How to do a Khao Lak day trip from Phuket, and what to see there

What you will see in Khao Lak

Khao Lak is a stretch of mainland coast in Phang Nga province, not an island and not part of Phuket. The official attractions list for Takua Pa district names eight beaches, two waterfalls, a national park and two memorials to the 2004 tsunami. More on the resort, season and beaches on the Khao Lak page.

“Khao Lak tour” covers two quite different days:

The group tour shows the province’s nature along the road, but its programs include no beaches or memorials. If the coast itself matters to you, go with your own route.

The group tour, step by step

This is the Phuket Tour day in October 2026; Tisland makes the same stops in a different order:

1. 06:00-06:30 hotel pickup
2. 09:00 monkey temple (on Tisland’s tour, Wat Suwan Kuha cave temple with stalactites and a reclining Buddha)
3. 10:30 mini zoo
4. 12:00 elephant camp: riding, a baby elephant show, mud bath and bathing with an elephant
5. 13:00 bamboo rafting or canoeing
6. 13:40 rubber plantation and fruit orchard
7. 14:00 lunch
8. 15:00 turtle farm
9. 15:30 waterfall (Lampi Waterfall on Tisland’s tour, with a swim)
10. 16:00 departure for Phuket, with a stop at the Sarasin Bridge viewpoint

We suggest skipping the elephant stop and saying so when you book: we do not support riding or shows, as explained in the Phuket elephants guide.

Your own route to the coast and memorials

With a car and driver, or driving yourself, this order works best (OSRM drive times, no traffic):

1. Leave Phuket in the morning, about 1 hour 40 minutes from Patong to the Boat 813 memorial
2. Boat 813 memorial, then Bang Niang and Nang Thong beaches 3 km away
3. Lunch and a swim if the sea is calm
4. Khao Lak Beach and Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park at the south end of the resort
5. Optionally north: Laem Pakarang (13 km from Nang Thong) and Ban Nam Khem (26 km)
6. Back to Phuket in about 1.5 hours, before sunset

That is about 4 hours of driving and 4-5 hours on site. Skipping Ban Nam Khem saves almost an hour on the road.

The places come from Phang Nga’s official lists: tourism (Tourism and Sports Office) and culture (Culture Office). We found no official opening hours for the memorials or the museum, so check locally.

How long it takes and when to go

The group tour runs about 11 hours: pickup 06:00-06:30, back 16:00-17:00 (Tisland, Phuket Tour). Your own route takes 8-9 hours. OSRM distances on OpenStreetMap data, no traffic:

All the ways to get there (taxi, transfer, rental, bus) are in how to get from Phuket to Khao Lak.

December to March is best. The Thai Meteorological Department’s Takua Pa station sits right in the resort area, and its 1991-2020 normals show 62 mm of rain over 6 rainy days in January and 45 mm in February. From May to October every month brings 431-636 mm, almost twice Phuket’s figure, with 21-24 rainy days. The west-facing beaches often have strong waves then; see what the beach flags mean.

Park fees

Source: DNP fee table, revision of 2 June 2023, current in October 2026. On 17 October 2026 neither park had closures on the DNP status page. Ask your seller whether the group tour includes the fees.

Khao Lak and the Similans: one trip or two

They are two different trips. Boats to the Similan Islands leave early in the morning from Thap Lamu Pier, 13.7 km from Nang Thong Beach, and the crossing takes about an hour and a half. Combining that with a Khao Lak sightseeing day hardly works. The Similans are open from 15 October to 15 May; details on the Similan Islands page.

The Surin Islands are farther: boats leave from Khura Buri Pier, 92.6 km from Nang Thong. Under DNP announcements of recent seasons Surin opens 15 October to 15 May, with all of Ao Suthep and part of Ao Tao closed due to coral bleaching. The park’s reference page still says 1 November-30 April, so check the order for the 2026-2027 season before you go.

What to bring

• Swimwear and a towel: waterfall and sea
• Clothes covering shoulders and knees for the temple and memorials
• Shoes you can get wet for rafting and the waterfall
• Insect repellent and sunscreen
• Cash for park fees and small expenses

Who should skip it

• Anyone who wants more sea than road. About 3-4 hours in a car in a day
• Anyone travelling May to October for the beach. Rain almost daily and waves on the shore
• Anyone with 3-5 days in Phuket. Spend the day on closer islands, such as Phi Phi or Phang Nga Bay
• Anyone against elephant riding who does not want to stop at a camp at all. Then only your own route works

How to choose a Khao Lak tour

• Group tour or your own route. The group tour is easier to arrange and suits families; your own route shows the beaches and memorials
• Elephant camp. Ask whether you can skip the riding and what replaces it
• Pickup time. The group tour leaves at 06:00-06:30 and gets you back by 16:00-17:00
• Fees. Whether national park fees are included, and what lunch is
• Cancellation. Tisland cancels free of charge up to 48 hours before; ask other sellers

Other day trips are in the Phuket day trips guide.

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