Sala Dan Village is the main town of Koh Lanta Yai. It’s the first place you see on the island when arriving at the island’s main pier, Sala Dan Pier. Even if you arrive at Khlong Mak Pier on Koh Lanta Noi, you also need to pass through the Sala Dan Village before heading to the beaches on the west coast of Lanta Yai.
Sala Dan Village is a great destination to find authentic local food and do some shopping. It’s home to a night market, a pier, and many beautiful restaurants on stilted houses overlooking the sea.
While most visitors choose to stay on the beach towns on the west coast, you can consider staying in Sala Dan if you’re looking for budget accommodations, close to the pier, and you plan to rent a scooter to explore the island. If you do not stay in Sala Dan, you can always visit as a day trip.
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Where is Sala Dan Village and Pier?
Sala Dan Village is located in the northern part of Koh Lanta Yai island. It‘s home to the island’s main pier, Sala Dan Pier. The village is close to Klong Dao beach and Laem Kho Kwang Beach.
The island’s main road 4245 runs past the village, counting it with beaches on the west coast such as Long Beach, Klong Nin Beach, Kantiang Beach, and Mu Ko Lanta National Park.
Sala Dan is also connected with Koh Lanta Noi (little sister of Koh Lanta Yai) via Siri Lanta Bridge. If you stay in Sala Dan village, it’s easy to rent a scooter and take a short ride to this island for exploration.
Sala Dan Pier
My first impression when arriving at Sala Dan from Koh Lipe on a speed boat is the row of wooden stilt houses on the water. I went with the Tigerline ferry, and they stopped at one of those wooden houses next to a concrete pier.
When I got off the boat, I saw a toilet charge of one baht, a small convenience store with snacks, water, instant noodles, and ice cream. I followed the narrow wooden path to exit the pier and get to the main street.
The pier area is packed with travel agencies selling boat tickets, convenience stores, restaurants, a food court and diving shop. You can rent a scooter at the pier to get to your hotel around the island or get the songthaew pick up truck near the fish sculptures.
Take note that songthaews pick up trucks in Koh Lanta are usually expensive, so you can consider asking your hotel to arrange transport for you or use the services from the boat company for a fair price.
Saladan Pier is located at one end of one of the main streets in the village. This street is lined with quaint cafes and seafood wooden-stilted restaurants along the waterfront overlooking Koh Lanta Noi.
Sala Dan Pier has boat connections with many islands in the Andanman Sea such as Phuket, Koh Yao, Koh Lipe, Koh Phi Phi, and Ao Nang/ Railay. You can easily book the ticket online or right at the local boat stalls at the pier.
Things to do in Sala Dan Village
Check out sea view restaurants near the Sala Dan pier
There is a line of seaview restaurants on the 600m long street along Sala Dan Pier, so you have plenty of choices to choose from. These restaurants serve authentic and delicious Thai dishes and seafood with stunning views over the water and Koh Lanta Noi island.
I had a good experience eating at The Star Restaurant and Baifern Restaurant Lanta. My steam fish with lime was delicious. The staff was also very friendly. Other good ones are Barracuda @ saladan pier, Kienglay Seafood, Let’s Sea By The Water, or Lanta Seafood.
Lanta Walking Street
Lanta Walking Street is one of the popular attractions on the island. It is located right on the island’s main road 4245 and is next to the Lanta Plaza 555. The Walking Street is open daily from 5pm to midnight.
It’s around 300 long streets lined with numerous street food stalls, fruit juice shops, and souvenir shops. There are tables and chairs to sit, eat, and people watching.
It’s not as great as other night markets and walking streets in Thailand, but a great spot to check out while on the island. If you don’t like the food here, you can head to the seafront restaurants along Sala Dan Pier for better options.
Shop at Lanta Plaza 555
This indoor market is located right next to Lanta Walking street, so you can combine visits to these two places in one trip. It’s a fun place to do bargain shopping and find some usual Thai souvenirs, clothes and souvenirs, at reasonable prices. There is a toilet at the market, for 10 baht.
Visit Klong Dao Beach At Sunset
Klong Dao is the closest to Sala Dan Village. It’s a popular spot to watch the sun set. The beach has a peaceful atmosphere and you can find some nice cafes and restaurants along the shore. From Sala Dan Village, you can catch the tuk tuk for the 5-10 minute ride to Klong Dao beach.
Visit Wat Saladan temple
This local temple is located close to the police station, on the road from Sala Dan village to Siri Lanta Bridge and Koh lanta Noi island. If you have time, you can stop by at this temple to admire its beautiful architecture and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.
Wednesday Market
This local attraction is worth checking out if you drive around the area on a scooter on Wednesday. It’s a good place to see local daily life. The market is located close to the Sala Dan temple, on the main road connecting Sala Dan village and Koh Lanta Noi.
