Lo Lana Beach on Phi Phi Don is home to the remains of a once-charming resort made up of bungalows. Now, all that’s left are abandoned, overgrown buildings. I suspect the resort was damaged during the tsunami, and the owners likely decided not to rebuild.
It seems that long ago, Lana Bay must have been much more picturesque and well-maintained. Today, it’s a heavily neglected spot, with piles of trash scattered in the bushes. While there are black garbage bags on the shore, suggesting occasional clean-ups, it’s hard to tell how often they occur.
During the low season, especially with the monsoons, I imagine the place turns into a complete mess. I’ve seen some photos taken in the fall, and the beach looked downright awful.
Beach Overview
Lo Lana Bay is extremely shallow—great for sunbathing, but not ideal for swimming. The beach forms a flat, sandy area about 460 by 460 meters (1,509 by 1,509 feet), framed on both sides by towering cliffs. Behind the beach, there’s a small plain that transitions into a low-lying mangrove swamp about 250 meters (820 feet) inland, partially flooded by seawater.
Though it’s not very crowded, tour boats do drop visitors off here. It seems word spreads quickly, as tourists don’t often return, likely due to the litter and rocky shoreline.
The sand is fairly average—yellow and soft. Near the grassy area, it’s relatively clean, but as you move closer to the water, it becomes coarser and mixed with stones, coral, and other marine debris.
Swimming
Despite the shallow appearance, the water at Lo Lana Beach doesn’t recede 200 meters like it does at some beaches. Instead, it stays shallow. The tides here are less extreme, so during high tide, you can actually go for a swim.
Compared to the nearby Lo Ba Kao, where you still have to wait for high tide, you can already start swimming at Lo Lana when the tide is midway.
During high tide, the beach looks a lot nicer—just avoid the boat parking area. All in all, it’s not too bad for swimming at high tide, as long as you overlook the litter.
Sunbeds and Shade
Since this is a wild beach, you won’t find any sunbeds here—not even broken ones. There’s also no rental service, so most visitors bring their own bamboo mats.
There’s plenty of natural shade, except on the right side of the beach, where the land has been cleared for construction, leaving a bare stretch of about 100 meters (328 feet). The rest of the beach is lined with lush vegetation, providing ample shade.
Because the beach faces north, there are always shaded spots to escape the sun throughout the day. The cliffs at either end are set back from the water and don’t offer much shade, so they’re not a reliable source of cover.
Beach Photos
Amenities
There used to be resort infrastructure here, but now all that remains are some concrete posts marking the former resort’s territory. The bungalows are mostly hidden from view, and there are no longer any beachfront structures like bars or restaurants.
There’s a small shelter for boatmen, who freely park their boats along the shore, setting up their gear and fuel cans. Nearby, you’ll find Nui Beach, a small and unique spot that can be reached by trekking through the jungle.
Just east of Lo Lana is a larger beach with full resort infrastructure—Lo Ba Kao. Some guides suggest snorkeling off the shore at Lo Lana for good underwater sights, though I haven’t tried it myself, so I’d love to hear your feedback.
Accommodation
As mentioned earlier, Lo Lana Bay currently has no functioning accommodation or infrastructure. Maybe better times will come for this beach, but for now, it’s an undeveloped area without hotels. If you’re drawn to wild, abandoned spots, you can always stay nearby at Lo Ba Kao, which offers more options.
Follow the link below to see a full list of hotels on Phi Phi Don. Use the map icon to explore nearby accommodation options for Lo Lana Beach.
How to Find the Beach
I wouldn’t recommend hiking across the tropical island unless you’re a trekking enthusiast. If that’s your style, you won’t need extra advice, but for less experienced travelers, I’d suggest taking a taxi boat.
On Phi Phi Don, taxi boats are the easiest way to reach any beach. Just show the map and point to your destination. The cost from Phi Phi Town to Lo Lana Beach is around 400 baht.
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