Koh Lanta Culture Guides

For a true local cultural experience, you might watch a Rong-Ngeng dance. The Rong-Ngeng dance is a folk dance of the Sea Gypsy people living on the islands of the Andaman Sea and on Koh Lanta. It borrows from western old style dance and the accompanying music is played with violins, the Arabian drum and Chinese gongs. It includes Ramana (Raman Drums) and Malay language songs.

On Koh Lanta, Rong-Ngeng dances are traditionally performed by Sea Gypsies in some special festival while the spirit boat is set adrift. The full performance is also shown during the Laanta-Lanta Festival.

Many Koh Lanta resorts are also hiring Rong-Ngeng dance troupes to perform for visitors and hotel guests.