water in its packing advice.
Diets depend on the operator. One booking form has a vegetarian food checkbox. Another operator offers a vegetarian option if you say so at booking. One listing offers vegetarian and non-seafood options on request. Another listing says the buffet is limited for vegetarians, with rice, vegetables and fruit.
Halal needs call for a direct question. One operator page shows a halal food icon but gives no menu details. One listing does not say if it can serve halal, kosher or vegetarian meals. It tells guests to ask when booking. Message the operator about any diet before you pay for a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Reviews name specific dishes. One tour review lists chicken Mussaman curry, fried vegetables, deep-fried chicken and rice. One reviewer reports chicken drumsticks and rice, with cut fruit. One blog lists Thai curries, chicken wings and fresh pineapple from a tour buffet.
One blogger reports about ten tour companies with a buffet lunch at Koh Rok. One reviewer of a koh lanta koh rok tour found no table at the beach lunch. The reviewer sat on the roots of a tree. The same reviewer had enough water the whole time.
Which gear and clothing go in your bag for a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Pack reef-safe sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a rash vest and swimwear when you join a koh lanta koh rok tour. Read the label before packing, because Thai national parks forbid sunscreens with four named chemicals.
Pack swimwear for a koh lanta koh rok tour. Four packing lists we read name swimwear or a swimsuit. One lists an extra shirt and shorts, and another lists extra clothes to change.
One operator advises flip flops or water shoes, in case there are shells or rocks on the sand. It also advises shorts rather than trousers. The water can be above the knees when you hop on or off the boat.
A hat is on three of the lists, and sunglasses are on four. For a koh lanta koh rok tour, one operator advises a rash vest. It gives sun protection over long stints in the water.
The DNP, Thailand’s national parks and wildlife department, bans four sunscreen chemicals. The banned four are butylparaben, oxybenzone, octinoxate and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor. Neither carrying nor applying these sunscreens is allowed inside national parks. The Tourism Authority of Thailand advises visitors to check that the ingredients list contains none of them.
One operator states that reef-safe sunscreen is mandatory under national park rules. One travel blog says the island sits in the National Marine Park. Choose a sunscreen without those four chemicals for your koh lanta koh rok tour.
A towel appears on three lists, while one travel blog reports that the boat supplied them. Three listings advise a waterproof bag or dry bag, with one naming phones and wallets. One operator also advises a GoPro or waterproof phone case for underwater scenes.
Snorkel gear is covered. One travel review says all equipment, including fins, is included. Check each listing’s inclusions before you decide what to pack for a koh lanta koh rok tour.
One packing list also names medicine.
One listing calls the Andaman Sea rough and warns that the ride can be bumpy. It asks guests with a sensitive stomach to prepare a pill for seasickness. Pharmacists can recommend a treatment, according to the NHS.
The NHS gives these tips to reduce motion sickness on a boat.
- Pick a spot in the boat’s centre.
- Fix your eyes on one steady point ahead, for example the horizon.
- Do not look at moving objects, such as rolling waves.
- Leave books, films and electronic devices alone.
- Breathe fresh air if possible.
The NHS also advises avoiding alcohol, heavy meals and spicy foods shortly before or during travel. Keep that in mind at breakfast on the day of a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Is a koh lanta koh rok tour safe for children, weak swimmers and older travellers?
On a koh lanta koh rok tour, two operators list a life jacket, accident insurance and an English-speaking guide. Age and health limits differ by operator. One operator bars pregnant women and another bars children under four, so read your listing before you book.
One reviewer says the boat carried an ice box with cold water, life jackets, masks and a tube.
The same page names a professional skipper and an English-speaking tour guide. Ask about crew training before you pay for a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Weak swimmers do join these trips. One reviewer’s sister was a very bad swimmer, and the tour guide cared for her all tour. Another reviewer who cannot swim says the crew helped them into the water. On a koh lanta koh rok tour, tell the crew early if you swim poorly.
Water conditions need care. One dive centre says Koh Rok has little underwater current. One reviewer on a Koh Rok and Koh Haa trip warns of a current that is easy to miss. The same reviewer says strong waves and current made the catamaran crew move the snorkel stop.
Child rules differ by operator. One operator sets children at 4 to 11 years and adults at 12 to 70. Another says children and infants must stay with an adult at all times. One listing gives 4 as the minimum age. Check the age limit before you book a koh lanta koh rok tour for a family.
