Khao Nayak

Khao Nayak is the name of a rock and coral reef off the coast of Khao Lak. It is considered by dive companies as an alternative to diving at the Similian Islands. It is much closer to the coast and offers an easy dive with the guarantee of plenty to see.

There are two main advantages to diving or snorkelling in Khao Nayak. Firstly, the dive site is only 45 minutes away from Khao Lak by longtail boat (and of course just 25 minutes by speedboat). And secondly, that it is a shallow dive.

Many people would like to experience the colourful and diverse marine eco-system made up of corals and a vast array of fish but are put off by the commitment necessary in terms of time and money to sign up for a liveaboard trip to the Similan Islands.

Khao Nayak is in Thap Lamu Bay at the entrance to a river. It is close to the shoreline. It is a convenient spot to get to and will appeal to those who don’t like long boat journeys. Lots of dive shops and tour companies organise day trips to the coral reef. You can find both snorkelling trips as well as dive trips to the area.

For divers the main advantage of Khao Nayak is the shallow depth. It is only 12 meters deep. This is great for beginners still learning for their PADI qualifications as well as experienced divers who want more time under the water exploring.

The dive spot has plenty of colourful nudibranchs. It is also home to ghost pipefish, lion fish and lots of other colourful fish. If you are lucky you might see a ray or even a leopard shark.

Many tours will include a trip to Khao Nayak Beach. Because of the mountain behind this beach is only accessed by sea. It is a stunning white sand beach. The sea is great for swimming and the beach for relaxing. Due to its location this beach is completely undeveloped – there are no shops, restaurants or resorts here. Not even a beach vendor. Tours will usually provide refreshments and food but be sure to bring your towel and plenty of sun cream.

Exploring Khao Nayak makes a great day out and gives you the experience of visiting an area devoid of tourist development. This in itself can be a real treat in Thailand.

Rafting in Khao Lak

Rafting in Khao Lak

There are two types of rafting experience available to people who visit the Khao Lak area: one is sitting on a simple raft made of bamboo and floating sedately down a river or across a lake; the other is white water rafting using inflatable dinghies going down a much faster flowing river.

Both these experiences are good fun and also provide an opportunity to see something of the Khao Lak countryside.

Bamboo Rafting

For those who don’t want a fast and adrenalin filled experience there is bamboo rafting. The raft is made from bamboo poles tied together. On the end a Thai guide will use a pole to push the raft through the river. On the other end, two adults can sit. One adult and two children is also possible. The raft tends to be half submerged so it is a good idea to wear swimming kit with a t-shirt to keep the sun off the body.

Some bamboo rafts are much longer and can hold up to 8 people. Some also have wooden planks across the raft to sit on and to stop your bum getting wet. These bigger rafts are often used on Cheow Lan Lake.

There are two popular spots for bamboo rafting: Tab Lamu mountain (about 20 minutes south of Bang La On), and Cheow Lan Lake. The latter is the lake created when the area was flooded in the making of the Rachaphrapha Dam. It is a big lake with limestone islands to explore. It is possible to spend the night on the lake in floating raft houses.

The Tab Lamu bamboo rafting experience takes people down a slow moving river. As the river meanders the guide points out birds and other wildlife. This rafting experience is usually offered as part of a package tour that will include elephant riding, transfer and lunch.

White Water Rafting

White water rafting is a fairly new activity for Thailand. The spot for this sport is Khlong Song Phraek River in the Ton Pariwat Wildlife Sanctuary, located 5km from Phang-Nga Town and about 90 minutes from Khao Lak center.

The rapids are rated class 2 and 3. It is good fun, but obviously a bit tame compared to other white water rafting trips in Africa and South America. You can get about 6 people in a boat. Everyone is given a helmet and lifejacket, and before starting a guide give a quick lecture in what to do and not to do.

Inflatable dinghies are used along with paddles.

It takes a couple of hours or so to do the entire course. Thus, white water rafting is normally combined with elephant trekking, lunch and a visit to the nearby Monkey Cave Temple.

You can find plenty of tour companies offering bamboo rafting and white water rafting. As you would imagine prices are all about the same. Many resorts will help you book rafting tours. Remember to bring sun block!