The last stop on our Thailand trip was to be Khao Lak. Many people are familiar with the region surrounding the town itself, especially after the devastating tsunami in 2004, which killed around 230,000 people. Today, the only reminders of this terrible event are a kind of museum and the many evacuation signs. Otherwise, opinions on this town, which stretches just a few kilometers, are divided. Opinions range from “firmly in German hands” to “we come back every year” to “once and never again – especially during the rainy season.”
Since we had never been to Thailand before, I wanted to take the opportunity to experience different regions for myself without it being too stressful for us as a family. I sincerely hoped that the weather would be kind to us and that it wouldn’t rain all day, as some had reported. So we spent the last six nights of our vacation in Khao Lak.
By chance, while planning my trip, I came across the Khao Lak Beach Resort, which was recently acquired by the Hawaiian hotel chain Outrigger. The Robinson Club is less than two kilometers away. As mentioned above, July and August are the absolute low season on this side of Thailand, so the prices for this accommodation and others were far below those of Phangan and Samui. Five of us usually don’t fit in one room anyway, so I made it a habit to contact the hotels personally and ask for prices specifically for our group. And lo and behold, whether it was due to the brand’s launch in Thailand, the low season, or my polite inquiry – the price offered was fantastic. So we opted for a pool villa for the adults—something I’d always dreamed of in the Land of Smiles—and a terrace room for the kids. This simply had to be the crowning glory of our trip.
I had already arranged the transfer from Phuket airport through the hotel in advance, so we arrived at the hotel smoothly in the early afternoon. We were warmly welcomed by the manager, Ae, who showed us the complex and our rooms. The kids’ room was close to our villa, so we could always keep an eye on them. The rooms were bright and modern, and had been freshly renovated following the recent acquisition by Outrigger.
Am wohl schönsten Strand unserer Reise testeten wir das nächstgelegenste Beachrestaurant Lomlay Seafood, was allerdings eher unterdurchschnittlich war.
On what was probably the most beautiful beach of our trip, we tried the nearest beach restaurant, Lomlay Seafood, but it was rather subpar.
During the 90-minute drive from the airport, it quickly became clear to us that we couldn’t attempt the somewhat adventurous scooter excursions we’d had on Samui and Phangan. There was essentially only a fairly busy highway, from which the individual resorts branched off. That was clearly too dangerous for us with the kids – especially since some interesting destinations involved a certain amount of driving time. So this time we had to rent a car. Not so easy if you value adequate insurance. Thankfully, there was at least a Budget Car branch nearby. The next day, the two of us took a taxi there on a whim, and after a two-and-a-half-hour wait, which we whiled away in the surrounding shops, we were the proud owners of a rental car. In the meantime, the kids had been making waves in the kids’ club and the gaming room.
Pam’s Kitchen, highly recommended!Once all five of us were reunited, we went to Pam’s Kitchen for lunch, based on a recommendation we can definitely endorse. The seating is wonderful both inside and outside, and the cooking class is supposedly fantastic – unfortunately, it was already fully booked for our stay. Back at the hotel, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.
For the next day, we had booked a half-day hike through Khao Sok National Park through Our Jungle House. The one-hour drive from Khao Lak was quite winding, but manageable. Once there, we were lucky and were the only members of the hiking group. Park entrance costs an additional 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children up to 14 years old. Together with our guide, Peter, we hiked a total of seven kilometers through the rainforest. We saw three different species of monkeys, various geckos, grasshoppers, and spiders, a huge variety of trees, leaves, and flowers, and a small waterfall. Although it rained occasionally and wasn’t particularly hot, we were still sweating profusely thanks to the high humidity.
Khao Sok Nationalpark
We had made a dinner reservation at the hotel’s beach restaurant, which offered a fantastic BBQ buffet with live music and a traditional Thai dance performance. Just like at breakfast, we were not disappointed.
It’s a two-hour drive from Khao Lak to Cheow Lan Lake, located in the heart of Khao Sok National Park, but I had already fallen in love with the wonderful photos in Germany. Since the weather was supposed to be quite good and the Jungle House’s organization for the hike was already excellent, we decided on a privately guided, full-day trip to the lake. In addition to the cost of the trip, there are entrance fees of 300 and 150 baht, respectively, as well as local taxes of 40 and 20 baht, respectively. We were picked up at the Jungle House after a 60-minute drive and then completed the another hour-long drive with our guide, Toe. Arriving at Ratchaprapha Pier, we were almost overwhelmed by the crowds of tourists. But our guide assured us that the crowds would be well dispersed across the vast lake and that we’d be heading to some lesser-known spots… and that’s exactly what happened. After a total of two hours on one of the famous longtail boats and a mandatory 20-minute hike through part of the rainforest, we stopped for a break at the floating accommodation, the Khaosok Eco Raft. Here we had a traditional Thai lunch, went swimming in the lake, and had the opportunity to paddle a bit across the lake in one of the canoes. Afterwards, it was just under an hour by boat back to the pier and from there, via the Jungle House, back to the hotel.
Cheow Lan Lake
For dinner, we tried the Mr. Bao Family Restaurant, not far from the hotel, with a sensational view of the sea and plenty of small play areas for the kids.
On our last day by car, we went on another little shopping trip to the Mother Marche supermarket, the Rip Curl outlet, and Khao Lak Town to pick up the usual souvenirs to take home.
We also wanted to visit the International Tsunami Museum, but upon arrival, I was shocked by the dilapidated complex. I couldn’t find a parking space, and the entrance was nowhere to be seen. So, after a quick glance at the famous rescue boat, we turned around.
The next morning, it was time for one last meal at Pam’s, pack our bags, and head to the airport. It’s crazy how quickly three weeks have gone by!
With that in mind: เจอกันเร็ว ๆ นี้
Helpful Links:
https://www.outrigger.com/thailand/outrigger-khao-lak-beach-resort
http://www.khaosokaccommodation.com/