This quiet place attracts with its nature and beaches. Most often, families with children, lovers of a peaceful atmosphere, and elderly people come here. There are no noisy parties here, and the surrounding tropical nature creates all the conditions for relaxation and recharging. The resort area is still developing, but the necessary infrastructure is already working: shops, restaurants, cafes, excursion agencies, transport. And the best hotels in Khao Lak receive positive reviews from guests.
✔️ A bit of chronology and facts
The Khao Lak region stretches for 20 km along the western coast of the Andaman Sea. It is separated from the rest of the mainland by mountains covered with tropical forest. The area was formerly known as Takola. Artifacts dating back to 1400 years have been found here, indicating that it was an important Silk Road city.
The 2004 tsunami severely damaged the coastal area. Today, everything has been restored, and the tourist infrastructure has been updated.
✔️ Entertainment Features
The main leisure options in this region are a quiet beach holiday and excursions to natural attractions. There are many of them, thanks to which the region has become famous. Relaxation on the shore can be supplemented with active entertainment on the water and on land.
The resorts have a relaxed atmosphere, there are no noisy parties, which is why families with children love this place. Prices for holidays in Khao Lak are higher than the national average. The choice of accommodation is quite wide. You can find a budget option or stay in a more elite hotel.
✔️ Possible transfer options
The region is located approximately 100 km from the international airport of Phuket Island. You can get to the resort by bus or taxi. The most comfortable way would be an individual transfer. It is organized by the host company or the hotel, if it has such a service in its assortment. This is the most expensive option, however, it will save you precious time that can be spent on rest in this beautiful place.
✔️ Weather conditions
The region is located in the tropical, monsoon, marine climate zone. The temperature is always high, however, it is best to find and select a tour online to Khao Lak in the period from November to April, since the rainy season makes the sea stormy and muddy. Precipitation occurs during the dry season, but this is a rare occurrence. If desired, you can go to this region in the summer. The resort's pools are suitable for swimming, and the stormy sea and the absence of people are perfect for melancholic walks along the coast. Prices fall during this period, although many hotels generally close during the rainy season.
✔️ What to bring back from your trip
There are many shops, markets, souvenir shops, supermarkets in the region. Those who wish are also offered to go on shopping tours to Phuket, Patong, Krabi and other cities. But you can also buy goods to remember this trip at the resort. They sell a variety of exotic fruits - papaya, mango, pineapples, fruits of different palm trees and others, beach accessories, standard souvenirs. At the night market they sell clothes, shoes, handicrafts and, of course, traditional street food. On holidays, bright shows and performances are held here. The assortment in the supermarkets is familiar: household goods, food, electronics, clothes and more.
✔️ Search and selection of tours online in Khao Lak, reasons to buy a tour or a trip
This resort area cannot be called youthful, it is difficult to find discos, bars and any nightlife here. That is why the region is so popular with family and elderly tourists, as well as those who like a quiet holiday.
▶️ Beach holidays
The region stretches for several dozen kilometers of coastline, where resorts and local villages are located. The beaches here are clean, covered with large yellow sand, with a smooth entry into the water, there are few people on them. The most picturesque sections of the coast are located behind Cape Pakarang - with white sand and an almost complete absence of people. On the way from Phuket, the first village is Ban Khao Lak. The center of the resort is located to the north. The most popular beaches are located on the coast between Cape Pakarang and the Khao Lak La Mru National Park. They smoothly flow into each other, creating an almost continuous line.
◼️ Nang Thong , located in the village of Bang La On. This is the most popular place among tourists. And even despite this, you can enjoy the sparsely populated landscapes. The beach stretches for three kilometers. The surface is sand interspersed with pebbles, there are large boulders on the shore and in the water, there are quite a lot of them in the northern part, which makes swimming difficult. There is all the necessary infrastructure, mostly concentrated near the hotels. In this place, the tropical landscapes are complemented by two lighthouses.
◼️ Bang Niang is located in the village of the same name. It is separated from the previous beach by a small river flowing into the sea. In the dry season, it dries up so much that you can wade across it. In this place, hotels and restaurants are located not along the coast, but perpendicular to it. The entrance from the central street is not very comfortable, since you will have to go down on sharp stones. It is more convenient to enter the beach to the south. The sandy strip in the best place is wide, the sand is finer, sometimes there are shells and pebbles. In some areas of the coast, during high tide there is no possibility of swimming, but after low tide, a sandy strip appears. Everything is fine with the arrangement, cafes here.
◼️ Khuk Khak is also located in the village of the same name. This is one of the least crowded and longest beaches of Khao Lak. It stretches for 4 km from Bang Niang to Cape Pakarang. The infrastructure here is not as developed as in the previous two areas. The coast here is wide, palm trees and casuarinas grow nearby, and their needles can be found in the sand.
Another place worth noting is Coconut Beach. This is the beach behind the cape. The sand here is unusually white for Khao Lak. There is no special infrastructure here, and there are few people. Further north are Pak Vip with yellowish sand, Hat Thap Tawan with large waves, which attracts surfers. These places are also not very well equipped. This is a place for those who love solitude and isolation from civilization.
Water activities include windsurfing, surfing, snorkeling, and diving. There are picturesque reefs with coral gardens in the surrounding waters.
▶️ Nature
The main attractions of the region are natural places. This area is famous for the Khao Lak La Mru National Park. It was founded recently, in 1991. It is located on an area of 150 km 2 . There is a turtle farm, plantations where exotic fruits and rubber are grown. Extreme sports enthusiasts are sent on a bamboo raft down the river, lovers of quiet walks can ride elephants. There is also a small museum in the park dedicated to the tragic events of 2004, when a tsunami hit the coast. Other interesting places include a monkey cave temple, where you can watch macaques, and a small waterfall where swimming is allowed. On a tour of the park, you will get acquainted with the flora and fauna of this part of Thailand. The landscape here is made up of mountains, jungles, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, plantations.
The Similan Islands are located 55 km from Khao Lak. A national park has been created to preserve their picturesque nature. It is a popular place among tourists. They are attracted by the landscapes with black granite rocks, emerald jungles, white sand beaches and azure sea.
▶️ Additional entertainment
There is no large-scale entertainment infrastructure here. Basically, it is all concentrated near the hotels. The busiest tourist places are the villages, the beaches of which were mentioned above.
Everything here is aimed at a quiet holiday. Massage therapists often work on the beach. You can relax in the hands of a skilled master, enjoying the tropical atmosphere and the sound of the sea.
Every evening, various entertainment events are held. In early March, you can witness a touching event - the workers of the national park release turtle babies onto the beach so that they get to the sea and begin an independent life.
Fans of aristocratic entertainment are offered to go play golf. In the region, you will find two large fields.
You can buy a weekend tour to Khao Lak to take a break from the big noisy cities of Thailand and then continue exploring the country. If you want to spend your vacation in peace, this place is perfect for it.
