Destination guide
Things to Do in Khao Lak
The Similans offshore, Khao Sok inland, and waterfalls, memorials and a four-night market in between
The best thing to do in Khao Lak is a day on the Similan Islands, about 70 km offshore, from mid-October to mid-May. Close to the hotels, walk the forest trail in Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park to Small Sandy Beach, eat at Bang Niang Market on one of its four nights, and give an hour to Police Boat 813 and the tsunami memorials. Inland there are waterfalls, no-riding elephant visits and Khao Sok's lake an hour away, and every one of those still works from May to October, when the islands close and the sea turns rough.
Below are twenty things to do, ranked, with each one's hours and price, the day trips grouped by direction, a rainy-season plan, and what to skip.
Arriving in Khao Lak
Where to stay in Khao Lak
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My pick at each price level in Khao Lak
Key Facts
The islands have a season
The Similan and Surin Islands are open from 15 October to 15 May. A Similan day trip from a Khao Lak hotel costs about ฿3,700–4,200 with the ฿500 park fee.
The rest is a short drive inland
Ton Chong Fa is about 6 km off Highway 4, Sai Rung about 4 km inland from Pak Weep, and Khao Sok about 73 km and an hour away. Tours include a hotel pickup, and for the waterfalls I'd hire a car or a driver for the day.
The memorials and the market are free
Police Boat 813, Ban Nam Khem, the Navy's turtle center and Bang Niang Market charge nothing to get in. The International Tsunami Museum is about ฿300.
Check the days
Bang Niang Market runs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The Khuk Khak afternoon market is open every day from 15:30 to 20:00.
The national park closes at 16:30
Lam Ru, Small Sandy Beach and Ton Chong Fa are open 08:30 to 16:30, so go in the morning. Carry ฿200 in cash for the park fee.
May to October is very wet
The local station records 3,873 mm of rain a year, with 636 mm in September. Red flags go up on every beach, so plan inland days.
The 20 Best Things to Do in Khao Lak
Ranked by how much I'd prioritize each one on a first visit of about five nights in the dry season. The islands and Khao Sok are full days, the rest fit into a morning or an evening, and the list mixes them so the best of each stays near the top.
1. The Similan Islands, About 70 km offshore, from Thap Lamu pier
The best day tripGranite boulders, white sand and some of the clearest water in Thailand, about 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 by speedboat. A day trip costs about ฿3,700–4,200 including the ฿500 park fee, with two landings, two snorkel stops and lunch, and hotel pickups run from about 06:30 to 07:30.
The park is open from 15 October to 15 May. My Similan Islands guide has the islands, the boats and the rules.
- Getting there
- A tour with hotel pickup. Boats leave Thap Lamu pier, 15 km south of Nang Thong.
- When to go
- December to March for the calmest water.
2. Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park and Small Sandy Beach, The headland south of Nang Thong
A forest walk to a coveThe jungle-covered headland that gives Khao Lak its name, with a visitor center and a trail of about a kilometer through the forest to Small Sandy Beach, a little cove that's only open during park hours. Go at 08:30, when it's cool, the macaques are moving and the hornbills are noisy. By midday the trail is hard work.
The parks listing gives the fee as ฿100 for adults and ฿50 for children, though some visitors report paying ฿200, so carry ฿200 in cash.
- Getting there
- A short drive or taxi south of Nang Thong on Highway 4.
- When to go
- 08:30 to 16:30 daily. Mornings are best.
3. Bang Niang Market, Bang Niang, on Highway 4
DinnerKhao Lak's big market, with grilled seafood, fruit, Thai dishes cooked to order, clothes and souvenirs. The stalls open at 10:00, but it only fills out once the food vendors get going from about 17:00, so treat it as dinner first and shopping second.
It runs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, and the stalls take cash only. It's an easy night out with children.
- Getting there
- Walkable from Bang Niang. It's across the highway from Police Boat 813.
- When to go
- After 17:00 on market days.
4. Police Boat 813, Bang Niang, opposite the market
Understanding 2004A 60-ton police patrol boat that was guarding Princess Ubolratana offshore on the morning of 26 December 2004. The wave carried it about 2 km from its anchorage and left it in Bang Niang, about a kilometer from the beach, and it has stayed where it landed. Standing beside it makes the height of the water real in a way photographs don't.
