Khao Lak consists of several villages that stretch along a long coastal strip (over 25 km) on the west side of Thailand. You can therefore see the sunset from each of the numerous beaches. It is a sandy beach throughout, the color varies from dark yellow (with some black spots) in the south, to very light (white?) with scattered pieces of coral at Pakarang and rocks on parts of the coast. In the monsoon season, some of the sand is washed away – a problem that is most evident at Bang Niang, where the beach has to be reinforced using various measures. At that time the sea has a lot of waves and currents, which is why you can’t normally swim in it.
The beaches do not have a continuous coastal road: side roads branch off from the main road 4 to the beaches. You can easily reach the more remote beaches easily by taxi or motorbike – so if you don’t have a hotel at the beach of your choice, that’s no problem. In general, the beach in Thailand is public. It cannot be closed off by hotels.
There are no loungers (or parasols) on the beach – they are behind the tree line on hotel or restaurant grounds. There are no jet skis or parasailing on the beach in Khao Lak, but there is wonderful peace and quiet and plenty of space.
It is possible to walk along the beach, but you should be aware that the distances here can be long and that there are small rivers in between that you cannot always cross: between Nang Thong and Bang Niang, the lagoon between Bang Niang and Khuek Khak and not forgetting the hill with the national park, tha Lam Ru.
Snorkeling from the beach is possible, but you have to go quite far out to do so, as they are often shallow and it is quite unspectacular with sand churned up by the waves and correspondingly poor visibility. The only interesting places are the rocks. But there are some great snorkeling spots off the coast.
Here is an overview of Khao Lak’s beaches (from south to north):
No Top Ten this time – there are a few too many… and it is very individual which one you prefer.
Poseidon Beach und Khao Lak South Beach (Lam Kaen Beach)
Located in front of Laem Kaen at the southern end of Khao Lak, i.e. in front of the Lak hill, over which the main road 4 runs. The golden sandy beach is embedded in the Lam Ru National Park with the Khao Lak River to the north and flat, round rocks to the south. The rock formations are very pretty – especially at Poseidon Beach. A few hotels and surrounding areas provide infrastructure.
Small Sandy Beach
The „small, sandy beach“ is located in the Lam Ru National Park and can only be reached via a short hike through the rainforest. The shortest route starts just above the beach from the main road 4 about 1.2 km from the headquarters (signposted). The route goes about 400 m down through the forest, you have to pay for the park entrance fee (valid for 24 hours after that). The beach is pretty, and has recently also had a small restaurant where you can buy drinks and snacks and toilets/picnic areas. The bay is lined with large round stones.
Nang Thong Beach
The main beach of Khao Lak is located directly in front of the village of La On. It is a very beautiful sandy beach with individual chains of rocks. The name means golden woman. In front of the beach you can see the iconic white lighthouse in the sea. The beach has some dark, even black spots. This is tin that used to be mined here. In the high season it is good for swimming. At low tide, low pools form in which you can splash around with a little caution (beware of sharp-edged shells), and the lighthouse can then be visited. The southern part below the hill and on a small bay is also called Sunset Beach. In the north, a small river separates the beach from Bang Niang. There are many hotels on the beach as well as bars and restaurants.
Bang Niang Beach
The sandy beach in front of the busy village of Bang Niang is very narrow and is regularly washed away during the monsoon season because the reef in front of it was destroyed by the tsunami. The hotels have therefore had to build walls to protect the land and the beach itself is secured with fortifications such as sandbags and bamboo palisades. The attractiveness has therefore decreased significantly and the beach is now only interesting to guests of nearby hotels. The most beautiful part is in the north, in front of the lagoon that lies between Bang Niang and Khuek Khak Beach.
Khuek Khak Beach
The beach in front of Khuek Khak: a beach with light, fine sand that slopes very slowly into the sea, lined with palm trees and other trees. The hotels are spaced far apart here and there is wonderful space and peace on the beach – and yet (especially next to the individual hotels) there is infrastructure such as bars and restaurants and massage places. Also good for families with small children, as it is shallow. In the rainy season, however, you cannot swim here (like almost everywhere) as the waves and currents are too strong. The cover photo of our travel guide Discover Khao Lak comes from here.
Memories Beach
The very extensive sandy beach is located south of the headland of Pakarang Cape on a bay. The beach is a paradise for surfers all year round and is particularly interesting for them from May to October (in the rainy season). It therefore has surf shops, a skate park and a restaurant, but no hotel. It is not so suitable for poor swimmers or children. Behind the beach is a small elephant camp (no riding, just feeding and maybe bathing). The road to here branches off from the 4 and leads (unpaved) directly to the beach. It is accessible for normal cars and motorbikes.
Coral Beach und Cape Pakarang
Fine, light sand, but you should wear swimming shoes here because of the pieces of coral in the sand and because there are stingrays here. At low tide, an extensive coral plate peeks out of the sea.
Coconut Beach und White Sand Beach
The Thais call the bay above the Pakarang Cape Ao Thong. Natural vegetation provides shade and you can swim from the wide, curved and gently sloping sandy beach, which also has pieces of coral in the sand. Beautiful, light sand and the only one with palm trees hanging over the beach. The pieces of coral are often strung on strings and hung in the trees. There are a few small restaurants and massage stations and loungers to rent. Even in the rainy season you can occasionally swim here, as the beach area is somewhat protected by the peninsula.
Bangsak Beach
In the very north of the area that is considered to be Khao Lak lies the village of Bangsak and Bangsak Beach in front of it. Here you find isolated hotels and some infrastructure such as shops and restaurants and a wide, sandy beach that stretches down. The tree line on the beach is very dense here, which provides good shade.
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These were the beaches of Khao Lak, but there are a few more beaches nearby worth mentioning:
Happy Beach
Simple restaurant and bar at the top end of Bangsak Beach. Good Thai food with your feet in the sand. Special: you can see and photograph free-roaming pigs and occasionally horses on the beach.
Koh Pah
This is the smallest island off Khao Lak, directly in front of Ko Kho Khao. It actually consists only of fine, white sand (beach): a stately dune that invites you to rest, especially at low tide. A quiet place to relax and maybe snorkel, although visibility can vary greatly. You can visit it by longtail boat. There is no shade and no infrastructure.
Khao Na Yak
The long peninsula that stretches from Thai Mueang to Tap Lamu Pier is Khao Lak’s house reef. It is very natural (as it is difficult to reach), with clear sea, miles of deserted sandy beach, lined with brilliant blue water on one side and dense pine trees on the other. Swimming is possible in some places. Snorkeling and diving from the beach is not really possible, but there are a few nice spots for it right in front of it.
Similan Inseln / Ko Tachai
Dazzling white beach and turquoise sea, plus green, shady trees and round boulders. That’s what the beaches on the Similan Islands are like. You are not allowed to stay overnight here – and there are a few tourists who visit them during the day.
Ko Kho Khao
The long golden beaches are its main attraction, they look like those in Khao Lak further south. Sunset Beach in the very north is very popular. There is also a restaurant there.
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Even more tips and information can be found in our travel guide Discovering Khao Lak Compact. It is regularly revised and kept up to date. The book is available from amazon and bookstores (ISBN 978-3033075955) and as ebook.
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