Khao Sok National Park: Complete Travel Guide

An emerald lake between limestone towers, ancient jungle where you wake to the sound of gibbons calling at sunrise, and nights spent in a treehouse by the river or a floating bungalow on the water: for us, Khao Sok is one of the most special places in all of Thailand. We stayed in several spots ourselves, both in the jungle and floating on the lake, and did the excursions, so in this guide you will read what it is really like.

Below you will find everything you need to plan your visit: the two faces of the park, the best hotels and excursions, the best time to go and how to get there from Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and the rest of Thailand.

Why Khao Sok?

Most travelers know southern Thailand for its islands, but between the two coasts lies something no island has: a rainforest counted among the oldest in the world, older even than the Amazon. Khao Sok National Park protects a landscape of limestone cliffs, rivers and jungle where wild elephants, gibbons and hornbills still live. And since the construction of the Ratchaprapha Dam, it also includes Cheow Lan Lake: 165 square kilometers of emerald water between hundreds of limestone islands and rock towers, not for nothing called the “Guilin of Thailand”.

For us, Khao Sok is the perfect counterpart to a beach holiday: spend two to three nights in the jungle and on the lake between the islands, and you have a completely different trip. It also sits right on the route between the Gulf coast (Koh Samui) and the Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak).

The Highlights of Khao Sok

• Cheow Lan Lake: The emerald reservoir with its limestone rock towers is the star of the park. By longtail boat you sail past cliffs and drowned treetops to floating raft houses.
• Sleeping on the water: From simple raft houses to luxury floating bungalows and villas: a night on the lake is the highlight of the trip for most visitors.
• The jungle near the village: Around the visitor center, hiking trails follow the Sok River to waterfalls and swimming spots, beneath cliffs that tower above the forest canopy.
• Canoeing on the Sok River: Calmly flowing water, kingfishers, snakes on overhanging branches and macaques along the bank; we saw them all from the canoe.
• Night safari: After sunset the jungle truly comes alive; with a guide and a flashlight you search for tarantulas, sleeping birds and civets.
• The Rafflesia: In the dry season (roughly December through March) the largest flower in the world blooms in Khao Sok, up to 80 centimeters across.

The Two Faces of Khao Sok: Village and Lake

In practice, Khao Sok consists of two areas, more than an hour’s drive apart, and most visitors combine them:

• Khao Sok village (Khlong Sok): The small village at the main entrance of the park, on the Sok River. This is where the jungle lodges and treehouses, the hiking trails, the canoe trips and the restaurants are. It is your base for everything on land.
• Cheow Lan Lake: The reservoir, with the pier at the Ratchaprapha Dam about 65 kilometers from the village. This is where the boat tours depart and where you find the floating accommodation, from basic raft houses to luxury resorts.

Our recommendation from experience: do both. Sleep one or two nights in the jungle near the village and at least one night on the lake; they are two completely different experiences.

Where to Stay in Khao Sok

• Jungle lodges near the village: treehouses and cottages by the river, with the cliffs as a backdrop and the park around the corner.
• Floating hotels on the lake: from simple raft houses (booked through a tour) to floating luxury resorts with their own kayak at the door.

Want to know more? In our complete guide to hotels in Khao Sok we compare both areas and the best places for every budget and travel style.

Excursions in Khao Sok

The classic is the day tour or two-day trip to Cheow Lan Lake, by longtail boat past the limestone towers, with swimming stops, jungle walks and (outside the rainy season) the wade-through Nam Talu Cave. Near the village you can choose from jungle treks to waterfalls, canoeing on the Sok River, a night safari and, in season, the search for the blooming Rafflesia.

Want to know more? Take a look at our complete guide to all excursions in Khao Sok.

Best Time to Visit Khao Sok

You can visit Khao Sok all year round, but the seasons each have their own character. It is driest from December through April: the best period for treks, the Rafflesia bloom and deep blue skies above the lake. From May through November more rain falls (it is a rainforest, after all; even in the dry season a shower can come down): the jungle is then at its greenest and the waterfalls at their most beautiful, but trails are muddy and leeches are active. For safety reasons the Nam Talu Cave is closed every year from 1 June through 30 November.

Good to know: Cheow Lan Lake stays open all year, so a lake tour is possible in the green season too. Also read our guide to the best time to visit Thailand.

How to Get to Khao Sok (from Samui, Krabi, Phuket and More)

Khao Sok is located in Surat Thani province, on Route 401, which connects the Gulf coast with the Andaman coast. That is exactly why it is so easy to fit in: almost every route between the islands and the west coast passes right by it.

• From Koh Samui (and Koh Phangan): Book a combined ferry + minivan ticket: you sail to Donsak on the mainland (1.5 to 2 hours) and then drive on to Khao Sok in 3 to 4 hours. There are several departures a day; with an early boat you will be in the jungle by early afternoon.
• From Phuket, Khao Lak or Krabi: Daily minivans and private transfers run directly; from Khao Lak you are there within an hour and a half. Many travelers therefore slot Khao Sok in between a stay on the Andaman coast and the crossing to Samui.
• To the lake: The Cheow Lan Lake pier is at the Ratchaprapha Dam, about 50 minutes to an hour’s drive from the village. Tours and floating hotels arrange the transfer; if you go independently, you drive there and rent a longtail boat at the pier.

Check our page on flight tickets to Thailand for the best-value options for your international flight.

Frequently Asked Questions about Khao Sok

How many days do you need for Khao Sok?

At least 2 nights, ideally 3: one day for the jungle near the village (a trek or canoeing plus a night safari) and a two-day trip to the lake with a night in a raft house. If you are short on time, you can do the lake as a long day tour.

How much is the national park entrance fee?

300 THB per adult and 150 THB per child (for foreign visitors), valid for 24 hours, payable in cash. At the lake pier a small pier fee of around 40 THB is added on top. Note: if you visit the village and the lake on different days, you pay the entrance fee twice; each zone has its own ticket office.

Is Khao Sok suitable for children?

Yes, surprisingly so: the canoe trip, the lake tour and the shorter walks are perfectly doable with children, and sleeping in a treehouse or floating tent is an adventure in itself for kids. Only the longer treks and the Nam Talu Cave are less suitable for young children.

Do you need to book hotels and excursions in advance?

In high season (December through April) you do: the floating accommodation on the lake has few rooms and fills up early, especially the more luxurious options. The jungle lodges near the village and the day tours are more flexible, but booking ahead pays off there too.

Can you combine Khao Sok with the islands?

That is exactly how we would plan it: Khao Sok lies on the route between the Gulf coast and the Andaman coast. A classic is Koh Samui, then Khao Sok, and then onward to Krabi or Koh Lanta (or the other way around). Also take a look at our guides to Krabi and Koh Samui.