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  1. #1
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    RhinoTusk's Avatar
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    Pimalai Resort, Ko Lanta

    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.




    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.




    ...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.



    Another driver was awaiting in a minibus for the final half-hour journey to the resort, I arrived at 1 PM.






    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




    I booked one of the cheap rooms.




    My room didn't come with a private pool, didn't even have a sea view, unless you looked through the trees.



    The resort consists of 120 units and spans 100 acres








    The Spa had a 999 baht special, normally 2500, but I didn't get around to trying it.



    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.






    Food was good but expensive. Ink jet pasta with clams, grated cheese, 415++



    Lamb kebabs, 495++



    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.







    The hillside estate featured the Infinity Pool, beach side also had a pool but I swam in the sea.






    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.







    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.





    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.




    It was the Drunken Sailors Coffeehouse







    I had the calamari burger with fries for 190 baht




    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.




    NEXT STOP: Lo Lipe

    https://teakdoor.com/southern-thaila...ing-covid.html (Ko Lipe during COVID)

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat
    strigils's Avatar
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    RH you are not helping my plight stuck in the freezing UK, another nice report with some lovely pictures.

    Quote Originally Posted by RhinoTusk View Post
    Food was good but expensive. Ink jet pasta with clams, grated cheese, 415++
    Did you lift the typo from the menu or is it really Ink Jet, Cyrille will be along with something more witty shortly.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by RhinoTusk View Post
    There's no bridge connecting the islands, you queue at the car ferry to cross the channel.
    Forgive my intrusion, for the ones who do not know exactly, in order not to be scared too much, clarifying the bridge(s):

    There is no bridge (yet) from the mainland to the Koh Lanta Islands, but there is a bridge connecting the Kho Lanta Noi (the first one from the mainland) and Kho Lanta Yai (the one where most of the resorts are).

    When I was there some 7 years ago, the bridge was in construction, however, the transfer was surprisingly well organized. With buying the first transfer, the second shorter one (between the islands) was included and forwarded without delay (picture).
    Pimalai Resort, Ko Lanta-1307190028-jpg



    Now the bridge is there for all:
    Pimalai Resort, Ko Lanta-bridge-kho-lanta-jpg



    And as I learned there is a plan to connect the islands with mainland, so no longer any ferry needed (not sure whether it is the latest status):

    The long touted bridge between Koh Lanta Yai and Noi hasn’t had the opportunity yet to even gain a couple of potholes and already Lanta is being promised ‘Koh Lanta Bridge2’. This newly approved bridge will connect the Lanta Islands to the Krabi mainland. We ask, “is this a good thing?”

    ---

    Approved by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom, the 1.5 km bridge is expected to be completed by 2023 and will cost in the region of 800M Thai Baht or just a shade over $23M USD. This follows the completion of the first bridge, which connected the Lanta Noi and Yai Islands in April 2016, which removed the need for one of the two ferry journeys of the past.
    Koh Lanta Bridge #2 - Connected to Mainland (LANTA ISLAND PROPERTY NEWSLETTER) - Shamballa Pool VillasShamballa Pool Villas

  4. #4
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    Klondyke's Avatar
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    Herewith another - fresher - info about the planned bridge:
    Progress on bridge to connect Koh Lanta with mainland

  5. #5
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