Health limits appear in the listings too. Anyone older than 70, or with back or neck trouble, is not advised by one operator to join. Another operator also lists other serious medical conditions. A third listing names high blood pressure, heart disease and bone diseases. It tells guests to consult the operator about specific health concerns.
Pregnancy has its own limit. One operator says no pregnant women are allowed for safety reasons. Another puts the same ban in capital letters. Two more operators only advise against joining while pregnant.
Mobility needs a check before you book. One listing says the trip is not wheelchair accessible. Ask how boarding works on your koh lanta koh rok tour if you have a mobility problem.
Operator insurance is basic. One operator lists accident insurance in its inclusions. Another lists basic travel accident insurance that covers injuries sustained only during the trip. It does not cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions. Read the cover details of your koh lanta koh rok tour. Then arrange your own travel insurance for anything beyond them.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand notes a Marine Department rule that requires life jackets for all boat passengers whenever aboard. The same list says port officials check operator licences and passenger numbers, so limits are not exceeded. Travellers are asked to always listen to the crew and so learn every safety instruction.
UK government travel advice warns that boats can sink or collide. It links accidents to overloading, poor maintenance and rough seas. Compare passenger limits before you book a koh lanta koh rok tour.
What formats does a koh lanta koh rok tour come in?
A koh lanta koh rok tour is either shared or private. One shared speedboat listing takes 15 to 45 guests and runs 7.5 hours. Private longtail listings take up to four people per boat.
A shared koh lanta koh rok tour is a group trip on one boat. One operator needs at least 15 guests before the trip runs. Operator pages and one traveller account name a speedboat as the vessel.
Day length differs between listings. GetYourGuide lists Koh Rok and Koh Haa trips from Koh Lanta. Lengths are 6, 7, 8 and 7.5 to 8.5 hours. The 7.5 to 8.5 hour listing and two 7-hour listings name a speedboat.
One listing runs with a Chinese-speaking guide and lasts 8 hours. A day trip that starts from Ao Nang runs 11 hours.
One six-hour listing for a koh lanta koh rok tour is a sunset trip. The boat cruises back to Koh Lanta at sunset. The listing says hotel pickup is included. It covers snorkelling at Koh Rok and Koh Haa. A second six-hour listing names three snorkelling spots.
Private groups have their own listings. GetYourGuide labels two Koh Rok day trips from Koh Lanta as a private group. Each runs 8 hours. One adds a forest hike and a beach clean-up to the snorkelling.
A private longtail koh lanta koh rok tour is the smallest format. One listing sets a maximum of four people per boat. It runs 8 hours, with an 8:30 am departure and a return trip at 4:30 pm.
A second private longtail listing says it is designed for small groups. It prices the boat per group, for up to four people. It estimates a 9 am departure and a total of around 6 hours.
One operator sells a Koh Rok trip and a Koh Ha and Koh Rok trip as separate products. It also lists a private charter. The page names three uses for it. These are exploring your own island, a day on the beach and a sunset cruise. It gives no group size or hours.
Divers have a format of their own. One Koh Lanta dive operator runs a Koh Rok trip by speedboat. Its page lists two or three dives in a day, depending on the group on the boat. Non-divers can join a koh lanta koh rok tour of this kind. They can snorkel, relax on the beach or walk around the island.
Group size, hours and the private label separate one format from another. GetYourGuide shows the hours on each listing and the private-group label where it applies.
Group limits differ between operators. One speedboat operator needs at least 12 people to run a trip. It calls the trip a speedboat shared with a small group. Another listing sets a maximum of 35 travellers.
A private longtail operator offers hotel pickup at 8:00 am. Its page calls Koh Rok a 2 hour journey over open ocean. On a private koh lanta koh rok tour, the choice is up to the guests. The page lists more snorkelling, a different beach and the Koh Rok Nok waterfall after rain.
How does a koh lanta koh rok tour differ from other boat trips from Koh Lanta?
A koh lanta koh rok tour has two snorkel stops and a beach lunch. The 4 Islands trip adds a swim through Emerald Cave. The Phi Phi trip adds Maya Bay, and the Koh Ma trip stays on two reefs.
Compare a koh lanta koh rok tour with the 4 Islands trip first. One operator lists hotel pickup from 8am to 9am and a return between 3:30pm and 4:30pm. That day lasts about 7.5 hours. GetYourGuide lists 4 Islands trips of 6 to 8.5 hours.
