The beach at Khao Lak before the tsunami

Photo: Chris Jefferies c/o Wikipedia

The Khao Lak district on the Andaman Coast was hit harder by the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami than any other part of Thailand. The region’s tourism industry also took a huge blow. Before the tsunami, over 400 hotel and resorts along the coast catered to visitors from around the world. After the tsunami, just 50 hotels were left standing.

For the last two years, foreign aid and volunteers from across the globe have been doing a great job in aiding the rebuilding efforts around Khao Lak, with the Tsunami Volunteer Centre in particular doing sterling work.

The extraordinary Pakarang Boatyard, on the beachfront off the main northern highway, is replacing boats damaged in the tsunami with new, highly-durable longtail boats built by traditional, time-tested methods. North of Pakarang Boatyard, Baan Nam Khem was THE village most devastated by the tsunami. On the beachfront, the new Baan Nam Khem Tsunami Memorial Park is a sobering reminder of nature’s destructive power.

Khao Lak itself is fast taking off again as a desirable tourist destination. The Thai-classical arched roofs of the imposing new Khao Lak Bhandari Resort have risen from the flattened fields. Nearby, a string of other resorts beckon – from the low-key Suwan Palm Resort to the more upmarket Baan Krating Khao Lak Resort. These and many other new places in Khao Lak are an inexpensive and laidback alternative to the frantic and frenetic pace of Phuket.