An hour north of Phuket airport and a world away from it. Twenty kilometres of wide, largely empty sand backed by forest, and the departure point for the best diving in Thailand.
Khao Lak uses Phuket's flights and infrastructure without any of its density.
It's a sixty to ninety minute transfer north, and what you get is a string of long beaches with resorts set back behind the treeline rather than stacked along a strip. There's no Patong equivalent, no real nightlife, and comparatively few day-trippers. That suits couples and families who want Thailand without the noise, and it makes Khao Lak the natural base for the Similan Islands, which are an hour offshore and the best diving and snorkelling in the country.
Beaches, the Similans, and Khao Sok inland.
An hour by speedboat. Granite boulders, visibility to 30m, and the best marine life in Thailand. Closed mid-May to mid-October.
Ninety minutes inland. Rainforest older than the Amazon, and floating bungalows on Cheow Lan lake. Worth an overnight.
Closer from here than from Phuket. Sea kayaking into the hongs, and far fewer boats if you go early.
Further north than the Similans, with Thailand's best shallow snorkelling and a Moken sea-gypsy village.
A police boat carried two kilometres inland sits where it stopped, alongside a museum. Sobering, and part of understanding the place.
Five tiers in the forest behind the resorts, twenty minutes inland. Swimmable pools and almost nobody there.
Several distinct beaches over about twenty kilometres, all quiet by Thai standards.
The closest thing to a centre — restaurants, shops and the widest choice. Still calm.
Long flat sand, a good night market twice a week, and plenty of mid-range resorts.
Spread-out luxury resorts and very little else. Where you'd go to see nobody.
The quietest end, backed by casuarina trees. A car is useful from here.
November to April, with a harder cut-off than most of Thailand because of the Similans.
Mid-October to mid-May covers the Similan season, and December to March gives the calmest sea and best visibility. From May the islands close entirely, the sea gets rough and many operators shut for the season. Khao Lak is more seasonal than Phuket, and out of season it's very quiet indeed.
Phuket airport (HKT), then 60–90 minutes north by road. Transfers are straightforward and we include them.
A car or hotel transport. Resorts are spread over twenty kilometres with limited public transport.
Thai baht. Cards at resorts; markets and boats are cash.
Liveaboards to the Similans run from here. Book well ahead for December to March.
We'll match the beach, check the Similan season against your dates, and write the payment plan out in full.
Khao Lak if you want quiet and the Similans. Phuket for choice, nightlife and shorter transfers. They share an airport, so combining them is easy.
If you want beaches, diving and one or two trips inland, yes. If you want variety and nightlife, split the week with Phuket.
Mid-October to mid-May. They close entirely for the monsoon and it isn't negotiable.
Very — calm resorts, space, and short flights inland. Just check swimming conditions, as the open beaches can have currents.
Flights, accommodation and transfers as one package. Every one can be reshaped — different dates, different board, a different airport, or a stopover on the way.
Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, accommodation and transfers. They indicate what a holiday of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, board basis, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
Ready-built itineraries with flights, transfers and internal hops booked as one package, ATOL protected. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.
12 nights · Apr–Oct · from £1,749pp
13 nights · Nov–Mar · from £1,649pp
13 nights · Nov–Mar · from £2,099pp
13 nights · Dec–Mar · from £1,599pp
14 nights · Apr–Oct · from £1,849pp
15 nights · Apr–Oct · from £2,199pp
14 nights · Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov · from £2,999pp
12 nights · Nov–Mar · from £1,849pp
