Halfway down Lanta's eastern coast, Ban Si Raya was the island's original port and commercial centre, providing a safe harbour for Arabic and Chinese trading vessels sailing between Phuket, Penang and Singapore. It was Lanta's administrative capital from 1901 to 1998. Some of the gracious, well-kept wooden century-old stilt houses and shopfronts have been transformed into beautifully dated guesthouses. Pier restaurants offer fresh catch overlooking the sea, and there are some cute bohemian shops dotted around.
