actually meaning, Lak Mountain, after one of the primary peaks in this mountainous region of southwestern Thailand, Khao Lak offers travellers serene beauty, white sand beaches, towering cliffs as well as a less touristy alternate to other Andaman superstars like Phuket as well as Railay. This is definitely one of the very best locations to go to in Thailand!
This is where most liveaboard dive boats leave for long diving trips in the Similan Islands. It’s house to some excellent beaches, national parks, waterfalls as well as hikes as well as it’s just 60 kilometers north of the uber-popular Phuket Island.
Khao Lak was hit difficult by the 2004 tsunami as well as the catastrophe still evaluates heavily on the residents here, as made evident by the impactful Tsunami museum which sits in the center of town. Over 4,000 people were recorded dead after the waves hit as well as 3,000 more stay unaccounted for, however somehow Khao Lak has bounced back.
The people right here have regained the loving smiles that make Thailand famous as well as the tourism facilities has been rebuilt, with new getaway routes as well as warning systems in location to ensure that any type of future catastrophe will be much better handled.
I wouldn’t phone call Khao Lak “off-the-beaten path”, however it definitely is one of the more laid back beach towns on the Andaman coast. There are great deals of lodging choices for each budget plan as well as it’s in a fantastic location, perfect for trips to the Similan Islands, the Surin Islands as well as the Khao Lak / Lam Ru national Park.
In this guide I’m going to break down whatever you requirement to understand about a trip to Khao Lak, including exactly how to get there, the very best locations to stay as well as eat as well as the very best things to do, in addition to day trips around the region. If you’re planning on heading to Khao Lak, look no further than this important insider’s guide.
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Getting There & Away
There are numerous methods to get to Khao Lak. Although the area has an island vibe, it’s really on the western coastline of mainland Thailand. similar to Railay Beach, Khao Lak does feel somewhat seluded even though it has roads leading in as well as out, making it significantly easier to reach.
By Plane
Travellers coming to Khao Lak by airplane will land in either the Phuket flight terminal (HKT) which is around 80 km outside of town or the Krabi flight terminal (KBV) which is 140 km from town. From the former, a minibus will take you from the flight terminal to Khao Lak in just over an hour for around $3 (100 THB), or you can take a taxi for $37.50 (1,200 THB). From Krabi flight terminal you can book a shuttle bus to take you to Khao Lak for just over $5 (160 THB) while a taxi will run you over $50 (1,650 THB+).
There are several flights leaving everyday from the airports in Bangkok to both of these airports. the very best airline in the region is AirAsia, however you can likewise discover flights with Thai Lion, Nok (not recommended), as well as Thai Airways. The expense to Phuket or Krabi will likely be between $50 – $70 per seat.
Train
To reach Khao Lak by train from Bangkok you’ll have to get off at the Surat Thani Station. This journey takes around 12 hours as well as will expense you around $15 (500 THB). From Surat Thani Train station you can hop on a 3 hour bus for $5 (150 THB).
Car
If you’re renting a vehicle in Thailand, you can drive from Bangkok to Khao Lak along path 4. The drive will take you around 10.5 hours.
Bus
There are buses from Bangkok to Khao Lak as well as they usually expense between $15 (500 THB) to $30 (1,000 THB) depending upon the class you choose. The journey will take around 13 hours.
Things To perform in Khao Lak
Being a gorgeous beach area with great deals of stretches of white sand, rocky outcroppings as well as turquoise eco-friendly waters, it may be difficult to peel yourself away from the coast, however if you do choose to leave your lounge chair, there is plenty to keep you hectic in the region.
Go beach Hopping
See exactly how much belief I have in you leaving the beach? So bit that I’m starting the things to do with some wonderful beach walks in the region.
The primary stretches of sand are Nang Thong beach as well as the strip in front of La On Village. They’re extremely close to the primary buying as well as restaurant areas so you don’t have to go far from your guest home to get to them.If you want to go a bit further afield, inspect out Khao Lak beach itself which is 5km away from La On or Bang Niang Beach, Hat Pakarang, Hat Bang Sak or Pak Week. All are gorgeous as well as you might quickly spend an afternoon at each one of them.
Visit Ao Phang Nga national Park: The James Bond Island
The completely remove waters as well as remarkable rock formations of Phang Nga Bay set the scene for the famous James Bond movie The guy With The golden Sun, as well as likewise produce the perfect location for a day trip from Khao Lak.
The lovely national park has incredible ocean scenery, stunning eco-friendly as well as blue waters that almost appear to be lit from below, as well as rich jungle greenery. inspect to see if your day trip includes a trip to Ko Panyi, a stilted village, as well as a canoeing trip.