Entry is free and donations go to a local school. A small exhibition room has photographs and video. It's a memorial first, so dress and behave as you would at one.
- Getting there
- On Highway 4 just before the Bang Niang traffic light.
- When to go
- 08:30 to 18:00 daily. Pair it with the market on market days.
5. International Tsunami Museum, Bang Niang, a few steps from Police Boat 813
The story of the dayMore than 4,000 people died on this coast in 2004, more than anywhere else in Thailand. The boat shows you how far the water came, and the museum fills in the day itself, with photographs and survivors' accounts. Allow half an hour to an hour.
Entry is about ฿300. It opens at 10:00 and closes at 18:00 or 19:00 depending on the day, which makes it a good stop on the way to the market.
- Getting there
- Walk over from Police Boat 813.
- When to go
- Late afternoon, before the market.
International Tsunami Museum3.8(2,466)Mon 10:00–19:00, Tue 10:00–18:00, Wed–Thu 10:00–19:00, Fri 10:00–18:00, Sat 10:00–19:00, Sun 10:00–18:00
6. Khao Sok and Cheow Lan Lake, About an hour inland
Rainforest and the lakeKhao Lak is the closest beach to Khao Sok, about 73 km away. Day tours run to Cheow Lan Lake for the longtail ride past the limestone cliffs, a swim and lunch on a raft, and some stop at the viewpoint over Khao Sam Kloe. The lake charges foreign adults ฿300 plus a ฿40 pier fee, which most tours include.
A day trip only covers the lake. If you want the jungle trails or a night in a floating bungalow, stay over, and my Khao Sok guide explains how.
- Getting there
- On a day tour with hotel pickup, or by car.
- When to go
- Year round, and the best wet-season day out.
7. Ton Chong Fa Waterfall, Inland from Bang Niang, in the national park
A jungle swimThe most popular waterfall in Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park, five tiers with a main fall of about 10 m dropping into a pool you can swim in. It's about 6 km off Highway 4, and the walk from the parking lot through the forest takes about 30 minutes.
October and November have the most water, and by the end of the dry season it's much thinner. The park fee applies, and the rocks are slippery, so wear shoes with grip.
- Getting there
- By car or scooter. There's no public transport.
- When to go
- Morning, 08:30 to 16:30.
8. Ban Nam Khem Tsunami Memorial Park, Ban Nam Khem, about 25 km north of Bang Niang
The quiet memorialBan Nam Khem was a fishing village, and the tsunami nearly wiped it out. Its memorial park centers on a long curved wall shaped like the wave and set with the names of more than a thousand of the people who died in the area. It's quieter and more personal than Police Boat 813, and it's the one I'd add if the boat leaves you wanting to understand more.
It's free and open 08:00 to 20:00. Some of the displays have faded, and the wall is the reason to come.
- Getting there
- By car or taxi up Highway 4, or as a stop on the way to the Surin boats at Khuraburi.
9. The Surin Islands, From Khuraburi, about 85 km north
Shallow-water snorkelingThe best snorkeling straight off the beach in Thailand, and a Moken village on Koh Surin Tai. The boats leave from near Khuraburi, an hour and a half north of Khao Lak, so the day runs about 12 hours. If you can, spend a night on the island in the park's tents instead.
The park is open from 15 October to 15 May and charges ฿500. My Surin Islands guide has the overnight options.
- Getting there
- A tour with hotel pickup from Khao Lak.
- When to go
- Mid-October to mid-May.
10. Elephants, Without the Riding, In the hills behind the coast
FamiliesKhaolak Elephant Conservation is closest, with programs from ฿900 to a ฿3,200 half day that help fund free veterinary care for elephants across the south, and free shared transfers from the center of Khao Lak. Khaolak Ethical Elephant Sanctuary goes further, with no bathing, and small groups walk with the herd at its own pace. Its slots sell out, so book well ahead.
Phang Nga Elephant Park, nearer Phang Nga town, has a 1.5-hour visit from a canopy walkway for ฿1,800 (children ฿1,300), with transfers from Khao Lak.
- When to go
- Mornings, when the walking is cooler.
11. Sunset at Coconut Beach and Cape Pakarang, Pakarang, about halfway up the coast
SundownersA palm-shaded beach beside Cape Pakarang with loungers for rent and a few simple restaurants. Memories Beach Bar sits on the sand nearby and is open from 09:30 to 22:00, and it's where I'd watch the sun go down over the Andaman.
