Marriott Vacation Club, Khao Lak Beach Resort

The rooms at Marriott Vacation Club, Khao Lak Beach Resort are apartments and suites with one or two bedrooms, measuring from 89 m² to 111 m². Some have a pool view, others a garden view, and several have a balcony; the bi-level lofts add a loft bedroom on a second level. Most of the apartments have two bedrooms, so the layouts give each guest a separate room for sleeping.

Rooms can have air conditioning, a hair dryer, a microwave, complimentary tea and a private bathroom, and some apartments sleep up to seven guests. The layouts range from a ground-floor apartment with pool access to family suites with garden views.

Guests can use an outdoor swimming pool, a spa with a sauna, a steam room and a hot tub, and a massage service. The resort also has a private beach, a fitness centre, a yoga room, a tennis court, billiards and a game room.

Families will find a kids club, a playground, a kids meal option and kids safety features, and there are a laundry service and daily housekeeping.

Restaurants, a bar, a poolside bar, a coffee shop and 24-hour room service are on site, and a buffet breakfast is served. Free parking is available on site, free WiFi is available in all rooms, and the resort offers an airport transfer and car hire.

Khuk Khak is a stretch of the Khao Lak coast in Phangnga province, on the Andaman side of southern Thailand, where a sandy beach runs past small resorts, restaurants and beach bars. The resort is 250 m from Khuk Khak Beach, so the sea is a short walk away, and the area suits a relaxed beach stay, with the hills and national parks lying inland.

Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park, 8.3 km away, has forest trails and waterfalls, and the Tsunami Museum, about 4 km away, tells the story of the 2004 tsunami that struck this coast. Similan National Park, 14.1 km away, is reached by boat and is known for diving, and boat trips to the islands run only outside the monsoon season, roughly from November to April. Phuket International Airport is 66 km away, and an airport transfer is available.

A good day starts with a swim at the resort and a walk to Khuk Khak Beach, then a visit to the Tsunami Museum to learn about the coast's recent history. In the afternoon, head into the forest of Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park for the trails and waterfalls, or take a boat trip to the Similans when the season allows, and return to the beach in the evening.