What to do in Khao Lak: 11 Plans in this Seaside Paradise

Updated: 3 December, 2024

Khao Lak has almost virgin beaches, waterfalls, natural parks where you can see the sea of clouds and even a turtle festival where they are released into the sea.

The small town of Khao Lak is in the Phang Nga province in southern Thailand and is the Main gateway to Similan and Surin Islands from where the boats leave.

Furthermore, it is a tourist destination of wide beaches bathed by the Andaman to spend a few days of great relaxation.

But the charm is not only found in its beaches, but also in its impressive seabed, hence it is so popular for diving and snorkelling.

A great advantage of Khao Lak is that the influx of tourists is far from being as massive as that of Phuket or Krabi, something that helps maintain the authenticity of the place.

I'll tell you what the best things to do in and around Khao Lak so you can enjoy each of its corners. Below I leave you the Google map marked with colors.

What to do in Khao Lak: 11 best plans

1. Paradise beaches (blue)

If you like huge beaches with white sand and crystal clear water, you will love Khao Lak.

In addition, they are so long that they are usually quite deserted and very quiet, free of noisy jet skis that are prohibited there.

1. Khao Lak: is the main beach of the town with bars, restaurants and resort. Still, she stays calm and is very pretty, especially at bedtime. sunset.
2. Khuk Khak: It is further north next to the fishing village of the same name. It is one of the most popular for its beauty, surrounded by palm trees and fine white sand. The beach scenes of the film were filmed on this beach. movie The impossible with Naomi Watts.
3. Laem Pakarang: Also known as Coconut Beach, it is a very beautiful almost virgin beach, next to the north.
4. Pak Weep: This beach is the most famous in the area and is where the most luxurious resorts are, it is also beautiful and quiet.
5. Hat Bang: It is a smaller and super quiet beach.

These are the main beaches of Khao Lak, although you will find more interesting and deserted beaches if you continue exploring towards the north.

2. Snorkeling

Khao Lak's crystal clear waters are perfect for viewing its abundant underwater life.

However, the beaches that I mentioned in the previous point are not the best places to practice snorkeling, because the reefs in some of them are very far from the shore and you have to go by boat.

If you want to access it from the beach, the best is the Nang Thong Beach because it has a rocky area where you can see a varied marine fauna.

There are also options for snorkeling excursions to the Similan full day like the one in the link. These islands are famous for their imposing coral barrier.

Or at Surin Islands with shallow corals that remain almost intact.

They are very beautiful excursions that you will enjoy a lot if you are a sea lover, I recommend doing at least one, they include several stops and lunch.

😎 Also, Similan has some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Thailand, which is why I included it in this other article about the 9 Best Beaches in Thailand.

3. Diving with manta rays

Khao Lak also attracts diving enthusiasts in its two marine parks on Surin and Similan Islands, the latter being one of the TOP diving destinations in Thailand next to Koh Tao.

In the Similan, visibility can be up to 30 meters. One of the best known diving sites is Richelieu Rock, was one of the favorites of the well-known Jacques Cousteau where manta rays are very common.

Other notable diving spots are shipwrecks such as the HTMS Pratong, MV Sea Chart or Premchai.

To go there, it is best to hire an excursion that takes you to do several dives in the area and includes the equipment and insurance.

🐬 In this other article I tell you about Diving in Koh Tao: courses in Spanish and prices, with tips for choosing a school, location and practical information.

4. Tsunami Memorial Park (purple)

This coastal town in Phang Nga province was the most affected place in Thailand by the 2004 tsunami, due to an underwater earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale.

It is estimated, according to unofficial data, that about 10,000 people died, among them more than 2,000 tourists and a large number of undocumented Burmese workers.

Khao Lak has been rebuilt since the tsunami thanks to tourism, although today you can see abandoned resorts and restaurants.

The problem with that tsunami was that it took them by surprise, since then evacuation routes have been marked and a detention system has been implemented to be alert.

In the area there are 2 monuments and 1 museum that remember that tragic event:

1. Ban Nam Khem Tsunami Memorial Center: It is the most important memorial about the tsunami, it is free to enter and although there is not much information in English, it is interesting to see. There is a fishing boat that was destroyed, a sculpture that represents the height of the waves and plaques with the names of the deceased.
2. police boat: Another interesting point is a police boat that was carried by the waves a little more than 1 km and was left there to remember what happened.
3. Tsunami Museum: It was built near the police boat and you can see an extensive photographic collection of Khao Lak before, during and after the 2004 tsunami. It is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and costs 300 baht (8.24 euros).

In 2012 the movie The impossible, starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor based on the traumatic experience of Spanish doctor María Belón with his family during the 2004 tsunami.

