Mangrove Kayaking to Koh Talabeng and Skull Island

The mangroves of Koh Lanta's east coast

While most visitors stay on the long sandy beaches of the west coast, Koh Lanta's east side faces the calm, sheltered waters between the island and the Krabi mainland. Here the shore is lined with mangrove forest, small fishing villages and the old wooden stilt houses of Lanta Old Town. The tour begins in this peaceful landscape, where your guide hands out the kayaks and explains the route for the day.

Paddling through the mangroves, you glide along narrow tidal channels under a canopy of leaves and arching roots. Look for kingfishers, herons, fiddler crabs and mudskippers, and sometimes long-tailed macaques foraging at the water's edge. The water is flat, so this first section is ideal for warming up and finding your rhythm before heading towards the open sea and the limestone islands offshore.

Koh Talabeng: cliffs, caves and hidden beaches

Koh Talabeng is a small, uninhabited limestone island off the south-east coast of Koh Lanta, part of the protected seascape of Krabi province. Its walls rise almost straight from the water, streaked with orange and grey and draped with tropical plants, and at their base the sea has carved caves, arches and overhangs that you can only reach by kayak.

Your guide times the visit with the tide so the group can paddle into the caves and along the cliffs, where stalactites hang just above your head and bats sometimes rest in the shadows. Hidden between the rocks are little beaches of white sand, perfect for a short swim. Koh Talabeng kayaking is one of the most rewarding things to do in Koh Lanta for nature lovers, because so few visitors ever see this side of the island.

Skull Island

Close to Koh Talabeng stands one of the most curious sights of the Koh Lanta coast: a limestone rock whose weathered hollows and openings look like the eye sockets and face of a giant skull. Local fishermen gave it its name, and seen from the water at the right angle, the resemblance is striking and makes for great photos.

The guide leads the kayaks around the rock so you can see it from different sides and explains how rain and waves dissolve the limestone over thousands of years, creating caves, notches and these strange shapes. Many guests say Skull Island is the most memorable moment of the day. Calm water in the morning usually makes the paddle easier, and our guide chooses the order of the stops according to the wind.

Picnic lunch on a secluded beach

At midday the group lands on a quiet beach for a picnic lunch of local food, served with seasonal fresh fruit, soft drinks and drinking water. There are no crowds and no shops, only white sand, shady trees and views of the limestone islands, which makes this one of the most relaxing moments of the tour.

After lunch you have time to swim, rest in the shade or explore the beach before the afternoon paddle. Let us know about food allergies or dietary needs when booking so we can prepare the picnic accordingly. The best time to visit these islands is from November to April, when the sea is calm and rain is rare, but the sheltered east coast often allows kayaking in the green season too.