Welcome to the province of Phang Nga and its natural marvels

The province of Phan Nga is located about 780 kilometers South of Bangkok and just above Phuket. It hosts many numerous National Parks, among the most visited of Thailand, and mainly, somptuous beaches with, more particularly, Khao Lak (80 kilometers North of Phuket airport) and its 9 kilometers of white sand beaches facing the Andaman Sea and the splendid rock formations scattered in the sea.
It is a splendid area with tropical rain forest and mountains going as far as the sea, ending with stunning beaches, Khao Lak is particularly popular among tourists and especially families and nature lovers. You will easilly vary your daily activities between beaches, water sports and trecking to discover the different National Parks of the area.
But Phang Nga bay has been famous around the whole world with its limestone formation emerging from sea. And the "Goldfinger" movie of the "James Bond" saga did broadcast this suprising images of these standing minerals in this tropical setting in the whole world. This particular limestone formation is now called "James Bond Island"...

It is not suprising that Phang Nga is also a favorite among sailing and cruise lovers, as the setting is hydillic and absolutely perfect for heavenly boat trips.

The beaches in Khao Lak and Phang Nga Bay

Khao Lak is very popular among tourists because its beaches are renowned to be splendid while still peaceful, far from the crowd and turnoil of the big beach resorts like Phuket or Koh Samui. And you will have the opportunity to enjoy not less than nine kilometers of white sand beaches only around Khao Lak, to which you have to add the beaches in Phang Nga Bay and the neighboor islands.
The first beach coming from the North is Bang Sak beach, small forgotten beach, with only few accommodations, popular among locals who come here for pic-nics or to enjoy the sunset. Just below Bang Sak, the Pakarang Cape, offers a charming beach. Below the Cape, the most popular beaches spread out, where popular is far to mean crowded, Khuk Khak beach, Bang Niang beach and Nang Thong beach, long stretches of white sand of more than 3 kilometers, a paridise for travellers with family, with superb beaches, many activities and very few nightlife.
And beaches are following each other all along the coast. At the deep South end of Phang Nga you will find more popular beaches like Natai Beach or Pilai beach, both splendid preserved treasures.
And you will also like visiting the islands offshore and enjoy for a moment their hydillic beaches, like Surin islands, islands of the Marine Park of the same name, North of the province or the famous Similan islands and their stunning Marine Park, just facing Khao Lak, guenine heaven for divers, renowned in the whole world for its underwaters.

To the discovery of Phang Nga and Khao Lak

The province of Phang Nga is very riche in attractions. You will find many temples, of course, like the Wat Bang Riang or the Wat Narai Nikayaram, but the most famous of all the temples remains the Wat Suwannakhuha, or Wat Tham, the "temple cave", as this temple is actually built in a cave made of several galleries, and of which the main attraction is its 15 meters long reclining Bouddha.
But what also, and mainly, attracts travellers is the number of National Parks, on the mainland as well as Marine Parks, where you will enjoy the natural marvels thoroughly and even have the opportunity to observe sea turtles !
The Khao Lak-Lamru National Park covers 150 Skm and includes the majority of Khao Lak beaches as well as some offshore islands. It is very rich in wildlife and flora and offers interesting trecks options. The Khao Lampi - Thai Muang National Park is located South of Khao Lak, and covers 72 Skm and includes 2 areas, the mountainy tropical rain forest of Thai Muang and the beach of Khao Lampi, famous for its sea turtles abundance, who come here to lay their eggs.
The conservation of turtles is the first goal of the Park and you will have the opportunity to observe them and even help rangers to put baby turtles back to the water of the Andaman sea. Each of these Parks offer excellent waterfall options to refresh after the heat of the jungle. Further North of Khao Lak, you will also find the Khao Sok National Park, in the province of Suratthani, certainly the most visited Park of all Thailand, as it offers so much diversity. Just facing Khao sok is the Sri Phang Nga National Park, it will be a shame to miss.
And, of course, you will have the opportunity to explore the Surin islands and Similan islands National Parks, of an impressive beauty, not forgetting to mention the famous James Bond island, close to the shore.

Enjoy the activities in Phang Nga and Khao Lak

The stunning panoramas of the area are so famous that the first activity that you will fancy practice in Khao Lak and the Phang Nga Bay is excursion, to go discover its numerous National Parks and Marine Parks described in our "To see" section. And in addition to get delighted by these splendid landscapes, you will also enjoy scuba diving and snorkelling around the Surin islands and the Similan islands, worldwide renowned for their superb underwaters, and the abundance of sea turtles in its waters.
And you will also have the opportunity to enjoy elephant trecking in the jungle or Bamboo rafting down the rivers in the National Parks, and mainly around Ton Patiwat in the Khao Lak National Park.

The Golf players will also have the luck to enjoy facilities of international class, with 2 courses close to Khao Lak. The Royal Navy Golf Course Khao Lak is located in Thap Lamu, South of Khao Lak, in Son-Ngam bay, it is a splendid 18 holes course between beaches and mountains, perfect to practice in a setting among the most beautiful of the area. The Thai Muang Beach Golf course is closed now for renovation and will reopen in 2010 to present a splendid 18 holes course along the beach. And you will also enjoy the golf courses of Phuket, easy reachable from the province of Phang Nga, like the Blue Canyon country Club or the Phuket Mission Hills Golf Club, the closest to Phang Nga and Phuket airport, and going southward in Phuket, you will find more than ten other high class golf courses (just refer to the Phuket page to have a full listing of Phuket Golf courses).