Sights & Activities in Khao Lak, don't miss them!
In and around Khao Lak are many nice sights and lots of activities for young and old. You can discover hidden paradise beaches, swim at one of the many waterfalls and stroll around the famous and unknown markets. And last but not least you can snorkel at one of the most beautiful islands of Thailand!
Click on the link to go directly to the activity or sight:
- Bang Niang Market
- Build Container Night Market
- Old Takua Pa Sunday Market
- White Sand Beach & Coconut Beach
- Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park
- Khao Lampi Hat Thai Mueang National Park
- Khao Sok National Park
- Ton Chong Fa Waterfall
- Klong Koo Restaurant + Sai Rung Waterfall
- Sea Turtle Conservation Center
- Moo Moo Cabaret Show & Bar
- International Tsunami Museum
- Surin Islands
- Similan Islands
From all over Khao Lak people come to this lively tourist market with nice stalls. Would you like to try something new? This is your chance! You can eat Thai dishes that are still unknown to you. But also the old familiar skewers and fresh coconuts are available. You can even drink tasty cocktails here. Besides the food stalls, there is also a section for clothing, handmade products and souvenirs.
The Bang Niang Market is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 14:00 to 22:00.
2 Build Container Night Market
Another market in Khao Lak! The Build Container NIght Market is visited by tourists just a little less often than its bigger brother the Bang Niang Market. Yet it is a nice cozy market with a wide range of restaurants and some stores. There is also a nice bar and the only nightclub of Khao Lak. The advantage of this market is that it’s mostly covered making it a fun activity when it rains.
The Build Container Night Market is open Monday to Sunday from 17:00 to 23:00. You’ll find this market 2 km from Khuk Khak Beach.
3 Old Takua Pa Sunday Market
Would you like to visit a more authentic market? Then the Old Takua Pa Sunday Market is a must. This market is not aimed at tourists and therefore you will not meet many. The market has an authentic Thai atmosphere and there is a wide variety of Thai street food. You can often buy snacks by the piece, perfect if you want to try something different. Around the stalls there are also interesting stores and colorful temples.
The market is only open on Sundays, between November and April from 15.00 – 20.00. With a scooter you’re about an hour on the road from Nang Thong. A cab costs around 1.200 baht return, the driver will be waiting for you.
4 White Sand Beach & Coconut Beach
White Sand Beach & Coconut Beach are considered by many to be the most beautiful beaches of Khao Lak. The beaches are located in the bay north of Pakarang Cape. Even if you don’t sleep there, you can spend a nice day there! At White Sand Beach sunbeds and umbrellas are rented for 100 baht per day. Scattered over the beach are some nice (small) restaurants where you can go for a snack, fruit shake or dinner.
5 Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park
The Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park is a beautiful nature reserve where you can do several trekkings. Among other things there is a challenging jungle path to the hidden Little White Sand Beach. The natural park is located a few kilometers from the center of Khao Lak. Want to know more? Read our full article about Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park and its beautiful natural attractions.
Image: RiSchmid
6 Khao Lampi Hat Thai Mueang National Park
The Khao Lampi Hat Thai Muang National Park is a very nice nature reserve with deserted beaches and clear blue water as far as you can see. The park also includes a piece of jungle with the beautiful Lampi Waterfall. This waterfall is easy to reach with a small walk. In the lower basin of the waterfall you can swim and paddle. Another waterfall in the park is the Tonprai Waterfall. You can reach this waterfall with a nice and easy trip of 650 meters long. Also here you can swim. Often it’s very quiet at these still relatively unknown waterfalls.
If you want to spend the night in the national park you can do so in tents in the forest right along the beach. Tents can be rented on the spot, you even can bring your own tent. Facilities such as kitchen, showers and toilets are available and kept clean. Also here is a turtle shelter and if you’re there at the right time, you can release a turtle in the sea.
The national park is about 30 – 45 minutes from the center of Khao Lak. Entrance costs 100 baht per person and can be used on the same day for the entire park including the waterfalls.
