Khao Sok National Park is perfectly situated between Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak and Koh Samui in the South of Thailand. The national park consists of 739 square kilometres of tropical rain forest, limestone cliffs and rivers. Its biggest attraction being Cheow Lan Lake, created in 1982 as part of a damming project to provide hydroelectricity to the south of Thailand. Covering 165 Km2, the lake is completely stunning, and we think, more impressive than its counterpart Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. Other than a few ‘floating bungalows’ that offer visitors a very expensive experience – more on this later – the whole vast waterway is devoted to its stunning flora and fauna. Even though this is the main tourist attraction and the initial embarking on the boats a little manic – once you are out on the water – it is very quiet and very beautiful.
Khao Sok became one of the highlights of our trip this year and an absolute must if you haven’t been before. We chose to add in ‘some jungle’ to our trip as we knew we weren’t going to Chiang Mai, in the north this year and we wanted to add some variety to our predominately beach trip.
We travelled from Koh Samui to Khao Sok, a leisurely 7-8 hour trip, involving a short mini bus ride to the ferry port, a relaxing hour on the ferry to the mainland (there are lots of different ferry companies offering different tariffs, times and departure ports), a coach and then a small minibus into the heart of the jungle. The whole day was very relaxing – we got to see lots and meet some interesting people – it didn’t feel like a chore. As with all travelling, there was one moment when our whole coach of travellers were left at a bus station in a forlorn looking town and we had to wait for 30 minutes or so for the mini buses that would take us on the next stage of our journey. We had been told by the tour operative that they wouldn’t accept large cases (we always have rucksacks so not a problem), but a European couple clearly hadn’t heard the message and there was a lively debate and parting of extra Thai Baht regarding where their cases were going to fit in the very small and tightly packed mini bus. All good fun in the midday heat! They asked at this point whether we wanted to pay a small amount extra (a couple of quid each) to be dropped at our actual accommodation – this is well worth the money – so make sure you accept.
Where to stay
Khao Sok National Park has limited accommodation – one of the things that makes it so wonderful. However, it means you do need to book very early – in fact, if you are planning on including this location into your trip – book the accommodation first. We spent considerable time – and we mean hours – choosing accommodation here – due to our very specific requirements and the lack of accommodation on offer.
The main consideration is both location and type. This might seem obvious – but Khao Sok National Park is a real rainforest – sparse roads, sparse accommodation – plenty of wildlife. Having slept in ‘jungle huts’ trekking in Chiang Mai, I for one, have a realistic understanding of what that entails. They all look very pretty in the guidebooks – tree houses, river-side thatched huts, picturesque and isolated cabins and many aren’t that cheap. But you need to understand what this will entail. Look carefully at the pictures of the inside of the room. A mosquito net over the bed, is not going to keep out the jungle creatures who are most definitely going to have a wander around your room, through the gaps in the bamboo walls and the thatched roof. This is why our mantra is to avoid allowing travel agents to book for you. You are the only person who knows that is right for you. You might want to experience the isolation of nights under thatch in the jungle and the chance to come face-to-face with a whole range of insects. I indeed have done it – so have ticked this off my ‘to do list’. Equally, you may want the solitude of being somewhere isolated. But be aware, that there isn’t a plethora of tuk tuks to get you about and even the accommodation offering shuttle services, will be limited. This is another good reason to pay the extra couple of pounds to be dropped directly at your accommodation. So, as we always say – think about what you want out of the experience and choose wisely and early.
We stayed in the ‘ribbon’ village at the entrance to Khao Sok National Park. When we say village, it has a number of different types of accommodation to suit all budgets, including hostels – some local restaurants and small bars. So, it makes a perfect base set within the rain forest, but not completely isolated. Make sure you check the map. Some accommodation advertises that it is in Khao Sok – which it is – the park – but 30-minutes drive or so, from this village. One young couple on our minibus got dropped off a good 40 minutes drive away – leaving them completely susceptible to the hotel they were staying in. There is a bus station at the top of the village – an uncomfortable walk in 37 degrees sun with a heavy backpack. We were pleased we spent the extra couple of pounds to be dropped at the accommodation. Accommodation is relatively cheap in Khao Sok, ranging from £10 a night upwards. We found a beautiful, family run resort with just 6 bungalows for £75 a night. It was in a perfect location and other than one small, beautifully behaved lizard – there was no access for any other jungle delights in our bed.
