5 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Khao Lak

Bang Niang Night Market is found just inland from Bang Niang Beach and is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. It's got all sorts of locally made Thai clothes and souvenirs for sale, and it's also a great place to spend a night of food, drinks and traditional music.

There’s street food galore at the market, from seafood and skewers right through to the scorpions on sticks and dishes you’ve heard even of. You’ll find cocktail stalls blaring out their favourite regional Thai tunes, as well as beer tents where you can chat with the locals. It's close to the tsunami museum too, and the infamous police boat monument that was swept inland during the tsunami all those years ago.

Freshwater night fishing is a great adventure to have in Khao Lak, and you can take an excursion that will take you out over a night or more. The inland rivers, mangroves and freshwater lakes bring a nice range of catches, like the mahseer, snakehead, and other tropical species.

Guides will take you to remote locations where you can try lake fly fishing in mountain rivers and also fishing in shallow, rocky streams. Most trips are 1 or 2 nights, but we’d recommend 2 if you want to get taken to all the hidden spots. You can choose to camp or tie up a hammock to sleep in – a real rustic fishing trip you won’t forget.

Partying at Khao Lak beach bars is a must-do while you’re here, and you’ll find several decent spots to try out. There are plenty of bars selling beers, buckets and cocktails late into the night.

The main place to be is Nang Thong Beach, with a number of bars both on the beach and off in the jungle. You’ll find live music and DJs playing past midnight, and it’s a really close, intimate beach vibe where you’ll likely be mingling with travellers and bar owners alike. Further north, there are other spots like Memories Bar on Khuk Khak, which specialises in late-night parties, or Bang Niang further south for a quieter social scene.

The Turtle Release Festival in Khao Lak is a yearly, week-long festival at the beginning of March where baby turtles that have been raised by the local conservation centre are released into the wild. Thai Muang district is home to several beaches that are central to the regional sea turtle conservation efforts, and this festival aims to promote awareness among Khao Lak’s visitors.

Aside from the release of the turtles, the festival hosts an array of live music, traditional dances and parades throughout the week. Everything is eco-friendly, and there are workshops and a funfair to entertain the kids. Tons of local vendors sell their wares at night, so you can browse the sea-related trinkets and eat snacky street food all you like.

Beach Camping is a great way to spend an evening in Khao Lak, with a range of options from bringing your own tent to full-on ready-to-go glamping resorts. There are lots of places that offer camping for the night, but you can also go to the dedicated campgrounds set up by the national park.

You can find camping sites that have tents and sleeping bags for rent or even bring your own. The sunset is beautiful, and after dark, you really feel a part of nature, with the sounds of the jungle and the sea around.