Asia Island Hopping Thailand

Our First Time in Khao Lak ~ The Empty Paradise

by Tsvete Popp 18. January 2023

by Tsvete Popp

Table of Content

From Phuket to Khao Lak: We left Phuket and traveled to our next destination which in this case what Khao Lak. We bought bus tickets for the local bus that runs from Phuket to Surathani. The bus ticket was 120 THB p.p. and the time it took from Phuket to Khao Lak was about 2 hours. I believe that Khao Lak is a rather alternative and undiscovered destination in Thailand because even during the high season, there are not so many tourists here. Perhaps this will change in few years, but for now, you have time to enjoy the authentic Khao Lak.

This time we decided to book a good hotel for the next few days and we were positively surprised by everything we got in Khaolak Bhandari Resort & Spa

You can find their offers here.

The hotel is located near the beach so it was very easy to go for a walk, which we did every morning. We spent the afternoons near the pool, as there were many trees and umbrellas … perfect for hiding from the sun

Similan Islands: Similan Islands are composed of eleven islands, each one as beautiful as the next. They were on our travel bucket since we wanted to travel around Thailand, but the last time we were here we had no time to visit them. The Similans are famous for the crystal clear waters teeming with marine life and spectacular rock formations and coral reefs! And to be honest, I’ve seen such massive granite stones like these only in Seychelles, on La Digue island.

The Similan Islands are located in the West Coast of Thailand, referred as the clear blue diamonds in the Andaman Sea. There are nine of them, spread several kilometers apart, and all protected as part of the Mu Koh Similan National Park. Due to park regulations in place to protect nesting sea turtles and other wildlife, visitors are only allowed to set foot on two of the islands which are Ko Miang and Ko Similan.

In 2018 they capped the number of people that can visit the National Park per day, as the islands were suffering from over-tourism. Nowadays, the number of visitors is anyways low, due to the travel restrictions. To get to the Similan Islands you need to take a boat from the harbor in Khao Lak, on mainland Thailand. Even if you’re staying in Khao Lak most Similan Islands day trips will include transfer to the harbor. You can also make the trip from Phuket, but you have to wake up around 4:30 as all buses start at 5:00 … and you will probably spend the day mostly traveling! So I would recommend starting your trip from Khao Lak.

Despite the fact we have all the registrations for flying the drone in Thailand, we were not able to fly the drone here. Why? Even the ranger had no good explanation about it, but they wanted an additional registration from the local tourist office in Khao Lak …

Where to Stay in Khao Lak

As you would expect from a major tourist destination in Thailand, Khao Lak has no shortage of options when it comes to accommodation. As always, I’d suggest you stay somewhere central, to make accessing all the attractions as easy as possible. Khao Lak may be a great option for people looking for something a little more low-key. Unlike its neighbors in Phuket, Khao Lak is a little less touristy and is a perfect place for vacation.

Khao Lak has an ideal location and is a popular base to do day some of the most popular day trips to Lam Ru National Park, Phuket, Similan, and Surin Islands. Between its gorgeous laid-back beaches, fantastic accommodation options, low-key restaurants, and fun activities, there is a little bit of everything to see and do in Khao Lak.

You can find alternative hotels in Khao Lak here.

You can find apartments in Khao Lak here (Airbnb + up to 41 € off).

Read more reviews and compare Khao Lak hotel prices here.

Thailand Accommodation:

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Thailand Flights:

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Rental Car in Thailand

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Thailand Tours

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Enjoy the day!

*This post contains Affiliate Links. I only recommend high-quality items and services I am confident about. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

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