We went to Koh Lanta and stayed in the Old Town, knowing we would want to rent a motorbike to get around the island. There is only so much within walking distance and although we could take taxis, it would be more exciting, convenient, and cheaper to get around by motorbike rental on Koh Lanta. The problem was that neither Rebecca nor I had ever driven a motorbike! Although nervous, we decided to go for it and had one of the most incredible days beach hopping and going to a vegan restaurant for lunch. If you are thinking of renting a motorbike but have never driven or ridden one before, please keep reading.
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Motorbike Rental on Koh Lanta
Should you rent a motorbike as a newbie?
While in Chiang Mai, we would see other travelers with bandages on their legs or arms – road rash from a crash on a motorbike. Motorbikes are simple enough, but there is a definite possibility to crash and hurt yourself or others. Also, no one mentioned how heavy they are until we road one! But since they are simple, you can also pick up how to drive pretty quickly.
If you have never done it before, I recommend reading my tips below and picking a quiet location to learn to motorbike like Koh Lanta or other islands. Even after riding around Koh Lanta, it would be terrifying for me to motorbike around Chiang Mai for example because of the traffic rules and other vehicles on the road. But on a quiet island, you can go slower or mess up a bit and it won’t be a catastrophe. Also, for my US readers, you’ll want to know that they drive on the opposite side of the road, making it a bit more complicated. So should you rent a motorbike as a newbie? It depends on your rental location, driving confidence, a common sense of what to watch out for, and a spirit of adventure.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, would definitely do it again, but only on Koh Lanta or other quiet Island
- Intensity: Casual clothes and swimsuit
- Location: We rented from Lanta Hana Tours (our Airbnb host set it up for us) in Old Town Koh Lanta, but you can rent a motorbike just about anywhere in Thailand
- Cost: 120 baht for 24 hours, plus gas
- Restrooms: None, but your motorbike might be able to take you somewhere that has a restroom
- Timing: up to 24 hours
Highlights:
- Beach hopping is easy peasy
- Easy mobility for not much money
- Quiet roads in Koh Lanta allowed for a less stressful day of motorbiking
- Exciting
Lowlights:
- Potential to crash
Tips for Newbie Motorbike Rental
If you are like us and want to try renting a motorbike on Koh Lanta (or anywhere!), here are my tips from my research and experience renting and driving a motorbike in Thailand for the first time:
Read this article about renting a motorbike:
The article is well-written with excellent tips to avoid scams and things to consider when renting a vehicle in Thailand. It was so well said, I think it’s best you just head over there to read it.
Location:
As I mentioned in the introduction, consider renting a motorbike while on an island or quiet small town instead of a city. Koh Lanta had perfect conditions – little traffic, relaxed environment, and beaches/destinations that are a manageable distance from one another. I don’t even recall seeing a stoplight on Koh Lanta. It is also an easy island to navigate.
Consider renting one bike for two people:
Although it is slightly more tricky to drive with a rider, I appreciated having Rebecca on board to help me remember which side of the street to turn onto or spot for traffic in each direction. It was fun to share a bike! Also, if one person is a more confident driver, they can do most of the driving and switch when in quieter areas.
Practice Makes Perfect
Practice solo:
Or rental guy showed us how to operate the motorbike, then Rebecca and I took the bike to a quiet street to practice riding solo. We each did a few laps and it was evident that I was picking it up quicker, which I think had more to do with driving confidence than actual ability. I thought motorbikes were more like motorcycles with a clutch, but that is not the case! You turn on the motorbike and twist the handle and off you go. Still, the practice circles were critical to getting used to turning, braking, maneuvering, etc.
Practice with a rider:
When we decided that we would both feel more comfortable with me driving, we then drove up and down the street with Rebecca on the back. Driving with a rider throws off the balance a little bit, so I was happy to practice on the side street. Also, up and down this one street we went until we were ready to head out on the main street. We headed further south in the mid-morning. With barely any traffic on the road, we settled into the drive and soon were whooping down the street.
