KO LANTA 15TH - 22ND FEBRUARY 2007We wanted some time on a less built-up island so we decided to try Ko Lanta. Ko Lanta is steadily changing, like all the Thai islands, with up-market resorts replacing the cheap bungalow operation, but the carefree backpacker vibe still prevails, for now! The fact that much of Lanta is still owned by the local population of Muslim Thais may save it from the mass development seen on Phuket or Ko Samui.Before arriving on Ko Lanta we were told the resorts were very full and it would be sensible to booked some rooms in advance. Seen as there was six of us, (travelling with my parents, aunt and uncle), we thought we would do this by looking through brochures and finding a lush looking place and putting down a deposit. We have never booked in advance before and will never again, as we turned up, our resort was in the middle of no-where, and our garden bungalows were actually rooms facing a car park, and the sandy beach ,was in fact, mud-flaps! We weren't happy but luckily had only paid a deposit because we were not about to stay here for a week. Lewis and I hired a mo-ped and spent the rest of the day searching the island for alternative accommodation. Most places were full but we did find a very Thai, quirky and really nice resort called Cha Ba Bungalows, right on the beach; Hat Klong Dao. We booked three bungalows for us all from the net day (1200B per night per bungalow). This meant we stayed one night in our pre-booked 'lie' of a resort and the next morning when telling them we weren't staying and paying for the planned week a huge argument with the arse of a manager occurred. Oh well! We were all glad to have got out of there and into 'Cha Ba. Cha Ba was brightly painted and run by a friendly chap called 'Mr Noi'. It was on Hat Klong Dao which is the main beach on Ko Lanta, its long an dusted with white sand and lined with resorts and restaurants. It was very relaxing and much more of what we had hoped for.Ko Lanta is very pretty,, with one main beach, lots of secluded beaches, a peaceful 'old town'; Ban Si Raya, and its largest settlement; 'Ban Sala Dan', with shops and great fish restaurants over the water. Ko Lanta is a great base to do day trips from to its neighbouring islands. We did two day trips whilst here; one to Ko Rok, and one to Bamboo island and Phi Phi.Ko Rok offers plenty of coral and marine life and we took a day trip snorkelling here. It was an amazing day, with great visibility and loads of fish, this was the best snorkelling we have ever done. We didn't want to get out of the water and we got some great underwater photos.Our next day trip was to Bamboo island, Ko Phi-Phi Leh and Ko Phi-Phi Don. Bamboo island was small and lush with some good snorkelling. Ko Phi-Phi Don was our next stop where we got time to explore the main town and beach. We had heard so many good things about Phi-Phi Don and had actually planned on staying here had it not been totally full. You can definitely se how beautiful it once was but once again it popularity has westernised and ruined it and the Tsunami aftermath has turned it into a building site. I was anything but peaceful with an abundance of scattered rubbish and a background noise of power drills and diggers! Glad to visit but disappointed with Phi- Phi Don. Next we went to Phi-Phi Leh, which is about 6km south. We visited Maya Bay, the strikingly beautiful lagoon made famous as the main location for the film 'The Beach'. This was cool to visit and take our photographs but it will never be a paradise beach again due to it being so famous and jam-packed with day-trippers and boats coming in and out all day everyday. On the 21st we said our good-byes to Roger and Lilian who are heading to Phukett. We had an awesome time with them and it was great to catch up with them. And on the 22nd we left Ko Lanta with my mum and dad by boat, also to Phukett. Before leaving we booked our flights from Singapore to Darwin (Australia) for the 2nd of March. We initially wanted to go to Indonesia before Australia but decided we were ready for Oz and that we should do Indonesia as a separate trip another year.