08° 58′ N, 98° 38′ E
Overview
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About Khao Sok National Park
Khao Sok National Park is one of the oldest and most beautiful national parks in Thailand. In fact, it is even one of the oldest rainforests in the entire world. It is located in the south of Thailand in the less visited province of Surat Thani.
The park is mostly known for its ancient rainforest, dramatic limestone cliffs, jungle greenery, and a network of rivers and lakes. It stretches over 739 square kilometers and is home to a wide range of flora and fauna, including various species of plants, birds, mammals, and insects.
165 square kilometers of the national park consists of the man-made Cheow Lan Lake, also known as Khao Sok Lake, which is often seen as the centerpiece of the park. The lake was created in 1982 when the Ratchaprapha dam was built, cutting off the Phrasaeng River, to generate hydroelectric power. The area, including 5 villages that are now still on the bottom of the lake, flooded and became the Cheow Lan Lake.
Tip: If you’re heading to Northern Thailand and want to explore another stunning national park, visit Doi Inthanon in the area of Chiang Mai. This national park is home to Thailand’s highest peak, and is filled with waterfalls, and breathtaking views, which you can explore along various hiking trails!
Which area of Khao Sok National Park should you visit
Before getting further into detail about what to do in Khao Sok National Park, it’s good to know that there are two popular areas in the park that are located about 67 km from each area.
The first area is often referred to as Khao Sok Village and Khao Sok HQ (Headquarters). This is where you can hike various trails through the jungle, visit some waterfalls, and explore the river by kayaking or tubing.
The other main area is Cheow Lan Lake, also referred to as Khao Sok Lake. This part of the national park is most famous for its raft houses and mysterious caves. but most of all for its beautiful landscapes full of limestone mountains, rising from the blue waters.
So, keep in mind that these areas are about an hour’s drive from each other. If you are short on time, we recommend you only visit Cheow Lan Lake and skip Khao Sok Village.
How we visited Khao Sok National Park
We came from Koh Tao to Khao Sok National Park. We booked a ferry + bus to Khao Sok on 12GoAsia, where we stayed in the village. On our first day, we explored the village and did a jungle trekking in the national park. The next day, we booked an overnight tour to Cheow Lan Lake through our accommodation.
Practical
National Park entrance fee: 300 THB
Valid for 24 hours (so keep your ticket!), or as long as you stay inside the National Park
Daily open from 07:00 am until 07:00 pm
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Khao Sok National Park HQ and Village
Hiking and Jungle Trekking
In Khao Sok National Park, there are many different walking trails to enjoy a beautiful hike, both in the area of Khao Sok HQ and around Cheow Lan Lake. Only a couple of shorter trails departing from Khao Sok HQ can be hiked on your own. The longer trails (each around 12km) venture further into the jungle, along some beautiful waterfalls, all the way to the southern shore of the lake. If you would like to hike any of these trails, a guide is mandatory. Curious about nightlife in the jungle? It is also possible to join a night jungle trek in Khao Sok and learn more about life that awakens as soon as the sun sets.
Local non-English speaking guides can be arranged from the visitor center, agencies, or hotels in Khao Sok Village. Keep in mind that a guide must be arranged at least a day in advance, especially in the high seasons.
We did the unguided 3.5-kilometer-long Bang Hau Rad Nature Trail, which takes you to the Wang Pai Nga swimming holes, the Wing Hin waterfall, and Bang Hau Rad. Along the way, you will come across information boards that will teach you more about the ecosystem of the rainforest.
Kayaking, canoeing or bamboo rafting
Another great way to explore the area of Khao Sok Village is sailing down the river in a kayak, canoe, or on bamboo raft. A guide will lead you along the river, tell you some interesting information about the fauna and flora, and point out any wildlife you pass on the way, such as snakes and gibbons.
Cheow Lan Lake
Lake Tour
Cheow Lan Lake is best explored during a boat tour over the lake. You’ll sail in between the majestic limestone mountains and get the most scenic views you’ll ever get from land. The most famous spot on Cheow Lan Lake is ‘The 3 limestone Rocks or Guilin Rock of Thailand’, as it is the symbol of Khao Sok National Park.
This also means there are a lot of boats hanging around this place. To be honest, it was definitely not our favorite spot in the park as there are stunning limestone mountain views everywhere! If you are lucky, you might even spot some wildlife along the way. If you are going to stay a night on the lake, you will do this boat tour anyway to get to your floating bungalow.
Evening and Morning Safari
Khao Sok National Park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including wild elephants, gibbons, snakes, various species of birds and so much more. Animals are usually most active in the morning or in the evening, so the best chance at seeing wildlife is during a morning or evening safari. If you are very, very, very lucky, you might even spot one or more wild elephants. In some tours, these morning and evening safaris are part of the itinerary. It’s a very peaceful and unique experience.
Hiking
Unlike some of the shorter hikes in the area of Khoa Sok HQ, all trails around Cheow Lan Lake require a guide. You can choose between different hiking trails that take you along beautiful landscapes, to impressive viewpoints, and to different caves. The most famous viewpoint is Kri Sorn Viewpoint, from where you have an incredible view of the jungle mountains reflecting in the blue waters of Cheow Lan Lake. There are also several hikes to caves. More information about the caves can be found below.
Local non-English speaking guides can be arranged from the visitor center, agencies, or hotels in Khao Sok Village. Keep in mind that a guide must be arranged at least a day in advance, especially in the high seasons.
