Weddings & Celebrations in Thailand » Khao Lak. With the coming release of the film, Tsunami, starring Naomi Watts and Ewan Mc. Gregor, Khao Lak has resurfaced in the mainstream spotlight. The film was shot in this area boasting 2. Phuket, which was hardest hit when the tsunami of Boxing Day 2. Thailand. It had since made an impressive recovery and is again popular with travellers who prefer relative peace, quiet and nature rather that crowded tourist bastions. Khao Lak's long and shallow beach. The position and undersea topography of this beach were responsible for the high death toll on the Boxing Day Tsunami. Film sur le grand Tsunami du 26 décembre 2004 (Khao Lak, Koh Phi Phi): "The impossible" (page 1 de 2). Why Go. The main lure of Khao Lak probably stems from the opportunity it offers for visitors to enjoy utter peace and quiet amid a backdrop of an unspoiled natural environment. Now, you might say that can be easily said about many other Thai beach destinations as well. Indeed, that’s true except that Khao Lak has less tourist crowds and is less commercialised – for the moment, at least. As one travel guide succinctly puts it, the attractions of Khao Lak are many but they are not flashy. It’s tame, even boring, compared to Patong (Phuket), Chaweng (Samui), or even Ao Nang (Krabi) – that is if you’re after exotic nightlife or rowdy full moon parties. You go to Khao Lak to relax, to de- stress, to recharge – and maybe avail of the many tropical activities that are so easily accessible to all. And numerous resorts and tourist facilities serve all your needs well, especially if you’re with your family or loved ones. What To Do. Doing nothing is a great idea, if that’s what you have in mind. Otherwise, great offshore diving easily comes to mind as the top “to do” reason. The Similan Islands and Surin Islands, home to some of the best diving in Asia, are just offshore nearby, so why not take advantage of this. There are other several local dive sites to choose from and competent local companies to guide you. But if you’re not the adventurous type or sport freak, you can still find things to make your visit worthwhile and enjoyable, such as the uncrowded parks, the lush green mountains, the roads and beaches – the natural surroundings are all relatively unspoiled. As in other Thai beach destinations, you can swim, snorkel, kayak, go beachcombing, bike, nature trek, golf, massage, do spa, and learn a lot of many unique Thai ways of living. These are all easily available if you are interested. Otherwise, you can just enjoy the facilities of the many lovely resorts scattered around chiefly around the main urban areas of Bang la On, Bang Niang, and Khuk Khak. What To See. If you want to see and explore more of the area, attractions include Lampi Waterfall, a very lovely waterfall about 3. Khao Lak just off Highway 4 (turn off at Km 8. Great for early morning visits. Swimming is allowed. Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park, one of the kingdom’s protected green realms is another great see. It is located at Km 7. Khao Lak headland, adjacent to police checkpoint. The park is within walking distance of many resorts in Bang la On. Across the road from park headquarters is a Buddhist shrine to the Khao Lak god. Another waterfall worth seeing is Chong Fah Waterfall, seven km inland off Route 4, at the northern end of Bang Niang. For those looking for some vestiges of the tsunami disaster, one only needs to go to central Bang Niang, where Police Boat 8. It has been left as a memorial and historical landmark. The Cheow Lan Lake and Rachaphrapha Dam offers superb views over the lake to the limestone ridges. They are located just two hours north of Khao Lak off highway 4. Boat trips are available. Another national park, the Khao Sok National Park, offers jungle trekking river rafting and waterfall visits. It is located just over an hour north of the Khao Lak area on Route 4. You might also want to visit Takuapa and the Old Town. The town was a centre for tin mining in the . Park is open December to May, closed to visitors the rest of the year. Local dive companies can arrange visits. Surin Islands – is composed of five stunningly beautiful islands 1. Similans. Local dive companies can arrange visits. When To Go. Simply speaking, Khao Lak has two seasons: rainy from April to October and dry, from November to March. November is the certainly an ideal season to visit. Eat & Drink. Resort guests will have no problem looking for a place serving decent even great meals, but if you want to venture outside your hotel, here are some places to go: O’Rendez- vous; Green Pepper; Hill Tribe Restaurant; Ingfah, Bang Niang Beach; Lucky Seafood; Shire’s Pie Shop at Central Bang Niang serves English breakfast; Takieng Restaurant; Mama’s Greeting, on the beach of JW Marriott Khao Lak beachfront; Phen Restaurant, Khuk Khak Beach; Pizza Pasta & Steak. For the most part the top- end resort has bar and restaurants great for chilling out and sipping your favourite holiday drink, but not a few guests enjoy drinking outside probably because it affords them the opportunity to meet locals and other like- minded people – for making connections, asking questions, learning of new places – outside their comfort circle and also because often times, the drinks outside are more adventurous and cheaper. For the most part Singha is only Bt. Bt. 70. Some options: Walker’s Inn; Gecko Bar (Central Bang Niang); Jungle Bar and Restaurant; Mars Bar, Central Bang Niang (across the highway from the Tsunami Museum); Mr. Chay Bar, Bang Niang Market; Moo Moo Cabaret Show; Rusty Pelican Mexican Caf. Note: These listings are not all- inclusive and some places may be closed during the season of your stay. How To Get There. By plane: The easiest way is to fly into either Phuket (the closest alternative) or Krabi and go to Khao Lak from there. Both airports serve international as well as domestic destinations. Khao Lak is about 8. Phuket International Airport. Bus fares vary from Bt. Bt. 10. 