Khao Sok National Park lies in the Surat Thani province of Southern Thailand. It is covered by dense forests, mountains, towerlike limestone formations, the man made Cheow Lan Lake and perhaps one of the oldest rainforests in the world. If you're traveling in Thailand and are seeking untouched nature and a bit of adventure without the crowds, Khao Sok National Park should be on your itinerary. It is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna including the wild rafflesia flower, tigers, gibbons etc. Many believe this lowland jungle (Thailand's rainiest spot) dates back 160 million years, making it one of the world's oldest rainforests, and it's interspersed by hidden waterfalls and caves.
Khao Sok was established as Thailand's 22nd national park in 1980 by The Royal Forest Department. The park covers 739 km² land area of Amphoe Phanom and Ban Takhun in Surat Thani province and includes the Cheow Lan reservoir dammed by the Ratchaprapha dam.
This magnificent man-made lake covers approximately 185 square kilometres. Emerging from the cool water are limestone karsts, traces of a coral reef system that once stretched from Borneo to China. These dramatic limestone formations, some of which reaching an impressive 960m, are dense with cycad palms that have thrived since the dinosaur-era and host a spectacular array of life. Scattered across the expansive lake, you will notice rows of bungalows reflecting serenely in the water. In your free time, grab a kayak and explore the remote Cheow Lan Lake on your own.
Watch the day melt into the distance and replaced with a fiery sunset. Delight your taste buds at an authentic restaurant as you feast on local Thai dishes using fresh seafood and vegetables. Wash it down with a local beer while being serenaded by the calls of nature. For the same purpose I chose one of the best stays at Cheow Lan - Phutawan Raft House.
The outstanding feature of the floating raft houses of Phutawan Raft is that they have Capsule shaped, wooden rafts giving enough privacy and its glass walls to provide the beautiful view of Cheow Lan Lake. Another good point is the food. Most dishes are based around freshwater fish caught from the lake. It has a beautiful reception area where you can sit amidst nature as well as a cafeteria serving coffee and drinks. The area of the raft house is surrounded by mountains on all four sides. And in the evening, the sun sets over the mountains in front of the raft house.
Just outside my capsule shaped raft house was the deck and from the deck I could jump straight into the Cheow lan lake. It was a magical day with steamy Tom Yum soup, Fried Chicken Noodles, salads and Ice tea for lunch and Pineapple strudel, Chicken curry, sticky rice and shrimp salad and a full fried fish or dinner. In the morning Phutawan organised a private tour of the Cheow Lan Lake and that was the most beautiful and breathtaking part of my trip to Khao Sok. Crystal green colored lake and blue skies as far as I could see along with limestone formations and thick jungles dating back to the dinosaur era, the aroma of forest herbs and flowers filled the air and on a long tail boat here I was in the middle of the newfound haven. The boat trip lasted for about two hours and I just couldn't take my eyes off it.
After checking out from there the last stop of my journey was a homestay at Bansuarphutarn in Ban Ta Khun, which is about 20 kilometres away from Khao Sok. This was a cottage style stay right into the evergreen jungles, next to a large limestone cliff called the Heart Mountain. The guest house is located by the river, at the bottom of the “Hat Mountain”, a stunning a peaceful location and serves amazing breakfast. After reaching here I took a long nap and woke up only for dinner.
Next morning, I rented a cycle and began cycling alongside rubber trees and deep jungle routes when I came across a steel bridge, crossing over the Sok river and a quaint, small coffee shop right at the bridge foothill. As I sat in one of the tables by the side, the Heart Mountain welcomed me with all its beauty and grandeur. It is truly shaped like a heart and in my mind it was a symbol of the warm and friendly Thai hospitality and the awesome memories that I'm taking back with me from this vacation - a heart full of cherished moments.
Just outside my capsule shaped raft house was the deck and from the deck I could jump straight into the Cheow lan lake. It was a magical day with steamy Tom Yum soup, Fried Chicken Noodles, salads and Ice tea for lunch and Pineapple strudel, Chicken curry, sticky rice and shrimp salad and a full fried fish or dinner. In the morning Phutawan organised a private tour of the Cheow Lan Lake and that was the most beautiful and breathtaking part of my trip to Khao Sok. Crystal green colored lake and blue skies as far as I could see along with limestone formations and thick jungles dating back to the dinosaur era, the aroma of forest herbs and flowers filled the air and on a long tail boat here I was in the middle of the newfound haven. The boat trip lasted for about two hours and I just couldn't take my eyes off it.
Next morning, I rented a cycle and began cycling alongside rubber trees and deep jungle routes when I came across a steel bridge, crossing over the Sok river and a quaint, small coffee shop right at the bridge foothill. As I sat in one of the tables by the side, the Heart Mountain welcomed me with all its beauty and grandeur. It is truly shaped like a heart and in my mind it was a symbol of the warm and friendly Thai hospitality and the awesome memories that I'm taking back with me from this vacation - a heart full of cherished moments.
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