February 21st, 2004 | The lowdown by Gordon Candelin

Come Chill with Me

If you have managed to survive the swiss-family-robinson-treehouse-on ectasy vibe of over-priced, over-developed Ko Phi Phi Island, or, if you are one of the lucky ones who managed to avoid it all together, Ko Lanta Yai Island is a great alternative.

Relaxed, friendly and cheap, Lanta Yai island is an endangered species in an increasingly touristy thailand. While it doesn't match Phi Phi island for sheer beauty, it more than makes up for it in tropical chill out. There are a number of guesthouses along the beaches that offer basic accomodations from $5 and up, and the further down the coast you go, the cheaper and more basic it becomes. But basic isn't all that bad, and there is still plenty to do.

One guest house worth checking out is the Lanta New Beach - run by a family of Thais, the rooms are clean and cheap (around $7) and right on the beach. There is also a swimming pool, which to my bafflement was used more than the pristine, beautiful beach about 15 feet away.

The thing really worth checking out is the bar, which is run by probably the coolest thai guys on the Island - Trai, Rasta and a few others who take turns pouring drinks, cooking up the fresh fish brought in daily, or showing like minded travellers some of the off-the-beaten-path highlights of the island. Stick around long enough and they are bound to start buying you the drinks.