Khao Lak lies in the Takuapa district of Phang-nga Province, a seaside province with an extraordinary view, both on shore and underwater. Khao Lak is located about 50 kilometres north of Phuket Island on the mainland. It is an area, where the lowlands, that extend behind the coast, disappear and the rain forest covered mountains are reaching the sea shore. Khao Lak is becoming increasingly popular with overseas visitors who accepted that Khao Lak actually became the heaven for relaxation. The combination of long stretches of unspoiled beach, crystal clear blue sea and virgin mountain wilderness make this area particularly attractive to tourists looking for a peaceful vacation in the Land of Smiles. However, the most impressive activity to partake in whilst in Khao Lak is undoubtedly a trip to the Similan Islands or the Surin Islands for some snorkeling, diving and island trekking. Check out Khao Lak Hotels for the best hotel pricing.
Khao Lak - Similan Islands
Some people suggest November to February as the best time to come - when Khao Lak is its busiest. If you are a people watcher, it is also a fun time to just sip a beer and watch people walk by. Only an hour away by car from Phuket International Airport, Khao Lak is renowned for its tranquil surroundings and unspoilt tropical beaches the perfect ingredients for a holiday in paradise. Khao Lak is a tiny blip on the radar screen as you drive from Phuket Town north towards Takuapa . Restaurants dot the single main road through town and tend towards the casual , open-air kind of place with a wide-ranging menu covering all the standard foreigner favourites , classic Thai stir-fry dishes and plenty of fresh seafood .
Khao Lak is surrounded by rice fields and rubber, palm and coconut plantations. The interior is covered in magnificent natural jungle and rises to meet high hills, cut by streams and cascading waterfalls such as Saeng Thong, Lam Roo and Chong Fa. Unspoilted Khao Lak is a newly developing seaside town surrounded by mountains and covered with dense jungle foliage. Khao Lak is well-known for a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips as well as its beautiful white sandy beach. Khao Lak is about 70km north from Phuket International Airport, and can be reached by car in about 1 hour. In 2004, taxis charge B 1,400 fixed price from the airport to Khao Lak.
Khao Lak is a popular departure point for the Similan Islands , the Surin Islands and more distant dive sites in the Andaman Sea, partly due to it being closer than Phuket. There are plenty of dive centres in the area who specialise in dive trips and liveaboards to these areas. Maybe it’s possible to start up something on small scale until Khao Lak is back on its feet. After that, we can expand to something more ambitious, run by Thais perhaps.
Khao Lak offers a rare oasis for relaxation, with a superb combination of cool tropical forest, lovely beachfront accommodation and expansive white sand beaches. And those beaches are more beautiful than ever. Well it does, but kinda directly out to sea and not north along the beaches as I’d hoped. BTW, if you tell the guys at the NP gate you are going to the restaurant they won’t charge you the 200baht NP entrance fee. The resort has its own private rocky beach where a small jungle path connects the property to the National Park’s sandy beach. Under the shade of gigantic tropical trees and endless view of Andaman Sea, it is a perfect romantic getaway.
This offers a wonderful appendage to the beach area which is enjoyed by few other resort locations in Thailand. The park is typified by lofty hills, waterfalls and soaring cliffs, with gorges that can be explored by canoe. Khao Lak, located about 100 km north of Phuket, is one of the most tranquil beach destinations in Thailand. Located in the Takua Pa disctrict of Phang Nga province, Khao Lak offers a lovely coastline facing westwards with miles of sandy beaches , embraced by tropical hills sloping down beyond the sand. Double check equipment and off we go to the beach. Longtails are the traditional transportation and we will climb on one of these.
