All you need to know to visit Khao Sok

Practical guide to go and visit Khao Sok

You should know that often when we talk to you about Khao Sok, we mainly talk about its lake, Chiew Lan lake (pronounced tchiao lân) and its sublime decor which is reminiscent of Halong Bay in Vietnam in places but be careful not to confuse the lake with what I call ''the land entrance'' to Khao Sok National Park (where you drop off buses and minivans from Surat Thani, Khao Lak, Phuket or Krabi), both are quite far away. Access to the lake is from the Ratchaprapha Dam, there is a 1-hour drive between the land entrance to the park and the dam. I highly recommend the 2-day excursion with 1 night on a floating lake hotel. It is often one of the most beautiful memories travelers have during their stay in Thailand and one of my favorite tours. It must be said that the setting is magical! And to organize it, you can go directly to the floating hotels on the lake but with the language barrier, it is not always easy. The most practical thing is to organize this with the agency Khao Sok Lake Tour (guide and discussions in English). Other agencies obviously offer it. Otherwise you can also go to the ''land entrance'' of the park and spend a night there. You can take the opportunity to book the basic 2 days / 1 night excursion on the lake for the next day in one of the agencies on the street or directly at your hotel. Last I heard, it cost 2500-3000 THB per person. The bungalows on the lake will be spartan, without air conditioning and without electricity except for 2-3 hours per night but you will not find cheaper. The program is less exceptional, it's becoming more and more of a tourist factory but it's still OK if your budget doesn't allow you more.

It should also be noted that since the post-COVID recovery, the lake of Khao Sok is very popular and in the months of January-February and probably November, there are crazy people. We are more in a place of peaceful nature, especially if you opt for a shared tour. Prices have also exploded, particularly those for nights on floating hotels which, as they are sure to be full, have for some made quite significant price increases so that in the end despite the exceptional setting, one can have the impression of not getting value for money. Overall, disappointments are much more frequent than in the past. For me, the option of spending the night on the lake in a floating hotel is no longer so essential.