Nang Tong Beach

Nang Tong (also spelt Nang Thong) is the most popular stretch of beach in Khao Lak. This is because it is the most central beach in the area. It is easy to get to, has a wide range of accommodation to choose from, and is next to Bang La On. This is the village where the highest concentration of bars, restaurants and shops are located.

Nang Tong is a long stretch of fine sand beach that is lined with palm trees. In the dry season between November and May the seas are gentle and it is a great place to go swimming. In the wet season, also euphemistically called the ‘green season’ the waves can get rough. This is especially the case when there is the first high tide of the new moon. At this time you will see red flags warning you not to swim.

As you can see from the video above the top of Nang Tong beach is full of sun loungers. It's a popular beach with lots of bungalows, restaurants etc. For those looking for a quieter, more intimate beach than south or north along the coast their are kilometers of pristine empty beach to enjoy.

There is a good range of accommodation on Nang Tong both directly on the beach and also on the other side of the beach road. You can get a room at Khao Lak Youth Club for as little as 600 THB a night. Suwan Palm Resort on the beach is good value with rooms starting at 700 THB. There are many reasonably priced mid-range places to stay in Nang Tong that offer air-con rooms with hot water and TV as well as communal swimming pools.

At the luxury end of accommodation in Nang Tong is Khaolak Seaview Resort and Spa. This resort is on a hill overlooking the beach. It has private pool villas, tennis courts, a snooker room, 4 restaurants, a spa and a fitness center. Prices at the Khaolak Seaview Resort and Spa start at 2,800 THB.

For those staying on the beach there is a walk to the nearby Khao Lak view point with a great elevated view of the area.

Finally, Nang Tong is conveniently placed just a few minutes from Thap Lamu pier where the liveaboard trips to the Similan Islands depart from. It might not be the quietest beach in Khao Lak but it is the most convenient.

Bang Niang Sunset

Khao Lak's second most popular beach

Bang Niang is commonly thought of as the second most popular beach in the Khao Lak area. The long beach is located just north of the number one beach in the area Nang Tong (also spelled 'Nang Thong'). The popularity of the beaches is no reflection of the fineness of the sand or the beauty of the place. Rather Nang Tong beach is next to the main urban center of the region where there are plenty of shops, banks, bars, restaurants, travel agents etc. Most people end up staying on Nang Tong beach for convenience.

However, it is interesting to note that the most expensive and luxury hotels are found not on Nang Tong beach but on more outlaying beaches such as Khuk Khak (JW Marriott Khaolak). This might be a policy to isolate guests in expensive resorts so the guests are more inclined to use the hotel's restaurant and other facilities rather than take an expensive taxi into Khao Lak town.

About Bang Niang

Anyway Bang Niang beach is flanked at both ends by rivers. This separates the beach from its neighbors. Also the sediment from the rivers makes the visibility in the sea less then ideal. The coral reef at Bang Niang is 1km offshore, so the river sediment does not effect the quality of the diving or snorkeling by the reef.

There is a big tidal difference in Bang Niang. At high tide the beach nearly disappears. The beach itself has very fine golden powdery sand.

Bang Niang accommodation

Bang Niang used to be a favorite backpacker hang out. It still receives its fair share of backpackers, but much of the accommodation is now in the mid-range. Furama Khao Lak resort has rooms starting at 990 THB, Sudala Beach Resort 1,600 THB and the boutique Ayaras Villas start at 4,500 THB.

Restaurants and sunset

It takes about 1 hour to walk to Nang Thong going south along the beach from Bang Niang. It is unnecessary to make the journey into Nang Tong if you are looking for something cheap to eat and drink as there are plenty of local restaurants, bars and shops on the main road behing Bang Niang beach.

As with all the Khao Lak beaches the highlight of the day is the end when the sun dips down beyond the horizon. This is the time to stop, watch and appreciate paradise.