Khao Lak
Located in Southern Thailand, tourist places in Khao Lak are extremely attractive and must visit places. It has a 20-kilometer long beach that makes it possible for tourists to spend quiet and peaceful time by the seashores. Khao Lak is one of those areas of Thailand which remains quiet and calm, this makes it an ideal destination for couples and families who want to avoid crowded beaches. One can explore the beauty of nature here by visiting the Lampi Waterfall and the Chong Fah Waterfall. Tourists can enjoy Safaris in the Khao Lak Ram Ru National Park and spot some marvelous species of wildlife. One can even go on treks and hiking tours if they want to feel more adventurous. Being located by the sea, water sports like Snorkelling and Diving are must-do activities when in Khao Lak. One can even take lessons for deep water diving and explore the marine life present in the Andaman Sea. One can get the world-famous Thai Massages and feel rejuvenated and fresh. Since this small city has a rich culture one can even explore the local streets, street food and the street shops present here. Although Khao Lak had experienced disasters and natural calamities a few years ago, the local people of Khao Lak have been successful in recovering the city and making it more beautiful than it ever was. The serene environment and natural beauty that is present here is awe-inspiring and can take your breath away. One can even come to this majestic place for spa and yoga retreats to escape the monotony of the busy city life and feel recharged. Tourist places in Khao Lak in houses a small village area, has some of the cleanest and most peaceful beaches present in Southern Thailand and is a must visit vacation destination.
Khao Lak FAQ's
Travel Advice
On your mission to explore Khao Lak, you can hire a cab. But always agree to a price before getting into it. The cab drivers might demand higher charges later if not fixed earlier.
You need to reserve you table beforehand in the popular restaurants.
Book your hotel room before coming down to Khao Lak. The place is extremely popular among the tourists and you might not get a room available.
Do not visit Khao Lak during the monsoons, i.e., May to October. Visit in the months of November to April instead.
The tour agencies are pretty good in Khao Lak. Consult them for your tours.
If you want to do scuba diving, consult a related agency.
The whole place remains crowded with tourists from all over the world. Avoid the over-friendly ones.
The spas might offer pick- ups. Confirm that beforehand.
Drinking Laws
Our Recommendations: What you can’t afford to miss?
White sand beach
As the name suggests, you will get white sand in this beach. The water is clear, giving it a transparent effect. The beach is very beautiful and picturesque. You will love to see the sunset from this beach. There are some tiny restaurants offering fresh and tasty food.
Pak weep beach
The Pak Weep Beach is one of the most beautiful and picturesque beaches in Khao Lak. You will find a lot of tiny restaurants on the beach offering good food and drink. The water in this beach is crystal clear. You can go swimming there. You can easily spend 4 to 5 hours in this beach.
International Tsunami Museum
During the tsunami on 26th December, 2004, Khao Lak was badly affected. This was perhaps the place with maximum losses. There is a museum in Khao Lak as a tribute to those who lost their lives and those who lost everything they had. The main aim of this museum is to make the visitors aware of what Khao Lak went through. This museum is located near the Bang Niang Market.
Ton Chong Fa Waterfall
This beautiful waterfall is situated amidst thick lush greenery. You will have to trek up to reach the falls. The journey is worth it. The waterfall is divine. If you are visiting Khao Lak during the monsoon, you will get to see good volume of water in the fall. You will encounter many hornbills near the waterfall.
Khao Sok National Park
If you are tired of visiting the beach, try visiting the Khao Sok National Park. Its flora and fauna is mesmerizing and will surely impress you. You will get to see a lot of unusual flowers in this park, including rafflesia. The wildlife has a lot of surprises for you like the tigers, Asian Elephants, barking deer, mouse deer, languor, gibbons, etc.
Similan Island Tour
This island offers the best diving trips. So if you are looking for a great scuba diving experience, you must pay a visit to the Similan Island. You will surely cherish the memories lifelong.What will like you like there?
Culture
As the main source of income of the people in Khao Lak comes from the tourists, the culture is very tourist friendly. You can seek help from the locals regarding directions and similar things and they are always happy to help.
