Khao Lak, Thailand is widely known as an escape from the bustling streets of Phuket to palm-fringed beaches and vast landscapes covered in mighty greenery. Khao Lak is not only a beauty on the outside but one that holds enchantment and secrets in the very fabric of the villages and forests that behold the identity of the land.
The National Park
A 15-minute ride is all it takes to reach the Lam Ru National Park from resorts like Avani+ Khao Lak Resort and therefore is located within close proximity to most Khao Lak, Thailand resorts. Occupying an area of 150 square kilometres, the area was declared a national park in the year 1991. It is home to some of Thailand’s exquisite natural resources, birds, mammals and reptiles.
Similan Islands
Similan Islands surfaced into the notice of the common man following its declaration as a national park in the year 1982 as an archipelago of 11 islands in the Andaman Sea. The word Similan means nine, referring to the number of islands that were originally a part of the archipelago before two other remote islands were added in 1998. Similan Islands shelters some of the most vibrant marine life in Southeast Asia and is home to less than 120 bird species.
Turtle Sanctuary Visits
The Turtle Heaven of Khao Lak, also known as the Phang Nga Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Centre, is a turtle sanctuary that was founded in the year 1985. The sanctuary is a safe space for four endangered turtle species, the Ridley Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Leatherback Turtle and the Green Turtle, and is open to people of all ages to visit and learn about marine life, including turtles.
James Bond Island
The James Bond Island has its own ring to it, primarily due to the name that was made famous following a shot made for The Man with a Golden Gun, the ninth James Bond instalment starring Roger Moore. Since then, the island has become a crowd favourite as tourists flock to catch a glimpse of the infamous island that made it to a James Bond movie. The James Bond Island’s distinctive feature lies in the limestone cliffs that shoot out of the water in a vertical form.