One operator lists four islands: Koh Mook, Koh Kradan, Koh Chuak and Koh Ngai. The boat reaches Emerald Cave on Koh Mook in under 30 minutes by speedboat. Another operator starts at Koh Kradan and ends at Koh Chuak. Stop order differs between operators.
Visitors swim the Emerald Cave tunnel in a life jacket with headlamps, as one operator describes it. Another operator puts the tunnel at about 100 yards long. It ends in a lagoon ringed by cliffs and forest.
One operator lists snorkelling over a shallow reef at Koh Kradan. Lunch is a Thai buffet there, followed by free time on the beach. Koh Ngai ends that day with an hour on the beach before the boat heads back to Koh Lanta. Another operator serves lunch on Koh Ngai instead.
Koh Kradan lies in Trang Province, while Koh Ngai is in Krabi Province. Koh Ngai has long white beaches. One operator notes that Koh Mook, home to the cave, is also part of Trang Province.
A koh lanta koh rok tour swaps the tunnel for snorkelling at Koh Rok Nok and the Koh Ha lagoon. Hat Chao Mai National Park controls the larger part of Koh Kradan. The Phi Phi Islands belong to the national park of Mu Ko Phi Phi joined with Hat Noppharat Thara.
Choose the Phi Phi trip over a koh lanta koh rok tour if Maya Bay is the goal. The bay lies on Ko Phi Phi Le. One operator’s day leaves Saladan pier at 9:00 am and returns around 4:00 pm.
That day stops at Maya Bay, Pileh Bay, Monkey Bay and Bamboo Island. Lunch is a Thai-style picnic buffet on Bamboo Island. GetYourGuide lists Phi Phi speedboat day trips of 7 to 9 hours.
A boat is not the only way to fill a day or night. The Ayutthaya tour from Bangkok guide shows what Bang Pa-In Royal Palace adds. For the stadiums that hold the fights, see Muay Thai tickets for Bangkok.
Maya Bay is closed between 1 August and 30 September each year for natural restoration. It reopens on 1 October. Tour programmes change during that closure. One operator lists the 4 Islands trip as not running from 1 July to 30 September.
Like a koh lanta koh rok tour, the Koh Ma trip has two snorkel stops. One guide describes two reef sites around Koh Ma and a boat ride of about 40 minutes.
The day also offers the Thung Yee Peng mangrove forest, with optional kayaking or a longtail boat ride. It lasts about 8 hours, and the group is limited to 15 travellers.
What else can you do on Koh Lanta besides a koh lanta koh rok tour?
Besides a koh lanta koh rok tour, Koh Lanta Yai offers Old Town, mangrove kayaking, beaches and a lighthouse walk. Old Town holds a street market on Saturdays and Sundays. The lighthouse stands on the headland at the southern tip.
Old Town lies roughly two thirds of the way down the east coast of Koh Lanta Yai. It has stilted wooden houses, Chinese shrines, a mosque, shops and waterfront restaurants. Early morning, before 8 am, is its quietest time.
The Old Town street market opens on Saturdays and Sundays. Visitors find street food, local produce, handmade goods and souvenirs. One listing advises bringing cash, because card payments are not taken at every stall. Hours can change on Thai public holidays. Pick a weekend day with no koh lanta koh rok tour booked.
Wikivoyage lists the mangrove forests and caves on the east side of Koh Lanta as an option for kayaking. One guide lists two-person kayak rental at Thung Yee Peng. One tour listing offers a four-hour mangrove trip with hotel pickup, a guide, kayak equipment and a life jacket.
The listing highlights wild birds, mudskippers and lizards. It adds a visit to a fish farm, where you see the daily life of locals. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed. A four-hour kayak trip leaves the next day open for a koh lanta koh rok tour.
The main beaches lie on the western shores of the island. One guide calls it long, flat and convenient for families. A rocky reef along Klong Khong makes swimming difficult, but the beach suits sunset watching.
Kantiang Bay is a sheltered horseshoe bay with fewer hotels than the northern beaches. Long Beach, also called Phra Ae, has beach bars. Use a beach for a rest day between a koh lanta koh rok tour and the next trip.
Beside the compact white lighthouse, the point has a short stretch of sand on both sides. One guide says the final stretch of road is steep and rough, and worse in rain.
A short trail leads toward the lighthouse at Laem Tanod. One guide advises shoes with grip, because parts of the lighthouse path are uneven and slippery. Long-tailed macaques live around the headquarters and are bold about food. Plan the walk for a day apart from your koh lanta koh rok tour.
