Khao Lak

The beach right in front of central Khao Lak, with restaurants and shops gathered along the main road. The sand runs a long way, good for walking at sunset. From May to October surf and rip currents close it to swimming on many days.

In the 2004 tsunami this police patrol boat, guarding the king's grandson offshore, was carried nearly 2km inland and dropped in a field. It was left where it landed and a memorial park made round it. It stands across the road from Bang Niang market.

Ban Nam Khem, a fishing village up the coast from Khao Lak, lost most of its homes in the 2004 tsunami, and a memorial park stands on the shore. Names of the dead are set in a wall curved like a wave. Families of victims visit more than tourists; speak softly.

Granite islands on clear blue water make up this marine park, over an hour by speedboat from Thap Lamu pier. It is closed through the monsoon, mid-May until mid-October, and no boat leaves the pier. Visitors are capped daily; in high season book days ahead.

National park islands north of the Similans near Myanmar waters, with coral spread wide over shallow bays. One island holds a village of Moken, a people who once roamed the sea. Boats leave from Khura Buri pier, and the park closes in the rains.

About ninety minutes' drive east of Khao Lak, rainforest spreads between limestone peaks. On Cheow Lan Lake inside the park you can spend a night in a floating raft house. Many lake rafts have power for only a few hours in the evening.

Chinese shophouses built when tin mining brought money in still line one street. Some lanes have murals painted on every wall, and locals gather in old tea shops over breakfast. Thirty minutes' drive north of Khao Lak, it is very sleepy by day.

A waterfall in Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park, its tiers stepping up a forest trail. The first tier is an easy walk, but higher up you climb over rocks and wade the stream. The rainy season brings the strongest flow and the leeches too; wear long socks.

The name means coral cape, and broken coral covers the shore in place of sand. It juts far out to sea and faces west, a favourite sunset spot. Barefoot, the coral cuts your soles, so walk it in shoes.

A market on open ground beside the main road, held on just a few set days each week, mixing clothes, souvenirs and food stalls. It opens late in the afternoon and carries on into the night. Market days are fixed, so ask at your guesthouse first.

A national park fall south of Khao Lak toward Phuket; a short woodland walk from parking brings you to water tumbling down broad rock steps. The pool below is swimmable, and the volume swells as the monsoon closes. Handy as a break on the airport drive.

A large island off Kuraburi, north of Khao Lak, whose interior opens into savannah grassland, rare in the tropics, where deer graze. It has Moken villages and endless empty beaches but barely any cars. Boats leave Kuraburi pier; book the few lodgings ahead.

A horseshoe-shaped pinnacle in Surin National Park waters, ranked among the best dives for meeting whale sharks. Purple soft coral coats the rock; seahorses and cuttlefish are regulars. Liveaboards from Khao Lak go there; it shuts with the park in the rains.

A long, quiet beach north of Khao Lak, where grilled-seafood stalls line the shore under casuarina trees. Few resorts mean few people and fine sand. Local families spread mats at weekends and spend the day over grilled fish and som tam.