Floating Bungalows. We agonised over this. We didn’t want FOMO. ‘Elephant Hills Rainforest Camp’ is the one promoted by many expensive travel agents. There were many reasons why we chose not to do this: it is exceptionally expensive, totally organised (we aren’t good at being told what to do and when), and sold out for our dates – even though we were booking the trip 6 months in advance. We looked at many other cheaper options – considering a one-night stay on a floating bungalow on the lake. We thought we might have regrets, but we actually had none – in fact, we were so pleased we didn’t stay in a floating bungalow. During our day at the lake – we spent an afternoon at a floating bungalow resort. It was great fun for a couple of hours – especially as we had a tropical thunderstorm while we were canoeing – but we were so glad not to be staying overnight. The accommodation looked awful inside – you are a captive audience to the small restaurant on site and you are a captive audience. Of course, that’s not to say you wouldn’t like it – but be extra vigilant in what you book.
How long to stay in Khao Sok
We decided to stay for three nights. That was enough to see the ‘sights’ and do the ‘experiences’. If you decide to stay longer and simply relax or wander some of the signed footpaths – it’s a lovely location. However, we had a lot of things we wanted to see and do in southern Thailand and three nights was perfect.
On the first day – we didn’t arrive until 4pm – so by the time we had settled in, chosen what we were doing on the next day, eaten dinner and explored the village – it was time for bed! The bungalows owner, a German man married to a local woman, was exceptionally knowledgeable about the activities on offer and keen for us to sign up for his excursions. We paid for the accommodation in cash on arrival and he wanted cash for the excursions. Remember CASH is KING – partly because everyone gets a little cut, and everyone is related in some way. Our taxi driver dropped her child with the proprietor’s wife to drive us to Krabi! We knew this beforehand and were suitably prepared. There are cashpoints in the village so no worries if you haven’t got enough. We listened to his advice. Then checked out some of the other tour operators in the village who offer the same trips at roughly the same prices. We then booked with him as his knowledge and helpfulness was really reassuring.
What to do in Khao Sok
There are some key attractions that are a ‘must-do’ in Khao Sok.
Must-do one – A guided tour into the National Park
There are several ways to walk in the National Park. There is a set entrance fee of 200 Baht (about £4.50) for adults and 100 for children, irrespective of whether you are on a guided walking tour or not. Check prices online as they may change and rules about entering the park after 4pm (it closes at 6 each day) https://www.thainationalparks.com/khao-sok-national-park . The National park headquarters (think small infrastructure) is at the entrance to the park in Khao Sok village. There are some limited, short walks that you can safely do on your own. However, to best explore, it is better to book a local guide either through your accommodation or one of the village tour operators. Guided walks vary in price. The official website suggests a starting price of around 600 baht (£14) for two people on a half day hike, 1500 baht for a full day hike for two (£34) and 1200 baht (£27) for a night safari 7-9pm after the park closes. You can also camp in the park overnight as part of a tour – this is very basic – a hammock and open fire. You cannot go in the park after 6pm alone. This is because it is not safe to wander unaccompanied. There are wild elephants, bears and all sorts of insects that will leave a nasty bite. The nighttime guided walks are great for those wanting to see lots of nocturnal animals. The hotel/travel agent will probably add other small premiums on top of this – so ask around. The most important element is getting a great guide – who knows their stuff and can communicate in at least some English. Not all guides are created equal! All tours are better organised when you arrive so don’t feel under pressure to do beforehand.
We did a morning tour with a great and knowledgeable local guide called Tuk. His English wasn’t great, but he took us off the beaten track. We walked 3-4 miles in the jungle – swam in a quiet waterfall pond away from the other tourists – found wild monkeys – saw tarantulas, scorpions and snakes, lizards and all sorts of other creatures – drank tea from bamboo mugs he made. It was a great morning – lots to do and learn. There is a waterfall at the end of one of the walks, with toilets and a small hut selling snacks and drinks. Be careful of the monkeys there – they are looking for food. I made the mistake of buying a packet of biscuits which they aggressively swiped from my grasp! Our guide told us that a traveller had had their bag, including passport, transported off into the jungle a few weeks earlier.