Caves
One of the most popular caves is the Nam Thalu Cave. It is known for its stunning rock formations and underground river. When you visit this cave, there is a good chance that you will have to wade through the water. So, be sure to bring spare clothing if you are going to explore the Nam Thalu Cave! The hike and visit to this cave were included in our overnight tour, but unfortunately, we couldn’t go as Sarah got Dengue Fever at that moment. So, if you do go for this hike, let us know in the comments what it was like!
Coral Cave is another popular cave to hike to. It is so called because the stalagmites and stalactites inside this cave break into small pieces that resemble coral.
Known that visiting any of the caves in Khao Sok National Park is almost always combined with a hike.
Stay in a floating bungalow - Best Thing to do in Khao Sok
If you really want to experience the beauty and serenity of Cheow Lan Lake, you should stay at least one night in a floating bungalow in the middle of the lake. You wake up to the sounds of the jungle, such as screeching Gibbons and singing birds, while a mysterious mist hangs over the lake. It is a unique and very relaxing experience that you will not soon forget.
During the day, you can join different tours and activities from your bungalow, or you can just stay and enjoy the stunning environment and the peace of the jungle from your balcony.
Kayaking
Many of the floating bungalows have kayaks available with which you can discover the lake yourself. Jump into a kayak at a free moment in the planning and look for beautiful fauna and flora on and around the lake.
Overnight Lake Tour
If you are interested in doing several of the above activities at Cheow Lan Lake, we recommend you to book an overnight tour. Many of these activities are included in these tours and it might save you a lot of hassle, as organizing all of this yourself can be quite complicated. You can choose between 1-night tours or multi-night tours. The more nights you stay, the more activities will be included!
How to get to Khao Sok National Park
There are several different ways to get to Khao Sok National Park, depending on what you want to see and do, which part you want to visit, and how much time you have.
Khao Sok Village
Depending on where you are coming from, you can get to Khao Sok by bus, ferry & bus, or fly & bus from many different places in the South of Thailand, such as Bangkok, Krabi, and Phuket, but even from Koh Samui and Koh Tao. You can check all bus transfers to Khao Sok here. No matter where you’re coming from, the bus will drop you off at the bus stop on the main road near Khao Sok village. Many accommodations offer pickups, so check with yours. If not, taxis are available to take you to your hotel.
Cheow Lan Lake
Theoretically, it is certainly possible to visit Cheow Lan Lake by organizing it all yourself. However, the options are very limited, hikes always require a guide and you will always need a boat with a captain to explore the lake and/or stay in a floating bungalow. If you want to avoid a lot of hassle, the easiest way to visit Cheow Lan Lake is during a one day or multiple day tour that includes all transportation. You can book these tours in advance online or locally at your accommodation or tour companies, from many places in the south of Thailand, such as Krabi, Surat Thani, Phuket, or Khao Lak. You can
Most accommodations in Khao Sok Village offer tours to Cheow Lan Lake as well. So, if you would like to visit both parts of the park, we recommend that you stay in Khao Sok Village and take an overnight tour of Cheow Lan Lake from here. This is also what we did and we found this to be the most efficient way to discover the national park.
If you are going to explore Cheow Lan Lake by yourself without a tour or arrange your own accommodation, you have to take a transfer or taxi to Ratchaprapha Marina or Cheow Lan Lake Pier. From here, you can get your boat tickets to explore the park or your accommodation might have arranged a boat for you.
Best time to visit
Generally, Thailand knows 3 seasons: the wet season (May to October), cool season (November to February), and the hot season (March to April).
Although Khao Sok National Park is beautiful at any time of the year, the best time to visit is during the dry season from December to April. The temperatures are pleasant to explore and you have less chance of rain. Keep in mind that Khao Sok National Park is a rainforest, so you can expect showers at any time of the year. The months of April and March are usually the warmest and the river might be so low that kayaking or tubing is not possible.
Try to avoid visiting Khao Sok National Park during the rainy season if you plan to go hiking, as the trails might become slippery and it is likely to rain almost every day.
Where to stay
If you want visit both Khao Sok Village, as well as Cheow Lan Lake, we recommend that you stay in Khao Sok and take an overnight tour to Cheow Lan Lake.
Khao Sok Village
In Khao Sok Village, you will find a variety of accommodations from budget-friendly hostels and guesthouses to more luxurious resorts and lodges. Some of these accommodations can arrange tours and activities for you, while others offer their own. With the latter, you often have the option to adjust tours and activities to your preference.
Cheow Lan Lake
On Cheow Lan Lake, you will find a wide variety of floating bungalows, from budget-friendly to luxurious bungalows. Which bungalows you get depends on which tour you book. The price range of this tour often determines the comfort of your bungalow. So, be sure to ask in advance which bungalows you will be staying in during the tour you want to book.
A few luxury overwater floating bungalows can be booked online and they can arrange a shuttle service and other activities for you.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay in Khao Sok and enjoy a comfortable trip.
Ratchaprapha
Khao Sok National Park
Ratchaprapha
via Booking.com
Tips for visiting Khao Sok National Park
Mosquitoes and insects
Khao Sok National Park is a rainforest and is full of mosquitoes and insects. So be sure to bring mosquito spray.
If you go hiking, it's best to wear good, closed shoes and long trousers.
Prepare yourself for the sun
Once you have started exploring the national park, and especially at Cheow Lan Lake, you cannot quickly go back to get something. So, make sure you have sun protection, such as sunscreen and a hat, and bring plenty of water! It can get very hot and humid in the national park.
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Win-Win for everyone
Did you know that, if you buy or book something through our links, we receive a small commission?
However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
