Khao Lak is a coastal resort area on the Andaman coast of Thailand. Located in Phang Nga province, it is one of the most popular seaside resort areas for tourism, located just 80 km north of Phuket Airport. Planning a trip to Khao Lak in Thailand? This detailed Khao Lak travel guide with travel tips will help you discover the area and its best things to do.
Things to Do in Khao Lak
There are plenty of things to do in Khao Lak as the coastal area is offering white sand beaches, glittering seas, and rich nature. It is a beautiful, secluded place that is great for couples, families and nature lovers. Khao Lak is also the starting point for snorkeling tours to the Similan and Surin Islands, where you can see multicolored coral reefs and extremely diverse ecosystem. Staying here, you can enjoy many activities such as visiting magnificent natural limestone caves and lagoons at Phang Nga Bay and short-distance boat trips to several offshore islands to give you the enjoyable moments.
Island Tours from Khao Lak
The area is a great base for day trips to nearby islands. When booking your tours to the islands online, you can save money and escape dealing with tour operators.
The most popular island tours from Khao Lak:
Similan Islands Early Bird Day Trip
Full-Day Snorkeling in the Surin Islands
Phang Nga Bay & James Bond Island by Longtail Boat
Phi Phi Islands Early Bird Tour
Similan Islands
If you are an advanced diver and want to experience the best of diving in Thailand, Similan Islands is the perfect place for that. Similan Islands is a group of nine breathtaking desert islands that make up the Muh Koh Similan Marine National Park. Similan Islands has crystal clear and shallow water with plenty of maritime life, full of incredible rock formations and coral reefs.
The best way to explore these islands is on board for 3 or 4 days, as this ensures that you are going to do several dives. There are also plenty of day trips to the Similan Islands from Khao Lak. You can visit the Similan Islands by joining this day trip: Similan Islands Day Trip.
Surin Islands
Surin Islands is an archipelago that consists of five smaller islands in the Andaman Sea. It is located about 40 km from the west coast of Thailand, near the border with Myanmar. Surin Islands are lined with stunning coral reefs. The reefs are close to the surface, making them excellent for snorkeling. Waters around these islands feature rich tropical marine life and a variety of fish species. There are also several trails and viewpoints on the island.
Surin Islands is one of the most beautiful archipelagos in all of Southeast Asia and also one of the best places for diving and snorkeling in Thailand. Beginners can join Full-Day Snorkeling in the Surin Islands Trip from Khao Lak to snorkel through the sheltered reef between the islands.
Phang Nga Bay
Phang Nga Bay is the bay in the Andaman Sea, where you can admire the Karst rock formations, mangroves and caves.
James Bond Island
The small island Koh Tapu was named James Bond Island after the famous movie "The man with the golden gun", which was filmed in this area. This is a great place to take some beautiful photos.
Cruise the amazing Phang Nga Bay by traditional longtail boat on a tour from Khao Lak before discovering James Bond Island and Suwan Khuha Cave Temple.
Koh Panyee (Floating Village)
Koh Panyee or Koh Panyi is an island with an extraordinary Muslim fishing village which is a small community on the sea with a unique culture and way of life.
A visit to Koh Panyee is often included in the boat tours around Phang Nga Bay such as this Phang Nga Bay James Bond & Beyond Tour.
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint & Skywalk
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint offers stunning 180-degree views overlooking Phang Nga Bay and its hundreds of wonderful limestone formations and small islands.
Samet Nangshe Skywalk is the new landmark for sweeping views over Phang Nga Bay. Samet Nangshe Skywalk is a 180-meter-long glass-floor sky bridge, which stands 80 meters above the ground, offering 360-degree views of the bay. The skywalk is the highlight of Beyond Skywalk Nangshi Resort and can be visited not only by resort guests but also day visitors who need to get a ticket for visiting the skywalk.
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint is also visited on this Phang Nga Bay James Bond & Beyond Tour.
Koh Phi Phi
Koh Phi Phi is a small archipelago of six islands in Southern Thailand. Koh Phi Phi islands are widely considered to be amongst the most beautiful islands in the world.
Koh Phi Phi Ley is the second largest island of the archipelago formed by a ring of steep limestone hills surrounding two shallow bays, Maya Bay and Loh Samah. Maya Bay is the location which was used for filming Leonardo DiCaprio's movie 'The Beach'. The bay features an amazing blue lagoon and white sandy beach.
