Restaurants, beach life, registering for school, training and working, it’s a summary of our first week on Koh Lanta. It’s nice to be back!
First week on the island (Thaimout 2026, v 1)
Just like last year, I worked to perfection at home in Sweden before I left, which in turn meant that I needed some time to breathe this week. I exercised, walked on the beach, ate well, worked a bit and thoroughly enjoyed the sun that warms my body from the inside.
The journey here went well. As usual, I was most nervous about our disastrous commuter trains, so I took an Uber to the airport. More expensive than a one-way ticket to Paris, but that’s how it had to be this time. Just like last year, Nelly and I flew with Emirates via a stopover in Dubai (where the second leg was operated by Fly Dubai). Fortunately, the flight change in Dubai went smoother this time than last time.
Read more: To fly with Emirates from Arlanda to Krabi
We went to different beaches, did some shopping in Saladan, bought fruit at the Monday market and hung out with friends and acquaintances here on the island. Let’s take a look at the camera and mobile content of the week!
One of the first things we did was get a massage on the beach. An hour for 350 baht, so roughly SEK 100. Wonderfully luxurious, there will be many more to come this week!
Nelly wanted to get to 7/11 as quickly as possible and I was not slow in catching up. Every time you walk in it feels like pure Christmas Eve, so much fun to watch (and try!). Since we were last here, there have been more and more flavors of the Singha soft drink, which is sugar-free. Nice to have a few options to choose from.
There have of course been a number of visits to Lazy Days, both for lunch and dinner. I love both Lazy Days and its sister resort Lazy Lodge. Here is also my absolute favorite version of Panang (Phanaeng) curry.
We also managed to register for Lilla Svenska Skolan. Do you think this is our school environment!? I’ll probably never get used to it.
Balcony breakfasts are eaten…
…and good dinners followed one another.
Another thing I have been really looking forward to are the yoga classes at Oasis Yoga. I already bought a clip card x 5 for the first session, experience shows that I have never experienced a “bad” session here. Can Real recommend this place (You can find the weekly schedule here) – YinYoga is great.
I took the opportunity to spruce myself up with “our” hairdresser from OK Salon. A haircut for boys costs 150 baht, for girls the price is 450/550, depending on the hair length. To be honest, I probably go here mainly for the actual hair massage before the cut, it’s long and beautiful.
Our Friday evening usually consists of a trip to the capital Saladan to try different dishes and then do the weekly shopping at Lanta Mart. Our ‘Walking Street’ with various food stalls has grown considerably in recent years – from a few individual food carts to a whole place in a mini version of the Khao Lak Night Market type. Nice in a way, but if you’re nostalgic you won’t jump for joy.
What remains, however, is the color palette associated with the island’s sunsets. The sky turns into all the colors of the rainbow, new “paintings” every evening!
What also doesn’t change is my happiness while running along the beach. Koh Lanta has a whole range of beaches to choose from. The one we live near is called Klong Dao and is far from the prettiest, but it is the best in its class if you like running!
Read more: Best beach on Koh Lanta: beach guide with 13 tips
Now Nelly and I have been on the island for exactly a week…
…in honor of whom the evening (and the new month) ended with a full moon. 20+ years ago one of these would have been celebrated with a Full Moon Party, but tonight I plan to go to bed quite early so I can play padel tomorrow morning at 7am.
And with that, I say thank you and goodnight from our first week on one of our favorite islands in the world!
Here you can read about our previous long stays in Thailand. Cover image: Koh Lanta. Author: Annika Myhre/Resfredag.se
#week #island #Thaimout #Travel #Friday