The dry season
November to April: calm, clear sea, the Similans open from 15 October to 15 May and the Surins best until March. Hotel prices rise by 30 to 50 % from November to March.
Khao Lak
District
A string of quiet beaches north of Phuket, Bang Niang's market and bars, the 2004 tsunami's memorials, a national park with waterfalls, and boats to the Similans.
Khao Lak in photographs
Khao Lak. Khao Lak.
- Water sports
- Boats to the Similan Islands
- Nature
- A national park with waterfalls
- Food
- Bang Niang's market, four evenings a week
- Quiet
- Quieter than Phuket's resorts
- Space
- Eight beaches, south to north
About Khao Lak
Khao Lak is our zone for the resort coast of Phang Nga, about 80 km north of Phuket. It takes its name from the Khao Lak headland and the national park around it; the resort villages lie mostly in Khuekkhak subdistrict of Takua Pa district, whose seven villages include Bang La On, Bang Niang, Khuekkhak and Pak Weep, with Lam Kaen and its Thap Lamu pier to the south.
The beaches run from Sunset Beach and Nang Thong, the centre at La On, through Bang Niang, the main tourist area with the night market, restaurants and bars, to Khuk Khak, Pak Weep, White Sand Beach and the long, quiet sands of Bang Sak in the north. The sea is calm and clear from November to April and can be rough in the low season.
On 26 December 2004 the tsunami struck this coast hard: Police Boat 813 was carried about 2 km inland and now stands in a memorial park in Bang Niang. Today Khao Lak is the base for the Similan Islands, reached by boat from Thap Lamu, and for the waterfalls and trails of Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park.
What is good about Khao Lak
The Similan Islands
The marine park opens from 15 October to 15 May; boats leave Thap Lamu pier, about 20 km south of Khao Lak town. Entry is 500 THB for adults, and visitors are capped at 3,325 a day (2026).
Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park
125 km² of forest, beaches and waterfalls, among them the five-tier Lam Ru and Ton Chong Fa; 08:30 to 16:30 daily, 100 THB for adults and 50 THB for children (2026).
Bang Niang market
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 14:00 to 22:00, across from the tsunami memorial: grills, som tam, khao mok gai, fruit shakes and stalls of clothes and souvenirs. Cash only.
Bars in Bang Niang
Bars, beach clubs and live music venues open until late, without the crowds of Phuket's bigger resort towns.
A long chain of beaches
Nang Thong is long and lined with casuarinas, Pak Weep and Bang Sak are quiet, and White Sand Beach is one of the prettiest.
Things to do at Khao Lak
Khao Lak. Khao Lak. Khao Lak.
Snorkelling and diving · dry season
The Similan Islands
Snorkelling and diving trips leave Thap Lamu pier between 15 October and 15 May; Ko Tachai has been closed to visitors since 2016.
Boat trips · dry season
The Surin Islands
About 1.5 hours by speedboat from Thap Lamu; the calmest months are November to March.
Culture
Police Boat 813 memorial
The 60-ton patrol boat the tsunami carried about 2 km inland, in a memorial park in Bang Niang; free, 08:30 to 18:00.
Food and drink
Bang Niang market
Street food and stalls on four evenings a week; come between 18:00 and 20:00 and bring cash.
Nature
Waterfalls of the national park
Lam Ru, the park's largest, and Ton Chong Fa each fall in five tiers; the park opens 08:30 to 16:30.
On the sand · dry season
Nang Thong and Bang Niang
The central beaches: Nang Thong long and shaded by casuarinas, Bang Niang busier, with beach clubs.
Nature
Pakarang Cape
A cape north of Khuk Khak, about 15 minutes from La On, with a fishing village and a beach.
Nature
Khao Sok day trips
Jungle walks, caves and the lake of Khao Sok National Park, as a day trip or an overnight stay.
Nightlife
An evening in Bang Niang
Bars, beach clubs and live music until late, calmer than Phuket's nightlife.
A day at Khao Lak
In season, a Similan trip leaves from Thap Lamu in the morning; book ahead, as visitors are capped.
Or a swim at Nang Thong or Bang Niang while the sea is calmest, from November to April.
Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park's waterfalls in the forest's shade.
Police Boat 813 and the memorial park in Bang Niang.
The beaches face west over the Andaman Sea.
Dinner from the stalls on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday.
- The zone
Homes and places on the map
No place inside Khao Lak is in the guide yet.
