Are you thinking of visiting Khao Sok in Southern Thailand? Khao Sok is a popular destination for travellers looking for stunning scenery and exciting adventures. The main attraction is the vast Cheow Lan Lake set in the Khao Sok national park. This is a 3600 square kilometre playground and one of the world’s oldest ecosystems. Favourite activities include hiking in the pristine jungle and trips across the 165 square kilometre lake. You can even stay overnight in floating bungalows. The area is basically divided into two areas. The main headquarters of the park are just next to the village of Khao Sok. The lake is some 65kms away and all lake trips start from the Rajaprabha Dam that created it.
Here are some top tips to help you get the most from your Khao Sok adventure.
Khao Sok accommodation – Where to stay?
Nearly all the available accommodation is in or around the village right next to the park headquarters. The good news – there’s something for everyone.
Khao Sok village
The village spreads along the banks of the Sok River. You can bath in it, take a rubber tube ride down it or enjoy a gentle canoe trip through the overhanging jungle. You will find a variety of resorts both directly in the village and further along the river.
Right at the centre of the village you will find Riverfront Resort. Here you will enjoy luxurious air-conditioned bungalows set in beautiful gardens. At the entrance is the Rafflesia Restaurant serving a variety of local and international dishes and drinks. It sits right on the river, a perfect place to relax and watch the world go by.
If you are looking for somewhere with a different atmosphere try Coco Hostel. This is a little gem offering very smart dorm type rooms. It has a great restaurant / bar and is meticulously clean and safe.
Outside the village
If you want an extraordinary jungle experience you should check out Riverside Cottages. This is a collection of individual bungalows set deep in the jungle. Relax to the gentle murmur of the wind in the trees, the birds singing and the bubbling river running alongside. It has a fine restaurant and bar serving a mix of Thai and international dishes and snacks.
Our Jungle Camp is a bit nearer the village and offers a variety of bamboo bungalows, tree houses and adobe earth huts.
Staying on the lake
For many visitors a night or 2 staying in floating bungalows out on the lake is an experience not to be missed. The accommodation is a bit basic but you will be surprised to find internet connections as well as great food and drinks. There is nothing like waking to the gentle lapping of the waves and stepping straight out to a refreshing swim in the clear cool water.
Wherever you stay you will want to make the most of the activities available. And you will be surprised at the variety.
Activities near the village
As we have seen it is fun to swim in, tube down and canoe along the Sok River. However there are so many other adventures to be had. Visit an elephant retirement home. Learn so much more about these amazing creatures than you would by visiting the usual Thai elephant camps. No shows or tricks here. Just up close feeding and interacting with them. Take a bathe with them. What a lot of fun for all ages.
Some resorts will be able to guide you to other less well known activities. Learn jungle cooking. The same way people have cooked in this area for hundreds of years. Also a great way to learn about the plants, herbs and spices that are harvested right on your doorstep and used in the dishes. Of course you get to enjoy the meals that you help to prepare. Delicious.
Other local activities include batik making, and visits to the hot springs. You can even go and visit a local family in the village. It is so rewarding to learn a little about the people that you would normally just pass by.
To enjoy the park you can choose from a variety of Khao Sok national park tours.
Activities in the national park
Cheow Lan Lake trips
As we have already seen you can enjoy fantastic boat trips on the vast Cheow Lan lake. You can take a short ride to a floating restaurant and a relaxing swim, or longer trips to more distant bungalows. It is hard to describe the incredible scenery. Sheer limestone cliffs rise straight up from the clear emerald green water. Enchanting little islands with little beaches. Intriguing inlets and caves. A journey on the lake is an assault on the senses and both exhilarating and somehow relaxing at the same time.
Other Khao Sok national park activities include hikes into the jungle.
All about you is a dense covering of trees. They form forests and jungles that are home to an incredible variety of plants and animals. To make the most of them you can take guided hikes into them.
Khao Sok Trekking
In fact there are plenty of treks you can take right near the village. How about a night safari? Many of the jungle animals are active in the night. With torches and a knowledgeable local guide you will be amazed at what you will see.
However, to really get acquainted with the jungle you can take half day and full day treks. For the more adventurous you can trek with an experienced guide to unspoiled lands hardly visited by humans.
So what are our top tips? Simple really. Add Khao Sok to your bucket list. Choose the type of accommodation that best suits you. Take a trip on the lake and through the jungle and let your imagination lead you to even more incredible adventures.
The post Khao Sok top tips before you go appeared first on David's Been Here.
from David's Been Here https://davidsbeenhere.com/2020/03/08/khao-sok-top-tips-before-you-go/
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