
La Vela is one of the most popular hotels in Khao Lak, and it’s easy to see why! After visiting Bangkok, Phuket, and Khao Sok National Park, we were ready to relax. It was time to hit the beach, slow down, and enjoy ourselves. Little did we know all the fun experiences and great meals at Kokulo Beach Club that were head of us! Here are the highlights from our 3 nights at La Vela Resort and all the things that make it so special.
About La Vela Khao Lak
Address: 98 Tambon Khuekkhak, Amphoe Takua Pa, Chang Wat Phang-nga, 82220
Closest Airport: Phuket International Airport
Opened: November 2017
Best Time of Year to Visit: December – March
La Vela is an amazing resort in the seaside town of Khao Lak Thailand. It’s just around a 1.5 hour drive to Phuket Airport and 2 hours from Khao Sok National Park.
The hotel sits on the beautiful Bang Niang Beach which is part of a long stretch of golden sand that goes on for miles. La Vela Resort has a unique design with multiple swimming pools, fun cafes & bars, and a restaurant called Kokulo Beach Club.
→ Khao Lak Thailand: 10 Helpful Things to Know For Your First Visit
La Vela Tour & Room Tips
We arrived just after 5pm to La Vela Khao Lak. Earlier we had been on a full day snorkeling trip to the Similan Islands. We highly recommend this tour if you get the chance! While many travelers come from Phuket, Khao Lak is actually the closest area to get to the Surin and Similan Islands from.
After checking in, we immediately fell in love with the pool access at La Vela Resort. We’ve stayed in many rooms that were next to the pool or easy to get to, but this was a completely private entrance.
If you stay at La Vela Khao Lak definitely try to book one of these! However, if you get a room without pool access don’t worry. Just make sure to ask for a higher floor so you have an unreal view overlooking La Vela Resort.
Besides the swimming pool, the room was also very comfortable and spacious. We had a large bed, small seating area, and also a good sized fridge. Our favorite part of the bathroom was easily the tub with built in jets!
First Night at La Vela Khao Lak
Hungry from a long day of exploring, we unpacked and headed to Kokulo Beach Club for dinner. If you are lucky enough to be visiting La Vela Khao Lak on a Saturday night then you’ll get to try the Seafood BBQ Buffet.
Growing up in New England in the USA, we are accustomed to having lobster in the summer months. Yet, during our dinner at La Vela we had something that completely blew us away!
The chef made their Canadian lobster in a Thai curry sauce that was absolutely delicious. We also loved the sushi, fresh pasta, and all the tasty desserts.
Entertainment at Kokula Beach Club
While the buffet was great, we also appreciated the entertainment that came afterward. First was the Bartender Show. We had no idea what to expect before it started, but like everything else at La Vela Khao Lak it went above and beyond.
The bartenders not only did some wild bottle tricks, they even lit them on fire while during their juggling act! A little while later though the real fire show started. We’ve seen a lot of these on the beach in Thailand, but this was one of our favorites. We’ll let the photos speak for themselves!
Morning La Vela Relaxation
Our first full day at La Flora Khao Lak started with breakfast at the resort restaurant. There is a great range of dishes being served up from fish curry to eggs benedict, and everything in between.
You’ll also find plenty of Western comfort foods as well as traditional Thai specialties. We arrived at breakfast just before 9am and it was busy, so the next day we went much earlier.
→ What’s Thai Food? 40 Delicious Dishes & Drinks You Must Try!
La Vela Khao Lak Spa
After breakfast we had a massage at the on-site spa. Now we always enjoy a good spa treatment, but this was actually our first ever couples massage!
Once we slipped on our comfy Thai pajamas we laid down and relaxed. The music was soothing and the ceiling was sparkling with star-like imagery. This was just the relaxation and stress reliever we needed.
A traditional Thai massage has a lot of deep stretches and is great if you are looking to loosen your muscles. They actually asked if we work on the computer a lot because we have tension in our shoulders. I guess we’ll just take that as a sign that we need to get more massages in Thailand!
