Khao Lak

Khao Lak (เขาหลัก) is a beach resort town located in the Takua Pa District of Phang Nga province in Southern Thailand. It is approximately 80 kilometers north of Phuket.

I spent a week in Khao Lak and I fully agree to what people said about this place, about its serene ambiance. One of Khao Lak’s main attractions is its 25 km of glorious beaches along the Andaman Sea which there are eight beaches:

1)    Khaolak South beach (หาดเขาหลักใต้)  2)    Khaolak North beach (หาดเขาหลักเหนือ)

3)    Nang Thong beach (หาดนางทอง)           4)    Bang Niang bach (หาดบางเนียง)

5)    Khuek Khak beach (หาดคึกคัก)               6)    Paakweeb beach (หาดปากวีป)

7)    Bang Sak beach (หาดบางสัก)                    8)    Koh Kho Khao (เกาะคอเขา)

 

I stayed at a resort in Paakweeb beach and I loved this place! Personally, I prefer here than Phuket, there are less crowds. It suits my need then – I just needed to rest my head and calm my mind. If you are tired from all touristy entertainment in Phuket, and want to swap for a laid-back environment, Khao Lak is perfect for you.

I also visited Khaolak South and North beaches and Bang Niang beach, the beaches are not so pretty comparing to Paakweeb beach to be honest, but its quiet, soft and sleepy ambiance is truly prominent.

 

 

Thai people usually come to stay in Khao Lak as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips or one-day snorkeling trip to the stunning Similan, Surin and Tachai Islands, as well as the mainland wonders of Khao Sok and Khao Lak/Lam Ru National Parks

If you remember one of the historic natural disasters happened in December 2004, Khao Lak was hit by Tsunami harder than anywhere else in Thailand. The maximum tsunami wave height at Khaolak has been reported to be 11.6 meters.

My mom took meand my sibling there to see the scene just a few days after Khao Lak was hit . I still remember seeing big boats in the middle of the road.

If you are concerned to visit Khao Lak now, don’t be. An early-warning system has been installed along the affected coastline already.

 

Now Khao Lak has fully recovered, tourism in Khao Lak has again flourished. There are variety of beachfront resorts from five-star to friendly-to-your-wallet. Khao Lak also offers a wealth of places to go and things to do; waterfalls, trekking, rafting, riding elephant etc.

When is the best time to visit Khao Lak?

Khao Lak is a seasonal destination. There are two seasons in Khao Lak, the Dry Season which runs from November to April and the Wet Season from May to October.  The busiest time is November to February where they have a lot of sunshine and you definitely need to put on the sunscreen.

During the rainy months from May to October the room rates are reduced, but also a lot of restaurants and shops are closed. You may be put off by the rougher seas and some beaches may have an undertow and it is not always safe to swim as the sea reacts to the weather.

How to get there:

By Air:

There is no direct flight.The nearest airport is Phuket international airport, then you can take a taxi, a mini van, a bus or rent a car to Khaolak. It is about one-hour drive.

By Bus:

From Bangkok:  Khao Lak is about 750kms. VIP and first class overnight buses head to Phuket, but you can get off in Khao Lak.Buses depart from the southern bus terminal Sai Tai Mai. The ride takes about 12-15 hours.

From Phuket Town:  Buses leave heading to Takuapa – you can easily get off in Khao Lak.

 

I am definitely happy to go back to explore more of Khao Lak : )