Khao Lak

Contents of this article8 sections

1. Getting there
2. Getting around
3. The beaches from north to south
4. Which beach suits you
5. Evenings, markets and food
6. Trips and sights
7. Tips for travellers over 50
8. Best time to visit

Khao Lak is in Phang-nga province on the Andaman Sea, about 80 kilometres north of Phuket airport. There is no real town. Khao Lak is the name of a long stretch of coast with sandy beaches, with rainforest starting right behind them. Most hotels sit in large gardens, often with individual bungalows among the trees. If you want peace and would rather spend the evening on the terrace than in a bar, this is the right place.

The beaches run from Bang Sak in the north to Khao Lak Beach in the south. The north is empty and wide, and in the middle are Bang Niang and Nang Thong with a market, restaurants and shops.

Getting there

The nearest airport is Phuket. Several international hubs fly there daily, and planes leave Bangkok Suvarnabhumi for Phuket almost every hour. It is 75 to 87 kilometres to Khao Lak, depending on the beach, so a good hour and a half by road. At the official taxi counter at the airport, a car for up to three people costs 1,800 baht to Nang Thong and Bang Niang, and 2,000 baht from Khuk Khak northwards (as of 2026).

The bus is cheaper but more awkward. It does not leave from the airport but from the bus station in Phuket Town, and takes about two hours. From Bangkok, air-conditioned coaches and minibuses run to Phuket, about 14 hours. If you want to take the train, you can get as far as Surat Thani and change to the bus there.

Getting around

National Highway 4 runs through the whole of Khao Lak. Songthaews, pick-ups with two bench seats, run along it. A short ride costs 20 to 50 baht per person, and a private trip from Nang Thong to Bang Niang costs about 300 baht for up to four people. Grab is only available in places here and is unreliable. Most hotels will call you a taxi or offer rides themselves.

The beaches from north to south

Many beaches belong to a national park. You cannot rent sun loungers and parasols there, and motorised water sports are banned. So bring a towel and look for a spot in the shade, or stay in a hotel with its own loungers on the beach. Casuarina trees and coconut palms give shade.

Bang Sak

Bang Sak at the far north is about five and a half kilometres long and usually almost empty. There are no lifeguards and hardly any shade.

White Sand Beach and Coconut Beach

Near Pak Weep are two beaches with fine, almost white sand that slope gently into the sea. They are good for families. Unlike at most beaches in Khao Lak, you can rent loungers here.

Pakarang and Memories Beach

At Cape Pakarang, broken coral and rocks lie on the beach. It is no good for swimming, but it is good for walking and for the sunset. Memories Beach next to it is a meeting point for surfers in the rainy season.

Khuk Khak

Khuk Khak is long and quiet. At high tide and in big waves it gets rough. Bang Niang is 15 to 20 minutes away by shuttle or taxi.

Bang Niang

Bang Niang has fine sand, and the water is shallow at the ends. The big market, most of the bars and Police Boat 813 are here. I think it is the best mix of beach and short distances.

Nang Thong

Nang Thong, in the village of La On, has broad, golden sand with granite rocks and a small rocky cove in the north. It is the main town of Khao Lak. There are many restaurants and shops here, and a traffic light for crossing the road. The beach is still quieter than Bang Niang.

Sunset Beach and Khao Lak Beach

In the south are smaller bays with hotels on the hillside. It is quiet here, and in the evening you watch the sun set over the sea. To get to restaurants you usually have to drive a short way.

Which beach suits you

If you want a market, restaurants and short distances, stay in Bang Niang or Nang Thong. Khuk Khak is quieter but not far away. White Sand Beach and Coconut Beach suit families. If you mainly want peace and long walks, stay in Bang Sak or at the far south.

Evenings, markets and food

Khao Lak is quiet in the evening. Nowhere does the party go on until the early hours. Most bars are in Bang Niang around the market. From May to October many bars and beach restaurants are closed.

The Bang Niang market, opposite the police boat, is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from the afternoon until about 9 or 10 pm. It is nicest from about 5 pm. A meal there costs 50 to 120 baht, a skewer 10 to 20 baht, a coconut 40 baht (as of 2026). You pay in cash.

On Sundays the old town of Takua Pa becomes a walking street, with food, music and handicrafts among the old houses. It starts in the afternoon, runs until about 8 pm and takes place in the high season from November to April.

