Visiting Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
Located in Surat Thani Province, just north of popular Phang-Nga, Phuket and Krabi, Khao Sok National Park is a hidden gem that remains relatively unexplored in comparison to Thailand’s other hot spots.
Khao Sok should be on every outdoor lover's bucket list, offering the opportunity for jungle treks in the oldest green rainforest in the world, exotic wildlife encounters, cave explorations and tours on the picturesque Cheow Larn Lake, notable for its towering limestone cliffs.
For those who are looking to explore Thailand’s native flora and fauna, this is a great base. The National Park is home to 48 mammal species, 311 species of birds, more than 30 species of bats, countless reptiles, and has approximately 200 different floral species found per hectare (in comparison to Europe or North America’s 10 species per hectare). This park is also home to the impressive Rafflesia, an endangered flower which is known for being the largest in the world. These flowers are the symbols of not only the NP, but for all of Surat Thani Province.
We spent six awesome days out in Khao Sok last month, based in the National Park HQ, and so we’ve put together a mini guide on all the things you should look out for to come for a visit, whether long or short.
How to Get Here
There are two ways to get to Khao Sok, via Phuket/ Khao Lak (via Takua Pa) from the west and via Surat Thani from the east.
From the east, buses run from Surat Thani daily, and it’s easy to hop on one and make the 2-3 hour journey inland. We opted for this route, having just come north from Krabi, and used Phantip, a bus operator in Southern Thailand. Surat Thani is quite a large transit hub that connects the north to the south and is the base for connecting to the popular islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngan.
From the west, buses also run via Takua Pa, which could be a good option if you’re looking to visit Khao Sok from the western coast, either via Khao Lak, the Similians or Phuket.
The nearest airports to Khao Sok are Phuket International, Krabi International and Surat Thani International.
Where to Stay
There are two main locations that you can book to stay in Khao Sok.
One is the base for the National Park, sometimes referred to as National Park HQ, where you can gain access to the jungle treks and waterfalls on foot. There is a small village located at the base of the park and it has all of the amenities you need to enjoy your stay, including restaurants, bars and small shops.
The other place to stay is near, or on, Cheow Larn Lake, which is actually 60km to the east of the National Park HQ, a fact which is sometimes misconstrued to visitors. Here, you have the option to book near the Cheow Lan Lake Pier (Ratchaprapha Pier), or book a tour to stay in one of the picturesque floating huts you may see when you first look up Khao Sok.
To stay at one of the floating overnight accommodations, you will be required to book it via a tour company, of which there are plenty, usually in the form of 2 day/ 1 night or 3 day/ 2 night tours. These tours are usually comprehensive of not just your accommodation, but of your meals, getting there via longtail boat, and also usually offer other activities accessible from the lake such as exploring caves, jungle trekking and water sports.
Our Advice on Where to Stay…
If you’re looking for a short stay, either a couple of days or for a long weekend, definitely opt for a tour and stay at one of the accommodations on the lake. Avoid staying at one of the pier accommodations unless you’re just wanting to do a one day tour. There’s not a massive amount to do in the area immediately surrounding the pier, and you don’t actually get to see any of the floating huts or limestone cliffs from that vantage point, the likes of which can only be accessed by boat.
If you’re looking for a longer stay, try to get a few nights in at the National Park HQ in addition to the Cheow Lan Lake accommodation, especially if you’re an avid hiker or want to have some wildlife encounters. We stayed at the Khao Sok River&Jungle resort, and although we don’t normally recommend such specific accommodations, we couldn’t fault this family run business and wanted to share.
When to Visit
Try to visit in the dry season (from January to March) if you can, the heaviest rainfall can be expected between May and October. Although we heard wildlife is more likely to be spotted during the wet season, you may find yourself confined to your accomodation in the case of relentless rain, which could mean missing out on exploring the park.
The average temperatures range between 22 and 36°C year round.
Some Things to Expect
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The National Park requires a 300 thb per person fee for every time you enter, whether that’s at the lake before your tour, or at HQ before heading for a hike.
This is for every entry, so when you do choose to head into the park, make the most of your day so you avoid paying multiple times. As like many locations in Thailand, they only accept cash. -
When you’re heading into the National Park, you’ll be asked to show your passport and Thai Pass. Have these ready to show to the park rangers, and our advice is to bring along a small waterproof bag for these items, in the case that you can’t return to your accommodation to drop them back off.
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Depending on what you’re wanting to do, there are many tours you can choose from, including; jungle treks, overnight guided treks, tours to see the elusive Rafflesia, tour packages for Cheow Lan Lake, cave tours, river tubing, water spots, etc. Our advice is to speak to the reception of your accommodation. Most offer tours direct or can recommend the best tour operators locally. Don’t be afraid to negotiate a price with them if you’re on a budget.
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You’ll notice quite a lot of wildlife activity around the National Park, including reptiles, birds and various animals such as wild dogs and monkeys.
We had a small family of monkeys that were prone to paying us a visit every evening, and learned not to leave anything out on our balcony. We believe these were a species of macaque, after asking one of the locals, although Langurs are popular in the area as well.As with many places in Thailand, Khao Sok does offer elephant encounter experiences, although we avoided these. Navigating ethical elephant encounters, especially those who hold the animals in captivity, are quite tricky.
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We’re currently writing about how to access the hikes from HQ and what to expect, so watch this space if you’re wanting more info. Briefly, you may hear that you’ll require a guide after a certain point on the waterfall hikes (this is true!), and we’ll be writing more about when you’ll need a guide and how to book one.
Khao Sok was one of the highlights of our time in Thailand thus far, and it comes highly recommended if you’re wanting a break from the city or beach scene to take in the wild.
Happy Trekking,
Sam + Steve
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