Koh Lanta. how difficult to organize side trip to Phuket

[lonelywombat]

Young gay guy travelling with his family flying via Singapore to Krabi and then road to Ko Lanta has asked where the closest gay life is. I assume Patong Beach is the closest. Some people I knew that stayed at Ao Nang said that was the only gay place in town.

Has anybody done this trip. He was told he had to fly via BKK by his travel agent.

[Hmmm]

6 hours by ferry or mini-van ...
http://www.lantainfo.com/getting_ko_lan ... phuket.htm (http://www.lantainfo.com/getting_ko_lanta_drive_phuket.htm)

But not sure that Phuket has quite the type of gay scene that he may be used to ?

Re Krabi, Ao Nang's gay scene has traditionally been almost non-existent.

[Beachlover]

Advise him to fly to BKK, gay scene there is many times superior to anywhere else for him... It should be a very quick and cheap flight via a low-cost carrier like AirAsia or Nok Air. Don't consult a travel agent. Book it online.

[lonelywombat]

Not as easy as that. He is not paying for the trip and did not realize how remote from the real[gay] world the island is.There is a family co9nnection at the airport so it has to be ground travel. Sounds like a nightmare to me.

[Beachlover]

Is he just planning to duck off for a while or is he actually planning a couple of days' side trip?

Because if he's just ducking off for a few hours he's go no chance of going anywhere outside of Koh Lanta. Phuket looks like a minimum of 5 hrs by road and probably similar by boat.

If he can make a side trip for a few nights, Phuket is one option. Another option (better, I think) is getting to Phuket and using Phuket airport to fly up to BKK. But flying out of his local airport is still better... surely he could wear a hat and avoid his family connection through most of the airport if it's not too small.