Thailand and Koh Lanta Travel Information

Koh Lanta & Thailand: Visa, Religion, Currency and more...

Thai Visa

On arrival at Thai immigration you will receive a free stamp in your passport that will allow you to stay up to 30 days if you arrived on an international flight, or 15 days if you entered Thailand through a land border.

Longer visas and double or multiple entries are available at the Thai embassy in your home country before arrival.

Thai Currency

The local currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht. Most hotels, larger restaurants and shops accept the major credit cards, some will even accept US$ and Euros, however on Koh Lanta, most businesses are small, family operated and many do not accept credit cards, so it is handy to have local money in your pocket.

There are many ATM machines available throughout Koh Lanta, accepting most major bank, debit and credit cards from around the world, however American Express is not accepted at any ATMs or bank/currency exchange on Koh Lanta.

Bartering is a very common habit in Thailand, but when prices are displayed or there is a price-tag, the price is non-negotiable. If you have to barter, a few words of Thai and a big smile can bring the prices down by 20-30%.

Timezone

Local time is 5 hours ahead of Europe in summertime (6 hours ahead of England), and 6 hours ahead of Europe, the rest of the year. Thailand has no daylight savings period.

Electricity

The standard electricity in Thailand runs at 220 Volt 50 Hz. It might be wise to bring your own adaptor plugs, as adaptors are sometimes hard to find outside the main tourist areas. The power supply on Koh Lanta is generally very good, however there are occasional power-cuts, but these usually last less than an hour.

Health

Thailand's hospitals are excellent in the mayor tourist areas with the most modern equipment. On the islands the hospitals can be a little bit more basic, but the necessary medications will be available. Pharmacies are very good and will have most of the medications you will be looking for.

All the ice and bottled drinking water is manufactured by the government-regulated facilities and are safe for consummation. Tap water is in general safe for brushing your teeth but not for consummation. Make sure you drink a lot of bottled water to prevent dehydration. Even though most of the country is free of cholera, malaria and other serious diseases, check if your vaccinations are up-to-date. For divers it would be wise to have a medical check up before you leave your country (this is not mandatory).

Language

Thai is the official language in Thailand although many Thais who work in the tourist industry speak some English. Make sure you speak slowly and clearly without difficult words and you will be perfectly understood. If you are able to speak a few words of Thai you will find the locals even friendlier. Thai people believe that the least we can do for each other is to smile and be polite, so stay friendly and resolve misunderstandings with humour and a large smile and you will have a great time.

Dress Code

Koh Lanta has a relaxed attitude towards dress codes; shorts, t-shirts and bikinis are accepted. Although when visiting temples or religious places, shoulders and knees should be covered. On the public beaches, topless sunbathing is not considered polite. Thai people remove their shoes before entering someone's house and even when entering some shops. If you see some shoes standing outside, it is polite to remove your own as well.

Government & Religion

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy led by King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The Royal Family has earned the love and respect of the entire nation and is held in the highest esteem. Visitors to the country are expected to treat the Royal Family with respect. Nearly all Thais (85%) are Buddhists. A small percentage (4%) are Muslim and some are Christians, Hindus or Confucians. Tolerance towards religion is symbolized by the fact that the King is the Protector of All Faiths. On Ko Lanta, 96% of the local Thai people are Muslim, with the majority of the rest being Buddhist and there is a large population of mainly Buddhist seasonal workers on Koh Lanta from northern Thailand.

Get picked up in style from your resort each morning! Book any Multi-Day Diving Package online, and where possible, we will send our speedboat to your resort in the morning to pick you up from the beach, returning you by speedboat directly to your resort again in the afternoon, completely free of charge. If you plan to stay at a resort on Long Beach (Phra Ae), Klong Dao beach, or Kaw Kwang beach then please ask us about our free speedboat transfers.

The diving and snorkeling sites around Koh Lanta provide an outstanding habitat for over 200 different coral species and over 400 fish species. With everything from turtles, sharks, and schools of giant trevally cruising the reefs, to coral groupers, trumpet fish, angel fish, butterfly fish, schools of snapper, lion fish, damsel fish, blennies, clown fish, seahorses, nudibranchs, ghost pipe fish and many more. The Andaman Sea truly is a photographers paradise.

With the chance to see manta rays and whale sharks at the world famous Hin Daeng & Hin Muang, Koh Lanta is a divers paradise. Add Koh Phi Phi. the Bida Islands, Koh Haa, King Cruiser wreck, Shark Point & Anemone Reef, and there is plenty here to keep you diving Koh Lanta for a week or more...

Experienced or first-time underwater photographer? Rent a camera or bring your own and learn how to capture those stunning professional shots often seen in magazines on our 1 day, 2 dive photography workshop at one of the stunning coral reefs in the Andaman Sea.

Dive & Relax PADI Resort offers PADI Scuba diving courses for both beginners and experienced divers. For beginners, we offer a one-day, 2 dive Discover Scuba Diving experience, and for those wanting an internationally recognised scuba diving qualification, we offer the 3 to 4 day PADI Open Water Diver course. Of course, we also offer PADI Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver and Divemaster courses.

Dive & Relax offer 10% discount on all Multi-Day Dive Packages and PADI Courses booked online. Book a dive package, or a PADI Course with us online and not only will we give you a 10% discount, we can also arrange a 10% discount on your Beach Bungalow with one of the resorts we recommend to our guests. Simply send us an enquiry and we'll put a package together for you.