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Spend the night on Cheow Lan Lake with these Khao Sok floating bungalows tours. Both 48-hour itineraries include a local guide, bottled water, and traditional southern Thai meals.
Two days of boat safaris and jungle trekking with an overnight stay in a floating raft house on Khao Sok Lake.
Sleep in a floating bungalow and trek the world's oldest jungle with all-inclusive southern Thai meals.
Read what travelers share about their experience visiting Khao Sok — from practical tips to personal highlights.
Sleep on a 165-square-kilometer reservoir surrounded by limestone karst towers reaching 900 meters high. Cheow Lan Lake floating bungalows require a long-tail boat transfer from the Ratchaprapha Dam. The standard trip lasts two days and mixes water safaris with muddy jungle trekking.
The ride takes one to two hours, gliding past vertical limestone cliffs to reach the raft houses. Kri Sorn viewpoint is the main photo stop along the way.
You sleep directly on the water in bamboo or superior bungalows. Walls are thin, and neighbors are close.
Wade through an underground river in the dark. You need a headlamp, a waterproof bag, and rented grip shoes for the slippery mud.
Tours include breakfast, lunch, and dinner cooked at the raft house. Fish from the lake often features on the menu.
Look for hornbills, gibbons, and wild macaques from the boat. Keep food secured, as macaques will grab loose snacks.
Booking a floating bungalow means accepting basic amenities in exchange for immediate lake access. Most operators sell packaged 48-hour tours that handle the boat logistics, meals, and guided hikes.
Bamboo bungalows are the budget option at roughly $119. Superior units cost closer to $175 but often share walls or floors with neighbors unless you book a group of four.
Tours rarely cover the 300 Baht foreign adult entrance fee and 40 Baht pier fee. You pay these in cash at the Ratchaprapha Dam before boarding.
Long-tail boats have limited space. Operators restrict passengers to one suitcase and one carry-on bag, so leave excess luggage at a hotel in Khao Sok village.
Budget bamboo tours usually offer full refunds with six days' notice. Superior bungalow tours often enforce strict no-refund policies.
Reserve months ahead for the December to April dry season. Boat availability drops sharply during these peak months.
Expect moderate physical exertion. Cave treks involve wading through chest-deep water and navigating slippery rocks.
September brings 375mm of rain and flash flood risks. Guides will cancel the Nam Talu Cave trek if water levels rise.
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| Bamboo Bungalow Package | Superior Bungalow Package | Private Group Bungalow | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$119 | ~$175 | ~$175 per person (min 4) |
| Accommodation | Basic bamboo raft house | Shared superior unit | Private superior unit |
| Cancellation Policy | Full refund at 6 days | No refunds (all sales final) | No refunds |
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The national park visitor center and headquarters area operate daily from 08:00 to 16:30, year-round. Long-tail boats on Cheow Lan Lake are restricted to daylight hours, running from sunrise to sunset.
Evening entry to the park is only permitted for guided night safaris around the headquarters area. Night safaris are not allowed on Cheow Lan Lake.
Surat Thani Airport is the closest aviation hub, located about an hour from the Cheow Lan Lake pier. Pre-booked private taxis cost roughly 1,600 Baht for this route.
From Krabi or Ao Nang, shared minivans take 3.5 hours and cost 450 Baht per person. Public buses from Phuket take five to six hours, costing 140 to 180 Baht, and drop passengers at Khlong Sok village on Highway 401.
Overnight trains from Bangkok arrive at Surat Thani's Phun Pin station between 06:00 and 08:00. From there, hourly public buses run toward Khao Sok for 80 to 120 Baht.
December to April is the dry season. Trails are firmer, humidity is lower, and the giant Rafflesia flower blooms from December to March. This is the busiest period, requiring advance boat bookings.
May through early July and September through early November are shoulder seasons. You get manageable rain, fewer crowds, and better boat availability.
Skip September and October if you want dry hikes. September averages 375mm of rain, bringing flash flood risks that force guides to close Nam Talu Cave and longer trails.
Khao Sok is largely inaccessible for wheelchair users. Trails are unpaved, covered in roots, and muddy. Cheow Lan Lake requires boarding a long-tail boat with no ramps.
Elderly visitors can manage the short, flat boardwalks near the visitor center and the boat rides on the lake. Longer hikes to Sip-et Chan Waterfall cover 8.4 kilometers of uneven terrain and are strenuous.
Families with young children should stick to river canoeing and short nature trails. Multi-hour cave treks involve deep mud and water crossings, suiting older teenagers better.
Floating raft houses provide meals, typically traditional southern Thai dishes featuring lake fish. Basic bamboo units rely on fans and natural breezes, while superior units may run generators for evening electricity.
Bring cash. The national park gates and the Cheow Lan Lake pier do not accept cards, and there are no ATMs on the lake.
Cell service drops out completely on most parts of Cheow Lan Lake. Treat the 48-hour tour as a digital detox.
Foreign adults pay a 300 Baht entrance fee at the Cheow Lan Lake pier, plus a 40 Baht dock fee. Children pay 150 Baht. These fees are collected in cash.
Foreign adults pay 300 Baht and children pay 150 Baht at the Cheow Lan Lake pier. You also pay a 40 Baht pier fee. Bring cash, as cards are not accepted.
Usually not. The $119 to $175 tour prices cover the boat transfer, meals, and accommodation, but you pay the park fee directly at the pier before boarding.
No. Operators limit passengers to one suitcase and one carry-on bag due to space constraints on the long-tail boats. Leave excess bags at a hotel in Khao Sok village.
Tours run in the rain. Khao Sok receives 3,500mm of rain annually. Guides will cancel specific activities like the Nam Talu Cave trek if flash flood risks exist.
Basic bamboo units use fans and the natural lake breeze. Superior units sometimes have air conditioning, but it only runs during evening generator hours.
Yes. Tour operators require your physical passport on the day of travel to register you with the national park authorities at the dam.
You will not find leeches on the raft houses or in the lake. They are common on the jungle trekking portions of the tour, especially during the wet season.
No. Drones require written permission from the national park department, which is rarely granted. Flying without it risks a 100,000 Baht fine.
It suits older teenagers. The trek involves wading through an underground river in the dark and navigating slippery mud, requiring moderate physical fitness.
Book three months ahead for trips between December and April. Boat availability is the main bottleneck for lake tours during the dry season.
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This two-day trip is the lowest-priced option for staying overnight in the floating raft houses of Khao Sok Lake. You'll start at the Ta Kuhn office and transfer to Rajaprabha Dam to board a longtail boat. After lunch at the raft house, your guide leads a trek through the jungle. Depending on the month, you'll hike to a cave, a limestone viewpoint, or a waterfall. If it’s the rainy season, trails get slick and leeches are common. There's an optional boat safari before a dinner of traditional Thai food. The second day begins at dawn with a wildlife-spotting boat safari to look for macaques and hornbills in the mist. You'll return for breakfast and then have several hours to swim or take a canoe out into the water. After a final lunch, the boat follows a scenic route back to the pier, arriving at the office in the early afternoon. It's a social trip. You'll be sharing the boat and the dining table with other travelers.
If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.<br>If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
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You sleep on the water in a superior floating bungalow. Traditional southern Thai meals are included for every guest. These units are shared, so you'll likely have neighbors staying directly above or below you. Book as a group of four to get a private bungalow. A lake safari through the world's oldest jungle is the main event. You can kayak from your deck or hike the local rainforest trails. The water is deep and warm. It's a long boat ride from the pier — bring a dry bag for your gear because the spray is constant.
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
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