A guide to the best beaches in Khao Lak

Bang Sak

At the northern end of Khao Lak, you’ll find perfectly peaceful Bang Sak. This five and a half kilometre sunbathing spot is spacious enough for little ones to run happily around on with a shoreline that slips only gradually into the sea, making it a top spot for paddling or cooling off at the water’s edge.

This is the place to go if you’re looking to get away from the crowds on your Khao Lak holidays, but it does mean you won’t find busy bars and restaurants nearby. Pack a lunch and make your way here for a taste of private island life.

Bang Niang

If keeping it quiet isn’t your style, take a trip to Bang Niang instead. Backpacking hostels here have been replaced with luxury resorts, and with them have come bars, shops and restaurants galore. Along the waterfront you’ll find plenty of places to eat and drink, as well as the Bang Niang Market on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, selling everything from Thai delicacies to posters and souvenirs.

When you aren’t sipping cocktails at the Gecko Bar or tucking in to a freshly fried Pad Thai, try your hand at diving with a little help from Similan Dive Centre, located right on the sand.

Khao Lak South

White sands and clear blue seas lend an idyllic feel to this popular southern bay, which boasts delicious cuisine only moments from the waters’ edge. This beach is totally family-friendly, with small shops and good restaurants, but none of the rowdier nightlife you’ll find on other beaches in Thailand.

While the ocean can get choppy during the wet season, visitors arriving in the summer months can take advantage of warm, shallow waters to bask in at their leisure.

Nang Thong

Why this beach isn’t busier is a mystery to us all, but Nang Thong is another great option for those wishing to relax with a little peace and quiet. Just south of Khao Lak beach, the clean sands and the shade of the palm trees nearby make this an obvious choice for lazy days in the sun, and if you find yourself here in the evening you’ll witness some truly amazing sunsets.

Unlike some destinations, sunloungers here can be used for free and rearranged as you wish. Take a walk along the coast and you’ll discover a selection of places to find flavoursome local food and cooling cocktails to ease you through the day.

Pak Weep

Just north of Khao Lak south beach is Pak Weep, where you can really unwind with a massage on the sand. There are no loungers here other than those used by the massage vendors, but there are around a dozen shacks and restaurants where you can grab a cold beer or spicy Thai curry, and yet more picturesque visions of golden sand and crystal waters.

Khuk Khak

Not far from bustling Bang Niang, this four kilometre haven is perfect for swimming and comes with access to boat trips and lagoon excursions.

A short walk from the water you’ll find Baan Khuk Khak, a small village where you can pick up snacks and suncream, but there are still a few places to eat on the beach if you can’t tear yourself away from the beautiful views out across the Andaman Sea.