Khao Mai Kaew Caves sit down a narrow 1.5 km dirt path through rubber plantations. The path starts just off the lower of the two cross-island roads. Klong Jaak Waterfall is a spot to cool down in fresh water. A poorly marked trail leads up to it from Klong Jaak Beach.
One school on the island holds evening Thai and fusion cooking classes right on the beach. Wikivoyage also says the island’s forests are suitable for hiking. These land activities fill the days around a koh lanta koh rok tour.
What history lies behind a koh lanta koh rok tour?
A koh lanta koh rok tour starts from an island with a long story. The Urak Lawoi sea people live there. Chinese traders shaped Old Town on the east coast, and it was the island’s first port.
Your koh lanta koh rok tour booking carries the island’s name, and that name has more than one story. The island was once known as Pulao Satak, a Malay name for Long Beach Island. Later, Thai Buddhist and Muslim settlers arrived. The island became known as the island of “a million eyes”, or lan ta in Thai.
The origin is unclear. One source traces the name to the Javanese word lantas, a type of grill for fish. The island’s name was officially changed to Lanta in nineteen hundred and seventeen. The district was set up in December nineteen hundred and one.
The Urak Lawoi are an Austronesian people, called sea gypsies, or chao leh in Thai. Their language is closely related to Malay but influenced by Thai. One travel source says they arrived on Lanta more than 500 years ago. It adds that no written records confirm their origin.
The Urak Lawoi are traditionally nomads who roam the sea. Lanta is an exception to that way of life. They have a village, Baan Sang Ka U, on the southeast coast. A koh lanta koh rok tour spends the day on the water. The Urak Lawoi keep close ties with the sea.
The Urak Lawoi hold the Loy Ruea boat-floating ceremony twice a year. It falls at the full moons of the sixth and eleventh lunar months. Families place offerings and personal items in a small wooden boat. These items stand for bad luck that leaves with the boat. A boat that returns to shore is believed to foretell misfortune.
Old Town, locally called Ban Si Raya, is the original settlement of Koh Lanta Yai. Arab and Chinese trading boats stopped there on runs between Phuket, Penang and Singapore. Chinese settlers from Fujian arrived about two hundred years ago. They burned mangrove charcoal and traded it in Penang and Singapore for sugar, salt and household goods.
Chinese merchants ran the shops in Old Town. Muslim families fished, and Thai Buddhists settled alongside them. The Urak Lawoi made their homes along the coast. In the rural parts of the district, the majority of residents are Muslim.
Old Town was the district seat. The boats moved to Saladan in the north, and tourism moved to the west coast. Old Town was left much as it was. A koh lanta koh rok tour needs a port. Saladan is now the main town and port, at the northern tip.
Old Town’s wooden stilt houses reach out over the water. Early settlers built long terraces over the sea to hang fishing nets. The old district office, more than a hundred years old, now holds a small museum. It shows a traditional fishing boat, whale bone, old photographs and a section on the two thousand and four tsunami.
Whichever koh lanta koh rok tour you pick, the island’s heritage comes from Chinese traders, sea gypsies and Malay-speaking Muslims.
What does a GetYourGuide koh lanta koh rok tour package include?
The main koh lanta koh rok tour on GetYourGuide is a Koh Rok and Koh Haa snorkel trip. It lasts 7.5 to 8.5 hours and includes a lunch buffet. Travellers have left 703 reviews averaging 4.7, and free cancellation applies.
The listing is titled “Koh Lanta: Koh Rok & Koh Haa Snorkel Tour with Lunch Buffet”. Its highlights name a speedboat ride from Koh Lanta with hotel transfers. They also name snorkelling over coral reefs with clownfish, and a buffet lunch on the beach. The route visits Koh Haa and Koh Rok.
The listing also states a weather rule. Read that line before you confirm a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Two more listings name Koh Lanta in the title. “Koh Lanta: Koh Rok and Koh Haa Snorkeling Adventure” runs 8 hours and averages 4.3 across 70 reviews. “Ko Lanta: Snorkeling Adventure Tour to Koh Rok and Koh Haa” runs 7 hours. It also averages 4.3, across 151 reviews.
“Ko Lanta: Koh Rok & Koh Haa Snorkelling Tour by Speedboat” lasts 7 hours and averages 4.5 across 44 reviews. The “From Koh Lanta: Koh Rok and Koh Ha Day Tour – Queen of Andaman” listing lasts 6 hours. It has 43 reviews averaging 4.4. Check the hours of every koh lanta koh rok tour you shortlist.
