What to do in Khao Lak? Stroll between beaches, waterfalls and local life

For a long time, I thought Khao Lak referred to just one beach. In fact, it's the name given to a whole collection of beaches and villages stretching over 30 km along the Andaman Sea. It's a popular destination for those seeking a quieter, more natural setting than Phuket, located about an hour's drive to the south.

I had the opportunity to take a tour there after a visit to the Ranong city and province, further north. As we then continued towards Nakhon Si Thammarat to see the in-laws, it was the perfect opportunity to stop in this region that I often heard about. The idea of ​​this article: to share with you a glimpse of what you can discover in Khao Lak, between wild beaches, waterfalls and local atmosphere.

Khao Lak Beach Map

To give you an idea of ​​the places I'm going to talk about below, here is a map of the beaches that make up Khao Lak and its villages.

Getting to Khao Lak

Khao Lak is not a town as such, but is very well served via National Road 4 (also known as Phetkasem Road). You can therefore access it from any tourist destination in the region, starting with Phuket, where the closest airport to Khao Lak is located.

However, these are simple bus stops and not bus terminals, as the latter are just passing through, usually with Takua Pa, Ranong or even Surat Thani as their destination.

From Phuket Airport, you will have to travel 75 km to reach the main hotel area. Expect between 1h30 and 3h journey depending on the means of transport, because you will then have several choices:

• • • Take a taxi for direct access (count at least 1 Baht, this is obviously the least hassle option). If you are in a group, this can be an economical option, as there are minibuses for 600 people.
    • Shared minivans only leave when they're full, so you may have to wait and be patient, but it's still a cost-effective option if you're traveling alone or as a couple. Expect to pay 300 baht per person, but this information should be checked.
    • By bus. To do this, you need to go to the main road, 5 km from the airport, and hail one when it passes by. This is the cheapest option, but you need to know the likely schedule of buses passing through the area and which one….

Map of Phang Nga province and the location of Khao Lak.

It is also possible to continue your stay in many places since there are minibus + ferry packages for Koh Samui and the Gulf of Thailand, as well as vans for Krabi, Koh Lanta, the islands further south, off Trang and even as far as Penang (fares vary between 350 and 1500 Baht per person roughly depending on the distance).

On site, however, it is not cheap, because if you have songthaews (local taxis), expect to pay 100 Baht to get from your hotel to the main street and around 200/300 Baht to go to the nearby beach.

Book your trip to Khao Lak

1- The beaches of Ban Thap Tawan and Bangsak

First beach where I stopped, Ban Thap Tawan. The latter allowed me to have a good overview of the coasts, bordered by mountains et coconut trees for milesThe stretch of beach I was going to was located next to a small wooded area, where we came across a Thai family who were having a picnic.

It is true that the setting lends itself well to it. After the bottom in this corner is rocky so not particularly suitable for swimming, especially since it is not deep. The place adjoined the big beach of Bangsak, which stretches over almost 6 km and of which I also had a good overview from this spot.

There are a few resorts in this area like the Bangsak Merlin Resort, Sentido Graceland Khao Lak Resort & Spa or Haadson Resort, and places to eat, especially at the Happy Beach bar & restaurant.

part of the pine trees bordering Thap Tawan beach.

Bangsak Beach.

2- Pak Weep Beach

Next step, the end of Pak Weep Beach, located south of Bangsak Beach. The two beaches are separated by a strip of sand interspersed with rocks. Despite access via a sandy path, this area appears to be more developed.

in front of the main hotel on the corner, the Mai Khao Lak Beach Resort & Spa, we find the usual massage parlors and small restaurants, but in a clearly relaxed atmosphere and without concrete. Too bad the weather is not on our side, it spoils the visual experience a little.

3- Sai Rung Waterfall and other waterfalls

As the area is surrounded by mountains (we are only 50 km from Khao Sok National Park), we can see several waterfalls along Khao Lak, without having to stray far from the beaches. The small waterfall of Sai Rung for example is only four kilometers from the beach of Pak Weep where we came from.

Access is free (rare enough to be noted) because it is not part of a national park. However, parking is paid (20 Baht). Its particularity is to be on private land, in an area dedicated to tree cultivation, mainly rubber trees (whose harvested sap is used for rubber).

