10 Best Family Things to Do in Khao Lak

Once you’re on any of the 11 islands in the Similan Islands National Marine Park, you’ll never want to leave. The best and only way to explore these remarkable islands is to book a boat tour that offers the activities that interest you.

The underwater landscape around the islands is stunning, with diverse marine flora and fauna and many geological wonders, from caves to archways, and a haven for many species of coral – a unique ecosystem teeming with life. The islands are equally marvellous and lush, with gorgeous white-sand beaches and rugged, rocky granite shorelines to explore.

The Phang Nga Coastal Fisheries Research & Development Centre is an excellent place to observe turtle conservation efforts in action. Hatchlings are collected and brought to the sanctuary (also called Turtle Heaven) to give them a much better chance of survival. After maturing for 8 months, the turtles are released into the ocean, ensuring that a larger number of them will survive to adulthood.

Besides conservation, the facility does turtle rehabilitation and cultivates a clownfish breeding programme. This bright orange-and-white fish, popularised in the movie Finding Nemo, can be viewed along with other species of tropical fish at the centre.

The Samet Nangshe Viewpoint will take your breath away whenever you choose to visit. However, we highly recommend coming in the morning to see the sunrise over the islands in Phang Nga Bay. The journey from Khao Lak is around an hour's drive plus a short but intense climb (15–20 minutes) to the top viewing platform. There is transport to the peak if you prefer to forgo the trek.

If you plan on seeing the sunrise from the Samet Nangshe Viewpoint, you can make arrangements for your family to spend the night in tents or more luxurious accommodations so that you're right where you need to be when the sun's first rays sweep over Khao Lak.

The Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park, with its rugged mountaintops, white-sand beaches, waterfalls, and caves, is an adventure you won’t want to miss. The park is home to some of the most drop-dead diverse and gorgeous natural landscapes in the world. If you’re lucky, you might encounter elephants, macaques, the Burmese bush frog, and butterflies.

The park was hit hard in December 2004 by a tsunami that caused loss of life and devastated the interior land and the coastline. Thankfully, the Khao Lak-Lam National Park has fully recovered and remains a diverse and welcoming 160-million-year-old ecosystem.

A trip to the Dragon Cave Temple is a fantastic family activity to undertake if you’d like a break from the coast. Explore the countryside and travel along interesting back roads that twist and turn with steep drops and stellar views as you journey to this elusive sanctuary about an hour from Khao Lak.

Once here, look for the stairway lined with bells that leads you to a doorway. Another flight of stairs eventually leads you to the Dragon Cave Temple, which consists of a series of caves and rooms built into the side of a cliff. Surrounded by the encroaching jungle and adorned with Buddha statues and stalactites, visiting this cliff-side temple is a humbling and unique experience.

Pakarang Cape is an extension of a beach with the same name: Pakarang Beach, also known as Coral Beach because of the coral that washes up from the reefs just offshore. When the tide is low, you can walk for hours. The beach is also an excellent spot to watch the sunset and fishing boats out on the Andaman Sea.

From Pakarang Cape, you can visit White Sand Beach, Coconut Beach, and Khuk Khak Beach. With few resorts in this area, these beaches offer room to roam and explore with little to no crowd. Between May and October, the waves are quite active due to the monsoon season, making the cape a haven for surfing in Khao Lak.

A paddle on the Little Amazon, also called the Klong Sung Nae is a relaxing and peaceful way to experience an ecologically diverse environment. As you slowly drift through this natural sanctuary, you’ll be surrounded by forests of old-growth banyan trees with their intricate root systems reaching into the river. It’s possible to see pythons, macaque monkeys, kingfishers, monitor lizards, and many other exotic rainforest species.

You can also arrange a visit to Takuapa Old Town and its historic temple. The village dates back to the 13th-century and was once a bustling international seaport. There are also side trips to the Sai Roong Waterfall.

The Little Amazon is around 30 km north of Khao Lak.

Bang Niang Market is one of the oldest and largest traditional marketplaces in Khao Lak. Here, you have an opportunity to purchase local arts, crafts, and souvenirs, as well as sample regional delicacies. The highlight of the market is the street food section – options range from traditional Thai dishes to crispy fried crickets.  

Bang Niang Market is where the locals go shopping in Khao Lak. You’ll find a dizzying array of items for sale. From fruits, vegetables and local fish to household items, shirts and sandals, the market offers plenty of affordable items and hours of exploration with the whole family.

The Kapong Hot Springs, located in Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park, are a short distance from Khao Lam. The springs are an ideal activity for relaxing and recovering, especially after long hikes. The naturally warm water from deep within the earth is heated by geothermal processes and infused with healing minerals. The soothing pools at Kapong have an average temperature of 65°C.

The wonderful thing about the Kapong Hot Springs is that if you plan to visit the Lam Ru or the Hin Lad Waterfalls in the park, you’ll go right past them. Hop in and enjoy a healing experience amid some amazing natural beauty.

The International Tsunami Museum honours the lives lost in December 2004. Khao Lak has recovered since then, with very little evidence of the destruction. Nearby the museum is Patrol Boat 813, which was at anchor as the gigantic tsunami swept through the area. The vessel ended up in this spot, around 2 km from where it was stationed out on the water.

Within the grounds are simple buildings holding videos, photos and tsunami information that are stark reminders of the tragedy. A visit to the International Tsunami Museum rounds out your understanding of the tragic history of the tsunami in Khao Lak and helps put into perspective the massive devastation.