Khao Lak: Lam Ru National Park
A stunning natural sanctuary offering a captivating blend of lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and rich biodiversity, making it an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. Explore Hat Lek Nature Trail, Small Sandy Beach & Ton Chong Fa Waterfall. From the gentle hum of tropical wildlife to the serene beauty of its coastline, Khao Lak-Lam Ru invites you to explore its tranquil trails, vibrant ecosystems, and breath-taking vistas.
THAILAND: KHAO LAK
The Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park encompassing the Hat Lek Nature Trail, Hat Lek Beach (Small Sandy Beach) and the Ton Chong Fa Waterfall, is a much-visited nature reserve named after the mountains Khao Laken and Lam Ru.
It is a small park covering an area of 125 km² and it is popular for its hiking trails, waterfalls and sandy beaches. It is also home for many species of flora and fauna. The park is home to various interesting mammals, over 170 species of birds and many reptiles and amphibians.
The majority of the park is inland encompassing mainly tropical evergreen mountain forests with highest peak at 1,077m. Less than a couple of km2 of the park is along the coast bordering the Andaman Sea.
The Park Headquarters and Visitors Centre is a short car or scooter ride from most beach resorts in Khao Lak.
The Hat Lek Nature Trail – From the Visitors Centre on Highway 4 there is a beautiful nature trail running along the coast ending at Hak Lek Beach - Small Sandy Beach.
The narrow jungle path requires a good physical condition and is unsuitable for small children. We recommend wearing proper shoes, not flip flops as you will walk and climb on different surfaces as the path rises and falls along the cliffs. You will be rewarded regularly with beautiful sea views.
As the nature trail is in the National Park, it is well maintained and you will not see any litter. The staff will provide a map for you which indicates points of special interest to spot along the trail.
From the beach you can either go back along the Nature Trail the way you came or carry on through the rainforest up to the highway and return to the visitors center that way. The path along the highway is separated by a concrete barrier for safety. The round trip is 3km.
After 1.4km the Nature Trail reaches the pristine Hat Lek Beach - Small Sandy Beach. We were the only ones there when we visited. There is a small kiosk selling drinks and snacks but this may not be open during low season so bring your own water. You can relax on the beach and take a refreshing swim to cool off. If you only want to visit the beach and not complete the nature trail you can enter from the highway at the Southern entrance
Khao Lak - Lam Ru National Park is open 08.00 to 16.30 every day.
The Visitors Centre area has a camping area, several park accommodations, shower/toilet facilities and a restaurant with a stunning sea view.
The entrance fee to the park is 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children. Your ticket permits you to also visit the must-see Ton Chong Fa Waterfall or hike one of the several longer trails in the inland section of the park on the same day. (Some of the longer trails will require a guide).
Ton Chong Fa Waterfall is 12 km inland from the park headquarters (6 km from Highway 4 (Phet Kasem Road) - 10 km from Khao Lak Village) Due to its close proximity to Khao Lak, it is the most popular waterfall in the park and is included on several day tours from Khao Lak.
The waterfall originates from Khlong Bang Niang and cascades down over 5 spectacular levels, the main fall is a 10m high drop. It is possible to swim in some pools, the power and amount of water will depend on the season. During monsoon months the water flows so hard that the waterfall is sometimes closed due to dangerous flash floods.
Unfortunately, there are no public transportation options to the waterfall, you either need to make your own way there or book the waterfall as part of an organised tour. Also be aware that this is quite a remote location so there are no restaurants or shops nearby. We recommend you take enough water with you. There are basic toilets available at the entrance and along the way.
The road leading to Ton Chong Fa waterfall is lined with banana trees, local farms and spots of dense jungle.
From the parking area it is a 1km walk along a narrow dirt track to the first level of the waterfall. Halfway along this path you will find a fish spa, where you can enjoy the fish nibbling the dead skin cells from your feet in the middle of nature.
Most of the levels of the waterfall are moderate and it is worth checking out the higher levels. You can pause at each level to enjoy the scenery, take photographs and swim, the water will be deeper in monsoon season. The second level is the best place to swim during the whole year.
Level 1 is achievable for most children and is very beautiful. Beyond the first level, you will need to climb and clamber between 35 and 100m between each level. From the first level it is an extra 1.3km to the highest level.
As the waterfall lies within the National Park there are railings or ropes to help you and the area is not ruined with litter. To the highest fifth level is a challenging jungle path but you will be rewarded with the highest drop waterfall. The entire hike from the parking area to the highest tier and back is 4.9km and it took us 1.43 hours, pausing for photographs along the way.
You can easily find Ton Chong Fa Waterfall using Google Maps or choose a guided tour including a refreshing dip here combined with other awesome activities in Khao Lak.
Where To Stay In
Khao Lak
With a series of small villages stretched over 20 km of beautiful coastline it can seem daunting to choose where to stay.
Broadly speaking the three main areas of Khao Lak are Bang La On, Bang Niang, and Khuk Khak.
Bang La On is the most developed area with many resorts and tourist facilities.
Bang Niang is a bit more laid-back and North of Bang La On.
Khuk Khak is the most rural of the three villages, North of Ban Bang Niang.
On Khao Lak South Beach you will find the Lam Kaen area which is the original Khao Lak village, south of the Khao Lak mountain.
For a quiet getaway choose Ban Bang Niang, Khuk Khak or Lam Kaen.
Further North there are 3 more areas considered to be within the Khao Lak region.
Right after Khuk Khak you will enter Pakarang, mainly a fishing village with some resorts and the popular Pakarang Cape and Pakarang Beach.
The villages of Pak Weep and Bang Sak are just beyond Pakarang and have the most secluded beaches. THey are are much smaller than Ban La On, Bang Niang or Khuk Khak, but they offer a more authentic Thai experience. Stay in Pak Weep or Bang Sak if you like it quiet and don’t mind spending most of your time at a luxurious resort.
We stayed at The Khao Lak Merlin Resort which was absolutely amazing. The Khao Lak Merlin Resort is an award wining natural eco resort where the rainforest meets the sea.
The resort is set in an enchanting rainforest and no trees were removed during building.
There is an abundance of wildlife here including birds, water monitors and slow loris. Guided nature walks place place within the hotel grounds early morning and at night for a chance to glimpse stunning birds and the nocturnal Slow Loris.
Our kids loved the Khao Lak Merlin Resort as it is set right on the beach so there's the option of pool or beach. There's a small games room for kids with a pool table, dart board and board games.
The Stamp Ralley was fun family activity and we learned more about the plants and wildlife in the gardens.
Find out more about this leading eco-resort and check availability here.
We were extremely lucky to see four Slow Loris on a night walk and we had a tree frog visit our room!
There's lots of space here and no stampede for sunbeds.
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