Baan Laanta Resort & Spa

The mid-range Baan Laanta Resort & Spa doesn’t look like much from the outside; the exterior has a residential feel and isn't particularly polished. There is parking available, but guests should be aware that it isn't paved. Guests enter the property through a small entryway into an airy lobby where there is a small front desk. Most of the charm of this resort is in its garden bungalows and in its stone-walled swimming swimming pool. The lush garden area, elegant dark wood bungalows, and serene pool are all a short flight of steps away from the sandy beach. There is a beachside restaurant with simple wood decor; the sea is less than 100 feet away from this space, complete with a bar. Overall this is a small, low-key resort, popular with guests looking for a quiet beach staff. The staff to guest ratio is quite high, ensuring high marks for service. 

Baan Laanta Resort is located on Kantiang Beach in the far south of the island. It’s a long drive (about 25 minutes) from the ferry pier and Saladan town in the north, but in exchange guests have access to one of the island’s quieter beaches and are far from the crowds. There is a decent selection of restaurants and bars in the small Kantiang village that is right behind the resort, so transport isn't really necessary, though parking is available on-site. There is a national park about five miles down the road at the island’s southern end. The resort is accessed via a small paved side road just off the main road south. It’s quiet here, although nearby beach bars do liven things up considerably in high season. Kantiang Beach is not the best on Koh Lanta, but it isn’t overly built up, and is sheltered enough to offer decent swimming.

There are only two room categories at Baan Laanta -- Sea View and Deluxe Pool villas -- and bungalow interiors are the same; the only difference is the view, either a view of the pool or an extra fee for views of the sea and beach. Bungalows feature fine dark wood exteriors and red tiled roofs, with tiled floors and wood furniture inside, plus rattan chairs. Each room has a desk, a day bed, traditional Thai cushions on a bamboo mat for lounging, a floor table, plus beds with thick mattresses, which face out the large front windows and have large well-kept mosquito nets adorning them. Modern amenities include small flat-screen TVs, DVD players, safes, mini-fridges, and electric kettles. The rooms are spacious, but the amenities and style do not make up for the fact that air-conditioning only cools off the beds and not the rest of the room due to its positioning, plus the Wi-Fi signal can be poor. Basic bathrooms have showers but no tubs. 

Baan Lanta Resort has an on-site restaurant, the Bay Front, with an excellent location right down on the beach. This relaxed space is set on a wooden deck right over the sand; both Thai and international specialties are served here, plus free breakfasts. There is also a funky bar here, the Aqua, which has wooden stools, beanbag cushions, and long wooden benches with cushions to chill out on as the sun goes down. The resort also has a pleasant pool, set in a garden, with small elephant statues spouting water, and there is a small children’s section at one end. For massage treatments, the resort has a small spa as well, and there is an in-house travel agency that can arrange tours, car and motorbike rentals, and excursions, plus there is a dive shop at the hotel as well, for planning undersea trips and certification. The resort provides free transport from the ferry pier, as well as a free shuttle service to and from the main town and pier every day. Wi-Fi is free, but the signal is poor throughout.