- Getting there
- A short taxi from Bang Niang or Khuk Khak.
- When to go
- The hour before sunset.
12. Diving, or a First Dive Course, Dive shops along Highway 4 in Bang La On and Bang Niang
Divers and beginnersKhao Lak's dive shops exist for two places, the Similans and Richelieu Rock off the Surin Islands, and both are easier to reach from here than from Phuket. Certified divers can do a two-dive Similan day for about ฿6,300, and the shops run courses from a first try-dive upward.
Experienced divers should look at a liveaboard, because the Similans reward the boat that stays out overnight. The good December to March departures fill early.
- When to go
- Mid-October to mid-May.
13. Sea Turtle Conservation Center, The Navy base at Thap Lamu
Young childrenA turtle nursery run by the Royal Thai Navy's Third Fleet, where young sea turtles are raised in ponds and released into the Andaman, and injured ones are cared for. It's a short, easy visit, about 20 minutes' drive south of central Khao Lak, and many half-day rafting tours stop here.
Entry is free and the listed hours are 07:00 to 17:00. It's inside an active naval base, so carry photo ID and follow the guards' directions at the gate.
- Getting there
- By car, on the way to or from Thap Lamu pier.
- When to go
- Any morning, or after a Similan day.
14. Sai Rung Waterfall, About 4 km inland from Pak Weep
An easy waterfallA small waterfall with a pool at its base, on private land among rubber trees, about 100 m from the parking lot. It's a short stop rather than a hike, free or close to it, and parking is ฿20. The path is slippery after rain.
- Getting there
- By car or scooter. Pair it with an afternoon at Pak Weep or Bang Sak.
- When to go
- Morning, when it's quieter.
15. Bamboo Rafting, Rivers inland from the coast
A gentle half dayA guide poles you down a jungle river on a bamboo raft for about 40 to 45 minutes. It's sold as a half-day tour, often with the turtle center or an elephant visit added, and one blog gives about ฿600 for adults and ฿400 for children. It's slow and calm, which is why families like it.
- When to go
- Any season. The rivers run fuller in the rainy months.
16. Phang Nga Bay, South and east, on the Phang Nga side
Limestone islandsThe sheltered bay of limestone towers, sea caves and James Bond Island. Staying in Khao Lak, look for tours that start on the Phang Nga side rather than in Phuket, and check whether the ฿300 park fee is in the price.
The bay runs in almost any weather, so it's one of the few boat days that still works in the rainy season.
- Getting there
- A day tour with hotel pickup.
- When to go
- Year round. Go early or late to miss the midday crowd.
17. Pak Weep and Bang Sak, The north end of the coast
Empty beach walksThe quietest beaches in Khao Lak. Pak Weep has a few casual eateries and bars behind it, and Bang Sak is nearly 6 km of casuarina-backed sand with small food stalls and very little else. Bring water and sunscreen. My Khao Lak travel guide compares all six main beaches.
- When to go
- Late afternoon, from November to April for swimming.
18. Muay Thai, Khuk Khak
A morning classKhao Lak Muay Thai & Muay Boran takes complete beginners, with group classes Monday to Saturday from 08:00 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 18:00. A drop-in class costs ฿300 plus VAT and needs no booking. For a week or more of training, Rawai Muay Thai in Khuk Khak runs a residential camp with rooms on site.
- When to go
- Monday to Saturday. The gym is closed on Sundays.
19. Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park, Thai Mueang, south of Thap Lamu
A waterfall and an empty beachA national park with a long, undeveloped beach and a rainforest interior with waterfalls, and Lampi Waterfall is the one the day tours stop at. Drive to the far end of the beach for the changing areas.
It's open 08:00 to 16:00, and the fee is ฿200 for an adult. Thai families fill the waterfall at the weekend, so go on a weekday.
- Getting there
- By car, on the way south toward Phuket.
- When to go
- A weekday morning.
20. A Thai Massage, Bang Niang and Nang Thong
The evening after a boat dayAfter a 06:30 pickup and a day on a speedboat, an hour's massage is the best thing I can think of to do with the evening. The shops cluster along the main road in Bang Niang and Nang Thong, and my list of the best spas and massage in Khao Lak ranks them.
