Khao Lak

Despite being very close to Phuket, Khao Lak is an area mainly for couples and families who look for quiet, relaxation and pure natural beauty. Khao Lak now is a 20 kilometers stretch of pristine beaches facing the Andaman Sea, with the backdrop of forested mountains. In recent years, the area welcomes more and more additions of resorts, many of them have their own private beaches. Apart from the beaches, Khao Lak features a number of uncrowded mountains and parks which is great for people who love to go outside and explore nature.

Get in and get out

To get to Khao Lak, the easiest way is to fly to Phuket International Airport (another alternative is flying to Krabi) and get to Khao Lak by taxis.

Get around

Khao Lak is a large area (20 kilometers in length), so it is important to know how to get around. Although songthaew is available in day in Khao Lak, for safety and comfort, we still recommend using taxis, especially if you travel for long distance as in Khao Lak, infrastructure for walkers is not quite developed.

Climate

The climate of Khao Lak region is heavily influenced by two seasonal monsoon winds. The first monsoon comes from the southwest and lasts from April to October. During this time of the year, the weather is often rainy with October the wettest month. That being said, after October, when the northeast monsoon comes in until March, it is much drier, thus making it great for outdoor activities.

Highlights

Diving and snorkeling

While Khao Lak itself is not a place for going underwater, it is the main base to go to Surin and Similan Islands, two of the best diving spots in Southern Thailand, with an extensive collection of coral and fish in terms of number and diversity. It only takes 1 or 2 hours by speedboat to get to the islands from Khao Lak. Apart from diving and snorkeling, these satellite islands of Khao Lak are also great spots for surfing and kayaking.

National Parks

Khao Lak area is home to two national parks: Khao Lak Lam Ru and Khao Sak. These national parks are children-friendly and have some nice and easy walks. Khao Sok offers a wider variety of activities including jungle trekking on foot or on elephants, river rafting, canoeing and visiting waterfalls.