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| Khao Lak | ||
| province | Phang-nga | |
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| Residents | unknown | |
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Khao Lak(เขา หลัก) is a beach and very popular holiday area in Southern Thailand on the Andaman Sea and lies in the open area to the Eurasian Plate across from Sumatra. Quakes and shifts in the crust are constantly recorded in this area. Khao Lak, Bang Niang, Khu Kak, Bang Sak and Takua Pa are about 1.5 m above sea level.
Weather
The best time to travel to Khao Lak is in the dry season between November and April. Then only a low level of humidity and a few rainy days can be expected there. The water temperature is between 28 and 29 degrees Celsius throughout the year. The Khao Lak Land Discovery webcam offers a live picture of the current weather situation in the Khao Lak center at any time.
getting there
Via the airport from Phuket Airport by taxi or by bus from Phuket town or Bangkok. Every day there are hourly buses from the south (Phuket) and north (Ranong, Surat Thani or Bangkok).
NokAir and Thai AirAsia offer (as of December 2015) daily combined flight and bus connections from Bangkok-Don Mueang via Krabi to Khao Lak. The all-inclusive price for one route is normally around 3700 baht at Nok, saver prices from 1800 baht, at Air Asia the prices vary between 1240 and 2540 baht depending on the availability of special offers. In addition to the 1:20 hour flight, there is a waiting and transfer time in Krabi as well as a 3-hour bus ride, so that a total of 6-7 hours is on the way.
flight
Traveling to Phuket by plane with Thai Airways or Bangkok Airways is much shorter. There are almost hourly flights from many airlines from Don Muang Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.
It takes about 70 minutes by car from Phuket Airport to Khao Lak.
Tourist Attractions
- Tsunami Memorial Park. Memorial for the dead from the tsunami of December 2004 in Ban Nam Kem, approx. 20 km north of the Khao Lak center.
- Police boat. A boat stranded during the tsunami and carried approx. 2 km inland.
- Khao Lak Lam Ru. National park with two entrances and a very beautiful little bay ("Sandy Beach").
- Chong Fah waterfall. Small waterfall approx. 7 km off the main road with swimming opportunities.
activities
Waterfalls carry significantly less water in the main season, the protected areas and waterfalls in the low season (rainy season) are very beautiful, but sometimes sunk in the rain for days, which can be very attractive. Good shoes and insect repellent are recommended. It is very hot and there is humidity of over 85% in the low season, in the high season it is dry with 75% humidity.
shop
- Monty the Tailor, 4/125 Khaolak Grand City Plaza, Mu 7, Khuek Khak A, Takua Pa, Phang-nga 82190. Tel.: 66 76 485566, Email: [email protected]. Tailors bespoke shirts and suits in good quality within a day.Open: 10 a.m. - midnight.Price: silk shirts approx. 20 euros.
- Nang Thong supermarket. The supermarket has the largest range of products in town and stocks almost everything from international newspapers to imported food and local products.
- Afternoon market. The market in Bang Niang is Mon, Wed, Sat from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Here you can find everything from fresh food for restaurants to cookshops for small snacks in between to all sorts of souvenirs.
- Fresh Market. Every day from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the northern part of Bang Niang at the Khao Lak bus station. Here the restaurants buy vegetables and fruit. Local spices such as curry pastes can be found here.
- Along the main street there are many small shops and galleries that offer a large selection of textiles, souvenirs, etc.
kitchen
Many restaurants are spread all over Khao Lak, on the main road and the beach. On the beach there are mostly bamboo bars with plastic chairs. Menus can be found everywhere in English. All types of cuisine can be found in the Khao Lak center and in Bang Niang on the main street with prices to suit all budgets.
- O'Rendez-vous Restaurant & Bar. The restaurant offers traditional Thai cuisine and international dishes at reasonable prices. The restaurant is located at the northern exit of the Khao Lak center between Srichada Guesthouse and Sea Dragon Dive Center.
nightlife
Several live music venues that are open all year round and are frequented by locals and tourists. Live music ends between 1:00 am and 2:00 am. In addition, there are two discos with mainly Thai youngsters and different types of entertainment. Another beach club opened in January 2011 and, in addition to a small beach bar ('Thai Bar'), organizes popular full moon parties.
Nightlife as it is known from Phuket and Pattaya, with bars and prostitution, is very difficult to find in Khao Lak.
accommodation
All categories available but with a tendency to 4-5 stars. Four more large resorts are to follow by February 2012, including the Hilten and Graceland groups. The most exclusive hotels are 'The Sarojin', 'JW Marriot Khao Lak' and 'Le Meridien'. Another very nice resort is the Khao Lak Merlin Resort with its terraced rooms in bungalow style. A good tip are the rooms with direct pool access.
Almost all resorts have their own beach section. Bathing possibilities are partially restricted in the monsoon season (May to October).
Cheap
- Srichada Guesthouse. Tel.: 66 76 485370, Mobile: 66 89 8670807. Small, clean guesthouse with A / C or fan rooms.Price: 600 and 900 ฿.
trips
Many regional operators offer various tours through Khao Lak and the surrounding area all year round.
Khao Sok
Near Khao Lak is the Khao Sok National Park, which consists of a large rainforest area, older than the Amazon, and the Cheow Lan reservoir. This was created after the construction of the Ratchaprabha Dam in 1982 and flooded part of the jungle area. Day trips or multi-day trips on the reservoir offer glimpses of evergreen jungle vegetation, huge limestone cliffs protruding from the water and sunken trees. The national park is home to a wide variety of animals, such as elephants, gibbons and goat cats. An overnight stay in the raft houses of the reservoir allows you to observe them up close.
Snorkeling
The Similan National Park consists of 9 islands in the Similan group and two more in the Andaman Sea. The name is derived from the Malaysian word "sembilan", which means nine. This national park is best known for its various granite rocks, azure blue water and white sandy beaches.
Surin
About 55 kilometers from the Thai mainland and located above the Similan National Park, there is the somewhat lesser-known island group of Surin. The national park is mainly known for its colorful and diverse underwater. For many visitors from Phuket, the journey is too far, which makes the archipelago less crowded.
If you are interested in diving in Similan or snorkeling in Surin, please note that the islands are closed in the off-season from May 15 to October 14, so that nature has time to regenerate.
Located about 40 km south-east of Phuket in Krabi Province, there are 6 islands known as Phi Phi. Of these, Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Lee are the largest and most famous. Maya Bay achieved worldwide fame as the location for the film "the Beach" (2000) starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Ko Phi Phi is open all year round and offers opportunities for snorkeling and touring the islands.
Phang Nga Bay
With its diverse vegetation and over 100 different limestone islands, Phang Nga Bay is one of the most popular excursions from Khao Lak. The most famous sight is the small island of Khao Phing Kan. In 1974 it served as a filming location for the James Bond part "The Man with the Golden Gun" and has been nicknamed James Bond Island ever since.
It is a little quieter on the Hong Islands. These consist of various caves and lagoons, which can be visited on most canoe excursions, led by a paddle guide.
Many organizers combine these tours of the islands with a stay in the Muslim sea gypsy village of Koh Panyee. As the location for the second part of “Fack ju göhte”, it was already well-known in German cinemas in 2015.
