Ayutthaya vs Koh Lanta
The short answer
They cost about the same day to day โ Ayutthaya $20โ45, Koh Lanta $22โ55 mid-range per person. Both are at their best in NovโFeb, so one trip can take in both.
Side by side
Mid-range, per person, in US dollars. Both guides were costed the same way โ see how we work these out.
| ๐น๐ญ Ayutthaya | ๐น๐ญ Koh Lanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily budgetmid-range, per person | $20โ45 | $22โ55 |
| Cheap meallocal staple | $1.20โ2.50 | $1.20โ3 |
| Mid-range hotelper night | $25โ55cheaper | $34โ74 |
| Transit ridesingle trip | $0.30โ1cheaper | $1.50โ4 |
| Avg. monthly salarylocal, for context | โ $400 | โ $400 |
When to go
Filled months are the ones each guide recommends; hollow ones it warns off.
What you'd actually do
A few of each guide's picks, one per category before seconds โ the full lists are on the guides themselves.
๐น๐ญ Ayutthaya
The ruined former capital of the Siamese kingdom โ brick chedis and headless Buddhas scattered across a bicycle-friendly park, an easy 1.5-hour train ride from Bangkok's chaos.
- Wat Mahathat$Temples & culture
- Bann Kun Pra$$Restaurants
- Hua Raw Night Market$Markets
- Wat Chaiwatthanaram$Temples & culture
- Baan Mai Rim Nam$$Restaurants
๐น๐ญ Koh Lanta
A long, laid-back island south of Krabi that takes real effort to reach and rewards it โ quiet west-coast beaches, a stilted Sino-Thai fishing village, and a slower pace than Phuket or Krabi ever offer.
- Pangea Beach Bar$$Beach bars
- Apsara$$Restaurants
- Lanta Old Town Street Market$Markets & culture
- Funky Monkey$Beach bars
- Krua Lanta Yai$$Restaurants
Practicalities
| Ayutthaya | Koh Lanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Thai. English is limited outside the main historical park and station area โ a translation app helps. | Thai, with a sizable Muslim Malay-Thai fishing community, especially around Old Town. English is decent on the main west-coast beaches, thinner elsewhere. |
| Tap water | Don't drink it โ bottled water is cheap and sold everywhere | Don't drink it โ bottled water is sold everywhere |
| Emergency | 191 police ยท 1669 ambulance ยท 1155 tourist police (English) | 191 police ยท 1669 ambulance ยท 1155 tourist police (English). Serious medical cases are transferred to Krabi Town, about 1.5โ2 hours away. |
The same in both:
- Currency
- Thai baht (เธฟ). US$1 โ เธฟ35
- Time zone
- ICT (UTC+7)
- Power
- 220V; outlets take most two-pin plugs (A/C hybrids)