The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani

The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani holds a 4.5 star rating and sits directly on Nang Thong Beach in Khao Lak, around 60 minutes from Phuket International Airport. Three wings organise the resort: Lagoon Wing for a quieter stay, Aqua Wing built around its water features, and Seaside Wing closest to the shore. Between them you will find a setting suited equally to couples, individuals and families travelling with children.

You will find eleven room categories spread across the three wings, from the Sands Room and Family Room through to the Two-Bedroom Sea Suite. Rooms in the Aqua Wing sit around the mini water park, with pool access options for families, while the Seaside Wing's Seaside Junior Suite opens onto a balcony with ocean views and the Two-Bedroom Sea Suite pairs a sea view master bedroom with a partial sea view second bedroom. The 2-Bedroom Teen Suite and its pool access sibling give families with teenagers two separate bedrooms and two bathrooms each.

The Sands Castle club gives kids and teens their own space, with a ball house, trampoline, game arcade and outdoor playground, backed by staff trained in babysitting and first aid. You can take to the tennis court, table tennis, petanque lane or giant chess board, or join a Thai cooking class, cocktail class or Thai boxing session. The water park runs a set timetable of water slides, water play and lazy river sessions through the day, while Mango Bar and Coconut Bar keep a happy hour running into the evening.

Nine swimming pools run through the grounds, from a beachfront pool and a dedicated family pool to an adults only pool and garden, plus two jacuzzis, a lazy river and both adult and kids water slides. Toddlers have their own 30cm pool and older children a 60cm kiddy pool. Nalinya Spa sits beside the lagoon with six private treatment rooms and Thai massage pavilions overlooking the ocean, alongside spa packages and detox programmes. A Fitness Centre and Yoga Studio let you join aqua aerobic and stretching classes to stay active.

Two restaurants anchor the dining: The Floating Market overlooks a lagoon with an international breakfast and dinner menu, and Talay Restaurant serves freshly grilled seafood al fresco on the beach for lunch and dinner. Five bars add variety for you to explore, including Coconut Bar's swim up pool setting, Mango Bar over the water beside the lagoon, Pineapple Bar by the lobby's reflecting pond, and Jellyfish Bar, where drinks are served right in the water for parents and children alike. Room service runs from late morning to midnight with international and Thai dishes, and a candlelight dinner is available for special occasions.

Nang Thong Beach stretches for 1.5 kilometres along Khao Lak, and you are just steps from the village's own shops and restaurants, with the Khao Lak Lighthouse marking the shoreline nearby. Phuket International Airport is around 60 minutes away by road, making transfers to the resort straightforward when you arrive.