Overview of Khao Lak
Khao Lak is world renowned as a scuba diving mecca; with its beautiful coral reefs, and abundant marine life, not to mention being the nearest port to the fantastic Similan Islands, it has been pulling divers in from all over the world for years. What makes Khao Lak special is that unlike a lot of other top diving destinations, where your only options are to eat, sleep, and dive, Khao Lak offers a richly diverse culture and beautiful nature with plenty of things to do when you are out of the water. Here we give detailed information for your First Trip in Khao Lak.
Selecting a Suitable Season to Khao Lak
Once you decided to go to the Khao Lak, it's better to know what the best season to get there is. We separate it into two seasons here:
High Season
These period is from November through March, which is the least humid, and the fresh air keeps things comfortable. The sky is blue, the sea is turquoise, and the climate is almost close to perfect for a vacation. The average temperature is about 24°C to 32°C at this time.
Hot Season
For sun lovers, the most torrid time is from April through May, with temperatures ranging from 27°C to 36°C. Sometimes brief but heavy thundery showers offer welcome relief from the heats. June, July, and August is less hot with plenty of sunshine between downpours.
Discovering A Good Way to Get To Khao Lak
Since the volume of tourism in Phuket is so much higher than Krabi, getting flights to Phuket is a lot easier. Khao Lak is about 70 km north of Phuket International Airport, in the south of Thailand on the Andaman Sea coast, and can be reached by car in about 1 hour.
What you can do in Khao Lak
Maybe you have heard of or know something about Khao Lak; it is a right place for diving. However aside from diving, what are the best things to do in Khao Lak?
Ao Phang Nga National Park: The James Bond Island
The crystalline waters and mysterious rock formations of Phang Nga Bay are only part of the reason why visitors flock to the Ao Phang Nga National Park. Besides being famous as a location in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun, this beautiful park features many hiking trails in lush, jungle greenery and along with bright blue waters. Multiple vendors are crowding the coastline and numerous tour operators that take travelers around the park's most iconic sights, including a village built entirely on stilts known as Ko Panyi. Park visitors should also take advantage of the weather to head out on eco-tour using sea canoes, which involve canoeing and camping overnight.
International Tsunami Museum: The More You Know
The International Tsunami Museum features more than just the facts of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. Its various fascinating exhibits feature the aftermath and effects of the 9.1 magnitude earthquakes that occur off the coasts of Indonesia. It also educates visitors about the formation of tsunamis and what warning signs to look for. Informative, educational, but attractive as well, the museum also features the remains of a sizeable Thai navy boat that was carried almost 1.5 miles inland with the force of the wave.
Laem Pakarang Beach: A Little R'n'R
Once you've stretched your muscles to their limit, come and relax on the warm, white, powdery sands of the White Sand Beach in Khao Lak, spanning 1.6 miles in length. Turquoise and emerald green waters lie in wait for all those who grace her shores, whether with a picnic, sunscreen and a good book in hand, or with ideas of water sports activities in mind like parasailing, snorkeling, diving, and even speed-boating.
What to Eat In Khao Lak
You will have some fabulous meals - Orchid Cafe, La Piccola Maria (amazing pizza), Rusty Pelican to name a few. There is a tiny place next door to La Piccola called Smile Thai Food that we had lunch at several times which was great. It was great going in a group this size because everyone ordered a dish and we shared so got to taste a lot of recipes.
Where to Stay In Khao Lak
Because the Khao Lak in Phuket, no lack of Hotel nearby beaches. You can be sure where you want to stay or what style of hotel you want. Some good hotels recommended – The Leaf Oceanside, Palm Galleria Resort, the Leaf on the Sands by and La Vela, etc. When we had a field visit, we pick the La Vela. The room was beautiful and modern; we went with ocean view. The pools were lovely. We spent most of our time at the infinity pool which was overlooking the beach. We loved the loungers on the beach. The breeze was fabulous.
Entertainment & Nightlife in Khao Lak
Spas and Massages
At the end of daily diving, at the beach, clambering around waterfalls, there is no better way to relax than getting a relaxing session in a spa. Thai massage have ancient roots and are even considered to have spiritual origins. Inside and around Khao Lak there are many great spas providing massages and other relaxing treatments. One of the wonderful things about the spas is that they mix both western pamperings with Thai healing traditions.
Bars, Cafes and Snacks
There are numerous friendly beach bars and beachside cafes where you can enjoy the sunset over The Andaman Sea. There are also a couple of spots on the major road such as live music venues and bakeries.
Good quality intercontinental, seafood and Thai recipe is available at the majority of the resorts' and hotels' eateries. Khao Lak is still adequately small for you to be able to stroll along the beach and choose different places to dine each night.