Must-do two – Khao Sok Lake (Cheow Lan Lake)
Taxis or shared minivans on day excursions will take you to the lake. You can book these through the hotels or travel agencies in the village. You will not be able to pick up a boat at the lake in high season – so book a tour instead. You will have to pay to enter the National Park –
It takes approximately one hour to travel the 61.7 Km from the village to the lake. However, as with many tours in South-East Asia – on the way – you might stop at some random shops for 20 minutes for a ‘break’ – which in reality means they are getting a ‘back hander’ for taking you there. Accept it as part of the experience.
At the lake you will be asked to pay National Park fees again (300 baht adults and 150 baht children) – in cash of course and then board a longtail boat which will take you out onto the lake. These boats travel many miles on the lake – allowing you to soak in the natural beauty and they usually stop at photographic points. Some will also stop at Phra Kay Petch Cave – a 100 meters long cavern with impressive stalactites and stalagmites. The tour takes you to a floating bungalow area for a buffet lunch. At the bungalows you can take out the canoes – relax on sun loungers or go on an organised walk. It will also reinforce the fact that you didn’t need to remortgage your house in order to stay in a floating bunglow.
Some things to be aware of:
- It’s a very long day – you will get picked up early – around 2.5 hours round trip and a long time on the boat – so you definitely get your money’s worth.
- Take some snacks and water. The food at the bungalows was great – but you don’t get there until 1pm.
- Make sure you have a waterproof bag for the boat – everything gets wet. They sell these at the longboat harbour but there isn’t always time to buy one (see our blog of things to pack for Thailand).
- Pack a raincoat for the afternoon rain and a spare set of dry clothes.
- Wear sensible footwear – the cave is very slippy in places – flipflops won’t cut it!
- Use the toilet at the harbour before boarding – it’s a long boat trip and no facilities on board.
- Be prepared – they often break down – ours did and we were stranded for over an hour before a new one was sent to pick us up.
Other activities on offer in Khao Sok
There are lots of other tourist activities you can do in Khao Sok.
We did a river canoe ride. If we are honest – we didn’t enjoy it. We like to canoe and thought it would be fun. There were 8 of us in four canoes – some local lads paddled us down stream – we saw none of the promised ‘animals’ and it was a little dull. We reflected that we would rather have relaxed that afternoon or gone for another walk in the park.
There is an elephant ‘sanctuary’ in Khao Sok. As we said in our overview to Thailand – be very careful of anything pertaining to be a sanctuary. If you are in any doubt about how baby elephants, stolen from their herd, are trained for the tourist trade you can see the cruelty of ‘elephant crushing’ or ‘training crush’ on the internet. They have two rescued elephants and allow them to roam free in 25 acres of forest. You can’t ride or bathe them.
What to do in the evenings in Khao Sok Village
There are a number of lovely restaurants and bars in the village catering to all tastes and budgets. We ate in our accommodation as the owner’s wife was a great cook and prepared local, organic food. It’s a pretty village, a lovely place to wander after dark, relax and enjoy. The ‘sports bar’ is a strange entity. All outside it has every conceivable sport you can play in a pub – darts, pool tables, basketball, dominoes and if you are really unlucky an evening of karaoke. It’s a sociable and fun place to spend a couple of hours watching the shenanigans and chatting to strangers. Humans in Khao Sok village quickly become quiet as the cacophony of jungle noises take over.
Transfers out of Khao Sok
Minivans rule in Khao Sok as they are small, can navigate the roads and you can squash a surprising amount of people and rucksacks into them, making them a relatively cheap mode of travel. At the top of Khao Sok village is the bus station where you can jump in a minivan to your next destination. You will see countless backpackers dragging themselves and their stuff up the hill out of the village!
You can also organise a private taxi quite easily. Having spent more than enough time in minivans up to this point – we decided to splash some cash – about £70 – on a private taxi to our next stop Krabi. It takes about two hours, depending on whether you choose minivan, taxi or hired car.
We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. 