Access is easy, just follow the marked path (be careful if it's wet, it can be slippery) for 100 m. The waterfall itself is not the most impressive but the setting in the middle of the forest is not bad and there is the possibility of cooling off in a pool at its foot. Which is precisely what a small group of tourists were doing when we passed by.

A rubber plantation before arriving at the waterfall.

The parking lot and its restaurant.

The small waterfall of Sai Rung.

If I only visited one, due to lack of time, there are no less than ten waterfalls in the region, particularly in the Khao Lak-Lam Ru National ParkThis national park stretches from the shore and extends up to 50 km inland to the east. On the beach side, you can access pretty coves, which are not necessarily crowded, as access to the national park is subject to a fee, including beaches (200 Baht per person).

On the mountain side, in addition to the nature composed partly of primary forest, you can do raft and bamboo rides. For the falls, I can cite Ton Chongfa waterfall, Hin Lad Waterfall or the one giving its name to the park (or vice versa, I don't know), Lam Ru Waterfall.

Further south of Khao Lak you also have the Khao Lampi National Park and its waterfall of the same name or the picturesque one of Your Phrai.

Cove in Khao Lak-Lamru National Park.

4- Pakarang Cape

After the waterfall, my next stop marked on my GPS indicated “White Sand Beach”, which I wanted to check if it deserved its name 😉

White Sand Beach was also an opportunity to stop for a bite to eat. Since our previous stop, I had been looking for a hotel with beachside restaurant, just to enjoy the place. Knowing in passing that during this visit, we were there in low season, at the beginning of November, while the rainy season is not yet over. So some restaurants are not yet open and the same goes for the smaller resorts.

Finally, our meal will be at the Ao Thong Beach Bungalows & Restaurant. Because for the record, the White Sand Beach is not the name of the beach but in fact the name of a resort... spotted on Google Maps. It does have a restaurant, but it was closed, so we went to the neighbor's who was operating that day, despite a little rain when we arrived, which fortunately didn't last.

The beach at the White Sand Beach Resort.

The Ao Thong restaurant where we stopped for lunch this afternoon.

Given the many sandbags supporting the terrace raised above the beach, we can clearly see that Khao Lak is badly affected by erosion with the waves of the rainy season. So far, we can't say that it's the prettiest I've seen.

Once my belly was full, I wanted to take a look at another part of this same beach, nicknamed Coconut Beach, the coconut beach. It is true that many places along the coast are rather lined with pine trees, but this small strip of beach, adjoining Pakarang Cape (which also includes the restaurant beach), is dotted with coconut trees.

There are several small restaurants, including the Boatyard, next to which I parked. Here too, access is via a sandy path and we really feel like we are in the middle of nature. No big resort (Even if there is one nearby since we were passing by the Kantary Beach Villas & Suite), no concrete galore, it's really a nice little beach.

Access to Coconut Beach.

5- Khuk Khak Beach

Khuk Khak Beach is a wide, sloping beach lined with pine trees that starts after Pakarang Cape to the south. On the part I went to, just before the main village of Bang Niang, apart from 2 large hotel complexes (the Haven Khao Lak Resort and  Khao Lak Orchid Beach Resort), it was rather quiet.

Along the small road bordering the beach, we could see some small restaurants and massage parlors allowing me to take a sunbathing break. I wasn't lingering there too long so I won't go on any longer, the sky was becoming threatening, I wanted to continue in order to continue my reconnaissance.

Arriving at Khuk Khak beach.

The small road with restaurants and massage parlors bordering the beach.

6- Bang Niang village and market

Bang Niang village has become a challenger to Khao Lak's main village, La On, and its Nang Thong Beach, just south of Bang Niang. The emergence of its market may have something to do with it. Bang Niang Market mix of fresh products (vegetables, fish, shellfish, fruit) but also souvenirs, clothing, small cafes, restaurants.

All in a fairly relaxed atmosphere. The only criticism of the place (which Jitima pointed out to me) is that they cut down all the trees in the area to build the market rather than keeping a covered side, with greenery. But overall, while we saw mostly tourists there, a few locals were also doing their shopping and the welcome seemed genuinely friendly.

Unfortunately I won't have time to see more and won't go take a look at Nang Niang beach, because the rain finally decided to fall, while we were just finishing our tour of the market.

The entrance to Bang Niang Market and the songthaews parked in front.

