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Khao Lak

By Jess Smith

Published Aug 08, 2011•Updated Sep 06, 2022

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The definitive indication that this past weekend’s last-minute getaway was just what I needed (and that my brain was still in beach vacation slow-motion) came this morning when, on my first early morning phone call I identified myself using my maiden name.  Now, although F and I have been married only a little over a year, I feel quite confident in saying that I have my new name down.  My momentary lapse back into single-Jess-name-land only served to confuse the woman on the other end of the phone and snap me back into the harsh, cold reality that inevitably comes at the end of a perfect weekend away.

F and I arrived in Khao Lak via Phuket where the “green season” package that I booked at Le Meridien, Khao Lak included an airport pick-up in addition to two nights at the sprawling beachside resort.  (“Green season”, by the way, is the tourism-friendly term used around here to reference the rainy season during which fewer people visit the beaches.  For those of us willing to chance a bit of rain it can mean some sweet deals on hotels and flights.  We had no more than 20 minutes of light rain during the day.)  And thus it was that we spent two solid days making no decision more difficult than to sit by the beach or pool and spoke not even a lick of Thai and pretended like we were on a “real” vacation that would last much longer than just two nights.

The beautiful thing was that two nights turned out to be all we needed to feel utterly relaxed.  As we lay in cozy chairs in the shade of palm trees there were few sounds besides the handful of other vacationers and  the waves washing onto a beach that stretched (I’m told) seven miles, providing a view of nothing but golden sand and lush green jungle as far as I could see.  I found myself thinking, “oh yea – we live in Thailand – it’s gorgeous here!”

Bangkok is an endlessly interesting city, but it is a city nonetheless.  It does wonders for my soul to leave behind the traffic and concrete and be surrounded by natural beauty.

The weekend’s getaway was also a reminder of just how many amazing places are literally right at our fingertips.  Our flight left Phuket at 4:30pm on Sunday and by 7pm I was back in our living room in Bangkok, curled on the couch in my pajamas, and watching Exporting Raymond over butter chicken and naan delivered by our favorite Indian restaurant.

Now if that’s not the most relaxing send-off for an indulgent weekend, I don’t know what is.

And because it turns out that there is very little more to say about a beach vacation as lovely as this one, in which we had cocktails by the beach, ate Thai food the way most of us born outside of Thailand imagine Thai food should be, and never left the resort, I hope the pictures will help to get across the most important part of the whole thing.  The pure and simple satisfaction I felt in getting to sneak away with nothing to do but read a good book and talk to my best friend.