SherryStay Destination Guide
Khao Sok
Ancient rainforest, an emerald lake, floating bungalows.
About Khao Sok
Khao Sok is what Thailand looked like before the beaches: a sea of limestone karsts wrapped in one of the oldest rainforests on earth. Most travellers split their time in two. In the village of Khlong Sok, riverside jungle lodges put you within reach of dawn treks, night safaris, tubing and the seasonal bloom of the giant Rafflesia flower, with gibbons calling from the canopy. Then comes the showpiece: Cheow Lan Lake, an emerald reservoir studded with sheer karst towers, where you sleep in a simple floating bungalow reachable only by longtail boat with a licensed guide. Days are for kayaking still coves, swimming off the raft deck and spotting hornbills; nights are pure jungle silence. Wild, humid and gloriously low-key, Khao Sok rewards a slow two or three nights. Come for the lake; stay for the oldest forest you will ever walk through.
Split your stay: 1–2 nights in Khao Sok village for jungle treks, then one night in a Cheow Lan Lake raft house — book the lake through a licensed operator, it's the only way in.
Best For
Where to Stay
Khao Sok village (Khlong Sok)
Riverside jungle lodges, trek & kayak base
Cheow Lan Lake
Floating raft houses under limestone karsts
Ban Ta Khun
Gateway to the lake pier
Money-Saving Tips
- 1Travel May–August (short showers, lush scenery, far cheaper).
- 2Book a shared bamboo raft-house package over a private villa — same scenery, a fraction of the price.
Getting Around
- 1Fly into Surat Thani (URT), then ~1.5–2h by minivan (~250 THB) or taxi.
- 2From Phuket allow 3–4h — many add a Phuket night first to beat jet lag.
- 3Cheow Lan Lake raft houses are boat-access only from Ratchaprapha Pier, via a licensed operator.
Most Common Mistake
Trying to do Khao Sok as a day trip, or skipping the lake overnight — the village and the lake are ~1.5h apart and each deserves a night.
2–3 nights
- • Khao Lak (1.5–2h)
- • Krabi / Ao Nang
- • Koh Samui (via Surat Thani)
Khao Sok at a glance
- Khao Sok is in Thailand.
- Sherry suggests 2–3 nights in Khao Sok.
- Khao Sok is reached by flying into Surat Thani (URT), then about 1.5 to 2 hours by minivan or taxi.
- A shared minivan from Surat Thani to Khao Sok costs around 250 THB; coming from Phuket instead, allow 3 to 4 hours.
- The Cheow Lan Lake raft houses at Khao Sok are boat-access only, from Ratchaprapha Pier and through a licensed operator.
Common questions
- How many nights do you need in Khao Sok?
- Two to three. Sherry suggests splitting them: 1 to 2 nights in Khao Sok village for jungle treks, then one night in a Cheow Lan Lake raft house.
- Can you visit Khao Sok as a day trip?
- No, and trying to is the most common mistake here. The village and the lake are about 1.5 hours apart and each deserves a night of its own.
- When is Khao Sok cheapest?
- May to August. The showers are short, the rainforest is at its greenest and prices are far lower than in the December to March peak.
- How do you reach the floating raft houses at Khao Sok?
- Only by boat from Ratchaprapha Pier, booked through a licensed operator. There is no road to them.
Where to stay in Khao Sok
Looking for hotels in Khao Sok? It helps to decide on an area first — our guide to where to stay in Khao Sok sets out which neighbourhoods suit which kind of trip.
Around Jungle the options include Our Jungle Camp - Eco Resort, Khao Sok River & Jungle Resort, Khao Sok Jungle Huts Resort and Khao Sok Jungle Huts.
Around Huts the options include Khaosok Bamboo Huts Resort and Tree Top River Huts.
Around Nung the options include Khao Sok Nung House, Nung House and Nung House.
Elsewhere in the city you will also find Khao Sok Cabana Resort, Khao Sok Palm Garden Resort, Baan Khao Sok Resort, Khaosok Palmview, The royal bamboo lodge, Khao Sok River Lodge Hotel, Khao Sok Green Valley Resort, Khao-Sok Bed and Breakfast, Morning Mist Resort, Baan Rimnam Resort Khao Sok, Bamboo House, The Bliss Khao Sok Boutique Lodge, Khao Sok Residence Resort, Hotel Khao Sok and Hotel Khao Sok & Spa.