Like a Phoenix rising from the rubble left behind by the devastating 2004 tsunami, Khao Lak has returned with a vengeance. The rebuilding began almost as soon as the debris was cleared and today this small coastal town has enough infrastructures to attract tourists back to its stunning beaches. The town itself lies primarily along a point on the coastal road that winds its way from Phuket in the south to Ranong in the north. A cluster of small restaurants, travel shops and mini-marts provide the basics. Most of the resorts are located on the sand at the town’s main beach, an 8km stretch of beautiful uncluttered sand. Although only about 40 per cent of the resorts have been rebuilt, there’s a decidedly upmarket feel to the new Khao Lak.