Leave nothing else but footprints

Khao Lak lies in the Takuapa district of Phangnga province in the south of Thailand. Phangnga is situated on the west coast facing the Andaman Sea and lies within one to two hours driving distance of other popular tourist destinations such as Krabi in the east and Phuket in the south.As a primarily agricultural province, Phangnga produces rubber and food crops such as palm oil, vegetables and fruit. A large proportion of the province is still comprised of forest, much of which is designated national park area.
Khao Lak itself is national park area, resplendent with rich natural attractions and a convenient departure point to many other of Phangnga's points of interest. Khao Lak's big attraction is the beauty of its natural surroundings -bordering the Andaman Sea on one side, and surrounded by natural forest on the other sides. Offering peace and tranquillity, the area is reminiscent of Phuket in bygone days and is the perfect spot for getting away from the razzle-dazzle of more populated areas nearby.

La On Village
It’s the traveller's rhythm - La On village is the centre of the Khao Lak universe. Only a kilometre in length, La On is home to the greatest collection of restaurants in Phangnga province. If you are looking for elegant dining, the five-star hotels will impress you. La On village offers a much more casual environment at much better prices. Lots of choices for Thai and nearly as many European restaurants ensure a varied dining experience.

Khao Lak network

The bar scene in Khao Lak is quiet. With plenty of places for a big night out down the road in Phuket, Khao Lak focuses on good clean family fun instead. The undoubted champion of late night fun is the Happy Snapper, where the "Happy Snapper Brothers" entertain the crowd. By no means the lone option, it's joined by The Dome, Freestyle Bar, Eule Beer Garden, O'Conner's Irish Pub, Tarzan Bar, all of them nearly within spitting distance. Ska Bar is in the centre of town and consists of a small hut and open-air tables in the middle of a street-side shopping plaza. Head a bit more southerly for pool, sports and divers (and the people who love them) at Scuba Groupies, located in the Khao Lak Grand City building.
Like dining and drinking, shopping options number in the dozens rather than the hundreds. The souvenir shops in La On village come to life as the afternoon grows late and cools off. Some are bursting with stock - offering just about every trinket imaginable - while others specialize in, say, t-shirts or beach gear. Art stores, though not as prevalent as CD and DVD stalls, feature some of the more impressive gifts available - like silk wall hangings, wooden knickknacks and paintings.

For a complete makeover, from the bridge of your nose to the tips of your toes, stop by one of the many opticians for a new pair of designer eyeglasses, Monty the tailor for custom-made suits, shirts and dresses, then enjoy a massage - foot, oil, or traditional Thai - at one of the many places in town.
Small convenience stores, including (if not especially) 7-11, are ubiquitous; finding a cheap bottle of water or a tube of sun cream won’t be a problem. La On village also has a couple internet cafes and photo shops where you can have pictures developed, pick up some an extra film, or transfer photos from memory card to disc. ATMs, banks and money changers are also readily available.

Vegetarian festival in Bang Niang

Bang Niang
Along the main road you will find lots of new places for dining, shopping and drinking. Still the best plan in Bang Niang is to walk from the main street and make your way towards the beach or, better yet, right on the beach. Coconut Grove Restaurant offers the luxury of being not only close to the sea, but also to the beachfront massage huts. Amanusa, The Beach and Ayara round up the dinner-and-a-view list.
In the small maze of meandering streets just off the beach, you’ll find Ladda Restaurant, Joe’s Steakhouse, Cousin Restaurant, Amsterdam Restaurant, Talay Thai Seafood Restaurant and the German Bakery.

In Bang Niang you can watch your favourite sporting event at Gecko Sports Bar & Grill, listen to live Thai music at 813 Degrees Bar, find pool tables at P&Y Bar and great drinks at Piranha Bar. Neighbouring the now famous police boat, which was washed up on shore during the tsunami of 2004 and now sits just off the highway in Bang Niang, is Takieng Restaurant with a superb thai menu.