- When to go
- Late afternoon.
Khao Lak Attractions, Hours and Prices at a Glance
| Place | Open | Cost | Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Similan Islands day trip | 15 Oct–15 May | About ฿3,700–4,200 with the ฿500 park fee | December to March |
| Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park | 08:30–16:30 daily | ฿100 on the parks listing, some pay ฿200 | 08:30 |
| Small Sandy Beach | 08:30–16:30 daily | Park fee | Morning |
| Bang Niang Market | Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat 10:00–23:00 | Free, cash only | After 17:00 |
| Police Boat 813 | 08:30–18:00 daily | Free, donations welcome | Late afternoon |
| International Tsunami Museum | 10:00–18:00 (Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat to 19:00) | About ฿300 | Before the market |
| Cheow Lan Lake, Khao Sok | Daily | ฿300 plus ฿40 pier fee | Year round |
| Ton Chong Fa Waterfall | 08:30–16:30 daily | Park fee | Morning, Oct–Nov for water |
| Ban Nam Khem Memorial Park | 08:00–20:00 daily | Free | Any time |
| Surin Islands | 15 Oct–15 May | ฿500 park fee | A full day or a night |
| Khaolak Elephant Conservation | 08:30–17:30 daily | ฿900–3,200, check the current programs | Morning |
| Phang Nga Elephant Park | Daily | ฿1,800 adult, ฿1,300 child | Morning |
| Memories Beach Bar | 09:30–22:00 daily | Mid-range drinks | Sunset |
| Sea Turtle Conservation Center | 07:00–17:00 daily | Free, bring photo ID | Morning |
| Sai Rung Waterfall | Daylight | Free or a token fee, parking ฿20 | Morning |
| Phang Nga Bay tours | Year round | ฿300 park fee on top of the tour | Early or late |
| Khao Lak Muay Thai | Mon–Sat 08:00–20:00 | Drop-in class ฿300 plus VAT | 08:00 or 16:00 class |
| Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang NP | 08:00–16:00 daily | ฿200 adult | Weekday |
| Khuk Khak afternoon market | 15:30–20:00 daily | Free, cash only | Late afternoon |
Hours come from each place's Google listing in our records and can change on Thai public holidays. Park fees are the national parks' posted rates, and tour prices are what Khao Lak operators charge for a shared day trip with hotel pickup.
Day Trips From Khao Lak, by Direction
Group the day trips by direction and you'll spend less time in a van. West is the sea. The Similan boats leave Thap Lamu pier, 15 km south of Nang Thong, and on the way back you can stop at the Navy's turtle center beside it. South of Thap Lamu, Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park has Lampi Waterfall and a long empty beach, and further on, Phang Nga Bay's limestone islands and the elephant park near Phang Nga town make a full day.
East is the forest. Khao Sok is about 73 km and an hour inland, and a day there covers Cheow Lan Lake. North is the long day. The Surin boats leave from near Khuraburi, about 85 km away, and Ban Nam Khem's memorial park is on the way. Takua Pa, the old tin-mining town where the buses stop, is in the same direction, along with the Little Amazon, a canal through the trees near town where guides paddle you in inflatable kayaks.
Things to Do in Khao Lak in the Rainy Season
From May to October Khao Lak is much wetter than Phuket, and the Similan and Surin Islands are closed from 16 May to 14 October. The southwest monsoon sends swell onto every west-facing beach, so on red-flag days stay out of the sea. August to October are the hardest months, each with more than 500 mm of rain, and May and June are the least bad.
Plan the trip inland. Khao Sok and Cheow Lan Lake run all year and the forest is at its greenest, Ton Chong Fa has the most water in October and November, and Phang Nga Bay's sheltered water runs in almost any weather. The elephant visits, bamboo rafting, the turtle center and the Tsunami Museum all carry on in the rain. The swell has an upside too, because Memories Beach becomes the surf spot from May to October, with boards for about ฿300 for two hours and beginner lessons for about ฿1,800. My Khao Lak weather by month has every month's rain.
Things to Do in Khao Lak With Kids
Khao Lak is one of the easiest places in Thailand with children, because the resorts are big and the sights are short. The turtle center is free and a short visit, Sai Rung is a 100 m walk to a pool, and Small Sandy Beach is a forest walk of about a kilometer that ends at a cove. Bamboo rafting is calm enough for small children, and the shortest no-riding elephant programs last about an hour.
