Khao Sok National Park is a block of limestone rainforest in Surat Thani province, and its highlight is Cheow Lan Lake, where you can sleep in a floating raft house among the cliffs. A day trip from Khao Lak or Phuket shows you the lake; a night on the water shows you the mist, the morning wildlife and the silence, and is worth it if you can spare the time.
Foreign adults pay two separate fees as of October 2026: 200 baht for the park and 300 baht for the Cheow Lan Lake area. The park headquarters and the lake are about an hour's drive apart, which surprises many people, so plan them as two places rather than one.
Khao Sok and Cheow Lan Lake in brief
- Province
- Surat Thani (Phanom and Ban Ta Khun districts)
- Park headquarters
- Turn off Route 401 (Surat Thani–Takua Pa) at km 109, then about 1.5 km
- Cheow Lan Lake
- Reservoir of Ratchaprapha Dam, boats from the dam pier in Ban Ta Khun district
- Park fee
- 200 baht foreign adult, 100 baht child (Category 2 park)
- Lake fee
- 300 baht foreign adult, 150 baht child (special zone around Ratchaprapha Dam)
- Driest months
- January to April
- Leeches
- Common on forest trails in the wet months
The park and the lake are two different trips
Most first-time visitors expect one place. In practice Khao Sok has two centers. The headquarters area, near Route 401, is where the forest trails, waterfalls and the village of guesthouses are. Cheow Lan Lake (also called Ratchaprapha Reservoir) lies to the north-east, behind Ratchaprapha Dam, and is reached by a separate road to the dam pier. Our measurement on OpenStreetMap routing gives about 65 km between the two, roughly an hour by car.
The lake was created when the dam closed the Khlong Saeng river. The dam is about 95 m high, and the rising water turned limestone peaks into more than 100 islands, which is why Thai media call it "the Guilin of Thailand". The water is deep and green, and longtail boats take you between the cliffs to raft houses, caves and short forest walks.
If you have one day, the lake is the better choice for most people. If you like hiking, add a night near the headquarters and walk the trails the next morning.
Getting there from Khao Lak, Phuket or Surat Thani
Khao Sok sits roughly halfway across the peninsula between the Andaman coast and the Gulf. Distances below are road distances to the park headquarters from our routing measurement; allow more time for the lake pier.
| From | Distance to HQ | Typical drive | How people usually go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khao Lak (Bang Niang) | About 70 km | About 1 hour | Day tour, taxi, rented car |
| Phuket airport | About 147 km | About 2.5 hours | Tour with hotel pick-up, minivan, private car |
| Surat Thani town | About 122 km | About 2 hours | Bus or minivan on Route 401, taxi |
Route 401 links Surat Thani with Takua Pa on the Andaman side, and buses and minivans on that road pass the park turn-off; tell the driver you want Khao Sok. From the turn-off it is a short walk or ride to the guesthouses. This makes Khao Sok a natural stop between the two coasts, for example between Phuket or Khao Lak and the Gulf islands; see our page on getting to Koh Samui for the onward ferries from Surat Thani. Our guide to minivans in Thailand explains how booking and luggage work.
Reaching the lake on your own is harder, because there is little public transport to the dam. Most independent visitors book the lake through a guesthouse near the headquarters, which arranges the road transfer and the boat.
Day trip or a night on the lake
Staying overnight on Cheow Lan
- Early morning mist and calmer water, before the day boats arrive
- Better chances of hearing gibbons and seeing hornbills
- Time for a cave walk or kayaking without rushing
- The road transfer is spread over two days
A day trip is enough if
- You are short of time or on a tight budget
- You do not want simple rooms, limited power and little phone signal
- You are traveling with small children who need a fixed routine
- You mainly want the view from the boat
A day trip from Khao Lak or Phuket typically combines the drive, a longtail ride across the lake, lunch at a raft house, swimming and sometimes a short walk. It is a long day, especially from Phuket, with five hours or more in a vehicle.
Overnight options are of two kinds. The park itself runs raft houses at several ranger stations on the lake, including Nang Prai, Ton Toei and Krai Son, plus a raft at Khlong Ka; they are booked through the DNP's national park reservation system and the boat transfer is paid separately. Private raft houses range from very basic bamboo huts to comfortable floating bungalows with private bathrooms. Ask in advance about electricity hours, bathrooms and whether meals and the boat are included.
Expect almost no phone signal on Cheow Lan Lake. Thai travel sources report coverage at the park headquarters but only weak or patchy coverage around the dam, and less out on the water. Download maps and tickets before you leave, and tell someone where you are staying. Our article on SIM cards and eSIMs in Thailand covers buying data before the trip.
What there is to do
On the lake, the boat ride itself is the main event. Other common activities are kayaking from the raft houses, swimming, and short guided walks into the forest. Nam Thalu cave, reached by boat and then a walk of about 2 km, has a stream running through it; you wade and sometimes swim inside. Do it only with a guide and never after heavy rain, because water in caves can rise very fast. The UK government specifically warns that lakes, caves and waterfalls are at risk of dangerous flash floods in the rainy season.
Around the headquarters, trails lead to waterfalls such as Sip-et Chan (eleven tiers) and Ton Kloy, about 7 km from the visitor center. Some routes, including the trail to the Khao Khom Dab viewpoint, may only be walked with a local guide. Between about November and April, the park opens guided walks to see Rafflesia (bua phut), one of the world's largest flowers; each bloom lasts only a few days, so sightings are never guaranteed.
Several elephant camps operate near the park. Welfare standards vary widely; read our guide to choosing an elephant venue for the criteria before you book anything involving elephants.
Leeches, rain and the best season
Khao Sok gets rain from both monsoons. A Thai park description puts the wettest period from May to September (southwest monsoon), with more rain from October to December from the northeast monsoon, and a dry season from January to April. Thai Meteorological Department normals for nearby Surat Thani show the same double pattern, with the most rain from September to December.
Rain brings leeches. On forest trails in the wet months they are common, especially on wet leaves along streams. They are unpleasant but rarely dangerous. Wear long trousers tucked into socks, or buy leech socks from a guesthouse; spray repellent on shoes and socks; and check your legs during breaks. If one attaches, let it drop off or slide a fingernail under the mouth end rather than pulling hard, and clean the bite, which can bleed for some time. Our guides to dangerous animals in Thailand and avoiding mosquito bites cover the other creatures of the forest.
Never cross a rising stream on a Khao Sok trail. After a downpour, streams that you waded in the morning can become dangerous within an hour. Turn back, wait, and follow ranger instructions; trails and caves are closed when the park judges them unsafe.
The lake can be visited all year, and many people like it in the rain, with low cloud on the cliffs. The trails are most pleasant from January to April. Check the park's notices before you go: in late September 2026 several other national parks closed sites after floods, and closures can come at short notice. Our overview of traveling in the rainy season has more on what wet weather means in practice.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Khao Sok entrance fee?
As of October 2026, a foreign adult pays 200 baht for Khao Sok National Park and a separate 300 baht for the Cheow Lan Lake area around Ratchaprapha Dam. Children aged 3 to 14 pay half. Tours often include the fees; check before you pay.
Is one day enough for Khao Sok?
One day is enough to see Cheow Lan Lake by boat, usually as a tour from Khao Lak or Phuket. A night in a raft house adds the early morning, when the lake is calm and wildlife is most active, and spreads the long drive over two days. Hikers should allow two nights.
Can you go to Khao Sok without a tour?
Yes. Buses and minivans on Route 401 between Surat Thani and Takua Pa pass the park turn-off at km 109. Guesthouses near the headquarters then arrange the transfer to the lake and the boat, which is the hardest part to do alone.
Are there leeches in Khao Sok?
Yes, mainly on forest trails during and after rain. They are harmless in most cases. Leech socks, long trousers tucked into socks and repellent on your footwear keep most of them off, and the lake trip itself involves little forest walking.
Sources
- Kapook Travel – Khao Sok National Park: sights, raft houses and getting there (checked October 2026)
- Kapook Travel – National park entry fees by park group (citing DNP) (checked October 2026)
- Department of National Parks – Park fee structure from 7 June 2022 (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: safety and security (checked October 2026)
- Thai Meteorological Department – Climate normals 1991–2020 (Surat Thani station) (checked October 2026)
- Department of National Parks – Park site closures after floods, September 2026 (checked October 2026)