7 Khao Sok National park
We are huge fans of the Khao Sok National Park! You can tub on the river, make cool jungle trips to caves or viewpoints. But the highlight is the unforgettable trip on the Cheow Lan Lake where you can sleep in floating huts. Prefer to go high up? Sleeping in a tree house in the jungle is also possible! The Khao Sok National Park is about an hour’s drive from Khao Lak and is well worth the ride. Read here everything you need to know about this unspoiled nature park.
Looking for a good guide in Khao Sok? Send us an email or message via Facebook or Instagram.. A good friend and Khao Sok local is a guide and we would like to introduce him to you.
ALSO CHECK
Some of the amazingly beautiful images from Khao Sok National Park.
8 Ton Chong Fa Waterfall
The Tong Chong Fa is a beautiful and famous waterfall in Khao Lak. Here you can swim in a natural jacuzzi. The waterfall has 5 floors but climbing all 5 is not easy! The surroundings are beautiful and unspoiled. The waterfall belongs to the Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park, you can read more about this refreshing activity here!
9 Klong Koo and the Sai Rung Waterfall
Klong Koo is a special restaurant in Khao Lak. Here you eat with your feet in the water of a rippling river. Fun and cooling! The food is also tasty and affordable. This restaurant is located 2 km from the Sai Rung Waterfall, near Pak Weep Beach. A nice combination for a daytrip!
10 Sea Turtle Conservation Center
The Sea Turtle Conservation Center is a place where turtles are cared for and taken care of. The turtles swim in pools classified by age. The little ones are eventually returned to the sea. The little turtles are super cute to see. The old and sick turtles are cared for here permanently. With your arrival you contribute to the maintenance costs. You can see how the turtles are fed 3 times a day.
Feeding time 9:00 / 13:00 / 17:00. A fun activity for the whole family. Bring your ID otherwise you are not allowed inside, the shelter is about 20 minutes drive from Khao Lak center. Open: Daily from 08:00 – 17:00. Entrance 60 baht per person.
11 Moo Moo Cabaret Show & Bar Khao Lak
A fun night out full of glitter, glamour, dance and music. Because nothing is what it seems to be! The shows are given every night full of devotion. In high season there are two shows per night. The entrance is 300 baht per person and this includes a drink of your choice. The Moo Moo Cabaret shows are given in the center of Bang Niang.
12 International Tsunami Museum
Obviously this one looks a bit weird under fun activities in Khao Lak… Because it’s certainly very sad if you think about what happened here. But you can’t ignore it, Khao Lak was hit hard by the tsunami that took place on December 26, 2004. In several places in Khao Lak there are large and small commemorative places.
In the International Tsunami Museum you can see a large ship driven inland by the tsunami, exactly to that place. Also, there are photos and videos of before and after the tsunami can be seen in this small museum, very impressive! You can find the International Tsunami Museum on the other side of the Bang Niang Market. Entrance is 300 baht per person with income going to charity.
13 Surin Islands
The Surin Islands in the Mu Koh Surin National Park stand for crystal clear water, colorful fish and white beaches surrounded by green hills. You soon have the feeling of being in paradise. The Surin Islands are an hour and a half by boat from Khao Lak. You can go there as a daytrip / snorkel tour or spend the night. Because the distance is greater these islands are visited a little less often than the Similan Islands. Here you will find our articles with all the information you need about this fantastic area.
14 Similan Islands
Khao Lak is the hub to the Similan Islands, any travel agency in Khao Lak can arrange a snorkel tour to these beautiful islands for you. It’s one of the most popular activities in Khao Lak. The water around the Similan Islands is crystal clear and perfect for snorkeling. The speedboat will take you about an hour to get there. The Similan Islands are extremely popular because of their unprecedented beauty. Because of this it can be much busier than you might expect from a tropical paradise. Still, it remains a sight you do not want to miss when you are in Khao Lak!