Overview
Khao Sok National Parkin Surat Thani Province in Southern Thailand has a lake, Cheow Lan which cover over 20% of its total area, 739 km². It is rain forest that compares favourably in age and diversity with the Amazon.There is a limestone mountain range running north south with the high point at 950 metres. The annual volume of rainfall has resulted in extensive erosion to produce today’s karst formations. It is situated on the Thai mainland close to Krabi and Phuket.
How to get there
This National Park is very accessible with Phuket and Krabi have a certain amount of international flights as well as domestic connections with Bangkok.
The Thai transport infrastructure is fairly good with rail and bus services. Those on Thailand tour packages will have everything arranged for them.
Best time to visit
The mountain range is the main reason for this area being amongst the wettest in Thailand. Monsoon rain comes from both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
The wet season is fairly long; April to December while temperatures vary from a low of 22C to a high approaching 40C. Those wanting a holiday in Thailand will accept that there will be rain around but that does not often deture them especially if they take Indochina tour packages because there is no one dry season to cover the whole of the Region.
Things to see and do
Thailand travel packages often balance historical and cultural things with the chance to enjoy the natural environment. This Park is the latter.
Bamboo is very good at holding topsoil so that river banks and hillsides do not wear away under the pressure caused by the monsoons. The wild fruits are a favourite of many of the animals in the Park. Bananas, durian, jackfruit and mango are common yet it is for a flower that the Park is best known; bua phut. The animals include the fairly elusive tapir, the very elusive tiger, elephant, gaur, sambar, wild boar and a range of monkeys.
It is a great place for trekking with perhaps encounters with some of the fauna? There is also the chance to take a canoe on to the Lake.
Accommodation
There are floating house and tents on the Lake. The tents are best described as ‘’luxury’’ if you want to spend a night within the Park as opposed to visiting for a day.
