In a nutshell
- The beaches in Khao Lak are ideal if you want to unwind for a few days after your Thailand road trip. In this article, we’ll show you our 10 favorite beaches in Khao Lak — so you know exactly where to spread your towel.
- For each beach, we’ll also give you a hotel recommendation right on the beach, so you can wake up with sand at your doorstep.
- Our personal favorite is Bang Sak Beach — super peaceful and far from the tourist crowds. We stayed at the Bangsak Village Hotel and can’t recommend it enough.
- Coconut Beach is a picture-perfect stretch lined with coconut palms, great restaurants, and bars. The stunning The Sarojin is right on the beach — one of the best luxury resorts in the area.
Our Map of the 10 Most Beautiful Khao Lak Beaches
To give you a great overview of all the beaches in Khao Lak right away, we’ll start with a map of our 10 favorite spots.
All beaches are ideal starting points for a cool activity or day trip from Khao Lak.
Even though the beaches are seriously inviting for chilling out, you should definitely take a trip to Khao Sok National Park — one of our absolute top recommendations. You’ll find all the details in our Khao Sok National Park article.
Khuk Khak Beach
Khuk Khak Beach is three kilometers long, unspoiled and peaceful. That said, there are a few laid-back beach bars and restaurants for a snack along the way. You can even get massages right on the beach, and near the restaurants you’ll find hammocks strung up as well.
Warning: Please don’t swim at high tide — the current can become dangerous.
Behind the beach is a forest where you can find a bit of shade when the sun gets too intense. At low tide you can also walk directly to the next stretch of beach, Bang Niang Beach.
Our hotel pick: The Haven Khao Lak – beachfront hotel with pools and a spa
Coconut Beach
Coconut palms, white sand, and crystal-clear water — you can already see why Coconut Beach ranks among the best beaches in Khao Lak. Pack your camera, because the colorful longtail boats and beach huts make for great shots for your travel photos.
The surrounding bars serve up delicious Thai food and laid-back live music, and prices are incredibly reasonable.
Coconut Beach is also a great choice for a family vacation with kids. The water is nice and shallow, and there’s a playground just around the corner. With kids in tow, water shoes are a good idea, since coral fragments and broken shells are often buried in the sand.
One thing to keep in mind: you won’t see the sunset directly over the ocean from here — it dips behind the headland instead. The beaches to the south are better spots for sunsets.
Our hotel pick: The Sarojin – exceptional luxury hotel, outdoor showers, private pools
Nang Thong Beach
Nang Thong Beach is just as beautiful, but completely different from Coconut Beach. In some spots you’ll even find black sand — incredibly rare — and rugged rocks jut out of the water. Perfect for a little variety!
Nang Thong is a wonderful place to swim. The beach is great for families, nature lovers, and snorkeling as well. Bars, restaurants, and massage services are all right there on the beach.
Our hotel pick: Bhandari Resort and Spa – just 150 meters to the beach, with spa and pool
Bang Niang Beach
Bang Niang Beach is hands down the most popular beach in Khao Lak. It’s centrally located, and just a few steps behind the beach you’ll find plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars. You can even book yoga and diving courses here.
For a beach vacation with young children, we’d actually steer you away from this one — it drops off fairly steeply. For couples or families with older kids, though, it’s ideal.
If you get hungry, take a stroll through the Bang Niang Market. It runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Our hotel pick: Chongfah Beach Resort – boutique resort with outdoor rain showers
Sunset Beach
The best of all Khao Lak beaches for watching the sunset? Sunset Beach, of course! It sits very close to Lam Ru National Park, which makes the surroundings especially lush and wild.
The access point isn’t that easy to find — technically you can only reach it through the adjacent resorts. However, if you walk past a few rocks coming from the south, you can get there that way too.
There are only a handful of places to eat here, so it’s pretty quiet — which is exactly the point.
Our hotel pick: Wanaburee Resort – beachfront hotel with a “jungle feeling”
White Sand Beach
White Sand Beach sits just above Coconut Beach. If you’re doing a beach-hopping day, the two pair together perfectly.
The name is no coincidence — the sand here is incredibly white, making the water look even clearer. It’s also great for kids, as the sea is calm and you don’t need water shoes here.
Apart from a few small eateries, White Sand Beach offers nothing but peace and relaxation. It’s the perfect spot to read your favorite book or simply unwind.
Our hotel pick: Ao Thong Beach Bungalows – beachfront hotel, massages with ocean views
Khao Lak South Beach
South Beach borders the southern end of Lam Ru National Park. The beach is surrounded by dense greenery and tall rocks, making it nicely sheltered from wind and waves — perfect for snorkeling.
The beach stretches about two kilometers in total. The northern section is very quiet and natural, while the southern section is more touristy, with beach vendors and masseuses weaving between towels. Restaurants and mini-marts are located in the southern section or toward the main road.
If you’re staying in the northern section, you can reach the cafés and restaurants in just a few minutes by scooter or tuk-tuk.
Our hotel pick: Briza Beach Resort – rooms with direct pool access, just 100 meters to the beach
Bang Sak Beach
Bang Sak Beach is in the northern part of Khao Lak and is far from the crowds and tourist infrastructure. There are only a few resorts in the area, and it’s mostly locals who come here.
A few small food stalls serve things like freshly caught fish — seriously delicious!
During high season, you’ll sometimes find two or three massage loungers where you can get a full-body massage right on the beach.
Our hotel pick: Bangsak Village Hotel – our go-to hotel in Khao Lak, a true heartfelt recommendation!
Pakarang Beach
Pakarang Beach is the one to head to if you love being active: surfing, snorkeling, diving — boredom doesn’t stand a chance! It’s even one of the best surf spots on Thailand’s west coast.
At the Palm Galleria Resort, you can rent equipment and book lessons. We especially love the old shipwreck in the water that you can discover while diving.
At low tide, plenty of locals head out to fish squid from holes in the sand or set traps for lobster. Feel free to strike up a conversation — most of them are happy to tell you more about what they do.
Our hotel pick: Palm Galleria Resort – beautiful Thai resort, great for families
Thai Muang Beach
Thai Muang Beach is a true local favorite among Khao Lak beaches. The 14-kilometer-long beach sits quite a bit south of the Khao Lak center. You’ll practically have it to yourself — there are only a few resorts in the area, and their guests spread out nicely.
You can also combine your beach day with a visit to Thai Muang National Park, which offers lush nature and beautiful hiking trails.
The town itself is very small, so we recommend staying in the center and making a day trip out here from Khao Lak.
Warning: From November to February, sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand at night. Please don’t get too close to either the eggs or the adult turtles!
