Hopefully your children are big fans of the natural world. There is the chance to splash around in crystal clear bathtub-warm water, scour the sandy beaches for seashells or chase crabs in tidal pools. Khao Lak offers plenty of inland adventure as well with an abundance of national parks within access of the town where you can hike on good trails to waterfalls search the towering trees for exotic wildlife and poke your head into limestone caves. Even if your child doesn’t have an astute appreciation for nature, this is an ideal place to develop it.

Beaches
In reality, Khao Lak is all about the beaches. This relatively undeveloped section of Thailand’s beautiful west coast along the Andaman Sea has some of the nicest beaches in the country. Surprisingly, the 2004 tsunami actually improved the quality of many of the beaches, all of which are fully cleaned up and back in business. Within Khao Lak itself, the town’s central beach runs a full 8kms, allowing for long walks and plenty of private nooks to play in. The waters here are calm, clear and free of any unpleasant marine life such as jellyfish, so the kids can romp around in the shallows without concern. The beach itself is also littered with small seashells and at low tide, dozens of tidal pools emerge full of interesting creatures such as crabs, shrimp, small fish and sea anemones.

Elephant treks
One of the most unique and memorable experiences for kids is a jungle trek atop an Asian elephant. Khao Sok National Park is probably the easiest place to embark on this adventure, but you can also ride elephants at Ton Patiwat’s wildlife conservation centre nearby Khao Lak. The elephants, guided by a professional handler, follow small tracks that take you places in the jungle virtually inaccessible by any other means. Most tour companies in Khao Lak can arrange all the details for this trip.

National Parks
There are no less than five major national parks within an easy drive of Khao Lak and all of them offer a slightly different variation on the same tropical theme. Spending a day in one of these natural playgrounds makes an excellent adventure which the kids will remember for a long time. Thai Muang National Park is best known for its sea turtles, which venture onto shore every year to lay their eggs. A park ranger can guide you for this unique experience, as the nesting season is highly protected. Khao LamPi is a great place to hike among dense virgin forests to the stunning waterfalls. Sri Phang-Nga is another good hiking park, covered in virgin tropical forest and teeming with wildlife. Finally, Khao Sok is the real gem in this part of Thailand. The variety of scenery is unmatched in the south and includes dozens of caves, waterfalls, swimming pools, rivers and wildlife. All of these excellent protected areas are within a couple hours drive of Khao Lak and serviced by all the tour companies.

Culturally speaking, Khao Lak is a bit lacking in what many visitors would consider interesting Thai sights; but what it lacks in culture, it makes up one hundred times over in natural beauty. There are, however, a few things worth seeing in the area which will give you a taste of Thai culture. The temple cave called Wat Suwan Khuha is certainly a unique attraction. There’s also the turtle breeding site at Thai Muang Beach, but if you really to see the local culture you’ll need to travel to the larger towns of Takuapa to the north or Phuket Town to the south, both about 90 minutes from Khao Lak. In these towns you can see traditional architecture, temples, markets and historic sites.

Traditional Thai Massage
With its roots deep in a tradition of spiritual healing and overall well-being, Thai massage is the perfect complement to a day spent lounging along the beach or getting involved in one of the myriad outdoor activities. Originally developed by Buddhist monks as a method of healing, the passive stretching and pressure techniques are great at releasing tension and relaxing the body. Most of the resorts in Khao Lak have resident massage therapists, but you can also find freelancers wandering the beach in search of clients. The prices are inexpensive and you may find yourself making time each afternoon for an hour or two of bliss.

Wat Suwam Khuha
The locals call this fascinating site about 30 minutes south of Khao Lak, Temple Cave. What makes this Buddhist temple so special is that it’s one of the very few built inside a limestone cavern. Several caves make up the interior, some of which are as large as 40 metres wide. In the main cavern lies the highlight of this site, a lovely 15 metre-long Reclining Buddha. Other caves are filled with smaller images of the Buddha, as well as plenty of wonderful wall paintings.

Khao Lak is a tiny blip on the radar screen as you drive from Phuket Town north towards Takuapa. Restaurants dot the single main road through town and tend towards the casual, open-air kind of place with a wide-ranging menu covering all the standard foreigner favourites, classic Thai stir-fry dishes and plenty of fresh seafood. Prices in these unpretentious joints tend to be pretty good compared to those found in neighbouring Phuket. Quality varies from place to place, but in general the food in Khao Lak is quite good. There were also a handful of more upscale restaurants scattered along the main road through town and in neighbouring Bang Niang village until the tsunami levelled them. Nearly every resort also has an in-house restaurant, serving essentially the same menu as everywhere else. The more posh resorts tend to have better, and more diverse, menus but are proportionally more expensive.

