Transportation to PIMALAI resort & Spa - by PIMALAI
Currently, flight connections to Krabi International Airport are made through Suvarnabhumi International airport. Depending on the season, Thai Airways operates 3 to 5 daily flights (1hr 20min). Other no-frills airlines - such as ThaiAirAsia have also daily flights from Bangkok. Tiger Airways from Singapore lands three times a week at Krabi airport.
At Krabi International Airport our representative will be pleased to greet you and arrange for your further transportation to the resort. The resort can also be reached by flying to Trang airport where Thai Airways flies daily from Bangkok.
Transportation by road from Krabi, Phuket or Trang airports can be arranged by the resort; it consists of about 50 minutes drive from Krabi Airport, 3hr from Phuket Airport and 1hr 30min from Trang Airport. In each case this takes you to Banhuahin pier where, adjacent to the public pier, the resort maintains a private jetty and convenience station. Transportation from Banhuahin to Pimalai Resort depends on the season; comprehensive details are outlined below. Note that restrooms are available at our private base.
A) HIGH SEASON - (From November to April)
One of our boats will take you from Banhuahin pier for a 50 minutes scenic ride along the east or west coast of the Lanta Islands eventually arriving at the resort's beach floating jetty. Sturdy casual footwear is strongly recommended for boat travel. Please note that our jetty at Pimalai is an environmentally friendly floating jetty; as opposed to an unattractive concrete structure that would spoil the scenery, damage the sea eco-system and would most likely create sand and beach erosion. For these reasons we have opted for this strange looking floating jetty; it may be a little bit "awkward" to walk on it but, rest assured, the resort staff members are waiting to assist you. Towards the end of April, the Koh Lanta area may be subject to sudden weather changes that may affect the normal high season transportation route; for safety reasons we may suddenly switch to the Green season transportation route as described below (see The Green Season).
Please note: we do not operate the resort boat transportation during hours of darkness, mainly from 5.45pm / 6.00pm to 6.00am.
Coming to the resort
The very last departure by our resort boat from our mainland base (Bahuahin pier) to Pimalai resort (right to the beach) will be around 5.00pm.
How it works? when arriving to late for the last boat, we will transfer you from our boat base with our resort boat across to the island of Lanta Noi (5/7 mins crossing time). On the opposite side our Resort vehicles are on standby to then drive you on Lanta Noi for about 10 minutes to meet a ferry which we then use to cross from Lanta Noi to Lanta Yai (about 10 mins crossing time). From there, we drive straight down to Pimalai (a 30 mins drive). WE CAN ALWAYS get you to the resort since we are able to rent the use of the ferry for our own purpose, even after normal ferry operating times - the last ferry normally stops at 10.00pm.
Departing from the resort (late evening)
The last departure by our resort boat from the beach of Pimalai resort to our mainland base is at 5.00pm; after that, guests can still be transported to the mainland (and then airport) by using at least one ferry (Lanta Yai to Lanta Noi - 10 mins crossing time) and then our own resort boat to cross from Lanta Noi to our mainland jetty and comfort station at Banhuahin. From there we will drive you to Krabi airport or to your next requested point of stay.
Departing from the resort (early morning)
The first resort boat from Pimalai resort to our mainland base departs at 6.00am; prior to that time, guests can still be transported to the mainland (and then airport) by using at least one ferry (Lanta Yai to Lanta Noi - 10 mins crossing time) and then our own resort boat to cross from Lanta Noi to our mainland jetty and comfort station at Banhuahin. From there we will drive you to Krabi airport or to your next requested point of stay.
An alternative is to overnight on the mainland the night before an early scheduled flight.
Transfer time in High season from Krabi airport will be about 1hr 50mins, depending on weather, sea, road traffic condition, and the time of arrival at the airport.
B) GREEN SEASON - (From May to October)
Coming to the resort
When guests arrive at Krabi International airport, we drive them to our base at Banhuahin jetty; from there, most of the time – or unless adverse weather conditions - we will cruise with our boat for about 40 minutes to Old Lanta, the old village on the east coast of Koh Lanta Yai, then travel wit a resort vehicle from the east coast to the west coast to reach the resort, a 30 minute trip.
Alternatively, if there are adverse weather/ sea conditions, or already too dark, we may transfer guests with our resort boat just across to Lanta Noi island (5/7 mins crossing time). On the opposite side, our resort vehicle is waiting to drive guests on Lanta Noi for 10 minutes to meet a ferry which we then use to cross from Lanta Noi to Lanta Yai (about 10 mins crossing time). From there, we then drive straight down to Pimalai (30 mins drive).
Departing from the resort
There are two different possible routes similar to those outlined above for guest arrivals. Most of the time, we will drive 30 minutes to Old Lanta, the old village on the east coast of Koh Lanta Yai, and then take a resort boat for a 40 minutes ride to the mainland, followed by a 50 minutes drive to the Krabi International airport or to your next requested point of stay.
A second option is to drive with our resort vehicle to the north of Lanta Yai island (30mins drive); cross with the ferry (10mins crossing time) to Koh Lanta Noi. We will then drive across the island to reach the second pier where guests will be met and then transferred by our resort boat (5/7 mins crossing time) to our mainland jetty and comfort station at Banhuahin. From there we will drive you to Krabi airport or to your next requested point of stay.
Transfer time during the green season from Krabi airport will be about 2hr 15mins depending on weather, sea and road traffic conditions.