Visiting Koh Phi Phi from Khao Lak is pretty easy as there are several boat tour companies offering day trips on this route. As other inclusions normally differ, compare Koh Phi Phi tours and choose the one that suites your preferences the best.
You can also visit Koh Phi Phi independently but you will need to get to the ferry pier in Phuket and book a ferry ticket to Koh Phi Phi.
Khao Sok National Park
Khao Sok National Park is the biggest rain forest in the south of Thailand and it can be conveniently visited from Khao Lak. The dense forests of the national park are full of unique flora and fauna.
Cheow Lan Lake or Rajjaprabha Dam Reservoir is the heart of the beautiful Khao Sok National Park. While taking a boat on the lake, you can marvel at the beautiful scenery of amazing limestone formations.
You can explore Khao Sok National Park's lush rainforests, stunning limestone cliffs, and picturesque lakes on a day trip from Khao Lak, which takes you to enjoy a scenic jungle walk and then board a canoe for a trip through dense jungle and limestone rock formations.
Staying overnight at one of raft houses on the lake of Khao Sok National Park is a unique experience. The easiest way to enjoy it is by choosing 2-Day Cheow Lan Lake Tour.
Meeting Elephants in Khao Lak
There are several ethical sanctuaries, where you can meet elephants in Khao Lak.
Khao Lak Elephant Sanctuary lets you experience the ultimate adventure with a guided eco-tour, where you can feed, observe elephants bathing, take unlimited photos with gentle elephants, and watch the natural behavior of the elephants.
Phang Nga Elephant Park is a family-run elephant Sanctuary, located in the picturesque, rural Thai jungle.
Khao Lak Elephant Home is an elephant sanctuary, where you can meet the friendly giants, hear their individual stories and interact with them by giving a meal for the elephants.
Sea Turtle Conservation Center
Sea Turtle Conservation Center is working to save and increase the number of sea turtles in the region. The center is located in a military area as the Royal Thai Navy plays an active role in turtle conservation. There the turtles are protected and taken care of for 6-8 months before being released into the sea.
Sea Turtle Conservation Center is normally visited together with other natural attractions in the area on the tours like this popular Rafting, Elephant Bathing & Sea Turtle Center Tour.
Khao Lak Waterfalls
There are many waterfalls in the surrounding jungle. Some of the most popular waterfalls in the area are Sai Rung Waterfall, where the water plunge 20 meters from a ledge into a lagoon encircled by jungle, Tam Nang Waterfall, which is a large waterfall descending from a 60-meter high rock cliff into the large basin below, Wang Khiang Khu Waterfall and many others.
A visit to one of Khao Lak waterfalls is normally included in the jungle tours with bamboo rafting experience.
Khao Lak Bamboo Rafting
The surrounding jungle is a popular place for bamboo rafting. Here you can ride a traditional bamboo raft on small rivers passing by ancient trees, other exotic plants and even wild animals such as snakes, monkeys, spiders, and monitor lizards.
Compare some of the most popular Khao Lak tours that include bamboo rafting and choose one that suites your needs the best as normally quite varied activities and different rafting locations are offered. You can also find tours offering to explore the jungle riding on canoe.
Khao Lak Temples
There are several interesting temples in Khao Lak area: Wat Bang Tong with a huge golden tower, Dragon Cave Temple at the site of stunning stalagmite and stalactite caves, Wat Bang Riang situated high up on a mountain and offering breathtaking views, and Wat Suwan Khuha located in a giant cave with a 15-meter-long reclining Buddha statue.
As these temples are quite far from the town, to visit them you will need private transportation or to join one of Khao Lak temple tours.
Muay Thai Fights
Khao Lak is one of the places where you can find boxing stadiums to watch real fights of Muay Thai, which is Thai national sport. Explore the best places to watch Muay Thai in Khao Lak.
Khao Lak Boxing Stadium is new Muay Thai venue in Ban Niang Beach area. This Muay Thai venue is located nearby a very well-rated Hotel Gahn and is the place where you can get to see Thai boxers battle it out using their feet, elbows and knees in this intense combat sports.
Beyond Boxing Stadium is another Thai boxing venue located in Khao Lak near Bang Niang Market. This indoor Thai boxing stadium attracts fighters from all over the world to complete the ancient Thai martial art - Muay Thai.