Join a Liveaboard Trip
With the dazzling Similan as well as Surin islands lying offshore offering a few of Thailand’s finest diving opportunities, Khao Lak is the location to join a liveaboard. There are lots of business offering several day excursions out into the coral reefs as well as most can be booked from tourism agencies, guest homes as well as dive shops in town.
If you’re into wreck diving, you truly can’t beat the eerie as well as incredible sunken giants like HTMS Prathong, Premchai, MV Sea chart as well as Boonsung. joining a liveaboard trip is one of the most incredible things to perform in Thailand.
Visit Khao Sok national Park
There truly is no limit to the beauty of this incredible national park. house to countless types of flora as well as fauna as well as some wonderful camping areas, this 735 square kilometer natural reserve is smack dab in the middle of the Andaman as well as Gulf coasts.
Plan a full day trip or a multi-day camping as well as trekking trip in the national park. many tour operators in Khao Lak can assist you book a trip as well as expect to discover exotic creatures like tapirs, barking deer, macaque, gibbons, as well as even wild elephants (if you’re lucky).
Explore The Waterfalls
Escaping to a close-by waterfalls is a great method to see the raw nature near Khao Lak while cooling off in crystal remove pools. Don’t miss the five-tiered tumbling waters of Lam Ru or the pools of Khao Lak Lam Ru as well as load Chong Fah.
It’s finest to pack a great pair of hiking shoes on a day to waterfalls since the rocks can be incredibly slippery near the pools. Bug spray is likewise a great concept for those jungle mosquitos.
International Tsunami Museum
The worldwide Tsunami museum in Khao Lak showcases the facts as well as horrors of the devastating 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. Still the most lethal natural catastrophe in history, the aftermath of the 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coastline of Indonesia sent 9 meter high waves that wreaked havoc around the rest of the region in their path.
The museum informs visitors about exactly how tsunamis are formed, warning indications to watch out for as well as exactly how to getaway to security quickly. It likewise tells incredible tales of survival as well as tragedy. A go to to the museum is a visceral experience as well as a must for those thinking about natural phenomena.
Where To stay in Khao Lak
If you look on sites like Airbnb as well as Booking.com you can discover some fantastic offers on lodging for all budgets. Click right here to inspect out the top rated locations on Booking.com, as well as if you’re backpacking Thailand, you’ll be happy to understand that many of them are under $30 per night.
Where To Eat
Whenever in Thailand, it’s difficult to keep yourself to just three meals a day. Light, refreshing, salty, spicy, wonderful as well as sour, the cuisine in southern Thailand is excellent as well as Khao Lak is a fantastic location to try regional dishes as well as tasty seafood preparations.
The ban Niang night Market
Located just 20 minutes from Khao Lak Beach, this giant night market opens up every Wednesday as well as Saturday as well as is hold to a ton of incredible Thai food. From the scrumptious to the strange, you can try whatever from Pad Thai to grilled insects at this interesting night market. even if you don’t choose to eat here, you should inspect it out as it could’ve quickly been listed under “things to do” in this guide as well.
Seafood Restaurants
If looking for a tasty seafood barbeque as well as you’ve got a bit bit of additional Baht to spend, then don’t miss Sala restaurant as well as Khao Lak Seafood, which are both found on Phet Kasem Rd in Bang Thong. Both restaurnats have a nice setting as well as fantastic bars as well as offer generous parts of consistently fresh as well as well prepared seafood with Thai dipping sauces.
When To Visit
It’s worth planning your go to to the Andaman coastline during the high season or shoulder season since the rains are extremely heavy in the off season. The dry season runs from November to April as well as the wet season from may to October.
Chart By: Holiday-Weather.com
Even in the dry season though you will get rain, especially at the beginning as well as end (shoulder), however there is a significant amount of downpour in the rainy season between may as well as October. during this time around you’re much better to be in the Gulf of Thailand (Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Ko Phangan etc.).
Khao Lak is Waiting…
Although Khao Lak is a bit bit more costly than some other locations in Thailand, visitors right here are rewarded with a laid back alternate to Phuket, with great deals to see as well as do both in town as well as in the surrounding national parks as well as beaches.
You might quickly make Khao Lak your house base while checking out more of the Andaman Coast, returning after each trip to enjoy sunset on the powdery sands. No matter exactly how you spend your time on the west coastline of southern Thailand, try to make sure that gorgeous Khao Lak is on your itinerary.
Lead picture by WikiCommons.
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