Discover Khao Lak
Tours
The best guided experiences.
Food & Drink
Where will you dine?
Burmese Corner – Authentic Food
Zab Nua Seafoods
Juice From Mars
Bella Italia
Pinocchio Restaurant
Stays
Where will you stay?
Le Meridien Khao Lak
Devasom Khao Lak Beach Resort
The Sands Khao Lak
The Sarojin
The Leaf Oceanside
La Flora Khao Lak
Apsara Beachfront Resort & Villa
Avani Plus Khao Lak Resort
X10 Khao Lak Resort
Attractions
Places to go by yourself.
Bang Niang Beach: Central Serenity
Lampi Waterfall National Park
Roumjai Evening Market (PTT)
Bang Niang Tourist Market
Navy Boat 215 in Lam Kaen
White Sand Beach in Khao Lak: A Tropical Paradise Awaits
Pakarang Cape
Nam Khem Tsunami Museum
Guanyin Temple in Nang Thong
Guided Tours
Visit the Islands, Khao Sok, Elephants and more!English, German & French guides. Book ahead of time and secure your spot at local prices.FAQ
Khao Lak is most famous for its amazing diving and snorkelling opportunities at the Similan Islands and others.
All the islands in the Andaman Sea have amazing coral reefs and diverse marine life. People from all over the world come here to have an unforgettable experience.
Although the islands and underwater life are breathtaking, don’t forget the nearby Khao Sok National Park, which is one of the oldest rainforests (estimated 160M years) and 739 km² in size – wow!
Khao Lak has a tropical climate with dry seasons and rainy seasons. The best time to visit considered the “high season”, is between November and March. Some will say October to April, the “shoulder months”, although October can still be quite rainy and April very hot and humid. The driest month is February with the sunniest days and September the wettest with frequent – sudden – rainfall.
If you don’t mind the occasional showers, the rainy season is a great time to visit with low room rates, lower flight rates, quiet beaches, and more “VIP” service with fewer tourists around. Just keep in mind that some shops will be closed. You can check out our Weather, Seasons and Climate post for more information.
There are many things to do. Let’s just name a few things to give you an idea:
- Diving and snorkelling at many islands
- Several waterfalls to visit and swim under
- Many Buddhist temples to walk in and around
- Several beautiful viewpoints
- Kayaking in mangroves
- Bamboo rafting
- Wildlife tours
- Visit a huge rainforest at Khao Sok
- Horse-riding on the beach
- Cooking classes
- Yoga retreats
- Thai boxing
- and much more…
View our recommended tours if you are looking to book a trip.
One word – STUNNING! The 25 KM stretch of smooth beaches is simply impressive. It’s quite easy to find your own piece for you and your family or for a nice romantic walk. The Andaman Sea in the west means spectacular sunsets on the beach you don’t want to miss.
Overall it’s hard to pick a favourite beach – they are all amazing – but after you had a few evenings at the beach in La On, and taken some postcard-worthy shots of the sunset and lighthouse, you may want to check the beaches in the North around Pakarang, Pak Weep and Bang Sak, which are beautiful and quiet white sandy beaches. The local street food, Thai families, and food at Bang Sak beach are worth the visit.
Unfortunately, snorkelling from any of the beaches isn’t great, it’s sandy and little to see, but there are a few spots with boulders and quite some fish to see on Lam Kaen’s South Beach — be careful though, there can be jellyfish too.
Our tip “7 Khao Lak Areas: Which suits your next stay?” is a good place to learn more about the areas that make up Khao Lak.
That’s a really tough question to answer. Khao Lak has several amazing areas (open popup map) with different traits and it’s really up to your specific preferences. You can start by looking at the different areas that make up Khao Lak. The Southern part of Khao Lak, the “centre” known as La On, will have an abundance of choices but is most crowded. The more North you go, the quieter it gets, and the fewer shops. The second largest area, known as Bang Niang, could have the ideal balance. If you want to be more secluded, go even more North, away from the centre. Note that all areas are connected to a long strip of beautiful beaches with amazing sunsets.
