Khao Sok: A Southern Thailand Nature Adventure
Back-to-nature adventures are popular with all types of travellers, but for older travellers they can be challenging to experience if locations are hard to reach or involve a lot of trekking. This may limit where older travellers can go, unless they’ve maintained a high level of physical fitness.
Southern Thailand, however, offers a unique nature experience destination in the form of a 5,000 square kilometre forest complex - an area just smaller than the Indonesian island of Bali. Khao Sok is the location of this massive ecological zone and contains the country’s most extensive virgin forests and the remnants of a rainforest older and more diverse than the Amazon.
This ancient green zone is now divided and administered as two adjoining national parks, three neighbouring wildlife sanctuaries, and two more protected areas. They are easy to reach and don’t require an exceptional level of physical fitness to enjoy.
Formed during the same tectonic shift that created the Himalayan mountains, the region’s giant limestone mountains point straight up in the air, with the tallest reaching nearly 1,000 metres.
Wherever you look, multiple shades of green compete, be it the nuanced verdant tones of the native rainforest clinging to the sheer mountains, or the orderly lines and colour blocks of the palm oil and rubber plantations covering the lower slopes. And as if to ensure there is no exposed land whatsoever, the highway verges are taken up by innumerable banana plants.
Khao Sok National Park
Within this forest complex, Khao Sok National Park is the ‘star attraction’, and easiest to access. Established in 1980 as Thailand’s 22nd national park and covering 739 square kilometres, it contains thick native rainforest, waterfalls, majestic limestone cliffs, hidden caves, and the awe-inspiring Cheow Lan Lake.
It could be said that the Park owes its existence, in part at least, to communist insurgents who established a base within the Khao Sok region in the 1970s. Not only did these armed rebels keep the Thai Army at bay, they also kept away loggers, miners and hunters looking to cash in, legally or otherwise, on the region’s natural resources – and consequently preserved the area’s natural wilderness.
Within the park, and 65 km apart, are the two key locations, making Khao Sok a two-in-one destination. The park headquarters and the central traveller hub in Khao Sok village to the west, and Ratchaprapha Dam and Pier on Cheow Lan Lake in the east.
Khao Sok’s rainforest is partly tropical evergreen forest and partly tropical rainforest. Flora and fauna abound, with 112 mammal species, the largest being Asian elephants, 400+ different species of birds, more than 38 species of bats and countless reptiles and insects. The animal kingdom in Khao Sok is more than diverse. As an example of its extraordinary biodiversity, the park boasts approximately 200 different flora species per hectare where average forests in Europe or North America only have about 10 tree species per hectare.
Cheow Lan Lake
At the eastern end of the park is the stunning Cheow Lan Lake, which is also called Khao Sok Lake. Created in 1982 with the construction of Ratchaprapha Dam and the subsequent damming of the Pasaeng River, this hydroelectric project now supplies power to large parts of southern Thailand and into Malaysia.
At 165 square kilometres, this vast lake has over one hundred limestone karsts jutting up from the calm water, remnants of what were once mountain peaks. Their presence are an essential element of the lake’s dramatic and breathtaking scenery, which has been compared to the much-visited Halong Bay in Vietnam. Similarly majestic, but Khao Sok does not experience the multitude of tourist boats Halong Bay is now known for.
The lake has six tributaries or khlongs: Khlong Long, Khlong Ka, Khlong Pey, Khlong Yee, Khlong Saeng and Khlong Mon. Khlong in Thai means river or canal, and the furthest khlong from the access point at Cheow Lan Lake pier and the Ratchaprapha Dam wall is a 27 km boat ride.
Given its size, no matter where you choose to go on the lake, the dominant sensation is more likely to be one of self-imposed isolation or immersion in splendid nature. A feeling of privilege to be there and experiencing the natural grandeur of the location, free of crowds (big or small) around you.
Visitors can hire a local long-tail boat (up to 10 passengers) from the pier for a round trip to various spots in the lake, and if your time is limited, this is a good option. Though in the view of many visitors, staying overnight (or two) in one of the 17 raft house lodgings spread across the khlongs is recommended. This allows you more time to fully absorb the lake’s natural grandeur, ever-changing vista, atmospheric moods, and the sights and sounds of its native inhabitants.
