I've heard great things about Khao Lak and am keen to try out one of the new resorts.

When I've travelled to Thailand in the past I have usually visited during April. It's always appeared to be a good time - the rainy season hasn't really arrived and yet the prices in most hotels have dropped ready for the rainy season.

The prices for Khao Lak, like most of Thailand drop considerably in April, but I have heard that the weather affects Khao Lak quite badly from early April (i.e what shops there are shut, and there are virtually no tourists there). Now I like my beach resorts to be quite peaceful, but not like a ghosttown.

So does Khao Lak experience pretty much the same weather as Phuket? When the rains come do they tend to arriver earlier? Does the resort become a ghost town from April?

(I realise that no one guarantee what the weather will or will not do)

Khao Lak is certainly getting more and more popular ! On weather you have already the general idea, it should be similar to Phuket, the rains depend on when the Monsoons start over the Bay of Bengal and no one can guess that, you are right that the hotel rates drop greatly at that time of year, if you are not going to let rain 'destroy' your trip I would chance it, as long as you are prepared for the fact that it 'may' rain then you should be ok. I have passed thru Khao Lak a few times and the main road is busy with restaurants, dive operators and shops, certainly not as built up as Phuket but even low season there should be are enough local restidents to keep restaurants open. It 'is' quiet but they seem to have some fine beach places there.

THanks James. I'm being quoted £54 per room per night (pounds sterling) from April 17th (i.e just after the easter break) including breakfast and a room upgrade at the Le Meriden Hotel. I'm a keen diver and therefore am keen to give it a try. The price difference on the shoulder of the rainy season is very tempting.

Sounds a good price. Not familiar with the new meridien but I think I've seen it in local press/mags. I always say that even if it rains, grab a good novel and find a nice verandah, preferably wooden, an easy chair, and take some real 'time out' and relax and enjoy the sound and aromas of tropical rain, or have a relaxing massage or spa treatment, great!!

ttt