Visiting Khao Lak

Posted by admin on February 1st, 2009 filed in Activities, Day tripping, Tourist tips

Khao Lak is a tranquil island destination in Southern Thailand and internationally acclaimed for its easy access to world-class diving playgrounds, the laid-back tropical island ambience, long sandy beaches and stunning scenery – situated at just a 60-minute drive north from Phuket Airport. Khao Lak’s unbeatable beauty reveals itself when approaching the island from the south. First the narrow road winds across immaculate forest, and next, as the route follows its way towards the centre of Khao Lak, it features a mind-boggling panorama of endless stretches of golden beach lapped by the sparking blue waters of the Andaman Sea.

In recent years the tourist infrastructure on Khao Lak has been expanded and several of the island’s areas are still under construction. However, it still isn’t very difficult to get away from the noisy tourist crowds. Fortunately, local developments have remained rather low-key and at presence the small island remains a tranquil and natural destination. The upside, obviously, is that today there is a wide range of various lodging establishments positioned here, from first-class resorts to budget-friendly bungalow accommodation.

While Khao Lak’s most appealing sights are mainly the relaxed beach areas, the island also provides the nearest mainland starting point for tours to some of the country’s top dive spots: the enchanting Surin and Similan islands, conveniently reachable within a few hours by sea.
Famous for boasting a rich and varied marine life, spacious coral gardens and crystal clear waters, the group of Similan islands draw many boats with day tripping snorkelling and diving enthusiasts.  Khao Lak information guide

Surin as well is a tremendous dive destination, and exploring the island’s lush interior on foot is a rewarding experience. Situated within close proximity of Khao Lak, the national parks also provide gorgeous natural environments to hike around, go water rafting or make a trip while sitting on the back of an elephant and absorb the tropical vegetation’s abundance, pretty waterfalls, wildlife and refreshing streams.