Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [536]
About 3km north of Hat Bang Ben, across the canal, is another beach, Hat Laem Son, which is almost always deserted since the only way to get here is to hike over from Hat Bang Ben. In the opposite direction, about 60km south of Hat Bang Ben, is Hat Praphat, very similar to Bang Ben, with casuarinas backing the long beach. Sea turtles lay eggs on Hat Praphat. There is a second park office here, which can be reached by road via Hwy 4 (Phetkasem Hwy).
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Sleeping & Eating
Wasana Resort (0 7786 1434; bungalows 450-600B; ) Rather than staying at the cruddy (and overpriced) national park bungalows, try the Wasana Resort, near the park’s front ticketing gate off Hwy 4. A perennial favourite amongst the more intrepid do-it-yourself backpacker crowd, this family-run resort features a small ring of cosy bungalows wrapping around the colourful on-site restaurant. The owners, a Dutch-Thai couple, have plenty of great ideas for exploring Laem Son (ask about the stunning 10km trek around the headland) and can take you out on a day trip to the islands for 550B per person (excellent lunch included; four person minimum).
Getting There & Away
The turn-off for Laem Son National Park is about 58km from Ranong down Hwy 4 (Phetkasem Hwy), between the 657km and 658km markers. Buses heading south from Ranong can drop you off here (ask for Hat Bang Ben). Once you’re off the highway, however, you’ll have to flag down a pick-up truck going towards the park. If you can’t get a ride all the way, it’s a 10km walk from Hwy 4 to the park entrance. At the police box at the junction you may be able to hire a motorcycle taxi for 50B; the road is paved, so if you’re driving it’s a breeze. Private car is undoubtedly the best way to get around these parts – local renters charge 1000B.
For detailed information about getting around the mainland portion of the park, check out the www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/CycleTouringRouteBangkokPhuket.html website. Boats out to the various islands can be chartered from the park’s visitor centre; the general cost is 1500B per day.
PHANG-NGA PROVINCE
Wounds take a long time to heal, but Phang-Nga is finally on the mend. It’s been five years since the tsunami and, although the tales are still being told here, there’s a palpable sense of progress as hot spots like Khao Lak return to the well-trodden backpacker route.
From November to April the water is very clear, the sun shines and soda-white beaches beckon. In the rainy season, however, many places shut down and the area can feel a bit haunted. Offshore, the Surin and Similan island marine national parks harbour some of the world’s top diving destinations.
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KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK
Welcome to Jurassic Park – you can almost hear the theme song playing in surround sound while you pass between the soaring karst formations. Add a prancing T Rex and Thailand’s first protected preserve would be a dead ringer for Crichton’s prehistoric Disneyland. This dripping juicy jungle is part of the oldest rainforest in the world, where snakes, monkeys and tigers mingle within the tangle of lazy vines.
Although technically part of Surat Thani Province, Khao Sok National Park (0 7739 5025; www.khaosok.com; admission 400B) is much closer to the Andaman Sea, and possesses the classic Andaman topography: signature ferny cliffs that shoot straight up into the air like crocodile teeth.
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Orientation & Information
The park headquarters (0 7739 5025) and visitor centre are 1.8km off Rte 401, close to the Km109 marker. Myriad tour operators from Phuket and Khao Lak offer day trips into the wilds of the park, but you can make the trek under your own steam as the highway has decent signage.
The best time of year to visit is between December and May – the dry season. During the June to November wet season, trails can be extremely slippery and waterlogged, and flash flooding is a common and sometimes fatal occurrence. On the other hand, animals leave their hidden reservoirs throughout the wet