I originally booked a speedboat from Ko Phi Phi to Ko Lanta but this was cancelled due to the pandemic, so I changed my ticket to Klong Jilad Pier in Krabi. The resort offered a free transfer service from/to Krabi airport, impressive considering it's two hours away. The resort informed me they could pick me up at the pier for a 650 baht fee.
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My driver was waiting with a minibus when my ferry arrived at 11 AM. Ko Lanta consists of several islands, the largest being Ko Lanta Noi and Ko Lanta Yai, where the tourist activity is. When people refer to "Ko Lanta", they usually mean Ko Lanta Yai, an island about 30 km long and 6 km wide. There's no bridge connecting the islands, you queue at the car ferry to cross the channel.
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...UNLESS you're a guest at the Pimalai Resort and Spa, which operates a high-speed jetty. The boatman was waiting for my arrival and I was the only passenger. It took 5 minutes to cross the channel, I should have brought my water skis.
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Another driver was awaiting in a minibus for the final half-hour journey to the resort, I arrived at 1 PM.
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The Pimalai is very popular for sea view villas with private pools nestled in mountainside, ten to twenty thousand baht per night.
Pimalai Resort and Spa
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I booked one of the cheap rooms.
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My room didn't come with a private pool, didn't even have a sea view, unless you looked through the trees.
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The resort consists of 120 units and spans 100 acres
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The Spa had a 999 baht special, normally 2500, but I didn't get around to trying it.
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There were two happy hours, buy one and get one free. Drinks were 320++, so I only drank during happy hours, but I can put down a lot of mango daiquiris in two hours.
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Food was good but expensive. Ink jet pasta with clams, grated cheese, 415++
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Lamb kebabs, 495++
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Breakfast was included, served up the mountain in the Seven Seas Restaurant with stunning views of the bay. You were transported from the lobby in a golf cart. They offered a choice of eggs benedict, I opted for smoked salmon and loaded up on the cheddar cheese. They also serve dinner at the Seven Seas, but with a dress code, and I didn't bring anything appropriate to wear.
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The hillside estate featured the Infinity Pool, beach side also had a pool but I swam in the sea.
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I was the only person using Ba Kan Trian Beach in front of the resort, except for the attendant who brought me a glass of ice water every 20 minutes. That's the service you receive at this resort.
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The beach was clean but the sea was rough and I took a pounding at first, but 80 meters out was over my head and no whitewater.
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I only left the property once, because who can afford to eat at the Pimalai every day? I walked down the road for 20 minutes until I found something open.
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It was the Drunken Sailors Coffeehouse
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I had the calamari burger with fries for 190 baht
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Next morning a few hours before checkout, I was enjoying the great view at breakfast and thinking about how my stay couldn't have been more pleasant, when the staff came over with a piece of cake and started singing "Happy Birthday". They must have taken notice from my passport when I checked-in. It's these little things that make all the difference in making you feel special.
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NEXT STOP: Lo Lipe
https://teakdoor.com/southern-thaila...ing-covid.html
