Khao Lak Tours: 10 Best Day Trips & Excursions (2027)

Khao Lak is best known for its long, quiet beaches, and many people come here simply to relax by the sea. The region has a lot more to offer, though. Along the 30-kilometer coast and in the hills behind it you’ll find waterfalls, jungle hikes and several impressive cave temples. The most popular tours are the boat trips to the Similan and Surin Islands, two marine national parks with white beaches and excellent snorkeling. Inland, Khao Sok National Park with Cheow Lan Lake is worth the long drive. If you prefer to explore on your own, rent a scooter and ride down the coast to Lampi Waterfall or to Lam Ru National Park.

Keep in mind that the Similan and Surin Islands are only open from mid-October to mid-May. The trips on land and to Phang Nga Bay run all year. For each of the ten tours below we’ve listed the season, the current national park fees and what the trip costs in baht.

In this tour guide we give you all the important information about the ultimate must do day trips & tours in Khao Lak. In addition, we show you how to plan your perfect trip, what are the ultimate highlights, tour operators and prices.

Similan Island Tour

The Similan Islands are the most famous day trip from Khao Lak. The archipelago lies around 70 kilometers off the coast and is protected as a marine national park. Huge granite boulders, white sand beaches and clear water make it one of the best places for snorkeling in Thailand. The best-known view is from Sail Rock on Koh Similan (Island No. 8), which looks down over Donald Duck Bay.

The national park is only open from October 15 to May 15. During the southwest monsoon the sea gets too rough for the crossing, and the park stays closed completely.

Tip: The islands get busy in high season. Tours that leave early reach the beaches before most of the other boats arrive.
Price: 3700 baht per person. The park fee of 500 baht for adults and 250 baht for children is often paid separately in cash on the day.

Similan Islands (Donald Duck Bay Beach)

Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok is one of the most beautiful national parks in southern Thailand, with dense rainforest and steep limestone cliffs. The highlight is Cheow Lan Lake, a reservoir where the old mountain tops now rise straight out of the turquoise water. The best-known rock formation is Khao Sam Kler, also called the Three Friends. On a longtail boat tour you stop to swim, kayak or walk through the jungle.

The drive from Khao Lak to Ratchaprapha Pier takes around two hours, so day tours start early. If you have more time, spend a night in one of the floating bungalows on the lake.

Tip: Bring your swimwear. The water in the lake is warm and perfect for a swim between the boat stops.
Price: Day tours from Khao Lak start at around 3,900 baht including hotel pickup.

Hin Sam Glur Rocks – Cheow Lan Lake

Explore the beaches by scooter

If you like to travel at your own pace, rent a scooter and ride along the coast of Khao Lak. The beaches stretch for around 30 kilometers, and each section has its own character. Coconut Beach is quiet and hardly developed, while Khuk Khak Beach is lined with small resorts. Bang Niang Beach has the widest choice of hotels and restaurants. You can find all our favorites in our guide to the best beaches in Khao Lak.

Tip: Always wear a helmet and carry your driver’s license. Police checks on the main road are common.
Price: A scooter costs around [price] baht per day.

Coconut Beach

Lampi Waterfall

Lampi Waterfall is part of Khao Lampi-Hat Thai Mueang National Park, about 30 minutes south of Khao Lak. The waterfall drops over three levels, and the lowest one has a large natural pool where you can swim. It’s only a short walk from the parking lot, so it also works for families and anyone who doesn’t want to hike. A path on the left side leads up to the second level, and the third level is a steep climb that needs good shoes.

In the rainy season the waterfall carries much more water. The current can get strong then, so stay close to the ropes in the pool.

Tip: Keep your ticket. On the same day it’s also valid in Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park.
Price: Entry costs 100 baht, plus 20 baht if you come by car or scooter.

Lampi Waterfall

Surin Islands Tour

The Surin Islands lie further north than the Similans, close to the border with Myanmar. The national park is made up of five islands and has some of the healthiest shallow coral reefs in Thailand, which makes it the better choice for snorkeling. You have a good chance of seeing turtles. On Koh Surin Tai you can also visit a village of the Moken, a seafaring people who still live on the island.