Most raft houses offer packages that include transfer from Khao Sok village, transport on the lake, meals, accommodation, guided walks, plus early morning and late afternoon wildlife spotting excursions. Typically, the raft houses also provide kayaks for your independent exploration. Or simply dive into the crystal-clear waters for a swim.
Cheow Lan Lake has many caves with only five accessible by walking trails and only when accompanied by a guide. Pakarang Cave on the banks of Khlong Long, is one of the more popular. Coral fossils have been found in this cave, and it has the added distinction of being one of the communist insurgent bases in the past. Some of the caves are only accessible during the drier months of December to May due to the potential of flash flooding from unexpected downpours.
During our stay on the lake, we watched and listened to several families of gibbons whooping out their morning wake-up calls from lakeside treetops. Adding to the gibbon concert were the honks of Great Hornbills which often begin or end in bizarre, prehistoric growls as they land. Other birds included Pied Hornbills, White-Bellied Sea Eagles, Lapwings, Osprey, Blue-Eared Kingfisher, and Greater Coucal. A family of wild boar came to drink at the water’s edge near our raft house one early morning, and according to our guide, you might experience dusky langurs, crab-eating macaques, butterflies and monitor lizards while hiking.
Park Headquarters & Khao Sok Village
At the western end of the park is Khao Sok Village, sitting on the Sok River, and home to the National Park Headquarters. It is also the access point for several walking trails. The town has an abundance of guesthouses and small hotels, along with cafes, restaurants, and booking offices for all your park trekking, or lake expedition needs.
From the park’s visitor centre, two unguided walks are available. The most popular Bang Hau Rad trail, loosely follows the Khao Sok river upstream passing cascades, swimming holes, and rapids. The journey takes you through ancient bamboo thickets, where if quiet and attentive, you may encounter family groups of dusky langurs playing. Trek early morning or late afternoon and an abundance of bird song can be heard. A guide is needed to continue past the 4 km mark of this trail to Ton Kloi Waterfall, at 7 km from the park headquarters.
The Sam Yang Roi trail, a 4 km circuit, begins beyond the park campground and leads to panoramic views atop a long set of old concrete stairs high up in the old-growth forest. The trail turns back and emerges behind the park headquarters. If accompanied by a guide, hikers can continue a further two kilometres on this trail arriving at the base of Sip Et Chan Waterfall. It’s name means “11 tier waterfall.”
From January to March, visitors can hike into the mountains to see one of the world’s largest (and smelliest) flowers, the increasingly rare Rafflesia kerrii, which, in Thailand, grows only in Khao Sok. The Rafflesia is only accessible with an approved guide and entails 2-3 hours of hiking on sometimes slippery and uneven track, so this is one hike for which a reasonable level of fitness and agility is required.
Once you tire of flora and fauna spotting, you can check out the bamboo rafting, kayaking, and other activities available around Khao Sok village.
When to visit
Khao Sok is the largest watershed in southern Thailand, due in part to the mountain range that runs through it and the influence of both the northeast (Pacific Ocean) and southwest (Indian Ocean) monsoons. At 3,500 mm per year, Khao Sok has the highest level of rainfall in Thailand. The wet season lasts from May to November, while the dry season is December to April. September is the wettest month, averaging 375 mm, while February is the driest with a 30 mm average.
We would recommend a minimum of three nights if planning a visit to both of the national park’s ‘attractions’. Ideally, one or two nights in Khao Sok village for exploring the western end of the park, combined with one or two nights in a raft house on the lake. Bring your binoculars, camera, sturdy walking shoes, and a rain jacket. The cave walk we did at the lake had us crossing a small creek through water up to our thighs or knees several times. The track was sometimes uneven or ill-defined so a pair of walking/trekking sticks may be helpful for those wanting some extra stability.
Getting there
From Surat Thani, with its airport, train and bus stations, there is a regular air-conditioned bus service. Cheow Lan Lake is only 66 km from Surat Thani, with a further 65 km on to reach Khao Sok village.
Coming from the west coast, the thriving beach holiday hub of Khao Lak is 66 km from Khao Sok Village. Phuket, with its international airport and regional bus station, is 150 km south of Khao Sok. There is a day-time hourly bus service from Phuket to Khao Sok, which also picks up at Khao Lak on the way.
Thanks to these regular bus services from the main neighbouring holiday hot spots, accessing the Khao Sok National Park is very easy.
For more information on the park visit https://www.thainationalparks.com/khao-sok-national-park
Header image: © Fokke Baarssen