Food
The food in Khao Lak is simply mouth-watering and finger-licking. If you love street food, visit the Bang Niang Market to taste the local delicacies. You will also get good food on the beaches. There are some great restaurants in the mainland too. You will get restaurants offering food from all over the world but it’s recommended to taste the local cuisine.
Beaches
You will definitely fall in love with the beaches in Khao Lak. The Pak Weep Beach is the most beautiful one. The other good beaches are White Sand Beach, Bang Sak Beach and Bang Niang Beach.
Adventure
Where there are the beaches, there would be thrilling adventure sports too. You can satisfy your adventure needs by scuba diving, snorkelling, surfing and what not. If you love diving, you must head towards the Similan Islands. Apart from the water sports, you can go for trekking, mountain biking, forest safaris, etc.
People
The divine beaches are the main tourist attractions in Khao Lak but you must also explore the land and meet the locals. They are sweet and simple people leading a simple and laid-back lifestyle. For the town exploration, you can go up to the Khao Lak Land Discovery Office.
Spas
If you want to have a relaxing “me time”, there are a lot of spas which offers great therapeutic body massages. The best spa is the Silk Spa near J.W. Marriot. Book you appointment to have a relaxing time.
When is the best time to visit Khao Lak?
Khao Lak has an extremely pleasant climate all around the year. One can visit this place any time of the year and experience moderate temperatures with the perfect amount of sun. However, during the rainy season, most of the activities are shut down so it becomes way too quiet.
- November to April - this ideally a perfect time to flock to this coastal city. Most numbers of tourists seen in these months come to Khao Lak to avoid harsh winters back in their home city. The temperature is moderate and gets a bit chilly at night.
- March to October - these months are perfect for honeymoons as the beaches in Khao Lak are extra quiet and one can spend private quality time with their loved ones.
How to reach Khao Lak?
Khao Lak is about 100 KMS away from Phuket and is a series of villages. Even though it's a small town it is quite easily accessible by different modes of transport.
- By plane - one can take a plane to Phuket and then pre-book a car that will get you to Khao Lak in a matter of few hours. One can even go to Krabi and then take a car as the distance is the same.
- By train - the nearest train station for Khao Lak would be Surat Thani. It is generally a 4-hour train ride to reach Khao Lak after which one can take a bus to reach their hotel in Khao Lak.
- By Bus - there are no buses that go directly to Khao Lak or come from there but one can hop on the other bus routes of Phuket, Krabi, etc and get down at Baw Kaw Saw bus terminal present in Khao Lak.
Which are the major tourist attractions in Khao Lak?
Khao Lak has a 20 km coastal line which means it has lots of beaches. But besides beaches, there are many more tourist attractions that will leave one astounded. Some of the major tourist attractions present here are:
- Khao Lak Ram Ru National Park
- International Tsunami Museum
- Khul khak Beach
- Hat Bang Sak
- Ton Chong Fa Waterfall
- Tublamu Navy Golf Course
- Ton Pling Waterfall
What are the things to do in Khao Lak?
One can do a lot of things in Khao Lak ranging from adventurous activities to relaxing activities. Some of the must things to do while in Khao Lak are:
- Turtle Festival - In the Thai Muang National Park Beach people can witness the hatching of baby turtles and play with them as well. This is something one would not want to miss.
- Biking tour - tourists can take a biking tour through the mountains to explore the place and feel adventurous.
- Hot Springs - one can relax in hot springs and soak themselves for hours in Kapong Hot Springs.
- Trekking and hiking - one can do adventurous activities like this in the national parks present in Khao Lak
- Watersports - while on the different beaches one can try all the different water sports like jet skiing, surfing, sailing, diving, snorkeling, etc.
What is the local food of Khao Lak? Which are the best places to taste this food?
The local food of Khao Lak mainly consists of authentic Thai Dishes like 'Moo Ping’ which is a form of grilled pork, fried rice, noodles, other pork dishes and so on. In order to enjoy the local food found here one needs to visit the street shops and restaurants. The Thai Cuisine is quite simple yet bold in flavors. Rice is their staple food and is found in almost all the dishes. Some of the best places to taste this kind of food are:
- Rabeang Restaurant
- Candle Restaurant
- Beach Restaurant
- Sabai Sabai Restaurant
- Ton Son Restaurant
What is the best public transport to commute around Khao Lak?
