A little north of Phuket on the Andaman coast, Khao Lak offers long, uncrowded beaches and easy access to some of Thailand’s best dive sites, while inland, the jungle-clad karsts of Khao Sok National Park deliver wildlife and adventure in equal measure.
As well as beautiful golden beaches, a number of impressive waterfalls are within easy reach of Khao Lak.
Khao Lak offers access by boat to the 11 islands at the heart of Mu Ko Similan National Park, one of the most exciting diving destinations in Thailand.
Reefs here teem with manta rays, turtles, moray eels, reef sharks, sea snakes and more, with white-tip sharks, barracuda and enormous tuna all likely to make an appearance.
Towering limestone crags, verdant rainforest and hiking trails serenaded by whooping gibbons all make Khao Sok National Park a great place to explore.
Dubbed Thailand’s Guilin for its photogenic karst islands, forested inlets, mist-clad mountains and jade-green waters, the vast Cheow Lan Lake is Khao Sok’s most famous feature.
Handily located just an hour north of Phuket International Airport, Khao Lak offers pristine beaches, forested hills and a sense of seclusion that appeals to luxury travellers seeking space and calm. Here, high-end resorts blend discreetly into the landscape, offering beachfront dining, enticing infinity pools and wellness sanctuaries framed by nature.
The region is famed for its diving and snorkelling, most notably among the Similan islands offshore. Massive granite boulders set magnificently against turquoise waters give the islands their distinctive character, but it’s the 30-metre visibility, enormous diversity of marine life and incredible 5,000-year-old reefs that draw divers from far and wide.
Inland, equally cinematic scenes unfold in Khao Sok National Park, home to elephants, tapirs, gibbons and sun bears. Waking in the morning to the sound of hooting gibbons and the sight of white mist curling around towering karst formations carpeted in rainforest is an experience not quickly forgotten.
Set on an 11-kilometre stretch of beach, The Sarojin is an independent boutique resort inspired by the Lady of Sarojin’s legendary hospitality. Its 56 residences and suites offer space, privacy and style, with balconies or gardens, some featuring private plunge or Jacuzzi pools.
Tucked away on the unspoilt shores of Natai Beach, just 30 minutes north of Phuket, Iniala Beach House is an exclusive beachfront escape offering just 10 designer villas and suites, each uniquely crafted by world-renowned artists and architects.
Set in the heart of Khao Sok National Park in southern Thailand, Elephant Hills takes intrepid travellers back to nature with a tented camp experience to remember, surrounded by the tropical charm of one of the world’s oldest rainforests. Add a night at the Lake Camp for a magical experience on Cheow Larn Lake, surrounded by rainforest, limestone cliffs and tranquil waters.
The ideal beach getaway, Devasom Khao Lak Beach Resort & Villas sits perfectly between a natural lagoon and the shores of Khao Lak beach, offering sunset views and miles of empty sands to enjoy.