Homes in Khao Lak
Resorts and hotels in every class along the beaches, and houses and villas to rent inland: Nang Thong for mid-range hotels, Bang Niang for long stays on a budget, Khuk Khak for upscale resorts, Pakarang for seclusion. A modern house rents for about 18,000 to 25,000 THB a month (2025).
Khao Lak through the year
The monsoon months
May to October: the sea can be rough and the Similans close. From June to October prices are the lowest of the year, and some facilities close for a while.
Khao Lak with children
Khao Lak is calmer than Phuket's resort towns, with long beaches, a national park and boat trips that suit families with older children. Swim between November and April, and plan for a long drive from Phuket's airport.
- Children 3–14 pay 50 THB at the national park and 250 THB at the Similans.
- Bang Niang market makes an easy family dinner; bring cash.
- The airport drive takes 80 to 100 minutes, with winding roads over the headland.
- The sea can be rough from May to October.
Getting to Khao Lak and parking
- From the airport, by car
- 80–100 min
Khao Lak is about 80 km north of Phuket, 80 to 100 minutes by road from Phuket's airport. Taxis and rented cars are the usual way; buses north from Phuket Bus Terminal 2 stop on the main road.
- Grab and taxis. A taxi or transfer from Phuket's airport costs about 1,500 to 1,800 THB and takes 80 to 100 minutes, depending on traffic and road works (2024).
- The local bus. Buses leave Phuket Bus Terminal 2, 29 km from the airport, every hour for Takua Pa, Ranong and Surat Thani; drivers stop at Khao Lak or Bang Niang on request. 100 to 300 THB, 2 to 3 hours (2024).
- By car. Cars can be rented at Phuket's airport; the last stretch climbs over the Khao Lak headland on winding roads.
- By boat. Boats to the Similan and Surin islands leave from Thap Lamu pier in Lam Kaen, south of Khao Lak town.
Parking. Our sources do not describe public parking; hotels and resorts have their own, and Bang Niang market sits on the main road.
Who will love Khao Lak, and who will not
Will love it
- Snorkellers and divers: the Similan and Surin islands in season.
- Quiet holidays: food, shops and bars without Phuket's crowds.
- Long stays: houses from about 10,000 to 25,000 THB a month.
- Tight budgets: hotel rooms from 500 to 1,000 THB a night, lowest from June to October.
Will not
- Swimmers from May to October: the sea can be rough.
- Day trips from Phuket: 80 to 100 minutes each way by road.
Tips for Khao Lak
Check the market days
Bang Niang market trades on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday only, 14:00 to 22:00.
Bring cash
The market's stalls do not take cards.
Book the Similans early
The park caps visitors at 3,325 a day and opens only from 15 October to 15 May.
Ko Tachai is closed
The island has been closed to visitors since 2016, though some dive sites around it are still used.
Mind the mountain road
The winding road over the Khao Lak headland can bring on car sickness; allow 80 to 100 minutes from the airport.
Low season is cheapest
From June to October prices are the lowest of the year, but some places close for a while.
Park hours
Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park opens from 08:30 to 16:30 every day.
Questions about Khao Lak
Is Khao Lak in Phuket?
No. Khao Lak is in Phang Nga province, about 80 km north of Phuket, mostly in Khuekkhak subdistrict of Takua Pa district.
How long does it take from Phuket airport to Khao Lak?
80 to 100 minutes by taxi or car, about 1,500 to 1,800 THB by taxi. Buses from Phuket Bus Terminal 2 take 2 to 3 hours.
When can you visit the Similan Islands?
From 15 October to 15 May; the park closes in the southwest monsoon. Boats leave from Thap Lamu pier, and entry is 500 THB for adults (2026).
Which part of Khao Lak is the centre?
Nang Thong beach at La On is the centre; Bang Niang, just north, is the main tourist area, with the night market, most restaurants and bars.
When is Bang Niang market open?
On Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 14:00 to 22:00, across the road from the Police Boat 813 memorial.
Can you swim in Khao Lak in the rainy season?
The sea is calm and clear from November to April and can be rough in the low season, from about May to October; swim only on calm days.
How much does it cost to rent a house in Khao Lak?
A 2025 guide gives 10,000 to 15,000 THB a month for a basic Thai house, 18,000 to 25,000 THB for a modern one and from 30,000 THB for a villa, plus electricity and internet.