Just lazing the days away in Thailand

JENNIFER GRIMWADE discovers a Thai resort where the days slip by and you can look forward to fabulous sundowners in the evening.

When people in Bangkok ask where we have just been in Thailand, each of them looks at us in absolute amazement and repeats incredulously, "Xhao Lak?" None of them has heard of it.

The Lonely Planet guide to Thailand's islands and beaches describes it as "the kind of place you can imagine Phuket to have been 20 years ago."

Having holidayed in Phuket in 1980, I know this is a bit far-fetched. But Khao Lak, just an hour's drive north of Phuket, is right up my alley. All I want is a Thai beach holiday, in comfort, without the rows of deck-chairs and endless hawkers working the overcrowded beach.

Staying at the Khao Lak Resort in a new bungalow on the beach, we slumber in comfort, listening to the waves, all night long.

Lounging on our balcony, we while away the heat of the day staring at the turquoise Andaman Sea.

This is the sort of place where the days just slip by and a visit to the local store is a major outing. We wait until the post arrives in the afternoon, before trekking up the hill and along the road cut through the jungle, to a small selection of shops.

But we want for nothing, we can buy cheap Gordon's Gin, even Schweppes tonic water, and tasty Thai nuts and dried squid to munch on. There are no limes in the store, but when I ask the charming Thai woman at a small bar, she politely excuses herself. She returns with three limes and steadfastly refuses any payment.

As Khao Lak faces west, the sundowners are always good, but dinner is the highlight of the lazy day. We basically have two choices.

We can amble along the beach decorated with big boulders, past small resorts with bungalows and swimming pools, to the "strip" - a handful of humble restaurants on the shore. They make no concessions for the tourist palate, but you may order a Thai-style crepe suzette. Nearby, a couple of bars are playing Deep Purple and The Who.

Alternatively, we can take the hotel shuttle to the nearby town, which has a similar number of family-run restaurants. It's not as pretty as dining on the beach, but we soon grow very fond of Nom's Family Restaurant. It may have candies in cut-down plastic bottles, but it's cheap and the food is 10 times better than the top Thai restaurant - the Sukhothai - in Bangkok.

There's no market at Khao Lak, so, looking for a bit of culture, we hop on a local bus, and within half an hour we're in Thai Muang, a small, traditional Thai town.

There's not another traveller in sight, and the children squirm with the giggles after working up the courage to simply say hello to us.

One of Khao Lak's main drawcards is that it is close to the Khao Lak National Park. Although it's designated to showcase the virgin rainforest there are numerous rubber plantations within the park.

We spend the day in the park on an eco-adventure tour. At first we visit a rubber-processing plant, which is simply a tin shed in the midst of the jungle.

It's nothing like as exciting as riding Sagua, a 22-year-old elephant. As her giant ears flap against my teeny ankles, I'm convinced I'd sooner be slip-sliding along the track knee-deep in mud. And when our mahout jumps off and blows us a farewell kiss, I'm terrified.

Before long, I realise Sagua is interested only in snatching whole trees or demolishing stands of bamboo to munch on as she follows the trail like a well-trained riding-school pony.

It's much more relaxing rafting down a clear stream, looking at turquoise butterflies, huge stands of bamboo which bend over the water and giant spider webs which glisten in the hot tropical sun.

Besides the park and beach-bumming, Khao Lak's other major attraction is its relative proximity to the Similan Islands , world-renowned for their coral reefs.

I'm always a bit suspicious of any attraction considered to be one of the best in the world, but in this case I wasn't disappointed.

On an overnight dive tour we meet several divers who have spent a lifetime travelling the world seeking the best dive sights. They, too, think the Similans are fantastic.

I wish I could recommend the Sea Dragon trip out to the islands, but I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. My bed is wet, our cabin stinks of cheap-fuel fumes, and the rough-running engine thunders throughout the night.

But life under the sea is simply beautiful. I have seen more colourful coral, but I have never seen such huge, healthy, brightly coloured fish. And what's more, they are often swimming amid big boulders, making a grand vista.

There are only a few dive companies operating out of Khao Lak and if you want to visit the Similan Islands, it is best to book in Phuket.

But if you want some real R&R, Khao Lak should be high on your agenda.

* Khao Lak has no ATM but you can change traveller's cheques. Take care with food and water - upset tummies are not uncommon. As Khao Lak has a 5m annual rainfall, it's best to go in the dry season between October and April.