Luxury holidays in Khao Lak

There’s serious competition, but Khao Lak may be one of the most chilled-out places in Thailand. Its miles of white-sand beaches are popular with flop-and-droppers, but there are more than enough sunbathing spots to go around, so you can truly get away from it all here. Phang Nga’s thriving national and marine parks lie close by for trips to spot elephants, trek amid mangroves, see the soaring limestone cliffs of Phang Nga Bay or the greenery-threaded granite boulders of the Similan and Surin islands, where there’s excellent scuba and snorkel opportunities. Nearby Bang Niang has a lively market, sweet-spicy dining and up-till-late cocktails if you need a little more action – but, you’re unlikely to tire of whiling away days on the sand.