Also worth a visit is the quiet sandy beach of Pakarang, which is set back three kilometers from km marker 69 on highway 4. During the rainy season, a certain amount of dead coral gets washed up on the beach - hence it’s name. Nearby is Laem Pakarang (Coral Cape). This is also the site of a ship wreck.
A further few kilometers north of Patwib lies the turquoise waters and fine white sand of gently curving Bang Sak beach, offset by the now familiar casuarina trees. The beach is situated 1 km off route 4, at distance marker 76km.
Some 25km south of Khao Lak in the Thai Muang National Park is the spectacular clean sandy beach of Hat Thai Muang, which stretches 14km and effectively runs parallel to Route 4. A 1.5km side road leads down to the beach.
The water is clear and good for swimming.
Also known as Turtle Beach, it is especially famous as during the months from November to February, sea turtles, including the leatherback, come ashore to lay their eggs in the moonlight.
A tradition has developed, called ‘turtle walking’, which encompasses both the unobtrusive observing of the egg laying turtles and, after the hatching period, the releasing of young turtles into the sea (turtle releasing festival).
Khao Lak’s Bang Niang Beach
Formerly a haven of backpacker bungalows, Bang Niang Beach is quickly moving into the boutique and upscale resort category.
Long stretches of beach to the north and south provide the visitor with good early morning beach combing strolls.
Bang Niang, for many years, played second team to Khao Lak’s Nang Thong Beach, but today we see a broad range of development that is now rivaling and may soon surpass the Nang Thong area.
New restaurants are popping up everyday as are small shopping centers - these and the local market out on the main road seem to be bringing greater numbers of people to the Bang Niang area every year.
An energetic person can literally walk from Bang Niang Beach down to Nang Thong Beach so continuous are the beaches here.
The thatch shelters on the photo top right of this page are typical of the small restaurants and massage services that are springing up - up and down the beach.
The Ayara Villas Resort is a favorite in the Bang Niang Beach area - partly due to its beachfront location.
Khao Lak’s Nang Thong Beach
Nang Thong is the area that was probably first developed and for a long time was the favorite of visitors - if the number of bungalows and resorts along its length are a good measure. Now though, Nang Thong Beach is starting to be rivaled by Bang Niang Beach to the north.
Aside from its gentle slope to the water, and the slow drop of the shelf once in the water - this area is also popular as it is an easy walk into Baan La On for the restaurants and shopping there.
Small shells are often found in abundance in the crooks and crannies of the rocky areas that are found up and down the beach. Not so many rocky areas though that they interfere with a quick dip or a prolonged float in the sea.
Nang Thong Beach is great for strolling, general beach combing and rocky area in the photo below has great snorkeling on the deep side of it.
The southern end of Nang Thong Beach is often called Sunset Beach and is home to some of the earlier resorts in the area - including the beautiful Khao Lak Paradise Resort.