Since Khao Lak is mainly a village area the public transport system is not that good. The main and best mode of transport is rented cars or bikes as in this there are no timing problems and it is not that expensive either. The Local Songthaews and taxis are a good option during the day but at night they charge higher prices and are not always available. All in all the best mode for transport in Khao Lak are:
- Walking
- Bicycle
- Motorbike
- Songthaews
- Taxi
What is the local language in Khao Lak and which are the most commonly used greetings?
The local people of Khao Lak speak Thai language and occasionally understand English as well. Some common greetings and phrases in the Thai Language are:
- How are you doing? - Sabai dee Rue Krab/ Ka
- Hello - Sawasdee Krab/Ka
- Please - Chern Krab/Ka
- Goodnight - Raatrie Sawat Krab/ Ka
- How much? - Tao Rai
- Thank You - Kob Kun Krab/ Ka
Which are the best shopping places in Khao Lak and what are they famous for?
Thailand is famous for cheap shopping. Even Khao Lak has a lot of places where tourists can spend hours shopping and not get tired. Khao Lak does not have big stores but one can find amazing handicraft and traditional jewelry here. Some of the best shopping places and areas are:
- La On Village - they have medium sized stores which have basic items like clothes and accessories.
- Bang Niang - there are more options here and the collection of clothes are amazing. This area is most famous for its handicrafts and small trinkets of different kinds.
- Thai Muong - this area is famous for shopping of food. One can get local food as well as some great meals.
- Nang Thong Supermarket - one of the biggest supermarket present here.
Which are the famous beaches in Khao Lak?
Khao Lak has a 20 km long coastal line. There around a dozen beaches present in Khao Lak and almost all are amazing and mesmerizing. Some beaches are quieter while some are more happening. Some of the most famous beaches that happening yet not overcrowded are:
- Bang Sak Beach
- Pakarang Cape
- Khul Khak Beach
- Bang Niang Beach
- Nang Thong Beach
- Sunset Beach
What are the best sites for scuba diving in Khao Lak?
One of the must-do activities in Khao Lak is Scuba Diving. The diverse marine life present here is astounding and breathtakingly beautiful. One can take lessons and then go Scuba diving or go along with a trainer. There is no Scuba Diving during the rainy season as it becomes quite dangerous. Some of the best sites for Scuba Diving in Khao Lak are:
- Bunsoong Wreck
- Premchai Wreck
- Similan Islands
- Koh Bon
- Koh Kachai
Located in Southern Thailand, tourist places in Khao Lak are extremely attractive and must visit places. It has a 20-kilometer long beach that makes it possible for tourists to spend quiet and peaceful time by the seashores. Khao Lak is one of those areas of Thailand which remains quiet and calm, this makes it an ideal destination for couples and families who want to avoid crowded beaches. One can explore the beauty of nature here by visiting the Lampi Waterfall and the Chong Fah Waterfall. Tourists can enjoy Safaris in the Khao Lak Ram Ru National Park and spot some marvelous species of wildlife. One can even go on treks and hiking tours if they want to feel more adventurous. Being located by the sea, water sports like Snorkelling and Diving are must-do activities when in Khao Lak. One can even take lessons for deep water diving and explore the marine life present in the Andaman Sea. One can get the world-famous Thai Massages and feel rejuvenated and fresh. Since this small city has a rich culture one can even explore the local streets, street food and the street shops present here. Although Khao Lak had experienced disasters and natural calamities a few years ago, the local people of Khao Lak have been successful in recovering the city and making it more beautiful than it ever was. The serene environment and natural beauty that is present here is awe-inspiring and can take your breath away. One can even come to this majestic place for spa and yoga retreats to escape the monotony of the busy city life and feel recharged. Tourist places in Khao Lak in houses a small village area, has some of the cleanest and most peaceful beaches present in Southern Thailand and is a must visit vacation destination.