Exploring Khao Lak: A Family Adventure

We arrived in Khao Lak by local taxi, which took around two hours from Phuket. Our accommodation was the La Flora Beachfront Hotel where we stayed in a spacious two-bedroom suite and wow, it did not disappoint! With plenty of room and two balconies it was the perfect base for our stay. We booked through Booking and found the process smooth and easy.

On our first day, we set out to explore the local area. It happened to be Songkran, the Thai New Year and water festival. Luckily the kids had stocked up on water pistols from street sellers in Phuket over the past few days there were loads available. Needless to say we all ended up absolutely soaked, but it was a brilliant and unforgettable start to our time in Khao Lak.

The beachfront setting of La Flora was absolutely stunning. On our first evening we had dinner at the hilltop restaurant right next door where we enjoyed incredible sunset views, delicious food and amazing cocktails. It was the perfect start to our stay.

Over the next few mornings my daughter and I joined the yoga classes organized by the hotel such a peaceful way to start the day. In the evenings we were treated to a vibrant firework and beach show right at the hotel which added a special touch to our nights.

La Flora was also perfectly located within walking distance of the night market and a wide range of restaurants. We did the last of our shopping there and sampling great food from the market Bang Niang. A little further along in Khao Lak Centre we found some lovely boutique shops. It was easy to travel between spots using Grab which was very reliable and cheap.

We spent our days in Khao Lak mostly relaxing reading by the pool, soaking up the beachfront views and occasionally joining a Muay Thai boxing class organized through the hotel. The instructors were superb and made it fun and accessible even for beginners.

One of the standout experiences of our trip was the Thai cooking class with Ning’s Cooking Class which I had booked months in advance after discovering it on Facebook. It did not disappoint. We were picked up from our hotel by Ning’s husband Joey and taken to a local market where we selected fresh produce and ingredients. We also stocked up on Thai red and green curry pastes as well as spices and herbs to take home it was all unbelievably affordable.

We chose the late afternoon session and after preparing our selected dishes we sat down to enjoy the fruits of our labour with a cold beer in hand. We were especially delighted to learn how to make chicken satay as I’d first tasted these 20 years ago on a previous trip to Thailand and had never forgotten them. Recreating them with my family made the experience even more special. The whole afternoon from the warm hospitality to the hands on cooking was truly one of the highlights of our time in Khao Lak.

During our stay we also visited the Tsunami Memorial and Museum a sobering but important part of Khao Lak’s history. While there we spoke to one of the survivors who had tragically lost five members of his family. It was an incredibly moving and humbling experience that left a lasting impression on all of us.

We spent five nights in Khao Lak after ten nights in Patong. Initially we were worried it might be too quiet for our teens but we were completely wrong there was actually plenty to do. Most of the local bars and beachside spots had games like darts, Jenga and pool tables creating a fun, relaxed family friendly atmosphere.

Beyond the beach and hotel pool, there were loads of teen friendly activities in the area including paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkelling trip and even zip lining in the nearby jungle parks. The local night markets also kept our teens entertained with everything from quirky souvenirs to bubble tea and snacks they hadn’t seen before. We genuinely wished we’d had more time here it definitely wasn’t long enough to explore it all.

I had one last surprise planned for my husband a night at the hotel where we got married back at Bang Tao Beach. It was a sentimental and special way to end this part of our trip and also only 30 minutes to Phuket airport.

Click here to follow our return to Bang Tao and relive some unforgettable memories.

Our Family’s Final Thoughts on Khao Lak

Five nights in Khao Lak? Definitely not long enough. We loved, loved, loved it here, the laid back vibe, the gorgeous beaches and the friendly, welcoming atmosphere made it an instant favourite for our family.

Khao Lak felt like the perfect place to slow down after busier destinations – peaceful but with plenty to do, from island-hopping and snorkelling to exploring local markets and enjoying sunset dinners by the sea. If we could have stayed longer, we absolutely would have. This is somewhere we’d happily return to again and again next time for a much longer stay.

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