One of the highlights at just about every beachside eatery is the barbecue grill, where you can often find several varieties of fish such as red snapper, barracuda and tuna alongside giant prawns, squid and whatever else they pulled from the sea that morning. This is seafood at its freshest, so don’t hold back. Other southern Thai specialties include dangerously spicy som tam, shredded young papaya salad; plenty of coconut-based curries; and the sweet-sour favourite tom yum, a water-based soup typically filled with seafood. For dessert, check out one of the roti stands along the main road, or indulge in sweet mango covered in thick coconut cream.

Shopping is considerably less exciting than eating in Khao Lak. There’s a single night market on the main road which springs into life around dusk selling the usual Thai handicrafts, knickknacks, souvenirs, pirated DVDs and knockoffs you find at every other beach town in the south. Otherwise, you can shop in one of the small stores which sell essentially the same gear as the market. Batik is one of the few regional crafts available in Khao Lak and the selection of beautiful and well-made sarongs is overwhelming. Another interesting local craft is the use of a fine grass called yan lipea woven into lovely purses and other bags. Nang Thalung are brightly coloured flat figurines made from buffalo hide and used in shadow puppet shows. They make great wall decorations. Lacquerware is another popular item in Khao Lak. These decorative items come in all varieties, from intricate boxes and serving trays to figurines. Jewellery using gemstones and pearls are also common here, but the quality won’t be as reliable as in Phuket. You can always bargain with the prices, as this is standard procedure and part of the fun.

With such a beautiful natural world on your doorstep, you won’t be lost for something to do under the sun. The beach, of course, takes centre stage with everything available from leisurely strolls along the main 8km beach to snorkeling and sea kayaking just offshore, everything can be arranged from your resort (or the one next to it). Visitors won’t find the typical beach-based adrenaline activities such as parasailing in Khao Lak. This town is geared more towards languid options such as swimming. But if you need to get some exercise, there are plenty of arduous hikes in the nearby national parks and for the ultimate underwater adventure just get on a boat to the Similans, where you’ll dive among coral that will positively blow your mind.

Beaches
The beaches around Khao Lak are some of the finest and least touristy in all of Thailand. Located in the heart of town is the 8km stretch of sand known as Hat Khao Lak. Many of the town’s resorts are perched on the sand here, but it’s just a matter of walking until you find the view, atmosphere or density of people that you want. The waters here are calm and excellent for swimming and snorkelling. If you need something more deserted, it’s a simple matter of renting a motorbike and hitting the road. Just north from Khao Lak is Khuk Khak Beach, a 3km empty expanse of sand with no facilities and rarely any people. A bit further north and you’ll find Pakarang Beach, once known for its distinctive cape until the tsunami erased that geographical feature. To the south of Khao Lak there are a dozen or more beaches running all the way to Phuket. Thai Muang beach, 25kms south, is where you can watch the turtles. Secluded Beach and Poseidon Beach are also tiny little beachlets just a few kilometres south of town.

Scuba Diving
While there’s only one decent dive site near Khao Lak itself, the town is the nearest departure point for boats heading out to the Similan and Surin Islands, which, luckily, were undamaged by the 2004 tsunami. Home to some of the world’s most spectacular underwater dive sites, these protected islands and their neighbours offer days of diving possibilities with few other visitors. The Marine Parks showcase some 200 species of coral, as well as more than 800 species of fish. In addition to the Surins and Similans, the world class dive sites of Ko Tachai, Ko Bon and the infamous Richelieu Rock offer fields of psychedelic reefs, dramatic vertical walls, boulder fields and underwater pinnacles. Visibility is consistently 25 metres or more during the prime season between December and April.

Hot Springs
There are two sites where you can soak your bones, but they are best combined with another excursion. Along the way to the nearby Khao Lak-Lamru National Park are a group of hot pools at Kapong, where the water temperatures top out at 65°C. This could be enjoyed along with a trip to Lam Ru and Hin Lad waterfall. Ban Bor Dan is the other hot springs site, located between Thai Muang town and the Thai Muang National Park. These waters have a big concentration of minerals and are considered very therapeutic. Again, visitors can combine a soak in the springs with an exploration of the national park.

Hiking
With an impressive number of national parks within easy striking distance of Khao Lak, the hiking potential here is among the best in the country. The nearest sites are Thai Muang and Khao Lak-Lamru National Parks, with coastal trails and impressive waterfalls. Khao LamPi also has hiking trails amidst the tropical evergreen forests that blanket the park. About 65kms north of Khao Lak is the large Sri Phang-Nga National Park, which boasts four waterfalls and hiking trails to a few excellent lookout points atop its limestone cliffs. But the mother of all regional parks is Khao Sok, a massive area littered with limestone karsts, sparkling rivers, lakes and virgin tropical forest interlaced with dozens of good hiking trails.