At the Khao Lak Muay Thai Stadium, about 500 metres from the Bang Niang market, there are fights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 9 pm. Tickets cost 1,000 to 1,500 baht.

Trips and sights

Similan Islands

The Mu Ko Similan marine national park consists of nine granite islands and is among the best-known diving areas in Thailand. Snorkellers also find good spots in the shallow water. The landmark is a rock shaped like a sailing ship on island number 8. In the 2026/27 season the park is open from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027.

There are only day trips, and staying overnight on the islands has not been allowed since 2018. A maximum of 3,850 visitors per day are allowed. The boats leave from the pier at Ban Thap Lamu, south of Khao Lak, at around 7 am, and you are back in the late afternoon. Foreigners pay 500 baht admission, plus the price of the tour.

Surin Islands

The national park further north comprises five islands with particularly beautiful coral in shallow water. The boats leave from the pier at Khuraburi. The crossing by speedboat takes a good hour, but pick-up in Khao Lak is early, between about 6:20 and 7:40 am, and the transfer costs 500 baht extra. On Koh Surin Tai there is a village of sea nomads.

Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park

The rainforest begins right behind the coast. A jungle path leads for about 6 kilometres to a waterfall, one of the most beautiful in the park. You can only walk this route with a ranger. The five-tier Lam Ru waterfall is in the east of the park near Kapong. Admission to the park is 100 baht.

Khao Sok

The national park with rainforest and limestone cliffs is about 80 kilometres away. It is known for the Chiao Lan reservoir, from which hundreds of limestone rocks rise. The park costs 200 baht, and the lake adds another 300 baht. It is a long day trip, and staying overnight there is more relaxed.

Takua Pa

The district town is about 30 kilometres north of Khao Lak and was once an important trading port, and later tin mining made it rich. In the old town around the Talad Yai market, many houses in the Sino-Portuguese style still stand, now home to shops and cafés. It is nicest early in the morning or on Sunday for the walking street.

Police Boat 813 and memorials

On 26 December 2004 the tsunami hit Khao Lak harder than any other place in Thailand. Patrol boat 813 was swept almost 2 kilometres inland from Bang Niang beach and lies there to this day. Visiting is free. In the fishing village of Ban Nam Khem further north there is a memorial park and a small museum.

Tips for travellers over 50

You often have to cross National Highway 4 between hotel, restaurant and shop. As a pedestrian, take particular care with the traffic, as pavements are often missing. It is best to cross at one of the traffic lights in Nang Thong or Bang Niang. I would not rent a scooter here: 70 percent of road deaths in Thailand are on two wheels.

From May to October there are strong currents at the beaches, and there are no lifeguards at any beach. When the red flag is flying, stay out of the water.

There is no private hospital in Phang-nga province. The state hospital in Takua Pa is about 20 minutes away. For specialists and serious cases you go to Phuket, a good hour and a half away. Good travel health insurance with repatriation is especially important here.

The trip to the Similan Islands goes far across open sea, and in a speedboat it can be quite bumpy when the sea is rough. On ferries and excursion boats, check for safety and rescue equipment. Ask about life jackets before casting off, and if you have back problems, sit as far to the back as possible.

For the path to the waterfall in the national park you need sturdy footwear and enough water. Start early in the morning, before the heat comes. In March and April it gets up to 35 °C.

On some beaches in Phang-nga smoking is banned. Violations carry up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both. E-cigarettes are banned throughout Thailand.

Thailand lies in a zone where earthquakes and undersea quakes must be expected. Heed warnings and signs, and familiarise yourself beforehand with the guidance on what to do in a tsunami. Take a moment to ask at your hotel which escape route leads to higher ground inland.

Best time to visit

The nearest weather station of the meteorological service is called Takua Pa, but it is only about 5 kilometres from Khao Lak. According to its long-term data, January and February are the driest, and December and March are changeable. From May to October it rains a great deal here, much more than on Phuket, most of all in September. For a beach holiday, December to March is best. If you want to go to the Similan Islands, you have to come in the season from mid-October to mid-May anyway. You can see all the monthly values on the weather page for Khao Lak.

Khao Lak combines well with a few days on Phuket. What you need before your flight is covered in Entering Thailand 2026. For a rough idea of what a day there costs, see Costs in Thailand per day. If you want to stay for the whole winter, you will find everything on visas and insurance in Spending the winter in Thailand from 50.

Comparison

Not sure whether this place is the right one? Here are the differences side by side:

• Khao Lak or PhuketBest time to visit, getting there and character