Crown Lanta Resort & Spa – The Crown of Ko Lanta

Closing my eyes and holding my breath, I am floating. 10 hours it has been, from long tail boats to minivans to buses to being stranded in the middle of nowhere. Let it go. I feel the stress departing from my body via my fingers and my toes. I open my eyes and I am surrounded, suspended, in my very own deep blue expedition. I rise above the surface and move towards the edge, my glance fixed far away in the distance. Waves traveling from as far as the eye can see, crashing down on the rocks right below.

Ko Lanta is one of the least crowded tourist destinations in Thailand, which works fantastically in your favour if you’re planning on visiting. A beautiful island town located about a 3 hour drive from Krabi, it is truly paradise for people wanting to get away from it all. It mainly attracts two types of people. For the ones seeking solitude, with the opportunity to discover the raw natural beauty of Thailand, without hordes of tourists flashing selfie sticks in their faces. For the ones seeking adventure, with diving shops lined up along the Saladan pier, waiting to take these adventure seekers to swim with the infamous whale sharks which inhabit the waters not too far off the coasts. And located right at the top edge on its very own peninsula, is the pride of Ko Lanta, the majestic Crown Lanta Resort & Spa, one of the best Koh Lanta hotels.

If the drive was not fun enough already, our van has literally been ferried on a wooden raft, across the body of water separating this charming little island from the mainland. ‘Welcome to Ko Lanta’, says the sign at the Saladan pier. Just a few minutes to the west of the pier, and passing by dozens of diving shops and local markets, emerges the Crown Lanta Resort & Spa. We have finally arrived at the impressive lobby area, but what really has blown us away are the staff, and how hands on they have been. As soon as we enter, the General Manager of the hotel is right there in person, making sure everything is in place and greeting the guests personally since it is check in time. The entire staff’s interactions with the incoming guests, and especially the hotel staff truly give out a sense of how much they care about what they do. We even see a recent picture of the entire hotel staff and their managers out together to celebrate the work they do and having fun, and this attitude is seen in their own interactions with each other. It is truly a rare sight to see a group of people working so well together towards a common goal, and it is truly a testament to Crown Lanta’s values. There has never been a better way to spend time waiting in the lobby.

We are on our way to our room and this Ko Lanta resort is spectacularly huge! No one can realise the scale of how big this place is, until they are hauled across the length of it in the hotel car. I guess that is one of the reasons why the location of your room is very important, and ours is spot on perfect, right in walking distance of the spa and the infamous Reggae Bar. Our room is the ocean view pool villa and is absolutely amazing. Right from the vibrant decor to the emphasis on big open spaces, it feels new and modern. But the show stealer here is the private pool balcony combo overlooking the cliff with panoramic views of the Andaman sea. This unique combination of untouched natural beauty and man made artistry floored us and is truly a jewel in the Crown, but definitely not the only one.

We spent the evening away in our personal oasis, staring away into the distance as time flew by, bringing nightfall with it. As we step out, the dimly lit streets and pavements of the resort give it a vibe of a world within itself. We walk along a path lit by actual flaming torches directing us towards the dinner area, which is magnificently set up under the night sky. The dinner buffet is set up extravagantly. We are greeted by a traditional Thai dance performance, followed by a fire show which perfectly set the tone for a dinner to remember for the two of us.

It is around 8 am in the morning and we are up early. Cannot sleep in when there is so much to look forward to and so much to explore. So, breakfast is served at the cliff and boy does this place do justice to its name. Instead of taking the resort car, we decide to walk which is turning into a hike, but the views at the top of the ‘cliff’ make it all worth it, not to mention the amazing breakfast spread. Breathtaking panoramic 360 views all around, all of Ko Lanta can be seen. Nothing is run off the mill here, in a good way. This Koh Lanta hotel is a world of its own and there are unique experiences all over the property, provided you can cover all of it.

And speaking of unique experiences, one of the highlights of the Crown Lanta Resort & Spa, is their very own private beach. Down the staircase right next to the pool bar, this quaint little beach is just perfect for us since we have the entire beach to ourselves. The resort provides beach chairs and towels for people who want to use the beach and the water is clear blue and pristine, and is perfect for a nice swim break in the sea. Invigorated, we plan to spend our afternoon at the pool bar area, which seems perfect to cool off after our morning at the beach. Some beer and coconut, in the pool, under the hot sun, and cotton candy skies looks like a great way to spend our afternoon.

Having ten days of traveling behind us and feeling it, our eyes brighten up as we see what’s in front of us as we step out of the pool. This is going to be great. The infinity spa, located right next to the pool bar and the beach entrance, is the resident spa of Crown Lanta Resort & Spa, and has some of the most wonderful people working here. The staff at this resort has truly been a touch above the rest and the spa is where this attitude truly shines. Our tired muscles needed some pampering and we indulged into a couples aromatherapy massage. One hour passes, and so do all our problems. We feel new and rejuvenated. The therapists and the spa staff truly are a class apart and brilliant at their job. They know how to pamper you. At the end of our service, we receive their delicious special tea that is just perfect at this time. As we finish the entire pot, we find out another spot has opened up for about five in the evening, and our appointments are booked.

We just finished another session at the spa, but we don’t have much time. The sun sets in twenty minutes and we need to rush. Everyone has told us about this place, including the managers and staff to check it out during sunset. With about ten minutes to go, we finally make it to the best bar in Koh Lanta, the infamous Reggae Bar at the Crown Lanta Resort & Spa. This is by far one of the best sunset bars we have ever been to in our life. Right from the personalised ‘cabana-ish’ seating to their post-sunset happy hour offerings made us have the time of our lives. They even have the unlimited snack bar on certain nights, which can take care of your evening snack needs on a budget. The sunset happens right from your private cabana, with waves crashing just a few feet from your feet and a delicious offering of cocktails and mocktails on offer, make this a truly delightful experience. We were even rewarded with a live fire show organized by the resort after sunset. Even if you’re not staying at the Crown and are in the Ko Lanta area, definitely give this place a shot because it is absolutely mind-blowing. It is truly a gem of a place and another priceless jewel in the Crown.

Ko Lanta in itself has been a remarkable discovery in our travels. We end our week long Krabi adventure with a bang, with a place worthy of its name. Crown Lanta Resort & Spa has been one of the most unique experiences we may have had yet. The amazing Reggae Bar, a heavenly spa experience, drop dead gorgeous views, amazing accommodation setups, the emphasis on providing unique experiences and especially the people contribute as precious, priceless jewels worthy of a crown. The Crown of Ko Lanta.

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