7- Nang Thong Beach and Khao Lak Lighthouse

As a last stop and despite the rain, I headed towards the beach from where you can see the small lighthouse of Khao LakThe latter was just a pretext to choose a last stretch of beach in order to have seen roughly the different areas making up Khao Lak from North to South.

I had decided to take a look despite the rain, because Nang Thong is considered the main beach of Khao Lak, but the bad weather forced me to cut this stop short. I then painfully took some photos under my umbrella while Jitima waited kindly in the car. On the positive side, this kept us in the area for a shorter time, because we still didn't have a long way to go (I was going to Nakhon Si Thammarat see his family that day).

I remember that it is a rocky area, that Nang Thong concentrates a lot of big hotels and that it is next to the Khao Lak – Lamru national park (less than 5 km further south). At only 13 km, away from the main N4 road and next to a naval base, you have Thap Lamu village whose quay, spelled Tab Lamu Pier is a starting point for excursions to the Similan Islands, located more than 60 km offshore.

Arriving at Nang Thong beach.

The small lighthouse of Khao Lak.

8- Tsunami memorials

It was in fact in 2004 that I heard about Khao Lak. Already having a certain popularity since the beginning of the 2000s, this coast was the most affected with Phuket by the famous deadly tsunami of December 2004.

Among those affected that day, the royal family itself lost a prince, Poom Jensen, son of the eldest daughter of the late King Rama IX, who was on vacation in Khao Lak. Since then, there have been several memorials. One is in the north, the Ban Nam Khem Tsunami Memorial Center, located next to a fishing village, Ban Muang.

Another, better known, the International Tsunami Museum (entrance fee 300 Bahts on the other hand) exhibits a small Thai Navy shuttle that came to ground there more than a kilometer from the coast, recalling the power of the phenomenon.

Finally, there is another memorial further south, soberly titled Tsunami Museum, which also exhibits a carcass of a reconnaissance boat. Originally, when I was planning this trip, I thought I would at least go and see one to take some photos, but since it wasn't my priority and I didn't have time, I decided against it, especially since the weather was gloomy.

Want to explore the surrounding area from Khao Lak?

Even if it wasn't during this specific trip, I highly recommend a few getaways accessible from the region:

▪️ The Similan Islands : a true snorkeling paradise, just an hour away by boat. Less privileged than from Phuket, Khao Lak is nevertheless much more practical. As I mentioned just above, the Tab Lamu pier, which is part of Khao Lak, serves as the departure point, so no need to leave at 6 a.m., and with transport time reduced, the price is also proportionally reduced.

The Similan Islands, a snorkeling paradise

▪️ Phang Nga Bay : famous for its spectacular karst formations and iconic islands like James Bond Island or Ko Panyee, it is easily explored by longtail boat, via day trips that can depart from Khao Lak.

Explore Phang Nga Bay: Sights to See and Practical Tips

▪️ Ko Phra Thong : an astonishing and still preserved island, very different from classic postcards, with its savannah landscapes, its long deserted beaches and a timeless atmosphere, I loved it!

Ko Phra Thong: an island with a unique landscape

My impressions of Khao Lak

Khao Lak is a more family-friendly destination and less crowded than Phuket. As I mentioned in the introduction, its coasts, despite running along a national road, have remained pleasantly wooded and wild (Phang Nga is one of the provinces, along with Ranong, with some of the best-preserved nature in Thailand).

However, the development of the villages forming Khao Lak allows a reasonable tourism, to be able to enjoy a beach without playing Robinson Crusoe and going through the obstacle course to reach your destination, as can be the case with secondary islands like Ko Phra Thong, which we had visited previously. In summary:

Khao Lak has the right balance of amenities and transportation to provide a hassle-free holiday experience.

I must confess that I was pleasantly surprised. Considering it popular from hearing so much about it, I was expecting something more developed, like a kind of small seaside resort. What misled me was that while there is indeed a small beach called Khao Lak (the latter being just after Lamru National Park, at the hotel Khaolak Emerald Beach Resort & Spa), this name ultimately designates the entire coast between this “original” beach of Khao Lak and the village of Ban Nam Khem, 32 km further north.

So it's large enough to accommodate many people without disfiguring the entire coastline. We don't have a succession of large hotels blocking access to the beaches and leaving no room for nature. And in the end, I completely understand the reason for the success of Khao Lak as an alternative or even an escape from Phuket In the region.

Did you like the article? share on Pinterest!