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Things to do on Koh Lanta: Island Life as a Digital Nomad

I've been on the island of Koh Lanta in Southern Thailand now for exactly 3 weeks and it's pretty crazy how much I've been up to. In this post I wanted to share what daily life as a digital nomad is like on the islands, what cool stuff there is to do while you're on vacation, and why Koh Lanta is the perfect place to escape to for a month or two each year.

With fast, reliable internet, a good community of other location independent entrepreneurs, a world class beach, and some of the world's best scuba diving, why wouldn't you come here? Here's my mega list of things to do on Koh Lanta, and why you should make it a priority to spend 4-6 weeks on the island this year!





Where is Koh Lanta



One of the things that makes life on Lanta so special is the location. Since it's a it out of the way, it only attracts long term/slow travelers who intend to spend a few weeks here and there instead of easier to get to, more touristy hot spots such as Phuket, Krabi or Bangkok.

Also because Koh Lanta is the southernmost island in Thailand it has access to untouched pristine day trip spots like Ko Ha, and some of the best dive sites in the world. 

If you want to see my full guide on how to get to Koh Lanta, where to stay, what to eat, and more, check out "Johnny's Guide to Koh Lanta for Digital Nomads." it's free!



koh lanta map



Scuba Diving on Koh Lanta



Aside from the legendary Similan islands which are reached only by 3+ day liveaboards, Koh Lanta has the best diving in Thailand at legendary spots like Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. I've been to both and in my opinion the two areas are on par, with the sites off of Lanta having an advantage that they can be reached on day trips.

Here's a kick ass video that my buddy Ian Robinson and his wife Veronica filmed and edited during our most recent scuba diving trip here on Koh Lanta.








Best Dive Sites on Koh Lanta



For beginners, as in those who have never dived before or are just learning, the two best dive sites are Koh Ha, which means 5 islands, and Koh Bida. You can also take day trips to Koh Phi Phi which are very good as well. The only dive sites off of Koh Lanta that absolutely suck and should be avoided are Koh Rok.

For advanced divers, the best dive sites are a pair of pinnacles called Hin Daeng and Hin Muang which are a 3-4 hour boat ride away from the island but can be reached during a day trip from the island and is a must do if you have your advanced diving license.

Here's video from my dive trip there last year where we got to swim with Giant Oceanic Manta rays!






Fishing on Koh Lanta



Working on eco friendly dive resorts for 3+ years I became a huge advocate of not eating fish or seafood as I saw how unsustainable commercial fishing has become in the past 10 years or so. I've seen first hand the damage to coral reefs, fish populations and the environment overfishing has caused.

But what I've learned is traditional rod and reel fishing is not only sustainable, but should be encouraged as it's the livelihood and tradition of local fisherman and great for tourism.

When you buy fish or seafood from supermarkets or most restaurants, you are buying commercially caught fish which is sourced through methods like commercial longline fishing, bottom trawling or even worse, crazy things like dynamite fishing or even more insane, cyanide fishing.

Using traditional methods of sustainable fishing like rod and reel are becoming harder and harder as fish populations are being destroyed by the commercial industry. So I encourage everyone to either catch their own fish, support local fisherman like Captain Hab with Petchinda Fishing here on Koh Lanta, find him through a local travel company when you get to Koh Lanta.




Dirt Bike Riding 


One of the coolest things I've done in my life and in 7 years in Thailand has been dirt bike riding. We went with Dirt Ride Lanta and had a great experience. My only warning is to make sure you wear long socks when riding as I got a blister on my ankle in the boots which took 2 weeks to heal as it's easily infected. 

Other than that the guide was incredible, the bikes were in good condition, and they supplied basics like gloves, a helmet, long sleeve shirts and pants. There was no armor given but we were fine without it. 




Other Activities on Koh Lanta

Most people just rent a scooter to drive up and down the island exploring scheduled beaches, the deserted northern island, or the national park all the way to the south.

But you can also go caving, walk rescue dogs on the beach, watch epic sunsets, and do yoga. If you want to know more about the island, read my guide to Koh Lanta here. 

For me, as a digital nomad, I spend most of my days working on my online businesses from a coworking space on the island, and saving trips like the ones above for the weekends. It makes it possible for me to make a U.S. wage while living on beautiful places like Koh Lanta or mountain towns like Chiang Mai in the year round without running out of money.

This is how I've been on vacation for the past 8 years!  If you want to read more about how I got started, check out my first book, 12 Weeks in Thailand: The Good Life on the Cheap.




Hope everyone is doing well! Come join the movement of location independent entrepreneurs! 
Read my latest book Life Changes Quick to see how I finally figured it all out!



Warm Regards,

Johnny


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Post a Comment

  1. Can't wait to get out there, I'll be making the move end of Summer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice to hear that Brian! You're going to love it! Just make sure you use these next few months to get your passive income up and running before then as it's easier to start when you're in your home time zones!

      Delete
    2. Haha yup I've basically locked myself in my house working 14 hour days to get my passive income to where I need it to be.

      Delete
    3. Good move buddy! Let us know how it goes and when it starts coming in!

      Delete
  2. For beach lovers (like I am) would you recommend Koh Lanta or Koh Phangan?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you like the beaches to yourself Koh Lanta as if you get a scooter you can find some really nice beaches without many people on it. If you want to party or have more people around then Koh Phangan.

      Delete

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