Khao Lak (Thai: เขาหลัก) is a resort beach in Thailand, located 100 km north of Phuket in Takua Pa district, Phang Nga province and popular as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips.
The coast line here has a west-facing, sandy beach with tropical forest and rubber plantations on the hill slopes beyond the sand. A road runs roughly parallel with the beach and the town has grown up as a ribbon development of shops and dwellings, with tourist hotels between the road and the beach.
The coast line here has a west-facing, sandy beach with tropical forest and rubber plantations on the hill slopes beyond the sand. A road runs roughly parallel with the beach and the town has grown up as a ribbon development of shops and dwellings, with tourist hotels between the road and the beach.
Economy
The local economy in the town is based on the tourist hotels, local shops and restaurants, and the diving trade. Most of the foreign tourists are European, many from Scandinavia, Germany and the United Kingdom. The wider area produces some rubber and palm oil; there is also a small amount of subsistence agriculture.
After the tsunami in December 2004 (see below) the economy was ruined. 90 percent of the hotels were seriously damaged and many needed to be completely rebuilt. However, now 2 years after everything has been rebuilt, the resorts carry an even higher standard now, and all the hotels are fully booked during the high season (November to March). Prices have also gone up and today one can expect to pay from baht 4,000/night and up for the beachfront cabins. Today Khao Lak is "upper class" compared to some lower budget hotels on Phuket island.
From Wikipedia
