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Get around Koh Lanta
 The
main road which loops around the island is paved with cement. Some roads are
unpaved dirt. Most of the unpaved roads are in very bad condition with deep
ruts; some would be very difficult to negotiate in an ordinary sedan car. It's
worth knowing the names of the resorts near yours: both the pickup trucks and
motorcycle taxis will often want to pick you up or drop you at a nearby resort
with a better road.
Resorts and some of the major tourist services (like the dive shops) own large
pickup trucks and transport tourists around in the tray. Very occasionally,
they own minibuses instead. If you come in by ferry your resort will almost
certainly meet you at pier with their truck; if you're travelling with very
small children who you don't want to cling to while you bump along sitting on
the side of the truck you might want to warn them in advance that you'll want
to ride in the cab: it's generally assumed to be the private domain of the driver.
You will find the locals almost exclusively ride motorcycles; you can hire these
in several places for a few hundred baht a day. You can also hire motorcycle taxis
with sidecars. These will happily take you on the unpaved roads but the ride can
be as slow as walking. A typical fare for a ride from Saladan to Klong Dao Beach
is 40 baht.
Jeeps can be hired for 1200 baht per day. Be sure to check insurance, contract
terms and the condition of the vehicle. The "roads" of Ko Lanta combined
with the driver operation characteristics of some renters are a serious challenge
for any car. The frequently available Suzuki Sporty seems primitive and therefore
sturdy, and a replacement should cost around 150000 baht.
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