This film has attracted more tourists to this beautiful coastal town, where several scenes were filmed, including those on the beach.

Then the scenes in the pool when the immense wave arrives are in the Orchid Beach Resort (4 on the map).

🎥 In this other article I tell you more details about the film's locations in Khao Lak The impossible and others Movies Shot in Thailand.

In the trailer below you can see the beach and the resort in Khao Lak and Tom Holland when he was a little kid. 😄

5. Lam Ru National Park and waterfalls (green)

The closest park to the town is Lam Ru, which covers an area of 125 km².

Some of the most interesting species in this park are flying lemurs, tapirs, 170 species of birds, as well as several types of reptiles and amphibians.

The park's biggest attractions are its waterfalls:

• Ton Chong Fa- It is the most popular waterfall because it is the closest to Khao Lak, just 12 km from the park entrance. It is a 5-level waterfall and the main one has a drop of 10 meters. You can bathe in its pools, especially in the last one, which is a little larger.
• Lam Ru: This waterfall is the largest in the park, it has 5 levels with medium-sized falls with pools to take a good dip. The waterfall is 45 km from the main entrance, unless you want to walk a lot, it is best to go to the other entrance (National Park Preservation Unit 1). Admission there is free and to get to the waterfall it is an easy walk of less than 10 minutes. The site is a bit abandoned and almost no people go, but if you are a nature lover it is a good place to enjoy a half-day visit.

👍 Friend's tip: if you visit either of the two waterfalls I recommend that you bring enough food and water. because there is nowhere to buy in either area. Also take a grippy footwear, because the climb to the waterfalls is usually very slippery.

In the park you will find several trails, if you are going to go further than the 12 km that leads to the Ton Chong Fa waterfall you will need to hire a guide.

Another interesting place is the small quiet beach not far from the main entrance to the park.

The entrance to the national park costs 100 baht (2.73 euros) and is open between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

6. Rafting on the Song Phraek River

In Khlong Phanom National Park there is an area of whitewater on the Song Phraek River to go rafting.

This area is a little further from the beaches of Khao Lak, it is about 60 km.

Therefore, the best way to go is with a rafting excursion that includes everything: transportation, rafting, a small ATV adventure and they take you to the turtle center.

If you are going to visit the area, I recommend avoid elephant camp, which is an unethical place with animals.

In addition, they allow you to bathe with them, something that from the point of view of the animals is quite uncomfortable as they cannot bathe freely.

For us it is unhygienic because they urinate and defecate when they bathe. At the same time, there is the crushing hazard and there have already been fatalities.

🐘 In this other article you can read more about the situation of elephants: Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand: ethical or just a business?

7.- Khao Sok Park

Khao Lak is well connected to the Khao Sok national park, the most impressive park in southern Thailand both for its size and for the variety of fauna, flora and landscapes.

It is a park that is divided into what part of rain forest and the Cheow Lan Reservoir with its cliffs reminiscent of Halong Bay in Vietnam or Phang Nga.

From Khao Lak you can go with private transportation or by mini bus that picks you up at the hotel, it costs 16 euros and takes 1:30 hours to arrive.

Another option is to go with a 1 day excursion like this one from the link, which includes a walk through the jungle with an expert guide in fauna and flora, as well as a canoe ride and food.

There are also alternatives for more complete tours, like this one from 2 days and 1 night with accommodation in the floating cabins on the lake, with walks. Includes meals and pickup from Khao Lak.

⭐ In this other article Khao Sok National Park: visit to the park, lake and caves You can read in detail about the interesting points of the park, how to get there and many more details.

8. Bang Niang Night Market

The night markets are one of the most interesting things to do in Thailand and where you can taste its exquisite food.

If you stay several nights in Khao Lak I recommend visiting the Bang Niang night market that open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m.

At first thing in the morning there is almost no one, but after sunset the market comes to life.

It is a good meeting point for local Thai people and the large community of foreigners who live there.

In addition to food, they also sell souvenirs and clothing, if you buy something remember to bargain.

9. Turtle Festival

The first week of March takes place Turtle Festival and hundreds of sea turtles are released into the sea on the beaches of Thai Muang National Park.

These are the turtles from various conservation projects in the area.

Because the Andaman coast of Phang Nga province is a frequent place for the leatherback turtle nesting (leatherback) and the golfina (Olive Ridley) between the months of November and April.

The festival is free and it is a way to raise awareness among people, because the number of turtles that go to nest has been greatly reduced and Thailand has a big problem with plastics.

Although it is primarily a Thai festival, everyone is welcome, there are parades, people in traditional clothing, dance performances and of course food.

10. Sea of clouds at Khao Khai Nui viewpoint

The sea of clouds is one of the most beautiful gifts of nature that you can witness and it is about the cottony clouds seen from above move as if they were the sea.

