Visit Khao Sok National Park (Khao Sok)

Located in the province of Surat Thani, it is one of the most beautiful and breathtaking national parks in Thailand in terms of landscapes, mainly thanks to the large Chiew Lan Lake, artificially created with the construction of the Ratchaprapha Dam and its photos of limestone planted in the water which is reminiscent of the famous Halong Bay in Vietnam... in a more modest way. You can also go on interesting treks in one of the oldest jungles in the world and discover waterfalls, amazing caves and of course all kinds of plants and animals including wild elephants.

Khao Sok National Park, created in 1981, manages, with 739 square km, the largest virgin forest in southern Thailand. Its jungle is one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world, it is even older and more varied than the Amazon rainforest. On the fauna side, the stars are the gibbons and wild elephants and on the flora side, the undisputed star is the Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world that can be found in the park from December to March.

If you come to Khao Sok, you absolutely must take a trip to Chiew Lan Lake, formed by the Ratchaprapha Dam. And you can even spend the night in one of the floating hotels on the lake. I list on the site several floating hotels on Khao Sok Lake. Comfort levels range from the very basic bamboo bungalow to the 500 Rai and its 5-star bungalows.

While Khao Sok National Park is open all year round, from June to October, occasional heavy downpours make the trails impassable and therefore it is often not possible to trek during this period. But you can enjoy the lake, its setting and all the related activities (kayaking, boat trips, paddleboarding, watching animals on the banks, etc.) even if in the August-October period, the weather is still often unfavorable.

As for excursions to Khao Sok, there is a wide choice, I recommend several that I have tested and if obviously, the private tours are the best at many levels, it is also possible to take a cheap group tour to Khao Sok formula, finally really cheaper, especially if you choose the most basic accommodation on Chiew Lan Lake.

There are many guesthouses and hotels in Khao Sok, most are in the street leading to the park entrance. It is best to book in advance on weekends in high season. One of the best ways to get a complete experience of the park is to book a 2-day, 1-night excursion, with the night spent in a floating hotel on Chiew Lan Lake or on the lakeshore, as prices for floating hotels have skyrocketed since the post-COVID tourism resumption.

For treks, take a swimsuit and towel to swim in the rivers and waterfalls and good shoes, it will also protect you agianst leeches. There are some in Khao Sok, so do not sit too long in the forest. Apparently Tiger Balm could make them flee... Otherwise, even if one bites you, nothing serious, just go to the pharmacy, they will give you a saline solution and a cream (120 baht) and a few days after there will be no trace.