The crossing is longer than to the Similans, and tours leave before sunrise. Like the Similans, Surin is only open from October 15 to May 15.

Tip: Surin gets fewer visitors than the Similan Islands. If snorkeling matters more to you than the beaches, this is the better day trip.
Price: Day trips cost around 3,700 baht including the park fee.

Surin Thailand

Lam Ru National Park

Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park covers 125 square kilometers of rainforest right next to Khao Lak. The headquarters is just south of the center and only a few minutes away by scooter. From there, a 1.5-kilometer trail leads through the forest to Small Sandy Beach, one of the prettiest little beaches in the area. The path has roots, rocks and a few steep steps with ropes, so plan for about an hour and wear proper shoes.

Next to the headquarters there is a restaurant with a great view over the sea, a good spot for lunch after the hike.

Tip: The same ticket gets you into Lampi Waterfall and the other waterfalls in the area on the same day.
Price: Entry costs 100 baht for adults and 50 baht for children. The park is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Lam Ru National Park

Elephant Tours

Several elephant camps near Khao Lak offer tours, and they differ a lot in how the animals are treated. We’d only recommend sanctuaries that have stopped riding completely and care for elephants that were once used in tourism or logging. The most elephant-friendly places let you watch the animals from a short distance while they eat, walk and bathe on their own.

Tip: Check reviews carefully before you book. If a camp offers rides or shows, look for another option.

Khao Sok National Park Elephant

Phi Phi Islands Tour

A speedboat tour to the Phi Phi Islands is also possible from Khao Lak, though it makes for a long day. The islands are known for their steep limestone cliffs and turquoise lagoons. Typical stops are Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave, and most tours include snorkeling and lunch on Phi Phi Don.

The most famous stop is Maya Bay, which closes every year from August 1 to September 30. Boats only pass by the bay during those months. The rest of the year you land at Loh Samah Bay on the back of the island and walk over to the beach. Swimming in Maya Bay is no longer allowed.

Tip: Tours leave Khao Lak very early in the morning. Book this trip for a day when you don’t mind getting back late.
Price: 3700 baht per person. The national park fee is 400 baht per adult.

Koh Phi Phi

Trip to James Bond Island

Phang Nga Bay is one of the most striking landscapes in Thailand, with hundreds of limestone islands rising out of calm green water. It has been a marine national park since 1981. The best-known spot is James Bond Island, named after the film “The Man with the Golden Gun” that was shot here. Kayaking through the mangroves and into hidden sea caves is at least as impressive. Many tours also stop at Koh Panyee, a fishing village built on stilts.

Tip: The bay is sheltered, so this tour runs all year and is a good choice during the rainy season.
Price: Tours from Khao Lak cost around 3000 baht per person.

James Bond Island

Temple Tour

The temples around Khao Lak can’t compete with the size of the temples in Bangkok, but they are often set in spectacular places. Wat Tham Phaya Nakarat, also known as the Dragon Cave Temple, is built into a series of caves high up on a limestone cliff, about an hour’s drive from Khao Lak. At Wat Bang Riang a staircase lined with serpent sculptures leads up to a temple with wide views over the hills.

The easiest way to see them is on a so-called Three Temples Tour. The third temple on the route differs from operator to operator.

Tip: Cover your shoulders and knees, and be ready for a lot of stairs at the Dragon Cave Temple.
Price: Temple tours from Khao Lak cost around 1700 baht per person.

Conclusion: The Best Tours from Khao Lak

For us, the trip to the Similan Islands is the best tour you can do from Khao Lak. If you’re here between mid-October and mid-May, don’t miss it. Book it for the first days of your stay, because boats get cancelled when the sea is too rough, and that way you still have time for a second try. The same applies to the Surin Islands, which are the better choice if snorkeling is your main focus.

Outside the island season, Khao Sok with Cheow Lan Lake and the boat tours through Phang Nga Bay are the trips we’d pick first. On days when you’d rather stay close to your hotel, rent a scooter and combine Lampi Waterfall with the hike in Lam Ru National Park, since one ticket covers both on the same day.

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