“Ko Lanta: Koh Rok & Koh Haa Andaman Gems Snorkeling Tour” lasts 7 hours and has six reviews. “Koh Lanta: Private Koh Rok Snorkeling Experience” lasts 8 hours and carries a Private group label. “Koh Lanta: Koh Rok Eco-Adventure with Snorkeling” also lasts 8 hours with that label. These last two show no rating.
Two more titles show no rating. One names a Chinese-speaking guide and lasts 8 hours. The other, “Koh Rok & Koh Haa Lagoon Snorkeling Sunset Tour”, lasts 6 hours.
Notice periods differ between listings. Each of the six rated Koh Lanta listings wants a booking 10 hours or more before the start. The private experience and the Chinese-speaking guide listing ask for 3 hours. The Eco-Adventure asks for 15 minutes. Check the notice line before you plan a koh lanta koh rok tour for tomorrow.
Two listings name Ao Nang in the title instead. “Krabi Ao Nang: Koh Rok & Koh Haa Snorkelling Day Trip + Lunch” lasts 12 hours. It averages 4.7 across 14 reviews. “Ao Nang: Koh Rok and Koh Ha Islands Snorkeling Day Trip” lasts 11 hours, with 12 reviews averaging 4.9.
One more title names Krabi instead. “Krabi: Rok & Haa Islands Tour by Speedboat & Buffet Lunch” lasts 10 hours and has three reviews.
On every Koh Rok listing named here, the widget shows both a Pickup available tag and a Free cancellation tag. The widget data separates them by review count, hours and start point. The 703-review listing has the biggest review count among them. Use it as the baseline for any koh lanta koh rok tour.
Which other questions do people raise about a koh lanta koh rok tour?
A koh lanta koh rok tour raises questions about booking, cancelling, jellyfish, drones, tipping and vaping. Three operator pages set the free cancellation limit at 24 hours before departure. Thailand bans e-cigarettes. Tipping is not the norm.
Can you book only Koh Rok or only Koh Haa?
Wikivoyage says the majority of operators sell Koh Haa and Koh Rok only as one day tour. It adds that a dive shop can focus on one island. The line sits under snorkelling in its Ko Lanta guide. Check which islands your listing names before you pay.
Can you book a koh lanta koh rok tour after you reach Koh Lanta?
One travel blogger advises booking after you arrive on Koh Lanta, because the operator’s website was not working. The blogger adds that you can buy in advance, for example on GetYourGuide. You probably pay a bit more, but you guarantee a spot.
How late can you cancel a koh lanta koh rok tour for free?
Three operator pages set the limit at 24 hours before departure. One of them says the refund is minus payment fees. A private longtail operator says deposits are non-refundable if you cancel. Before paying, find the cancellation terms shown on your listing.
Are there jellyfish around Koh Lanta?
Wikivoyage warns that jellyfish can appear, especially between late January and April. The warning sits in its snorkelling section for Ko Lanta and names no single beach. Ask your guide about jellyfish before you swim on a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Can you bring a drone along on the trip?
Thailand’s tourism authority (TAT) states that each drone must carry NBTC registration. CAAT registration is needed as well for camera drones. Before they fly, TAT tells visitors to look up the national park requirements. Violations can bring fines, prison or confiscation. Ask your operator before you pack a drone for a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Do you tip the crew or the guide?
Tips are rare in Thailand, according to Wikivoyage, and Thai people do not leave them. A service charge, where one applies, stands in for the tip, so do not add one. That is general advice, so check your listing for a koh lanta koh rok tour.
Can you smoke or vape on the boat?
Under Thai law vaping is banned, the TAT reports. E-cigarettes and shisha are banned, and visitors are told not to bring them. It lists public parks and Thai beaches among the outdoor no-smoking places. Tourists in guided tour groups must follow these rules. Its page names no boats or islands, so ask your operator.
What does Koh mean in the island names?
Wikipedia lists Koh as a Thai word meaning island, found in the names of Thai islands. Its article on the island writes Ko Lanta Yai and translates it as Big Lanta Island. Wikivoyage writes Ko Lanta, Ko Rok and Ko Haa.
Is the TV show Koh-Lanta filmed on this island?
Wikipedia calls Koh-Lanta a French reality game show based on the international Survivor format. It says the title is also the name of the first season’s filming location. That location was Ko Lanta Yai, Thailand. Its article on the island says the show is named after the island.