On the Similan day, take a catamaran if anyone gets seasick. Swim in the sea only from November to April. In the rainy months the resort pool is the beach, and Mai Khaolak on Pak Weep has its own waterpark.
Arriving in Khao Lak
Top-Ranked Hotels in Khao Lak
The top of my ranked list of the 10 best hotels in Khao Lak. Each button opens the hotel on Booking.com with your dates filled in.
#2The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani4.6 (2,681 reviews)
A well-regarded beachfront resort in Khao Lak offering a relaxed tropical escape on Thailand's Andaman coast.
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#4Devasom Khao Lak Beach Resort & Villas4.8 (1,211 reviews)
A stylish beachfront resort in Khao Lak offering villas, pools, dining, and a spa in a refined setting.
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#5The Little Shore Khao Lak by Katathani4.9 (887 reviews)
A boutique beachfront resort in Khao Lak offering intimate coastal living with a highly regarded guest experience.
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Things to Do in Khao Lak at Night
Evenings in Khao Lak are quiet. Start with sunset at Memories Beach Bar near Cape Pakarang, then eat at Bang Niang Market on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday, or at the Khuk Khak afternoon market on the other nights, open daily from 15:30 to 20:00.
After dinner, Bang Niang Road and the main road through Nang Thong have the bars, a few with live music and fire shows on the beach. There's nothing like Patong here, and my list of the best nightlife in Khao Lak has the bars worth walking to.
What to Skip
Skip any elephant camp that offers rides. All three places I list run no-riding visits, and Khaolak Ethical Elephant Sanctuary doesn't let visitors bathe the elephants either. Skip the Similan trips at the very start and end of the season too if the forecast is rough, because a rough crossing is a long, miserable 1.5 hours each way.
I'd also skip a Phi Phi day trip from Khao Lak. It starts with the drive to Phuket's piers, and the Similans are better water closer to your hotel. And don't do Khao Sok as a day trip if you can stay a night, because a day only covers the lake.
How Many Days, and Where to Stay
Five nights covers it in the dry season. One day on the Similans, one at Khao Sok, a morning at Lam Ru and Small Sandy Beach, an afternoon for the memorials and the market, and a day for the waterfalls and the turtle center, with time on the beach in between. In the rainy season I'd keep it to three nights and add a night at Khao Sok.
Stay in Bang Niang to walk to the market, the memorials and the bars, or in Nang Thong for the shops. Khuk Khak, Pakarang, Pak Weep and Bang Sak are quieter and further from dinner. My Khao Lak travel guide has the hotels, and Phuket to Khao Lak has every way to get here from the airport, about 75 to 80 km away.
Plan the rest of the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Things to Do in Khao Lak.
Its long, quiet beaches, as the closest base for the Similan Islands, and for the 2004 tsunami, which hit this coast harder than anywhere else in Thailand. Khao Sok's rainforest is an hour inland.
Walk the beaches, see Police Boat 813 and the Ban Nam Khem memorial park, visit the Navy's turtle center, watch the sunset at Cape Pakarang and browse Bang Niang Market. None of them charges for entry.
Yes, it's about 73 km and an hour by car, and day tours cover Cheow Lan Lake with a boat ride, a swim and lunch on a raft. For the jungle trails or a floating bungalow, stay at least one night.
Go inland. Khao Sok, the waterfalls, elephant visits, bamboo rafting and Phang Nga Bay all run in the rainy season, along with the Tsunami Museum and the turtle center. The Similans close from 16 May to 14 October.
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The stalls open at 10:00, but it's busiest from about 17:00, and it takes cash only.
Yes. The resorts are big, the beaches are long and quiet, and the turtle center, Sai Rung Waterfall, bamboo rafting and no-riding elephant visits all suit children. Swim in the sea only from November to April.
Sunset at Cape Pakarang, then Bang Niang Market on its four nights or the Khuk Khak afternoon market until 20:00. Bang Niang Road has the bars. It's a quiet place after dark compared with Phuket.
Five nights in the dry season, for a Similan day, a Khao Sok day, the national park, the memorials and the market. Three nights is enough in the rainy season.
Where to stay in Khao Lak
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Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
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