Overview

Khao Lak is a veritable wonderland of natural beauty, both inland and along the coast. The beaches along this strip of Thailand's western coast are relatively empty and extremely beautiful. The superlative island marine parks of the Similans and the Surins are nearby, offering Thailand's finest scuba diving and snorkelling. Inland, national parks like Khao Sok and Khao Lak-Lamru allow visitors a first-hand look at the lush tropical jungle that dominates southern Thailand. And if you really need some bustling nightlife, just head south to Phuket.

Wat Suwam Khuha

Also known as the Temple Cave, this amazing Buddhist site 30 minutes south of Khao Lak is one of the only in Thailand. Completely built inside a limestone cavern, there are several caves in the network, some of which reach 40 metres in width. The highlight is the 15-metre reclining Buddha in the main cavern but there are many smaller caves with lovely Buddhist walls paintings and images.

Khao Lak-Lamru National Park

The closest national park to Khao Lak offers a quick and easy way to experience the lush tropical jungle environment that dominates this region of Thailand. The park is just minutes south of the town core and combines undeveloped beaches, limestone cliffs, and plenty of dense forest. You can walk along the hiking trails that lead to waterfalls, isolated beaches and panoramic viewpoints.

Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok is one of Thailand's largest and most impressive national parks. It is made up of five separate protected areas that merge into one big park full of virgin rainforest, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and the most wildlife you'll find anywhere in southern Thailand. Massive Chiaw Lan Lake sits at the heart of Khao Sok with surreal limestone karsts rising nearly 1,000 metres from its waters. An excellent trail system ensures you can get deep into this pristine area easily and safely.

Pakarang Cape

The most picturesque beach outside of Khao Lak is the sweeping crescent bay known as Pakarang. It's about 20 minutes north of the town core, but easily accessed by renting a motorbike for the day. The beach is incredibly long and almost always empty, making it the ideal spot to spend a day in peaceful seclusion.

Lamru Waterfall

If you need a break from sand and sea, make the short drive south to Khao Lak-Lamru National Park, where you can walk to the most impressive waterfall in the region. The water flows all year round down a cascade of five connected levels. At the bottom of the falls is a large pool ideal for swimming. There is plenty of birdlife and rainforest canopy to provide a stunning backdrop.

Similan Islands

Khao Lak is the jumping off point for excursions to the sublime Similan Islands, a cluster of nine pristine gems about 40kms offshore in the Andaman Sea. The islands are protected as a marine park, which means no permanent presence of humans. The Similans are perhaps the finest scuba diving site in Thailand, and even the boulder-strewn white beaches are postcard worthy.

Surin Islands

Just as beautiful as the Similans, and only a few kilometres north, lie the Surin Islands. Also protected as a marine park, these five stunning deserted islets are better known for their snorkelling thanks to their shallow coral gardens. The Surins are also ideal for inland hikes, beach lounging, and even some unique cultural exposure at the sea gypsy village of Ko Surin Tai.

Overview

The beauty of Khao Lak is that it is much more than just amazing beaches and clear warm waters ideal for swimming. That, of course, is the highlight but there are also a handful of amazing national parks within an easy drive that allow you to immerse yourself in the equally amazing world of lush tropical jungle. Hike to waterfalls, scenic viewpoints and secluded beaches, or catch a boat out to the shockingly beautiful Similan and Surin Islands for the best snorkelling and scuba diving in the country.

Beaches

The main reason people come to Khao Lak is for the relatively unspoilt and uncrowded beaches. Its isolated location and beautiful sand and sea make this a great travel destination if you're looking for peace and quiet. The 2004 tsunami wiped out most of Khao Lak, but ironically improved the condition of many of its beaches.

Khao Lak's central beach runs for eight kilometres, boasting calm clear water for swimming and long quiet walks. Head up or down the coast and you'll find countless other beaches with little or no development. Places like Pakarang Beach are postcard perfect, and Khuk Khak Beach empty and just minutes from Khao Lak. The best way to explore the tiny beach-lets is to rent a motorbike and cruise the coastal road.

Snorkelling

Snorkelling is just as rewarding as scuba diving, but in a more leisurely way. Thailand's finest snorkelling can be found offshore of Khao Lak in the Surin Islands. But if you need something closer and easier, the Khao Na Yak Reef is very close to shore and accessible by a short longtail boat ride. November to April is the prime time for underwater conditions.

Scuba diving

Although there isn't much in the way of exciting dive sites around Khao Lak, the town is the departure point for boats going to the Similan Islands. These nine protected islands provide some of the world's most amazing and diverse diving, with 200 coral species and more than 800 kinds of fish. Also reachable from Khao Lak are the incredible dive sites at Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. Visibility can reach 25 metres during the calm dry season between December and April.

Elephant treks

Khao Lak is one of the few places in Thailand where you can take a ride on an elephant through dense tropical jungle. The nearest site to do this fun unique excursion is at Ton Patiwat's wildlife conservation centre, just outside Khao Lak. There are even more riding options at Khao Sok National Park but at either site you will get to see places that are inaccessible by any other means.

Hiking

There are several excellent national parks near Khao Lak with good trail systems that are ideal sites for hikes in the jungle. Depending on how far from town you care to venture, you can experience parts of Thailand that few visitors see. Khao Lak-Lamru and Thai Muang are the two closest national parks to Khao Lak but also worth the journey are the trails in Khao Lampi, Sri Phang-Nga, and of course the massive and stunning Khao Sok National Park.

Traditional Thai massage

If you've never had a traditional Thai massage, you're missing out on a real treat. A combination of stretching and massage, these massages are available at nearly every resort in Khao Lak as well as at a few dedicated spas and massage centres. Freelance masseuses even wander the main beach of Khao Lak giving massages right on the spot. The price is right, and you'll certainly feel relaxed afterwards.