Although it is usually called the sea of clouds (sea of clouds), it is fog.

In the south, one of the few places to see this beautiful phenomenon is the Khao Khai Nui viewpoint, which rises 200 m above sea level.

The viewpoint can be visited all year round and is free, there you can contemplate 360º views of the jungle, the sea, sunset and sunrise.

The best months to see the sea of clouds are from October to February and preferably early in the morning.

Please note that the Climbing to the viewpoint is quite dangerous and the road is not good, I recommend you go in a 4×4.

Another alternative is to stay in some of the accommodations in the area that can pick you up.

If you don't speak Thai you will need someone to help you because they don't speak any English. The cabins are very basic, but they are good for spending the night and usually cost around 1,200 baht (32.8 euros) per night.

⭐ In this another article you can read more about it best place in all of Thailand to see the sea of clouds in Doi Inthanon.

11. Phang Nga Bay

One of the most beautiful landscapes in the province of Phang Nga is the bay of the same name.

It is a bay with turquoise waters full of small islands with limestone cliffs and caves reminiscent of Halong Bay in Vietnam.

Some of the most interesting places to see there are:

• James Bond Island: where some scenes of the movie The man with the golden gun in 1974 and stands out for the large rock in the middle of the island's bay.
• Koh Panyee: a fishing village built on pylons where its people live there, they even have a school, a mosque and a curious floating soccer field.
• Koh Thalu (Lod cave): immense open-air caves that are accessed by canoe.

It is the perfect place for a 1-day excursion, you can hire a boat in some of the ports in the bay or go with a tour like this one from the link which includes all visits, hotel pickup and lunch.

⭐ In this article you can read in detail about the visit to Phang Nga Bay in Thailand: an unforgettable place and in this other one of the 7 Best Tours from Phuket I'll tell you about the viewpoint I'm in the photo above.

Khao Lak Map

Most of the points are in orange, then I added an additional color for the ones where I mention several places to make it easier to identify them. 😉

* To check the legend for each place, click the button in the top left corner of the map. To view this map on your phone or computer, tap the star on the right side of the title. Then go to Google Maps, select "Your Places" and "Maps" from the menu.

How to get to Khao Lak?

From northern and central Thailand

The easiest way to get to Khao Lak from Chiang Mai, Bangkok and other places in the north and center of the country is with a flight to Phuket which is well connected to Khao Lak.

Another alternative is with a flight to Surat Thani, although it is not so well connected (I'll tell you more below).

If you come from Bangkok you can get to Surat Thani by train although it takes a long time (13 hours) and the seats that are cheap are in third class with a fan (starting at about 7 euros).

However, the fans don't always work and the seats are very uncomfortable. On the other hand, a second flight with air conditioning depending on the season costs more or less the same as the plane, which takes 1 hour and a little.

From Southern Thailand

Once you are in the south you can reach Khao Lak from several places by driving or using public transport from:

• Phuket: The buses leave from Terminal 2, take 1:30 hours and cost 3 euros. As an alternative there are transfers at a good price from the same Phuket airport to Khao Lak Like the one on the link, the advantage is that they drop you off at your hotel.
• Surat Thani: from Surat Thani there is no direct bus, you have the alternative through Phang Nga, but from the center of Surat Thani you will need 3 buses. Another alternative is to take a bus to Phuket which takes about 4 hours and costs 8 euros; from there with the bus that I explained in the previous point to Khao Lak.

To see the schedules and book tickets for these buses I recommend this website. It is a very practical website to find out about transport options throughout Southeast Asia and buy tickets without traveling.

How to get around the town and its surroundings?

In the town you can choose to walk because it is quite small, but if you want to see its beaches and surroundings the best way to get around is with your own vehicle.

Motorcycles are the cheapest option and you can find rental places between 200 and 300 bahts per day (5.50 and 8.24 euros).

In case you go to rent a car in ThailandI recommend this search engine that has the best prices. I have rented for less than 20 euros / 22 USD per day.

Where to stay in Khao Lak?

Khao Lak has a good hotel offer and since it is not as crowded as Phuket, prices are usually cheaper.

Here are recommendations for some accommodations in Khao Lak for different budgets:

• Cheap: Orchid Beach Resort next to the beach and with beautiful pools.
• Half: The Briza Beach Resort with an excellent location, good facilities and a rich and varied breakfast.
• Luxury: The Anda Mani They are beachside villas in a beautiful setting and a very generous breakfast.

Final Thoughts

These are the Best things to do in and around Khao Lak, a coastal town unknown to mass tourism where you can relax on deserted paradise beaches.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and if you found the article useful, share it with other fellow travelers. 😘

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