Tips for Actually Riding
Let others pass you:
It will be evident to everyone who sees you that you are a motorbike newbie. So, don’t bother trying to blend in because you likely will not be able to, which is a freeing thing! Go the speed you feel comfortable with, stay to the side, and let people go around. We passed other newbies and plenty of people passed us. We just smiled and enjoyed ourselves when people passed us. Also, we got more agile and comfortable going faster as the day went on, but not nearly as agile and quick as the locals who grew up on a motorbike.
Think before turning:
If we spent some time on a beach or at lunch, I had to constantly reorient myself to driving on the left side of the road. Rebecca and I would quickly discuss which side of the road I was turning onto. Such a small thing, but it helped avoid confusion.
Ride during the day:
I got pretty comfortable driving the motorbike throughout the day, but we decided to go ahead and return the motorbike before sunset to catch happy hour and dinner in the Old Town before walking home. Also, it is much harder to see what is going on in terms of potholes at night and thought we would cut it short our first day. This was a good call as there are simply more risks at night that we didn’t need to take on our first day. I am sure I will be on a motorbike again in the future, so I can ride at night then.
Avoid potholes:
Motorbikes are not built to handle potholes or big bumps in the road, so it is best to go around obvious holes in the road. We forgot this advice a couple of times and got bounced around.
Have fun:
This should be a fun and freeing thing, so smile and enjoy yourself. Who can get mad a newbie who is having the time of their life?
And guess what, we didn’t crash! We erred on the side of caution by practicing, not driving at night, and going our own pace, but we also had a fantastic time and didn’t die. Win-win all around.
Pack this for Thailand!
Where to go on Koh Lanta
If you have a motorbike rental on Koh Lanta, the island is your oyster. Here are some places we went to or recommend going:
Old Town Koh Lanta:
We stayed in Old Town and loved the narrow street with wooden buildings. Many of the restaurants are on piers over the ocean, which is fantastic for happy hour and dinner with a view.
End of the road – Pirates Cove:
From Old Town, we went south to get used to riding the motorbike. I thought the road would connect, but it ends at this very silly pirates cove hotel/restaurant/pool party. We were there in the mid-morning, so the pool party hadn’t yet started. We didn’t even know about the pool party, but instead when to explore and swim at the quiet beach. This beach is very rocky, but also practically empty which was great.
Big Beach:
After the pirate’s cove, we headed over to the main side of the island and up to Big Beach. Here the sand is white and soft and the water is great, although not clear. It was perfect to cool off after a long ride.
Lunch at Vegan Restaurant:
We were hungry after all that driving and swimming, so we stopped by Happy Veggie vegan restaurant. It was delicious!
Animal Shelter:
The Koh Lanta Animal Shelter is right around from the vegan restaurant, so we went to say hello to all of the adorable kitties. There is an option to take the doggies for a walk or play with puppies too!
National Park:
We decided to search for happy hour after the animal shelter, but if I were to do it again, I would have skipped the pirate’s cove to explore the southern area of the main side of the island. At the very southern tip, there is a national park with monkeys and a lighthouse to check out.
Overall Thoughts: Motorbike Rental on Koh Lanta
It’s funny because I originally thought this post would be about beach-hopping on Koh Lanta, but the real adventure was getting to said beaches. Because I had never driven a motorbike before, let alone in a foreign country where they drive on the opposite side of the road, this pushed on the edge of my comfort zone. We did some research and spoke with Rebecca’s fiance (now husband!), who encouraged us to try it and told us how simple they are to drive. I had such a blast with the freedom to beach-hop or explore different areas of the island and am so glad we tried. I think it would still make me nervous to try motorbiking in a larger city, but more attainable now.
Where did you learn how to drive a motorbike? Did you grow up riding one or learn as an adult? Let me know in the comments below!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