You can also learn the basics of Muay Thai while in the area. These classes are suitable for both beginner and intermediate participants who can join this immersive Muay Thai class in Khao Lak led by a seasoned boxing maestro and prepare to unlock the hidden secrets of Muay Thai discipline.
Cooking Thai Food
In case you like not only eating Thai food but also would love to learn cooking it by yourself, Khao Lak is a good place for taking a Thai food cooking class.
Learn how to prepare and cook traditional Thai food during a fun Khao Lak cooking class. Awaken your culinary creativity, explore the world of Thai flavors, and enjoy a lot of healthy Thai food!
Deep-Sea Fishing from Khao Lak
The Andaman Sea is a great place for fishing, since it is a stunning location. It is also full of the most sought after and exciting fish and sea life around. To get the chance to catch some tropical fish you won’t find back in your home county, you can get on this local fishing tour from Khao Lak.
Tsunami Memorial Police Boat 813
Police Boat 813 once was a vigilant guardian of the seas but met an untimely fate during the devastating tsunami, and now stands like a Tsunami Memorial in Khao Lak as a reminder of the power of nature.
Tsunami Memorial can be easily visited independently. Some of sightseeing tours also make a short stop there.
Phuket Big Buddha
Phuket Big Buddha or Wat Phra Yai houses the largest Buddha image in Phuket. The temple is situated on the top of Khao Nak Koet mountain and offers spectacular panoramic views of Phuket and the surrounding islands. Big Buddha can be seen from many distant places in southern part of the island.
Even if you are not staying on Thailand's largest island, you can discover the wonders of Phuket on a day trip from Khao Lak, which takes you to the white marble Phuket Big Buddha and explore the Phuket Weekend Market to find souvenirs or traditional Thai delicacies.
Where to Stay in Khao Lak
Khao Lak area has been developed to house several beautiful 4 or 5-star resorts. You will find some of the most spectacular resorts from private pool villas to tropical-style cottages surrounded by a lush tropical garden with direct access to a secluded beach area. Many of them feature an infinity pool, a spa and wellness center inviting all guests to indulge in various refreshing treatments and therapies, fitness center, tennis court, Kids club and several dining options. There are also budget hotels and guesthouses located in the center of the town.
For an exceptional stay in Khao Lak, choose one of the best Khao Lak resorts with private pool villas.
The most popular Khao Lak hotels are listed here: Best Hotels in Khao Lak.
To get the best deal on accommodation, make sure to compare hotel deals on Booking.com with often better special offers on Agoda.
How to get to Khao Lak?
You can get to Khao Lak by plane or bus.
Flights to Khao Lak
The nearest airport is Phuket International Airport (HKT) is served by plenty of domestic and international flights so you will never be short of options.
There are plenty of flights to Phuket from Bangkok and other popular destinations in Thailand that can be found here:
Flights from Bangkok to Phuket
Flights from Chiang Mai to Phuket
Flights from Koh Samui to Phuket
Private transfer from the airport to your hotel can be booked here: Phuket Airport Private Transfer to/from Khao Lak.
Bus to Khao Lak
There are regular services of bus to Khao Lak from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal, Krabi Bus Terminal and cities in southern Thailand.
Check for the schedule of different buses and book bus tickets here:
Other Transportation Options
More transportation options for a trip can be found and transport tickets can be booked with the help of this search form.
Weather in Khao Lak
Khao Lak has only two seasons - the wet and the dry. Weather conditions are at their best in this coastal area from November to March. From March to May the temperature rises as the cooling wind departs and the humidity rises. In April monsoonal weather usually arrives, which is expected to last until October. Peak rainfall levels are usually experienced in September and October.
Next Destination after Khao Lak?
Phuket is the largest and most popular island in Thailand, Koh Phi Phi islands are widely considered to be amongst the most beautiful islands in the world, Ao Nang is the main tourist hub of Krabi with beautiful scenery of mountains between the beaches, Railay is a paradise for rock climbers, Koh Lanta is an island with a much more laid-back atmosphere, while Koh Samui lets you experience the other coast of southern Thailand.
You can also consider to visit Koh Yao islands in Phang Nga Bay, halfway between Phuket and Krabi. Koh Yao consists of two main islands, Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai, and several surrounding islets. Beautiful nature and calm atmosphere attract tourists to come here.
If taking a day trip from Khao Lak doesn't seem enough, you can go to stay at the beautiful Khao Sok National Park. There you will sleep in a bungalow above the water and discover the jungle.