Nang Thong Beach, Khao Lak Overview

Located in the larger area of Khao Lak, Nang Thong Beach is located close to the village of La On. It is the most popular destination in Phang Nga Province of Thailand. Although it spans just two kilometres, this strip is packed with restaurants, bars, diving centres, and plenty of activities. It may be just 80 kilometres from Phuket, but it offers an entirely different experience. While Phuket is full of energy and adrenaline, Nang Thong Beach is far more relaxed. While Phuket has become highly commercial, Nang Thong Beach continues to retain some of its rustic charm. If you’re keen on seeing Thailand without its notorious crowds, this is definitely the place to be.

Nang Thong Beach is one of the quieter areas in southern Thailand. With a national park on one side and the calm Andaman Sea on the other, it’s an ideal location for families and travellers keen on enjoying a slower pace of life. It’s quite the resort-town as it is home to dozens of resort properties along its 2-kilometre stretch. It is one of the many beaches that Khao Lak offers, wedged between Khao Lak Beach to the north and Bang Niang Beach to the south.

Things to Do at Nang Thong Beach

With many stretches of private land (owing to the resorts located along the beach), you’ll find Nang Thong Beach to be a quiet location for sunbathing, swimming, and enjoying a lovely day in Thailand. The sand is warm, inviting, and quite perfect for building sandcastles and searching for seashells. It’s no wonder that families love to visit here.

Swimming: The waves are relatively calm, making it a perfect location for beginner swimmers or those looking to enjoy the water without being thrashed out. Admittedly, the waves can become fierce during the monsoon months during which time it’s best not to wade too deep.

Massage: Thailand is known for its wonderful massages, and you’ll be happy to learn that Nang Thong Beach does have little massage tents for the weary traveller. This are temporary stations and will mostly be found during high season.

Beach Shacks: Apart from this, it has plenty of little shacks where you can grab local food like pad thai or tom yum for THB 60.

Lighthouse: There’s a lighthouse a little off Nang Thong Beach. At sunset, it’s known to make for an amazing sight. On days of low-tide, there’s even a path that leads to the lighthouse where you can catch the sunset right at the top.

Relaxation: Despite the area being full of private resorts, you won’t find many beach umbrellas or loungers here. Instead, the lush coconut trees along the beach offer respite on a hot summer day. Because of its calm environment, Nang Thong is a wonderful place to sunbathe and take a break.

How to Reach Nang Thong Beach

Nang Thong Beach is located approximately 90 kilometres (a 45-minute drive) from Phuket International Airport and 140 kilometres (2 and a half hour drive) from Krabi International Airport. Nang Thong is accessible from both airports by taxi or bus. From Phuket Airport, a taxi will cost approximately THB 1,500 while a bus will cost approximately THB 100 depending on whether it is air-conditioned or not.

From the bus station in Phuket, you can take a bus heading towards Surat Thani or Takua Pa and get off at Nang Thong supermarket. Buses leave Phuket at multiple times of the day from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM. A ticket will cost you THB 90.

Tips

1. Like most of Thailand, this area runs on a cash economy. If you’d like to withdraw cash, there are banks (with the exception of Western Union) and ATM machines available close-by. Banks are generally open from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM.
2. The women generally do not wear bikinis or two-piece swimsuits, so it’s advisable for female travellers to wear a one-piece swimsuit and a t-shirt on top to avoid unwanted attention.

Best Time to Visit

Because of its location near the Andaman Sea, the region of Khao Lak sees rainfall almost throughout the year. Thus, it is said to have two seasons: ‘rainy’ monsoon (from April to October) and ‘dry’ monsoon (from November to March). During the ‘rainy’ monsoon, southwest monsoon winds coming into Khao Lak causes heavy rainfall and this is the wettest time of the year. The ‘dry’ monsoon, as the name suggests, is the driest part of the year as dry air comes into Khao Lak from northeast.

The best time to visit Nang Thong Beach is during the dry period from November to March. It does rain during this time, but only for short periods of the day and often, this is during the early evening before 6:00 PM.