At a glance
- Follow your interest: a coastal walk or a longer forest outing
- Find the right entrance and arrange the journey back
- Choose ground that everyone in your group can manage
- Take time to look around; wildlife and safe swimming are never guaranteed
Forest and shore in the same visit
Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park includes forested mountains and a coastal headquarters area with rocky and sandy shore habitats. Much of the protected land is tropical evergreen forest, according to the Department of National Parks.
If you're curious about the landscape beyond Khao Lak's resort beaches, choose a walk that appeals to you. The park covers a large area, and places sharing its name are not necessarily reached through the same gate. A coastal stroll and an inland outing can be quite different days. Choosing the experience first makes it easier to find the right entrance and leave enough time to enjoy it.
Rainforest in Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park, photographed in 2011.
A coastal path or a longer walk?
For a walk that brings forest and shore together, ask about the coastal headquarters entrance and Hat Lek nature trail. Phang Nga's provincial page places Hat Lek about 1 kilometre along the trail from the rocky Khao Lak shore. That distance describes the connection between those places; it is not the journey from your hotel or a measured round trip. Before arranging a lift, get the current starting point and the route back.
Perhaps the longer forest walk is what draws you here. Tell park staff how much walking you are used to and ask them to suggest a route that is currently permitted. Find out whether you need a guide, an advance arrangement or another access point. Give that outing its own transport and equipment plan: the preparation for a short coastal visit will not necessarily cover it.
- Ask about Hat Lek for a coastal forest walk; arrange an inland route separately if you want to spend the day trekking.
- Before settling on the trail, describe your group's walking experience and mobility needs and check that the connection is open.
A beach in Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park, photographed in 2011.
A quick call before you set off
The Department of National Parks entry in the sources below has the park's contact details. Ask staff about your chosen entrance and trail, admission for your group, last entry and the time you need to leave. Mention any recent rain and ask whether it has changed the ground conditions or brought restrictions to that route.
Tourism pages can help you choose a walk, but they cannot tell you how the trail is today. If you cannot establish that your route is open, choose another activity for that part of the day. It is also worth asking about toilets and drinking-water access before you leave; carry the supplies you will need rather than counting on finding them along the way.
Shoes, water and uneven ground
Shoes with grip make more sense here than footwear chosen only for the beach. Wet ground, roots and rock can change the effort a path takes. Bring drinking water, sun protection, insect repellent and something to keep your phone dry. If anyone has limited mobility, or you are bringing a pushchair, ask for details of steps, steep stretches and uneven ground before choosing the walk.
There is no need to hurry past the vegetation: take time to notice how the plants change between forest and coast. Keep to marked routes and staff instructions, leave plants and animals alone and take your rubbish with you. You may see wildlife, but no walk comes with that promise. Nor does reaching a beach mean it is safe to swim; let the conditions and advice on site decide.
Leave time to walk at your own pace
Send your driver the exact entrance and agree where you will meet afterwards. A walk that finishes elsewhere needs that collection arranged too. Save the location and the driver's number on your phone, and leave a little room in the timing for a slower pace or a changed plan.
Give the park the main part of this outing, with food or another stop afterwards if conditions allow. Choose a return time that lets you pause to look around or turn back before the walk becomes tiring. For a first visit, pick the route you most want to see rather than trying to reach several separate park sights.
Sources and current details
Opening days and excursion plans can change. Check the linked sources for your travel dates.
Khao Lak–Lam Ru brings forest walks and coastal scenery into your holiday choices; compare nearby waterfalls and beach outings before choosing your next day.
Photo credits
- © Vyacheslav Argenberg · Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park, Rainforest, Thailand.jpg · CC BY 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP.
- © Vyacheslav Argenberg · Khao Lak Beach, Thailand.jpg · CC BY 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP.
