Mangroves & Monkey Point

A quiet longtail run through the mangrove channels on Lanta’s east coast, ending at the headland where the macaques come down to the water.

Lanta’s east coast is nothing like the beach side. Tidal channels run back into a wall of mangrove, and the water goes flat and green and quiet enough to hear kingfishers.

The boat takes you slowly upstream past mudskippers, fiddler crabs, monitor lizards and — most of the year — hornbills in the canopy. At the turn you come out at Monkey Point, where a troop of long-tailed macaques lives on the rocks.

This is a wildlife trip rather than a snorkeling trip, and it is our own favourite. We do not feed the monkeys and we do not let guests hand-feed them: it makes them aggressive and dependent. You will still get close enough for the photograph.

Highlights

• Longtail through the mangrove channels
• Wild macaques at Monkey Point
• Mudskippers, monitor lizards, kingfishers, hornbills
• Sea caves and cliffs at Koh Talabeng
• Morning or afternoon departure

How the day runs

1. 08:30

   Hotel pickup

   Transfer across to the east coast pier.

2. 09:15

   Into the mangroves

   Slow run upstream through the tidal channels.

3. 10:15

   Koh Talabeng

   Limestone cliffs and sea caves, weather and tide allowing.

4. 11:00

   Monkey Point

   Watch the troop from the boat and the rocks. No feeding.

5. 12:00

   Back to shore

   Return to the pier and on to your hotel.

Times are indicative. Sea state, tide and the national park can all shift the running order — your guide will tell you on the morning if anything changes.

Where this trip goes

Monkey Point & the Mangroves Tidal channels through mangrove forest on Lanta’s east coast, ending at a headland troop of macaques.

Koh Talabeng Sheer limestone cliffs and sea caves you can paddle into, just off the east coast.

Lanta Old Town & the Lighthouse The island’s original stilt-house port, and the national park headland at the southern tip.