How to get to and from Khao Sok?

How to get 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.

Leaving from Khao Sok ?

To leave Khao Sok, it is the same. If you are on the "land entrance" side of the park, all you need to do is reach the small bus station at the edge of the main road and catch the bus between Surat Thani and Phuket when it comes by to reach one of these two cities or go to Khao Lak (bus direction Phuket). If you have stayed in a floating hotel on Lake Chiew Lan lake or made the 2 days / 1 night on the lake tour, taking you back either to the bus station near the land entrance or drop you on the side of the road where you to catch the bus or take you to a minivans station is, in general, part of the service.

Otherwise, there are also passenger minivans to Surat Thai airport (flights to Bangkok or Chiang Mai) or Surat Thani railway station.

Transportation in Thailand