Your Travel Guide to Thailand
All information & tips to prepare your trip in Thailand
All you need to know to visit Khao Sok
Southern Thailand
731 km from Bangkok
Province of Surat Thani
- Budget
- 4/5
- Recommended stay
- 2-3 jours
- Sightseeing
- 5/5
Travel guide to visit Khao Sok
Located in the province of Surat Thani in the south of Thailand, Khao Sok is neither a city nor an island but one of the best-known and most beautiful national parks in the country. To give it the visibility it deserves and make your research easier, I decided to add it as a destination in its own right and no longer just as a visit to do from Surat Thani.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.
To see all optiosn to get around in Khao Sok, read our dedicated paragraph about getting around in Khao Sok.
Accommodations in Khao Sok
Most accommodations in Khao Sok are either concentrated near the small street that leads to Khao Sok Park's "land entrance" or are scattered on Chiew Lan Lake for the floating hotels. The most basic floating hotels have very basic bungalows with just a mattress on the floor and a small basic bathroom. There is electricity only 2-3 hours per night. So no air conditioning obviously and even no fan (because no power), a good part of the night. If you want more comfort, the prices will rise significantly but in both cases the setting will be superb!Find accommodation in Khao Sok
My recommendations
People often ask me what accommodations I recommend in Thailand, here are my recommendations in Khao Sok.
Practical information about Khao Sok
Generally speaking, when you want to visit Khao Sok and its lake, it is better to take an excursion rather than going to the dam on your own and hiring a private longtail boat. It will cost you more for just a simple tour on the lake than what you would pay for a complete excursion with treks, cave visits, etc... But as mentioned, one of the recommended experiences here is sleeping in the floating hotels on Khao Sok lake even though it has never been so expensive.
There is an all-inclusive, low-budget group package (2,500 THB with the most basic floating bungalows according to the latest information) aimed more at a backpacker crowd, due to large groups, shared bungalows (3 people per room) and often a bad night's sleep—not really because there is no A/C in the bungalows, but because the participants often party at night. But you get your money's worth with a rather packed schedule. So if you don't have the budget for a private 2-day and 1-night excursion on Khao Sok lake, check out what Smiley Bungalows has to offer. I took this package the very first time I went to Khao Sok and it was good, even though obviously, going private is even better!
How to go to Khao Sok ?
If you are coming to Khao Sok from Surat Thani, Phuket or Krabi, with local public transport or passenger vans, you will arrive at the street that leads to the ''land entrance'' of Khao Sok National Park, where the minivan station is located. The Surat Thani - Phuket buses that also pass through Khao Lak and Takuapa stop there as well as passenger vans from Surat Thani, Phang Nga, Khao Lak and Krabi. From Phuket, buses leave from terminal no. 2. If it is the lake you are aiming for and you do not want to spend at least one night near the land entrance which is a good hour's drive away but in a hotel close to the dam, you will have to organize your transfer with the hotel you have booked or with an agency like the one I mentioned above. This is the only way to arrive directly at the Ratchaprapha dam which is not served by any public transport. And if you want to sleep on a floating hotel on Chiew Lan Lake, it is better to take a complete 2-day / 1-night excursion rather than going to the dam by yourselves and privatizing a longtail boat. It will cost you less.The closest airport to Khao Sok is Surat Thani Airport. There are many flights from Bangkok but also direct flights from Chiang Mai operated by Air Asia.
On the train side, again, the closest is the Surat Thani train station, which, important information, is located about 20 kilometers from the city. One of the most popular options to get to Khao Sok from Bangkok is the night train to Surat Thani and then a van from the parking lot to the left of the station when you exit (see here to book) or further down this page.
My selection of tours & activities in Khao Sok
Khao Sok 2 days / 1 night: Amazing Hill temple, natural pool and Chiew Larn Lake
Offered in English
Discover the best of Khao Sok in 2 days! Starting with one of the most beautiful perched temples in Thailand then relaxing in a natural pool with incredibly clear water, night near Khao Sok lake that you will explore the next day.
Details & Booking
How to get around in Khao Sok ?
Must-visits in
Khao Sok National Park
อุทยานแห่งชาติเขาสกMy opinion : 5/5
It is certainly one of the most beautiful national parks in Thailand ! The highlight of Khao Sok is Chiew Lan Lake that many compare to Halong Bay. Some even dare to say that it is more beautiful. Spending the night in a floating hotels on the lake is an experience I recommend. Otherwise, you have interesting treks to discover waterfalls and caves.
Khao Sok emerald pool (Ban Nam Rad)
ป่าต้นน้ำบ้านน้ำราดMy opinion : 5/5
This natural pool with crystalline water surrounded by lush nature is located about sixty kilometers from Surat Thani city and seventy kilometer from Khao Sok. It's very pleasant to swim there and the boat trip on the river is really nice!
Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world
บัวผุดMy opinion : 5/5
It is the largest flower in the world. It is very rare and endangered. It can be seen in Thailand, in Khao Sok National Park, over a period from December to the end of March. There aren't any open every day, so it's impossible to be sure, even at this time, that you'll be able to see any when you're there.
Khao Na Nai Luang Dharma Park
อุทยานธรรมเขานาในหลวงMy opinion : 5/5
This temple located at 70 kilometres from Khao Sok or at the same distance from Surat Thani city offers incredible views from its elements arranged on 4 mountain peaks culminating at 300 meters of altitude for the highest. At sunrise, it's just magical!
Cheow Lan Lake
เชี่ยวหลานMy opinion : 5/5
Cheow Lan Lake is undoubtedly the jewel of Khao Sok National Park, offering spectacular scenery between steep limestone cliffs and emerald waters surrounded by lush jungle. Accessible after a journey of about 1 hour from the land entrance to the lake, this reservoir can be explored by longtail boat. While taking a private tour is magical but expensive, there are day-long group tours, ideal for a first approach. Sailing on the lake, trekking in the jungle, wildlife, and sleeping in a floating bungalow on the lake are generally on the program for two days on Cheow Lan Lake, one of the most unforgettable places in Thailand.Weather & climate in
Khao Sok has a tropical savanna climate. Temperatures are fairly stable throughout the year, although the pre-monsoon months (March-May) are ga little warmer. There is a short dry season from January to April, followed by the rainy season from May to December. The strongest rains occur in October and November.The best time to come to Khao Sok is from January to April. November is particularly rainy and therefore not a good time to come to Khao Sok.
How to ask in Thai to go to Khao Sok ?
I want to go to Khao Sok / Yak paï ti Khao Sok.Where is Khao Sok ? / Khao Sok you ti naï ?
10 Best Activities and Guided Tours to Do in Bangkok
Bangkok is very often your first port of call—or rather, airport of arrival—in Thailand. It is a highly eclectic city packed with unforgettable activities. I have curated a selection of what I consider to be the 10 best things to do in...