Riverside Thai Cooking Class in Khao Lak with Market Tour

Chef Apple runs this four-hour class at Riverside Thai Cooking School, overlooking the river that runs through Khao Lak town. Groups are capped at seven, small enough that everyone gets hands-on stove time rather than watching a demo from the back of the room. The class runs in Thai and English, and it’s rated easy, so no prior cooking experience is assumed.

The morning session adds a market tour with chef Apple beforehand, walking the stalls to see the produce before cooking with it. The afternoon session swaps the market for a Thai dessert lesson instead, with spring rolls on the menu either way. Drinking water, Coca-Cola, coffee, and tea run through the class, and recipes come written in English even though instruction covers both Thai and English, so nothing needs translating from memory once the class ends.

Hotel transfer is included for addresses within Khao Lak, but pickups from Khok Kloi and Thai Muang Beach sit outside that zone and aren’t covered — worth checking before booking if the hotel sits further afield. Booking confirms instantly, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the class starts, so a change of hotel or travel dates doesn’t mean losing the booking fee. At $65.00 for four hours of hands-on cooking plus a market walk or dessert lesson, it sits on the lower end of Khao Lak’s half-day activities, and the 147-review count backs up the 5.0 rating rather than resting on a handful of write-ups.

Insider Tip: Book the morning slot if the market matters — it’s the version that shows where the ingredients come from before they hit the wok.