Khao Lak

Under the Mongolia–Thailand bilateral agreement, an ordinary passport gives 30 days visa-free. The general 60-day exemption ended on 15 September 2026, but this does not affect Mongolia. With good reason the stay can be extended once (1,900฿); overstaying is fined 500฿ per day. Your passport should be valid for more than 6 months and you should hold a return ticket.

Every foreigner entering Thailand fills in the TDAC on the official site within 3 days before arrival — free. Put your Khao Lak hotel as the address and save the QR code. Immigration is done at your first Thai airport (Bangkok or Phuket).

The Similan and Surin Islands are open only from 15 October to 15 May each year (the 2026–27 season opens on 15 October 2026), and close early in bad weather. Daily visitor numbers are capped, so book trips in advance. November–April is dry with a calm sea; in the May–October monsoon sea trips almost stop.

Tip: With children, late November–early December or February–March: calm sea, without New Year prices.

Khao Lak is ~80 km from Phuket Airport, 60–75 minutes by car. A pre-booked private transfer costs from ≈1,800฿ per car; large minivans cost more. The driver tracks your flight and waits in arrivals with a name sign.

Shared shuttles cost ≈200–350฿ per person and stop at every hotel, so allow 1.5–2 hours. Cheapest is a Takua Pa or Ranong bus from Phuket Bus Terminal 2, getting off in Khao Lak, ≈100–150฿, but it takes 3–4 hours.

Tip: If you agree a price at an airport counter, have cash baht ready — most taxis don't take cards.

AIS and TrueMove H counters in the Bangkok or Phuket arrivals hall: an 8-day plan with about 15 GB ≈299฿, 15–30-day plans up to 599฿. Show your passport and staff will set it up.

If your phone supports eSIM, install one before the flight. Coverage is good along the Khao Lak coast, but weak or absent on the Similan and Surin Islands and on Khao Sok's lake. Download your maps for offline use.

Tip: Top up your SIM at 7-Eleven in Bang Niang.

Taxis and songthaews (pick-ups with benches in the back) near hotels have fixed price boards — agree the price before getting in. For waterfalls or Takua Pa as a family, hiring a car with a driver for the day is easiest. If you ride a motorbike, a valid international driving permit and a helmet are mandatory.

Tip: Many tour companies pick you up and drop you back at the hotel — ask whether it is included.

Similan trips leave from Thap Lamu Pier south of Khao Lak, ~1 hour by speedboat. A speedboat day trip costs ≈2,500–3,900฿ (less for children) and usually includes hotel pickup, lunch, snorkel gear and the park fee (500฿, ages 3–14 250฿). The islands are open 8:00–16:00.

Almost every Thai bank ATM charges about 220฿ (some 250–350฿) per withdrawal with a foreign card. Bang Niang and Khuk Khak have plenty of ATMs — withdraw large sums, less often.

National park fees, taxis, markets and street food are cash baht only. Hotels, tour companies and larger restaurants take cards but may add a surcharge.

Tip: When paying by card, choose to pay in baht — the dollar conversion is expensive.

Grilled seafood, pad thai, massaman curry, tom yum, southern Thai yellow curry, roti, mango sticky rice and fresh fruit shakes. Ask for 'mai phet' if you want it less spicy. Fish is priced by weight, so ask before ordering.

Tip: Drink only bottled water.

Bang Niang Market is the cheapest for street food and fruit, and a good evening out with children. On Sundays, try local food at the Takua Pa Old Town walking street. Most restaurants have kids' menus and non-spicy dishes.

Police 191, ambulance 1669, Tourist Police 1155 (24 hours, English). For scams, theft or disputes, call 1155 first.

Most beaches have no lifeguards; currents are strong in the monsoon, so don't swim under a red flag. Tsunami warning towers and 'Tsunami Evacuation Route' signs line the coast — walk the route from your hotel to high ground once with your children. If you feel a strong earthquake or the sea suddenly pulls back, go to high ground immediately.

Khao Lak has private clinics and Takua Pa a public hospital; serious cases go to private hospitals in Phuket. Wear a life jacket on speedboats, take seasickness tablets, and don't sit at the front if you have back problems. Get insurance with medical evacuation.

Insulting the royal family is a serious crime under Thai law. The King's portrait is on every banknote, so never step on money. Keep quiet at the tsunami memorials and skip cheerful selfies — many local families lost loved ones.

In the Moken village on the Surin Islands, dress modestly, ask before photographing people or homes, and don't hand out sweets or money to children — buy handicrafts instead. Say no to elephant riding, shows and forced bathing; choose a sanctuary with observation-only programmes.

Touching or standing on coral and taking shells or sand is forbidden; national parks restrict plastic bags. Take your rubbish back. Use reef-safe sunscreen.

QueQ — national park (DNP) e-tickets. Grab — rides in Phuket; few drivers in Khao Lak. Google Maps — beaches, waterfalls, tsunami escape routes and offline maps.

LINE — the chat app hotels, drivers and tour operators all use. The Thailand Tourist Police app connects you straight to the Tourist Police and shares your location. Download Thai in Google Translate for offline use.

Khao Lak to Phuket Airport takes 60–75 minutes, plus 15–20 minutes of traffic in high season. You should be at the airport 3 hours before an international flight, so leave your hotel 4.5 hours before departure. Reconfirm your transfer the day before.

In shops displaying 'VAT Refund for Tourists', show your passport and ask for the form. At the international airport where you leave Thailand, show the goods at the customs counter before passport control to get the stamp.