Famous as a surfer hangout, Memories Beach is a beautiful, wide stretch of sand in the Pakarang area, about 11 kilometres north of Khao Lak town centre.
Lone surfer at sunset, Memories Beach Khao Lak © divehappy.com
Memories Beach has a really great vibe to it. While Khao Lak town and its own perfectly decent beaches are only a short drive south, there’s something about Memories Beach that feels special. Maybe it’s the wide, uncrowded shore. Maybe it’s the surfers in the water and the laid-back energy that comes with surf culture. Maybe it’s the sunsets. Maybe it’s just the beer. Probably it’s all of the above.
It’s a great place to hang out before or after diving in the Similan Islands. The Similan diving season runs from November to May, while the surf season here kicks in during the monsoon months from April to November – so between the two, Khao Lak has something going on year round.
Thatched beach bar glowing at sunset with rain showers, Memories Beach Khao Lak © divehappy.com
The beach itself is wide, with fine-grained sand and no sunbeds, no umbrellas, and no hawkers. There are some truly epic sunsets here, and the fact the beach is not cluttered or crowded adds to the sense of a huge, wide-open panorama of sea and sky that’s constantly changing colour.
Table with an epic view, Memories Beach Bar, Khao Lak © [email protected]
Memories Beach Bar
The heart of Memories Beach is the Memories Beach Bar, which is the focal point of the whole area. It’s a pleasingly ramshackle wooden building right on the beach, with tables to sit and enjoy the view. The bar serves up plenty of dishes, cocktails and cold beers. There’s also the Pakarang Surf Shop with boards for rent and surf lessons, a halfpipe for skaters, a Muay Thai boxing ring right on the beach, and even a handful of simple bamboo bungalows for rent just metres from the sand. According to Memories Bar’s own website, during high season there’s a fire show on the beach every evening around 7pm. although Iv’e never seen it.
The bar’s name carries some weight. Khun Ching, the owner, grew up working at his uncle’s restaurant on this very spot. That restaurant was destroyed in the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, which devastated the Khao Lak coastline and killed thousands of people. In 2009, Ching rebuilt and named the bar “Memories” as a tribute to all the lives lost. With the support of his wife Toa and his family, it’s grown into the thriving, chilled-out hub it is today.
Eclectic surf shack décor at Memories Beach bar, Khao Lak © divehappy.com
Surfing at Memories Beach
This is Ground Zero of Khao Lak’s surf scene. You’ll see surfers in the water and racks of surfboards behind the restaurant, with a shower block for surfers to rinse off after a session.
Memories Beach isn’t going to rival Bali or Sri Lanka for serious surf, but it’s a genuinely decent spot for learning and practising. The beach has a shallow shoreline that builds up consistent waves, typically averaging around 2 to 3 feet – waist to chest height – which is perfect for beginners. There are no reefs or rocks to worry about either, just sandy bottom. When conditions are right during the monsoon season, bigger swells come through that will keep intermediate surfers happy too.
Surfers silhouetted under an incoming storm, Memories Beach Khao Lak © divehappy.com
There are several surf schools operating from the beach, including Better Surf Thailand and the Pakarang Surf Shop, offering lessons for complete beginners through to more experienced surfers. Board rental is easy and affordable.
The surf season runs from roughly April to November – the monsoon months – which is the opposite of the diving season. So if you’re a diver visiting Khao Lak in high season for the Similans, the surf will be flat, but the beach and the bar are just as good for simply hanging out.
Groups of people silhouetted at a brilliant sunset, Memories Beach Khao Lak © divehappy.com
Apsara Beach and the South End
Separated from the main Memories Beach area by a small river is another stretch of beach where you’ll find the Apsara Beachfront Resort & Spa, which has its own pleasant beachside restaurant (decidedly more expensive than Memories though). The Apsara is the only hotel within walking distance of Memories Beach, making it a good option if you want to be right on the sand. Next to the Apsara are a couple of smaller Thai restaurants where you can sit on the beach. You can walk between the two areas by crossing the river at the Apsara.
The Apsara itself is a decent four star hotel – it’s surprisingly large and has detached concrete bungalows placed within a well-tended tropical garden setting. (There’s golf carts to ferry you to your room if you don’t feel like walking). It’s got a very peaceful vibe to it – definitely great for a couple of lazy days after a Similans liveaboard trip.
Peaceful low-tide sunrise with dog on the beach, Memories Beach Khao Lak © divehappy.com
Khao Lak Elephant Home
On the winding dirt road down to Memories Beach, you’ll pass the Khao Lak Elephant Home – an ethical elephant sanctuary that’s well worth a visit. It’s run by the same Khun Ching who owns the Memories Beach Bar, together with a mahout friend. They founded the sanctuary in 2018, starting by rescuing a group of young elephants that had been used to sell food on the streets of Bangkok. The first permanent resident, Pang Wasana, became the foundation of what has grown into a proper sanctuary spread across a huge 900 rai (around 1.4 square kilometres) of land.
The sanctuary focuses on rehabilitation and retirement – no riding, no shows. Visitors can observe the elephants, help prepare their food, and learn about the conservation work. Several packages are available, and many include lunch at Memories Beach Bar afterwards. You can compare and book elephant experience tours online.
Getting to Memories Beach
Memories Beach is in the Pakarang area, about 11 kilometres north of Khao Lak town centre. Driving north on Highway 4, pass through Bang Niang and the petrol station, then look for the left turn at the top of the hill just before the large sign for the elephant camp – there’s a small sign for Memories Bar. From there it’s about 3 kilometres down a dirt road with bumps and potholes (not ideal for low cars), passing through the Elephant Home’s land before you reach the beach.
If you don’t have your own transport, a taxi from Bang Niang or Khao Lak town is around 300 to 400 baht.
