To escape and sit quietly on the beach – that’s my idea of paradise.
Emilia Wickstead
When we visited Thailand I hated the more touristy areas, but Khao Lak… now that was paradise. It was probably low season and tourists still haven’t returned to Khao Lak completely after the 2004 tsunami. It was one of the worst hit towns in Thailand . We visited in 2013, 9 years after the tragedy. 250,000 people across 14 countries lost their their lives. It brought out the best in people in in what is one of the worst natural disasters on record.
- Petra Nemcova, a model, survived while her fiance didn’t.
- Victor Israelsson who lost his whole family on their first holiday in Asia.
- Read some of the memories shared a decade after the tragedy.
You can also watch this movie based on a Spanish family’s experiences during the tragedy.
Khao Lak – beach paradise
Khao Lak was at the end of our holiday and we felt a little adventurous and hired a scooter on our second day. Yeah, we should never have done that..
However, we loved the beaches, restaurants and quiet shopping in Khao Lak! Plus the Khao Lak Bhandari Resort was so amazing!
This is why Khao Lak should be on your Thailand holiday itinerary
- It’s only 80km from Phuket airport
- Less tourists and cleaner beaches
- No garish neon lights in sight (a-la-Patong)
- Perfect for quiet family holidays with better snorkeling
What to do when you stay in Khao Lak
- You can catch a (long) boat ride to the Similan Islands (if open to tourists)
- Visit the Surin Islands
- Krabi Elephant Sanctuary
- Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park
- Eat delicious food and enjoy the amazing beaches
