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Sunset at Rawai beach in Phuket



Wood carvings buddha images



Thais visit temple


Location

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Sunset at Rawai beach in Phuket


Thailand is in South East Asia between the latitudes 7° and 20° N and longitudes 98° and 105°. It is roughly twice the size of the UK and almost exactly the same size as Spain in terms of land area.

Thailand borders with Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia but from all South-East Asian countries, Thailand is the only country to have escaped colonial rule in its history. It has become a place that foreigners ('farangs') have enjoyed to visit for centuries. It is famous for its tropical beaches, buddhist temples and shrines, delicious cuisine, relaxing massages and of course, its friendly people who epitomize this Land of Smiles.

Khao Lak, a popular beach resort destination in Thailand, is found on the west coast overlooking the Andaman Sea and is the best location for easy access to Thailand's best dive spots; the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock. Almost all Thailand liveaboards depart from Tab Lamu pier (near Khao Lak). Divers staying on Phuket island are transferred north to Khao Lak area before the boat departure. Diving from Khao Lak is seasonal with the Similan Islands only open to divers from October to May. However Khao Lak tends to be a more quiet and peaceful location for a holiday than the hustle and bustle that can be found in the more touristy areas of Phuket.

Phuket is south of Khao Lak and separated from the mainland of Thailand by a bridge. Also a popular diving destination Phuket has long been described as the Pearl of the Andaman. Unlike Khao Lak, diving in Phuket is available year-round with a number of day trip options to the more sheltered east and southern parts of the Andaman Sea such as Phi Phi Islands or Hin Daeng.

Getting to Thailand

Getting to Thailand is easy. If you are looking to take advantage of Thailand's best diving then you should be thinking to visit Thailand's west coast to take a liveaboard to Similan Islands, Ko Bon and Richelieu Rock.

Phuket International Airport is in the north of Phuket, and is just one hour drive south of Khao Lak. There are direct flights from Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Australia, the Middle East and in high season, charter flights from Europe. Most other international flights arrive to Thailand via Bangkok. From Bangkok there at least 10 daily flights to Phuket so you won't be stuck with a long lay-over in Bangkok if you come that way.

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Phi Phi Islands in Thailand

Weather and Seasons

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Phi Phi Islands in Thailand


Khao Lak and Phuket enjoy a year-round tropical and warm climate.

The North East monsoon from November to March is often considered the best time to visit as there is some breeze during the day but the sky is clear and bright. Khao Lak gets on average 26 sunny days per month during this time!

The South West monsoon from late May to October brings a higher chance of rain and winds to the west coast but there are still an average of 20 sunny days per month during this time. This time is typically referred to as Phuket and Khao Lak's low season because the Andaman Sea at this time can be quite rough and the Similan dive sites at this time are closed completely.

April to May in Khao Lak is the hottest period of the year with temperatures soaring to 30-36° celsius and very little breeze. The occasional thunderstorm at this time gives light relief.

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Picturesque Phang Nga Bay - home of James Bond Island

Top 5 things to do

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Picturesque Phang Nga Bay - home of James Bond Island


1. Dive the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock

2. Join a tour to Phang-Nga temple and caves

3. Take the James Bond experience

4. Visit Khao Sok National Park

5. Join a relaxing island boat cruise from Phuket