0; some are air- conditioned, others not. Most resorts have transfer services to pick you up and send you back to airport. By train: Only for the more adventurous. The nearest train station is at Suratthani on the east coast, making this a less convenient option than just hopping on bus. By bus: No buses from Bangkok serve Khao Lak directly but the region is served well by buses originating not only from Bangkok but also Chumphon, Phuket, Ranong, Suratthani, and Takuapa. Buses depart Bangkok to Phang Nga from the southern bus terminal Sai Tai Mai for a 1. Khao Lak. Warning: Getting to Sai Tai Bus Terminal can be a pain if you’re not familiar with the Bangkok traffic. Garden beach khao lak tsunami The Impossible - Movie of the Tsunami - Khao Lak. Khao Lak Travel Forum; Browse all 6,987 Khao Lak topics » The Impossible - Movie of the Tsunami. With the coming release of the film, Tsunami, starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, Khao Lak has resurfaced in the mainstream spotlight. The film was shot in this. The Impossible is 'beautifully accurate', writes tsunami survivor . He was present in Thailand during the 2. The Impossible. When the Guardian's David Cox wrote about the film this week, highlighting its . We asked him to expand. I must admit that when I heard a film about the Asian tsunami was being made, I was hesitant about going to see it. I was on holiday in Khao Lak, Thailand, in 2. When the first wave struck on Boxing Day, I was little more than 2. My girlfriend and I decided to go and see the film on its release date. Since the tsunami, I've never been hesitant to talk about it, or describe it to someone who asks, and was not therefore worried that it would unearth some suppressed memories. I had no real expectations about the film, but walked out of the cinema with an overriding sense of satisfaction. I was so pleased that The Impossible had been made. The story depicted in the movie was incredibly similar to my own. Both myself and the characters in The Impossible (based on Maria Belon and her family) were on the same beach and ended up in the same hospital (alongside many other, smaller similarities that I won't go into now). Furthermore, the detail portrayed throughout the entire film was simply mind- blowing, even down to the chairs used in the hospital scenes. Those close to me will know that I've never been one to reflect or reminisce over the events of 2. Not for any emotional reasons – purely because for me (and this is very personal) nothing can be achieved from clinging on to these thoughts. I immediately took to social networking sites and began engaging with the film's director, JA Bayona, and various members of his crew. I just wanted to give thanks. Had I seen the film and thought: . As a result of these conversations, I began reading various reviews and opinion pieces online. As I must reiterate, I've never been the sort of person to revisit and analyse events of the past, but some of these articles frustrated me. Had this film been purely about the tale of a western middle- class family's . For me, it was the exact opposite. Rather than concentrating on the . There is immense subtext that goes with this. The Thai people had just lost everything – homes, businesses, families – yet their instinct was to help the tourists. This sentiment was also shown in the hospital, wherein about 6. The portrayal of the medical staff at Takua Pa hospital was also amazingly accurate. Their reactions to the event saved thousands of lives, including several of my friends' and my own. Aside from the native people of Thailand, The Impossible also showed how other communities came together in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. There are several wonderfully poignant instances throughout. I won't ruin these precious moments of the film. To put it bluntly, my parents (back in the UK) began to assume I was dead after footage emerging from south- east Asia began to show the true devastation of the natural disaster. It was not until I asked a man from Belgium if I could borrow his phone that my parents realised I was OK. These gestures, both in real life and in the film, may appear small to the viewer – but they should not be overlooked. Indeed, Bayona and his crew realised the true significance of these seemingly small gestures. I emailed the cast and crew of The Impossible earlier this week, thanking them for making such a beautifully accurate film. This should never be a case of race; it is a case of sensitively retelling one story from a disaster.
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