Afternoon Tea at Cotton Cafe & Library
Afternoon Tea is such a special experience… Especially in Southeast Asia! It’s certainly not something that we were thinking about getting when we first arrived in Thailand. For this reason, we were so excited to give it a try at La Vela.
Cotton Cafe is a super cute spot right near the large pool. They have cookies, cakes, and any kind of coffee or tea you can dream of. Also, in the afternoon they put together these cool tea sets.
Around 2pm we made our way to Cotton Cafe and ordered the European Set. Honestly, the spread was so picture perfect we almost didn’t want to touch it! There was just two of us, but even if you had a larger group it would perfect to share.
Laybay Surfskate Park
We have to say, in all our travels a surfskate park at a hotel was a first for us. As a guest you can use the boards, get knee and elbow pads, and even take a lesson.
After years of Jake telling me about his old skateboarding days he was excited to try surfskate for the first time. It was a blast and made us want to take a surfing lesson, too!
Another perk of the surfskate park is the Laybay burger stand. It had been awhile since we have had a hamburger since it’s not something we usually eat in Asia. So needless to say, we were ready. We tried the double cheeseburger and their signature Fat Boi burger which were delicious.
Morning Swim & Kokulo Beach Club
On our last day at La Vela Khao Lak we spent time swimming in the pool, walking the gorgeous Bang Niang Beach, and took part in some kayaking. Then in the early afternoon we headed to the Kokulo Beach Club to grab some lunch overlooking the ocean.
If you have one dish at the Kokulo Beach Club it should be the squid ink pasta! This European and Thai fusion isn’t too spicy, and the fish on top of the pasta was incredible. The next time we stay at La Vela Khao Lak this will be the first thing we order. We also got to try the seared tuna and everything went down smoothly with our fresh coconuts.
We headed back to the beach after lunch to grab a seat on the beach bags in in front of La Vela hotel. Here we got to taste the famous Torry’s Ice Cream from Phuket which was the perfect end to our meal.
Romantic Sunset Dinner at La Vela Khao Lak
On our final night at La Vela we had a magical sunset, followed by one of our favorite dining experiences ever in Thailand. The dinner they set up for was on the beach under the stars, and the definition of romance!
Oh and did we mention the food was incredible, too? First we had a sashimi and sushi platter to get our appetites going. The main course was surf and turf plate which included mouthwatering steak and lobster.
Are you visiting La Vela Khao Lak and celebrating a special occasion? Then we highly recommend arranging dinner on the beach! The food was one of the highlights of our stay, and this experience really tied it all together.
Is La Vela Khao Lak Right for You?
La Vela Resort was the perfect place to slow down and relax for a few days between our crazy Thailand schedule. It also had so many fun adventure activities and after-dinner shows that kept us entertained for all 3 nights.
While it does fit well for younger couples like us, we saw all ages and even groups of friends enjoying the property. At the end of the day, La Vela has so many great features that it can easily cater to whatever type of traveler you are.
If you’re a family with kids you may also love their sister hotel next door called La Flora Resort & Spa. Also, be sure to check out our 10 day itinerary if you’re coming to Khao Lak from Phuket or Khao Sok National Park.
Have any questions about this article or want to share your own experience at La Vela Khao Lak? Let us know in the comments below.
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
Where in the world are we? Follow our daily adventures on Instagram @nothingfamiliar!
*We were invited to La Vela Khao Lak to share all about our visit to the property. As always, all opinions and recommendations are our own.
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Thailand Travel Planning
Flights: We always find our cheap flight deals using Skyscanner and Kayak. That’s how we found flights from Bangkok to Phuket for $12 USD, and Thailand to Vietnam for less than $50!
Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get to the best deal such as Booking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworld should be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Transportation: While traveling through Thailand 12Go is where we find all our ferries, trains, buses, and transfers! You can find everything from island hopping speed boats to the night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide to find activities all over Phuket! You can find everything from a James Bond island luxury sunset cruise, to Phuket Old Town 15-taster food adventure, and 5-hour island tour!
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without protection. We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including our electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!