Cross-island loop — Klong Nin to Lanta Old Town and back up the east coast

Cross the island on Route 4245 to the east coast, where Lanta Old Town (Si Raya) sits on stilts over the water — teakwood houses, Chinese shrines, a community museum and pier restaurants. Ride back north up the quiet east coast road to Saladan rather than retracing the west. This is the island's best half-day ride that does not involve the southern hills.

Along the way

1. Lanta Old Town

   the island's pre-tourism capital, stilt houses, seafood on the piers, Sunday morning market

2. Tung Yee Peng mangrove village, north of Old Town at 7.59532

   cement walkway through the mangroves, small admission, kayaks available

3. The east coast road, which carries a fraction of the west co

   The east coast road, which carries a fraction of the west coast's traffic

4. Old Town faces east

   it is a sunrise and lunch destination, not a sunset one

Road notes

Sealed throughout with some gentle climbs on the cross-island section — more than the flat west coast, less than anything south of Klong Nin. The east coast road is quiet, which is pleasant but also means fewer people around if something goes wrong, and less signal in places. Manageable for a confident beginner on a 125. Sangka-U, the Urak Lawoi sea gypsy village south of Old Town, is a working fishing community and not an attraction: if you visit, park at the top of the hill and walk down.