Khaolak Travel Journal

Khaolak is one of my favourite places ever, it is not very busy so you can just spend the time relaxing, they have a smallish town with souvenir shops where you can buy some fabulous wooden traditional Thai goods plus clothes and the usual tourist gifts.

It is also a great base for excursions - you can go on elephant rides, day trips to Phuket, James Bond Island, Phi Phi Islands and the list goes on, so your break can be as busy as you want it to be but in a peaceful environment. The Thai people here just have a peacefulness which is hard to find.

I have a previous blog on this resort which you can find on http://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/claire.summers/Profile-Blog/MultiCentreThailandandtheLovelyElephants

As for the hotel we stayed in, the decor was in an oriental style and is very serene and beautiful. This hotel was devastated by the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 and rebuilt in a new style and finished in 2007. The grounds are well spread out, very well connected by walkways and bridges, lots of stand-alone villas and also beachfront bungalows. It has a private beachfront. The beach sunbeds are on a raised platform and not actually on the beach as the tide comes in too far. All the beds and towels are free with a permanent umbrella.

The swimming pool is split into 3 sections, the front one being an infinity pool. The hotel had free popcorn, homemade cookies, sweets and a few treats which all the guests were welcome to. The sea is golden sand and very shallow, great for kids, there can be some waves a little further out which is fun. You can walk along the beach and look at other beachfront properties and there is a beach bar not far along.

I have some more detailed information on this hotel if you would like more information. The hotel is right in the town, you can walk outside the hotel and have a choice of restaurants, bars and lots of touristy type shopping on your doorstep. We spent 5 nights here and I was actually sad to leave as I am not sure when I'll be back.