Thailand 2024 - Kao Lak Part 1

hangover. A car picked us up from the hotel, and it was a 20-minute drive to the domestic terminal. We went straight through check-in and security and were soon waiting to board our flight.
We landed at Phuket Airport, which was extremely busy with tourists. We found our driver, who had a very spacious and extravagant minibus for our 1.5-hour journey to Khao Lak.
We had planned six nights in Khao Lak, intending to laze around the pool and the beach, with one activity day to explore the sights. In hindsight, we spent too long here and probably should have included a couple of nights in Phuket as well.
What didn’t help with the lazing was that we couldn’t relax on the beach or in the pool near the beach. We quickly learned upon arriving that Khao Lak was one of the worst-hit areas during the 2004 tsunami, with over 4,000 people killed. Many locals had lost family, friends, businesses, and more. They shared their stories, which were heartbreaking to hear, and it was evident how difficult it was for them to recount what they had been through. While Khao Lak has rebuilt and introduced safety precautions like higher concrete buildings, shelters, and a tsunami warning system, it was still hard to relax as we listened to the waves and reflected on the lives lost in the place we were supposed to be “having fun.”
We stayed at the Grand Mercure Khao Lak Bangsak, a new hotel with stunning, “Insta-worthy” gardens and pools, which all the rooms overlooked. The hotel is very long and narrow, and we were at the far end near the entrance, making the walk to breakfast and the beach quite a trek. One odd design flaw was that you couldn’t walk through the gardens to get from one end to the other; instead, you had to use a service road running along one side. The gardens could only be viewed from your room, not enjoyed on a stroll.
The breakfast was excellent, albeit a little busy but there were lots of different options.
We found ourselves gravitating towards the quieter garden pool at the front of the hotel. This pool was closer to our room and farther from the beach, which helped us unwind.
We only had bed and breakfast at the hotel, allowing us to explore the local restaurants. Several bars and restaurants were scattered along the road by the hotel and dotted along the beach. These were mostly run by locals, offering fresh and very affordable food. However, they operated on “Thai time,” so we had to adjust to waiting. One of our favourite restaurants was Pim’s, a tiny local spot run by a woman and her child. The food was incredible and very cheap, though we waited over an hour-it was worth it!
Along the road to the hotel, there was also a supermarket, taxis, and many massage places vying for attention. Sam indulged in a massage at one of these places, and it was much more comfortable compared to the one in Chiang Mai.
Our go-to bar was Joe’s Bar, also on the road to the hotel. It used to be on the beach but had to move inland when one of the hotels purchased the land. It’s a locally-run spot with a warm atmosphere. The owner also performed fire shows on the beach. Drinks here were much cheaper than at the hotels, they played the Spurs game (keeping Lee happy), and the bar attracted a nice mix of locals and tourists.
A must-visit market is the Bang Niang Night Market, held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 5 PM to 10 PM. We took a taxi from our hotel, stopping first at the Tsunami Memorial.
The memorial is a small park featuring Police Boat T813, which was carried 2 km inland by the tsunami. The park also has abstract art, which we believe symbolises the wave. Nearby, there were independent tsunami memorial stalls. These were free to visit, with owners sharing stories and showing photos of the destruction. Be prepared-these photos are unfiltered, showing the stark reality of the disaster, including images of bodies on the beaches you may have just enjoyed.
After visiting the memorial, we crossed the road to Bang Niang Night Market. This market is more tourist-focused than the one in Chiang Mai so there was a lot more tourist tat at a higher price. However, we loved the little bars and food stalls. The smoked pork was outstanding, and there were a couple of craft beer sellers and cocktail spots.
It rained while we were at the market-bringing the British weather with us again! It hadn’t rained in Khao Lak for months, so the downpour was much needed, and it didn’t last long.
The market is about a 10-minute drive from our hotel. We grabbed an open-air taxi at the market entrance, and the driver handed us his phone, asking us to pick songs on Spotify for the ride home. He then turned on disco lights, cranked up the volume, and gave us our own private club for the journey back.
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[@ThomasEisenach]

I was 15th to 25th in November now there with you i think. First time Asia, Phuket 3 Nights and 10 in Khao Lak in a very nice 20€/day Hotel in front of Bangniang Night Market. I fell in love with this place and want to come back, first two weeks March or again in November, let's see. Have a nice day!

[@coravandijk1138]

Witch hotel are you in Khao lak ?

[@leesamhollingdale8317]

Grand Mercure Khao Lak Bangsak