Location: Khao Lak
Duration: 5 nights/6 days
Hotel: The Haven Khao Lak
After the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, it was time for a little bit of relaxation! After checking out of our hotel in Bangkok, we headed to the airport and took a short, 1 hour flight to Phuket. We flew with Air Asia who were a fantastic airline and considering we were only on a one hour flight, an in-flight meal was a welcome surprise! The flight was brilliant and with clear skies we could actually look down and see the east coast of Thailand with its golden sands and crystal clear sea.
We arranged a transfer through our hotel to pick us up from Phuket airport and take us straight to our hotel. If heading to Khao Lak, I’d recommend trying to arrange a transfer as once you’ve got through the main built up area of Phuket, the surrounding environment soon becomes pretty bare. The journey to Khao Lak takes around an hour and a half via car and whilst it is possible to take a bus, we opted for the quick and easy.
Khao Lak suffered major devastation following the 2004 tsunami with over 4,000 people dying (with local unofficial estimates topping 10,000), as well as destroying most of the coastal landscape. The 2012 film, The Impossible, is based on the true story of the family of María Belón who survived the 2004 tsunami, with the film actually being shot in Khao Lak.
Despite the devastation, Khao Lak has recovered phenomenally and if it weren’t for a few stark reminders around the area, you wouldn’t have known the ruin that the tsunami caused less than 20 years ago. Khao Lak has undergone huge redevelopment and is still a hugely popular tourist destination. The area is also now much more well equipped to deal with any future natural disasters, with the implementation of an early warning system to alert locals to the possibility of any potential tsunamis.
We stayed at The Haven Khao Lak, for 5 nights whilst in Khao Lak. The Haven Khao Lak is an adults only resort, nestled between lavish gardens and a sparkling sandy beach. We booked a standard deluxe room and amazingly as we were staying for my partners birthday, the resort actually upgraded us on our last night to an oceanfront villa – complete with a private jacuzzi! Whilst the deluxe room was more than satisfactory, the opportunity to experience the oceanfront villa on our last night made the stay even more special and I would highly recommend upgrading if you get the chance!
We couldn’t fault the resort at all, the staff were some of the friendliest we met whilst in Thailand and the setting was just perfect. The pool main pool is actually a saltwater pool and was so spacious and clean and with the resort practically on the beach, there was a great variety of options. We made the most of all the free activities at the resort, including kayaking on the resorts private lagoon and playing table tennis and pool in the evenings.
It wasn’t all relaxation in Khao Lak however! As always, we kept ourselves busy and explored the best of what Khao Lak had to offer. Some of our favourite activities included:
- Similan Islands – Approximately 70km west of Khao Lak and only accessible via boat, The Similan Islands are one of Thailand’s most popular snorkelling destinations. The Similan Islands were most definitely one of our highlights whilst we were in Khao Lak. Its crystal clear waters and beautiful sandy beaches make this place so idyllic! We visited the Similan Islands as part of our snorkelling tour as there is an absolute abundance of marine life there. With stunning coral reefs and a plethora of beautifully coloured fish, you could literally spend hours there!
Boats depart daily from Khao Lak and Phuket and take tourists to all of the major points of interest across the islands. Due to the popularity of the islands, a cap has been put on the amount of visitors allowed on the islands per day, so it’s best to book your trip in advance! Likewise, all overnight accommodation on the islands has been demolished as part of the islands rehabilitation programme, meaning the islands are only accessible via day trips.
- Khao Lak–Lum Ru National Park – Khao Lak-Lum Ru National Park is a fairly small national park made up of beaches and forests. A lot of the park is inaccessible, but there are a number of different paths which allow you to explore the jungle. The nature trails do require you to climb over fallen trees and navigate round obtrusive tree roots, so I would recommend wearing sturdy shoes (not flip-flops like I wore!). Alternatively, you can access the national park via the beach, which when we visited was fairly quiet and actually had a little hut to purchase drinks and snacks from!
The nature trail follows the coastline but the majority of it delves through thick rainforest. We really enjoyed walking the trail and absorbing all the sights and sounds of the forest. We did the trail in the afternoon but I’d recommend going early in the morning to have the best chance of spotting any wildlife – it’s been reported that Malayan tapir and binturong have actually been spotted along the trail!
- Bang Niang market – Khao Lak village mainly comprises of local shops and restaurants located along the main road. Whilst a little touristy, the main ‘strip’ is a really nice laid back environment and we visited a few times during our stay in Khao Lak. The Bang Niang market can be found opposite the International Tsunami Museum and the market is a great place to pick up some souvenirs! The main ‘strip’ is generally walkable from most of the popular hotels but the majority of hotels also offer free shuttles to the market.
- Sea Turtle Conservation Center – The Sea Turtle Conservation Center is less than a 20 minute drive from Khao Lak and is one of the most interesting places to visit in the area! Located on the Royal Naval Base, the Conservation Center is home to a vast number of baby sea turtles as well as a temporary home for sick and injured turtles. Whilst the actual Conservation Center is nothing special, the opportunity to see so many sea turtles, particularly babies, was unforgettable.
The sanctuary brings in baby turtles hatched on the Similan Islands and these are reared and cared for until they are released back into the ocean. Providing this sanctuary is said to increase their survival rates by about 80%, which is truly phenomenal. We were fortunate enough to be at the Conservation Center at feeding time and we had the chance to feed some hungry sea turtles!
As well as making the most of all the fun activities and sights in and around Khao Lak, it is just a great place to sit back and relax!
Top Tips for Khao Lak:
- The two closest airports to Khao Lak are Phuket and Krabi, with Phuket being the closer of the two. The best way to get from the airport to Khao Lak is via a shuttle arranged through your hotel. This is the easiest way to get to Khao Lak, particularly if carrying a lot of luggage and you’re not comfortable with hiring a car and driving yourself. A much cheaper option would be to get the public bus from Phuket to Khao Lak, which I believe does go direct from Phuket to Khao Lak.
- Navigating round Khao Lak couldn’t be easier! Whilst there are a number of tuk-tuks scattered around the area, your best option is generally to use a taxi. All of the taxi drivers we spoke to were super friendly and if you can agree a price, you can actually get your driver to take you to multiple destinations and he will wait for you until you are finished. We actually visited the Sea Turtle Conservation Center and Khao Lak-Lum Ru National Park all in the same day whilst our taxi driver waited for us. This meant we didn’t have to worry about trying to arrange a taxi when we were in remote locations such as the Royal Naval Base (which houses the Sea Turtle Conservation Center).
We stayed in Khao Lak for a total of 5 nights and we could have easily stayed for longer! If you are planning on staying in Khao Lak for a few nights, I would recommend booking a good hotel/resort like The Haven Khao Lak for ultimate rest and recuperation.
After Khao Lak, the final stop on our adventure was Koh Lanta. To check out the overview of our trip, go here or to check out what we did in Bangkok, go here.
Looking for a good travel guide to read before your trip to Thailand? I recommend Lonely Planet’s Thailand Book – you can purchase it here on Amazon (as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases).