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Foreign adults pay 300 Baht in cash to enter the main park headquarters, open daily from 08:00 to 16:30. A separate 300 Baht fee applies at Cheow Lan Lake.
Khao Sok National Park headquarters and the visitor centre open daily from 08:00 to 16:30. Evening entry is restricted to guided night safaris around the headquarters area. Out on Cheow Lan Lake, long-tail boats run exclusively between sunrise and sunset.
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| Day | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Sunday | 08:00–16:30 | Headquarters and visitor centre. Lake boats operate sunrise to sunset. |
Khao Sok stays open year-round, ignoring national and religious holidays. Seasonal weather drives all closures here. Heavy rain between May and November—particularly the September and October downpours—regularly forces rangers to shut down vulnerable trails and flood-prone spots like Nam Talu Cave.
Foreign adults pay 300 Baht to enter Khao Sok, payable in cash only. The park splits its tickets between two distinct zones: the headquarters village and Cheow Lan Lake. You pay separately if visiting both areas, plus a small pier fee when boarding a lake boat.
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| Category | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Adult | 300 Baht | Per zone (headquarters and lake are charged separately); cash only. |
| Foreign Child | 150 Baht | Ages 3-14 or under 140cm at the lake. |
| Thai National (Adult / Child) | 40 Baht / 20 Baht | Cash only. |
| Cheow Lan Lake Pier Fee | ~40 Baht | Required for all boat departures. |
| Coral Cave Entry | ~200 Baht Adult / 100 Baht Child | Separate fee from the main park pass. |
| Licensed Park Guide | ~500 Baht (Half-day) / 1,000 Baht (Full day) | Mandatory for remote trails and Nam Talu Cave. |
No regular free entry days.
Planning your visit to Khao Sok? Find tours with free cancellation and skip-the-line options.
View All ToursDecember through April is the best time to visit Khao Sok. The dry season brings lower humidity and safer trails, plus a chance to see the giant Rafflesia kerrii bloom between December and March. This window also draws the heaviest crowds and highest raft-house prices, so book your floating bungalow well in advance.
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| Period | Crowd Level | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning (06:00–08:00) | Low | Overnight lake visitors can take sunrise long-tail boat tours before the day-trippers arrive, since headquarters trails remain closed until eight. |
| Morning (08:00–11:00) | Moderate | The visitor centre gates open, making this the coolest window for tackling the 8.4-kilometer Sip-et Chan Waterfall hike. |
| Midday (11:00–14:00) | High | Shared minivans from Phuket and Krabi arrive, filling the lake piers and headquarters trails during the hottest part of the day. |
| Late afternoon (14:00–16:30) | Moderate | Public buses from Surat Thani stop departing by two, thinning out the crowds just before the visitor centre closes at half past four. |
| Evening (18:30–21:00) | Low | The main park is closed, but you can book a guided night safari near the village to spot civets and slow lorises. |
Plan for two to three days. A single day is enough for a short jungle walk near the headquarters, but overnighting in a floating raft house on Cheow Lan Lake requires more time.
Your exact schedule depends on your route. Short trails near the visitor centre are quick, while guided treks to Nam Talu Cave or the 8.4-kilometer Sip-et Chan Waterfall take multiple hours.
The park gates and the Cheow Lan Lake pier only accept cash. You'll pay separate 300 Baht entrance fees for foreign adults at both the headquarters and the lake, plus a 40 Baht pier charge. Cards won't work here.
Cheow Lan Lake boat availability gets tight during the December to April high season. Book your long-tail boat and floating raft house through an operator well before you arrive. Relying on walk-up availability at the pier often leaves you stranded.
Khao Sok gets 3,500 mm of rain a year, making sudden downpours common even outside the May to November wet season. Bring a real rain jacket and quick-dry clothing. You'll also need closed-toe shoes with good grip for muddy trails and rocky cave approaches.
December to April brings the driest trails and a chance to see the giant Rafflesia flower bloom, but it also means peak crowds. Visiting between May and early July balances manageable rain with easier raft-house bookings on Cheow Lan Lake. Skip September, which averages 375mm of rain and often closes caves.
Thai culture considers nudity or minimal swimwear offensive. Wear a t-shirt and shorts over your swimsuit when bathing in the Sok River or park waterfalls. Keep soap and shampoo out of the natural water sources.
Foreign visitors pay 300 Baht for adults and 150 Baht for children. You will pay this fee twice if you visit both the park headquarters and Cheow Lan Lake, as they require separate tickets. Bring cash in Thai Baht, because cards are not accepted at the gates.
The visitor centre and headquarters area are open daily from 08:00 to 16:30. Long-tail boats on Cheow Lan Lake run from sunrise to sunset. Evening entry is only allowed around the headquarters for guided night safaris.
You can walk the short nature trails near the headquarters on your own. National park rules require a licensed guide for longer routes, like the Nam Talu Cave trek or multi-hour waterfall hikes. Guides charge around 500 Baht for a half-day and 1,000 Baht for a full day.
Most travelers stay for two or three days. A typical trip splits time between the village for river activities and a floating raft house on Cheow Lan Lake. One day is only enough for a short jungle walk near the headquarters.
December to April brings the driest trails and a chance to see the giant Rafflesia kerrii flower bloom. This is also the busiest period, making lake boats and floating bungalows harder to book. Shoulder months like May or early July offer a good compromise between manageable rain and better availability.
Drones are banned everywhere in the park without prior written permission from the Department of National Parks. Staff rarely issue these permits to tourists. Flying without authorization risks having your equipment confiscated and a fine of up to 100,000 Baht.
Yes, Coral Cave charges its own entry fee of roughly 200 Baht for adults and 100 Baht for children. You will also pay a small pier fee of around 40 Baht when boarding your boat at Cheow Lan Lake. All of these extras must be paid in cash.
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