Dining and shopping

Khao Lak is just a tiny speck on the map as you head north from the massive travel destination of Phuket towards the sleepy town of Takuapa. The dining scene in Khao Lak is low key, and what exists is fairly casual. The main road that runs through Khao Lak is where you'll find the bulk of dining and drinking options. A little further north in the village of Bang Niang is a decent selection of restaurants as well.

Every resort in Khao Lak has at least one restaurant onsite. Usually these are just as good as anything in town, so most visitors tend to dine where they stay. Since they're almost always located right on the beach, the ambiance supersedes any need for special service or inventive menus. Freshly grilled seafood is the highlight of dining out in Khao Lak. The selection is usually extensive and you can pick your fish right off a bed of crushed ice.

Most restaurants are open-air concepts, focusing on classic Thai dishes with a smattering of classic Western items like steak, pasta or burgers. The dishes here revolve around fresh seafood such as red snapper, barracuda, giant prawns and squid, coupled with Thai favourites like spicy som tam papaya salad and tom yam sweet and sour soup. Stir-fried dishes are available everywhere, and the quality varies in Khao Lak since there's little in the way of upscale competition.

If you want to splash out on a meal that is noticeably better than the beach shacks in town, simply duck into one of the luxury resorts in the area such as Le Meridien or Sarojin and you can find that creative flair missing from some of the restaurants in the commercial core.

Keep in mind that unless you're eating at an upscale resort, you won't receive attentive or speedy service. Beach restaurants are legendary for their slow pace of delivery, so be prepared to wait and practise your patience. Tipping is not necessary, but most visitors leave small change if they enjoyed the meal.

The shopping options in Khao Lak are limited but interesting all the same. A single night market springs to life every evening along the main road selling Thai trinkets and souvenirs. These are items you can find in most towns in Thailand, and often at better prices.

Apart from this market, there are a handful of independent shops scattered along the main road, in Bang Niang village, and occasionally tucked down side streets. Don't expect anything different than in the market, but you can pick up beach gear, sarongs, clothes, and other knickknacks.

If you do want to buy a local Thai handicraft, there are plenty of options in Khao Lak. Batik creations are perhaps the most interesting buys, and one of the few regional crafts that are practised in this part of Thailand. The selection of batik sarongs is overwhelming, and they are very useful things to carry around.

Another interesting local craft are items made from a fine grass known as yan lipea. Locals weave this fibre into purses, bags, and other items that are quite intricate and well made. Lacquer ware goods are another prevalent item found in the shops. They come in all forms, such as boxes, figurines and serving trays. Thais are open to negotiating prices, and almost always start with a price that is double what they will eventually settle for so be prepared to bargain.

The best dining is usually found in the upscale resorts around Khao Lak. Only a few independent restaurants in this sleepy beach town have the wherewithal to create inspiring menus or prepare the food with skill and passion. But if you stick to fresh seafood and local dishes it's hard to go wrong. Try and find out what the house specialty is or ask other foreigners where they've found exceptional meals because things change often in Khao Lak.

Overview

The most convenient way to reach Khao Lak is to fly into Phuket International Airport, located 75kms south. Shuttle vans will take you directly to Khao Lak from the terminal. Once you reach Khao Lak you can walk just about everywhere, but it's helpful to rent your own scooter or car if you want to really see the sights that abound along the coast and inland.

Airports

The closest airport to Khao Lak is in Phuket, around 75kms to the south. This makes an ideal place to fly into as the airport is already located at the far northern end of Phuket, so you simply need to catch a shuttle van to Khao Lak. Phuket's airport services both domestic and international flights, so it's possible to fly directly from an international destination to Phuket if your starting point is in the Asian region.

Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, AirAsia, Nok Air, Silk Air, Tiger Airways and Jetstar are the main airlines serving Phuket from around Thailand and Southeast Asia. Alternatively, it's easy to find a flight into Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport from anywhere on the planet and catch a connecting flight to Phuket.

Phuket's airport terminal is pleasantly small and easy to navigate. It has ATMs, currency exchange booths, sundry shops and car hire offices. Since visitors to Khao Lak don't need to go into Phuket itself, you will want to get on one of the private minivans that make regular runs north to Khao Lak, about an hour away.

You can also hire a private taxi from the terminal, but it will end up being expensive for the ride to Khao Lak. Many resorts in Khao Lak offer airport pickups for a fee. This is a good choice if you want convenience. Otherwise, you can rent a car at the airport, which is a great way to not only get to Khao Lak at your leisure, but also to explore the amazing sites around the region.

Public transportation

If you don't fly into Phuket, the bus is the best way to get to Khao Lak. VIP air-conditioned buses depart regularly for Phuket from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal and many other towns in the region. Khao Lak is on the way to Phuket, and the bus will usually stop for passengers but make sure the driver knows where you want to get off before departure.

Private minivans also regularly run from Bangkok to Phuket and Khao Lak. These minivans can be booked from your hotel or any tour agency, but make sure the minivan is passing through Khao Lak before you buy a ticket. Renting a hire car is a good idea to get to Khao Lak due to its remote location off the main transport path. The roads are good and the driving relatively easy from Bangkok.

Once you reach Khao Lak you can walk anywhere around the town core. Most visitors rarely stray far from their resort, the small town core, and Khao Lak's main beach. But if you want to visit one of the national parks or check out a different beach, you can jump into one of the shared taxis that regularly trawl the main road. Even better is to rent a Honda Dream motorbike or jeep and drive yourself.