The market is where locals shop for their daily essentials such as fruit, vegetables, meats, seafoods, and various stalls selling clothes. You can buy fruits there at low prices.
Having a relaxing Thai massage
There are dozens of massage shops and salons along the two roads leading from Sala Dan Pier. They are good spots for having the traditional Thai massage, oil massage after a day exploring around the island. A one hour Thai massage is around 400-500 baht.
Book island hoping tour for snorkeling and diving
You can book the snorkeling and diving tours from many local tour and boat agencies in Sala Dan Village. A popular tour is the Koh Rok and Koh Haa with buffet lunch.
The price booking onsite at local agencies is usually cheaper than booking online. The trip is around 1200 baht per adult and 400 baht for the national park fee.
Where to stay in Sala Dan Village: Best areas and Hotels
I stayed near Sala Dan because it has cheaper accommodations than the beach area, and I want to stay close to the pier, so I don’t have to pay extra for transportation to travel between hotel and the pier, which can be very expensive.
Additionally, I planned to rent a scooter, so I can visit the beaches on the west coast, the old town on the east coast, and Lanta Noi island easily. I was a solo female traveler on a budget, so staying in Sala Dan Village worked well for me.
The downside of staying in Sala Dan is that it’s further away from the beautiful beaches of the island, which is located further south on the west coast. If you want to spend most of the time, it’s probably better to stay elsewhere in the beach town.
The three best areas to stay in Sala Dan are the area around Salan Pier, the area around the main street 4245, and the area near Klong Dao beach.
Here are some of the best places to stay in Sala Dan Village:
Non Du Lay Guesthouse
I stayed at this guest house for a few nights and recommend it for travelers who want to stay close to the pier. It was very convenient to just walk to the hotel when arriving at Sala Dan pier from Koh Lipe. Additionally, I can just walk to the pier at the last minute to buy boat tickets to another island.
The hotel is located on a street that is lined with shops and restaurants. I like to dine at the Star restaurant located a few steps from the hotel. One side of the street facing the sea where you can see wooden stilt houses, seafood restaurants and trendy cafes with sea views.
I booked the room with a shared bathroom, toilets, and a common area with a kitchen and all necessary things such as a kettle, plates, bowls, and a microwave. My room was clean with a good aircon system.
Lanta Chaolay
This is a nice hotel located close to Sala Dan, which is convenient for arriving and departing the island by boat. The hotel has both dorm rooms and private rooms. You can book rooms with balconies for more spaces and views. It’s in a quiet area, surrounded by lovely restaurants.
Aloha Lanta
This is a beachfront hotel located in the very northern part of Koh Lanta, within walking distance to the main strip where you can find shops and restaurants, including the popular Sea sand soul. It has a lovely garden. You can take a walk along the beachfront at low tide, or swim at high tide.
Sabaidee mansion&hotel
The hotel is located right on the island’s main road is Sala Dan, close to Lanta Walking Street. It is also a short distance from the pier, restaurants, and shops. THe hotel has well-equipped rooms, with a spacious bed and bathroom.
LANTA PURA beach resort
This is a beachfront hotel located in Sala Dan, offering a nice ground with greenery and a swimming pool. There are also sunbeds and umbrellas along the beachfront and in the pool area.
The beachfront in Saladan village is not the best in the island, but good to have while in Sala Dan. You can go for a long walk at low tide and swim at high tide.
YinDee Lanta Villas
This is a small and cozy accommodation featuring 9 spacious villas with bedrooms, living room, and kitchen areas. It has an outdoor swimming pool, and you can walk to the Klong Dao Beach for more swimming. It’s best to have a scooter when staying here.
How to get to Sala Dan Village and Pier?
If you’re already in Koh Lanta Yai, you can use scooter rental, tuk tuk, or local taxi songthaew pick up truck to get to Sala Dan Village. There are no riding share services such as Grab or InDrive on Koh Lanta. You can rent a scooter for 250-300 baht per day, the songthaew taxi is quite expensive.
From other islands on the Andanman Sea, you can easily take speed boats to Sala Dan Pier. There are boat connections between Koh Lanta and Phuket, Koh Yao Yai/ Noi, Koh Lipe, Koh Phi Phi, or Ao Nang/ Krabi. You can easily book the ticket online or at local travel agencies on each island.
If you book boat tickets, you can consider choosing the pick up and drop off services of the boat company between the pier and your hotel to avoid the hassle of arranging transport from/to the pier. The additional cost is usually small because you will share the ride with other people.
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Sala Dan is a lovely town in the northern end of Koh Lanta Yai. It has a great location to explore both Koh Lanta Yai and Koh Lanta Noi. Additionally, it’s home to the island’s main pier, making it a great base for arriving and leaving the island by boats. The village also offers authentic local food, good markets, and shopping plazas.