La Flora Khao Lak, Khao Lak

Set right on the long, golden sands of Bang Niang Beach, La Flora Resort & Spa is one of Khao Lak's most loved beachfront resorts — and a superb place to base a diving holiday. It combines a genuinely absolute-beachfront position, spacious contemporary rooms and villas, excellent food and a beautiful spa with the one thing that matters most to divers: easy access to the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock, some of the finest dive sites in Southeast Asia. Spend your days out on the water and your evenings with your toes in the sand and a cocktail in hand.

The location — and why it's perfect for divers - La Flora sits on Bang Niang Beach, one of the prettiest and most convenient stretches of the Khao Lak coast, roughly an hour's transfer north of Phuket International Airport. Khao Lak is the mainland gateway to the Similan and Surin Islands National Marine Parks, with the dive boats leaving from the nearby piers just up the coast — which means shorter, easier journeys to the reefs and more time diving. Whether you prefer speedboat day trips to the Similans or a multi-day liveaboard out to Richelieu Rock, La Flora makes an ideal, comfortable home base to dive from and return to. Bang Niang's shops, market and restaurants are an easy stroll away when you fancy exploring beyond the resort.

The resort is generously sized — 254 rooms, suites and villas — yet laid out across three low-rise, garden-filled wings so it never feels crowded, with plenty of space to relax between dives. Interiors blend modern design with traditional Thai touches, and there's a room style to suit every kind of diving trip, from couples to families and groups of dive buddies.

The three wings each have their own character. The Flora Wing is set among lush tropical gardens — the peaceful, great-value choice. The Poolside Wing is built around La Flora's signature lagoon-style pools, with pool-access rooms that let you step straight from your terrace into the water. And the Seaside Wing is the closest to the sand, with pool views, sea glimpses and the quickest path to the beach each morning.

Across the wings you'll find comfortable Deluxe Rooms and larger Deluxe Seaside rooms, sought-after Pool Access categories (Flora, Deluxe and Seaside) that open directly onto the water, and roomy Flora Two-Bedroom options that are ideal for families or two couples diving together. Every room comes with air conditioning, a private balcony or terrace and modern bathrooms — with plenty of space to rinse and stow dive kit at the end of the day.

Eating well is easy here. The beachfront restaurant serves everything from Thai classics to international dishes, with freshly caught local seafood a daily highlight and regular themed buffet evenings — Thai, Italian and European nights among them — so there's always something new. A relaxed pool and beach bar handles sundowners, fresh juices and long lazy lunches between dives, and the resort can arrange private dinners on the sand for something special. For hungry divers coming in off the boat, generous, high-quality food in a beautiful beachfront setting is exactly what you want.

At the heart of the resort, the Floranica Spa is the perfect antidote to a full day of diving — a serene space for massages and treatments to ease tired muscles and shoulders after hauling tanks. Out in the sun, La Flora's series of lagoon-style swimming pools wind through the grounds, with pool-access rooms feeding straight into the water and quiet corners to unwind in. There's a fitness centre too, plus daily wellness and yoga options for those who like to keep moving on their surface intervals.

While it's a wonderful choice for diving couples, La Flora is also a genuinely family-friendly beachfront resort, with the Play:Ground kids' club, family rooms and two-bedroom options making it easy to bring non-diving partners or children along. It's an equally strong pick for groups of friends diving together, with space to spread out and communal areas to regroup over dinner and swap stories from the day's dives.