Thailand’s beaches are world-famous for lovers of sun, sea, and sand. Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, and Krabi may be among the more popular resort towns, but there are many more stunning beachfront jewels for visitors to discover. And a shining example is Khao Lak.

Located just about an hour’s drive north of Phuket International Airport, Khao Lak offers beautiful beaches, water sports galore, and spectacular sunsets. But more than that, there are flourishing forests punctuated by waterfalls and hot springs and authentic local experiences with vibrant temples and bustling markets.

If you are looking for an alternative to the well-travelled beaches and attractions of Phuket, look no further than Khao Lak.

Nature’s playground

Khao Lak's beauty goes beyond stunning beaches, but we will begin with the beaches. There are seemingly countless stretches for you to explore or to find your favourite sun-soaked spot. Coconut Beach (also called Pakweep Beach) has vast expanses of sand punctuated by luxury resorts and beachfront restaurants. White Sand Beach is just as it is named, with a shoreline that glimmers between crystal blue waters and vibrant greenery.

And while every beach offers recreations from swimming to building sand castles, Khuk Khak Beach (also called Memories Beach) and Nang Thong Beach are also popular surfing spots. Nang Thong Beach is also home to many dive shops that offer day trips and liveaboard scuba adventures to the bucket-list Similan Islands and Khao Lak Underwater Museum.

The flora and fauna inland are another gorgeous facet of Khao Lak for you to discover. Khao Lak/Lam Ru National Park is a tropical evergreen forest that offers 125 sq km of enjoyment. You can take a hike and go birdwatching (over 170 species sighted) or keep an eye out for a binturong (bearcat) or flying lemur. Or make your way to Tong Chong Fa or Lam Ru Waterfall. Both are tiered with welcoming pools to cool you off.

If hot springs are your idea of relaxation, Khao Lak boasts several natural spas of geothermal wellness. Kapong Hot Springs are in Lam Ru National Park, and Rommanee Springs are also in the northern part of Khao Lak. Ban Do Ban is further south and part of a resort, and there may be a service fee to take the waters.

For those with conservation in mind, there are a few elephant sanctuaries where pachyderms go to retire. You can visit and participate in washing and feeding the animals, and the interactions are monitored with the elephants’ welfare as a priority. Looking back to the sea, you can learn about the efforts to protect the various sea turtle species at the Sea Turtle Conservation Centre at the Phang Nga Naval Base.

A Taste of the South

Thai food is world-renowned for its diversely fabulous flavours, and the South has its own specialities that showcase local ingredients. A visit to Khao Lak is a great opportunity to discover the many delights of Southern Thai food and expand your knowledge of Thai cuisine. Here are just a few dishes you should try:

• Khao Yam: A Thai take on the Malaysian nasi kerabu, this is a dish usually served with separate components, allowing you to toss together a salad to your taste. Surrounding rice (blue from butterfly flowers) is usually dried shrimps, green mango, chopped lemongrass, pennywort, bird’s eye chillis, and kaffir lime and turmeric leaves.
• Khua Kling: If you think that all Thai curries are coconut-milk based and soupy, this dish will show you otherwise. Beef, chicken, or pork is stir-fried with a paste of chilli, lemongrass, pepper, shrimp paste, galangal, and other aromatics and spices. Every bite has a spicy kick.
• Moo Hong: For a less spicy but still flavourful dish, there is moo hong. Pork belly is braised in a mixture that includes garlic, coriander root, black peppercorns, star anise, and dark soy sauce. The tender, melt-in-your-mouth stew is comfort food that everyone can enjoy.
• Pad Sataw Kung: In English, sataw are called bitter beans or stink beans. Don’t let the name put you off. This preparation sees this pungent legume stir-fried with curry paste, shrimp paste, and fresh shrimp, for a much more enticing aroma and delicious treat.
• Bai Liang Tom Kati Kung Sod: For more subtle flavours, this soup combines Melinjo leaves with coconut milk, shrimp paste, and fresh prawns for a savoury sweetness that is hard to describe but satisfying to taste.
• Gaeng Pu Bai Chaplu: This dish features betel leaves and crab meat cooked together in a rich coconut-cream curry seasoned with shrimp paste, kaffir lime leaves, roasted chillis, lemongrass, and other seasonings and aromatics.

Southern culture, Thai smiles

Khao Lak is more than a stunning coastline and lush natural surroundings. Khao Lak also offers visitors insights into the region's culture, heritage, and history.

Takua Pa is Khao Lak’s “Old Town”, brimming with quaint shophouses of boutiques, cafés, and galleries, showcasing Sino-Portuguese architecture and design. The town itself is a gallery, as its walls are resplendent with street art. You can climb Bangmara Hill for fantastic views and amazing photo ops with its colourful playground.

Buddhist temples (or Wats) in Khao Lak are distinctive sights. While in Old Town Takua Pa, you can visit the majestic Wat Sena Nucharangsan. Wat Suwan Khuha features a reclining Buddha resting in a cave. And monkeys. At Wat Khuk Khak, you can walk by the giants and elephants that guard the grounds or spend some time exploring the menagerie of animal statues around the complex.

Khao Lak was hard hit by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, and you can learn about the tragedy and the rebuilding with the International Tsunami Museum, which includes Boat 813, a Royal Thai Navy vessel that was carried to where it now stands by the catastrophic wave. A visit to the Tsunami Museum may be a solemn event, but it does provide perspective into Khao Lak’s resilience.

And no visit to any region of Thailand is complete without shopping at local markets. In Khao Lak, Bang Niang Tourist Market caters to visitors with street food options and plenty of local arts & crafts and souvenirs. On Sunday afternoons, Old Town Takua Pa’s city centre becomes a walking street market. For more authentic market experiences, wake up early and hit the Khao Lak Fresh Morning Market, where locals buy their groceries and restaurants stock their kitchens. The Roumjai Evening Market attracts tourists and locals alike with a wide range of food, from fresh fruit to green curry and roti, as well as souvenirs and clothing.

Anantara Vacation Club loves Khao Lak

This article just scratches the surface of all the wonders that await visitors in Khao Lak, so close to Phuket, and yet on a level all its own.

Anantara Vacation Club wants our Club Points Owners to be able to enjoy all the wonders that Khao Lak has to offer. So, in early 2023, we established Anantara Vacation Club at Avani+ Khao Lak. Located on Pakweep Beach (aka Coconut Beach), Owners and guests can explore Khao Lak at their leisure or enjoy the four pools, kids club, teen zone, and the many other facilities and amenities of the resort. If you are interested in Anantara Vacation Club Points Ownership, we would be happy to arrange a personalised presentation for you.