Khao Lak With Kids: Where To Stay, Eat & Best Things To Do

Planning Khao Lak with kids? This laid-back beach town in southern Thailand offers calm swimming beaches, family-friendly resorts and easy access to island day trips like the Similan Islands. We love Khao Lak and would personally choose it over Phuket. It is spread out, so keep that in mind when booking a hotel, and we share more advice below.

Looking for more family-friendly tours and activities in Khao Lak? Browse our Khao Lak activities link below & we also have more details about the activities we enjoyed further down in this post!

The Similan or Surin Islands

The Similan Islands are the best day out! The national park is open only between October and May each year and includes 11 islands about 1.5 hours from the Khao Lak mainland. A full-day tour includes visiting three islands, snorkelling (turtles!), a buffet lunch, drinks, and walking up the famous rocks of Donald Duck Bay. Recommend booking the early bird tour which includes a buffet breakfast at the pier, and you also get to Donald Duck Bay at 8.30am to beat the crowds *Bring spare clothes and extra towels – the trip home can get cold if wet or winds pick up. It’s a long day, so kids younger than six years may find it difficult. If you prefer the Surin Islands, it’s still a full-day snorkelling tour from Khao Lak, except you get to visit a local village

Ning’s Thai Cooking Class

Ning’s Thai Cooking Class, we believe this is the best cooking class in Thailand – well, one suited for kids! Ning and Jokey offer a brilliant cooking experience – even turning our post-picky eater into a Thai green curry fan. You choose your own dishes; you are taken to the local food market to select your ingredients and learn about the fresh ingredients used in the dishes you’ll make. It’s also gluten-free friendly! Just let Ning know when booking. The Cost is 4500 baht for a family of four, including return hotel transfers (this was in April 2025). Look up Ning’s Cooking class on Facebook, and message her directly to book. She fills up fast, so I recommend booking a few months in advance.

Sea Turtle Conservation Centre

Sea Turtle Conservation Centre is located in a Thai Navy base, and you’ll experience several different pools caring for a variety of local turtles from babies to large adults. They are there due to injuries or special care needs, often from the various national parks off the Andaman coast. Located 20 minutes from central Khao Lak, entry is free for kids, and a small donation of AUD 2 for adults. Open from 8am – 4.30pm each day. Bring your passport as you will need it to enter the Navy base. They will hold it and return it when you leave.

Bang Niang Market

Bang Niang Market is a must-visit in Khoa Lak, offering both food and shopping on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights from 2 – 10pm. It gets busy from around 6pm. The market is situated near the Tsunami Memorial Park.

Coconut Beach

Coconut Beach is located 20 minutes north of Khao Lak town by car, Coconut Beach is a wicked place to hang for the day. It’s a small crescent fringed with palm trees and shallow waters. The Fruit Shake Hut offers drinks for 60 baht, sun lounges for 100 baht, beach massages starting at 500 baht, a recommended lunch spot at Coconut Beach Restaurant, free parking and a taxi stand, and paddleboat hire for 300 baht per hour.

Bamboo Rafting

If you want a slower, easier day in Khao Lak, this bamboo rafting and waterfall combo is a good one to add to your list. It’s not an adrenaline thing, you just sit back while a local guide poles your raft along a calm jungle river, so there’s zero effort involved, which is perfect if you’ve got tired legs from island hopping. You will likely see some monkies and monitor lizards too! One practical thing to know is that if you’re visiting in the dry season (roughly Feb–May), water levels drop and the waterfall stop can sometimes be skipped. You’ll also stop at a turtle conservation centre where you can get up close to turtles of different sizes and hear how they’re being protected, and finish with a swim at Ton Pling Waterfall (the waterfall is a bit small, though)

Memories Beach

Memories Beach is another great beach to hang out in the afternoon and into the sunset. It has a wide stretch of soft, shallow shoreline, with a small surf break. There is a surf school on the beach that is popular with learner surfers, and you can also rent paddleboards. The surf lessons are only available during the dry season (April to November). Volleyball and beach massages are also available next to a couple of rustic bars. Next door, Aspara Beach Resort is a large resort suited for families.

Rainbow Waterfall

Rainbow Waterfall is a great little nature stop for families visiting Khao Lak. It’s an easy walk through the rainforest to reach the falls, and once you’re there you’ll find small cascades and natural pools where kids can splash around and cool off. It’s usually much quieter than some of the more popular waterfalls, so it’s a nice spot to escape the crowds and enjoy a slower pace. If you’ve had some rain before your visit, the waterfall is even more impressive and the surrounding jungle is incredibly green. It’s about a 30 min drive from Khao Lak town.

James Bond Island & Khao Sok National Park

• A day trip to James Bond Island is a great day out, whether you’re travelling from Phuket or Khao Lak. You can choose from various tours. We booked a private long-tail boat by arriving at Hinrom Pier at 9.30am, and it cost us $100 for 2A & 2C. Our tour did not include lunch but did include visiting caves, James Bond Island and our driver took us to a swimming spot on the way back to the pier. When visiting, be sure to bring a torch as the caves are dark and boat drivers may not provide working ones; check the entry fees for James Bond Island, as we paid an extra 300 baht A and 150 baht C upon arrival; note that the water is not ideal for swimming, as it is brackish with mangrove areas and rivers; finally, pack mosquito spray and hand sanitiser, as traditional Thai toilets may be available. Khao Sok National Park is a national park with ancient rainforest, limestone cliffs, waterfalls & rare flora & fauna. We recommend that you stay here for a couple of nights, but if that is not possible, then you can do a day trip from Khao Lak – it’s about an hour drive.

Below is a list of our recommended restaurants and cafes across Koh Lak that are family-friendly and also offer gluten-free options.

Kokulo Beach Club
Siam Restaurant
Fat Shark Bar
Green Pepper Khao Lak Restaurant
Coconut Beach Restaurant
Bang Niang Market
My Style Restaurant

Map of Khao Lak