KhaoSok National Park
Khao Sok National Park is one of Thailand’s most spectacular natural areas, known for its ancient rainforest, dramatic limestone cliffs, dense jungle, and emerald lake. It’s considered one of the oldest rainforests in the world.
Within the park is Thailand’s famous for Cheow Lan Lake, where floating raft houses allow guests to stay right on the lake. Wildlife is abundant — including monkeys, gibbons, hornbills, and reptiles.
We stayed 2 nights at KhaoSok Boutique Camp. This was everyone’s favourite stop on our itinerary. The hotel is comprised of luxury glamping tents offering private bathrooms with running water, 24/7 electricity and air conditioning, and best of all, a beautiful expansive view over the jungle below and mountains in the distance.
We had 3 tents situated beside one another. Each with its own bathroom attached via glass doors. (Apparently it’s important to keep the doors closed as critters and snakes like to get into the moist and warmth of bathrooms.) It is a tent so there is a bit of a grunge factor but they are well appointed.
Not being a camper, I found the nighttime sounds unsettling. Ear plugs were a huge help. We also loaded up on very strong Deet - but maybe because we were coated in the stuff, we didn’t see a single mosquito.
Breakfast served 7-10am is a pre-set menu. Eggs, ham and toast. Fruit plate. Yoghurt with fruit, and pastries. It was so much food and a provided great energy for a day of exploring. Dinner must be ordered by 4pm daily except for beverages. The restaurant does close at 9pm, so worth planning around that if you are a late diner.
We weren’t informed until we arrived at the restaurant for lunch, that the restaurant was not open. It took some prompting for staff to recommend a local lunch option—and more prompting for them to offer transportation. However, the frustration proved worthwhile, as this turned out to be a huge win.
The restaurant was located along the side of the “highway”—somewhere we would never normally stop or even notice. The host was a lovely man who went out of his way to help us, and the food was outstanding.
That said, the hotel failed to mention beforehand that the restaurant only accepts cash, which was inconvenient, though we were ultimately able to sort it out.
Be sure to have a cocktail from the extensive menu on the deck overlooking the jungle to watch the sunset.
A WHIRLWIND OF EXCURSIONS!
On our first night, we participated on an Evening Jungle Trek. While we initially thought this was a small group guided trek through the jungle around our hotel, we were mistaken. This was a walk through a portion of KhaoSok National Park Head Quarters.
We climbed into the back of a pick up truck at the hotel and were taken to KhaoSok National Park Village. Our guide for the walk was awaiting our arrival and we were met with night lights to guide our way.
The start of the park had the same feel as a walk through any established Garden Park (Think Edwards Gardens in Toronto). Initially we were all a bit disappointed. It wasn’t so much of a trek as a hunt for creepy crawlers and wildlife. During our walk we saw scorpions, a tarantula, many crazy spiders, a viper and a python, monkeys and a wild silver cat. While this was not what we anticipated, we still enjoyed it and ultimately felt it was a tour worth taking.
The next morning, we went to the Elephant Care Experience at the Elephant Conservation Park
AMAZING. We were picked up at the hotel and took a 45 minute drive through the winding highway of the expansive national park. We were greeted with tea and a short movie on elephant protection and their history in the world, particularly in Thailand. We changed our shoes, slipping on provided slippers, and prepared a meal for the elephants. A mix of herbs, banana and sugar cane. We were directed to an elephant that was ours for the duration of the visit. We fed her and she loved it.
There was a biography on each elephant. Ours was a working elephant but during the 2004 Tsunami, she helped a young girl escape up a hill by allowing her to climb onto her trunk. After that, she was retired and given to the Conservation. Most were working elephants before they were retired.
We then walked with the elephants to the river where we washed our girl down. She kept spraying us with water which was quite cute - though we tried not to think about what the elephants left behind for us to wade in alongside them! Then to the mud baths. Here the elephants seemed to love to splash mud on themselves - and us! Most of the clothes we wore ended up being thrown out. Wear something that you can part with!
After that we said our goodbyes, we stopped for a great cup of coffee (vs instant freeze dried available at most places) and fruit before going home. Truly unforgettable!
After lunch, we went for a Traditional Bamboo Rafting excursion.
Another ride in the back of a pick up truck 10 minutes down the road where we hoped aboard our our 3 rafts for a peaceful and beautiful ride down the Sok River.
At one point the guides took a break where we were escorted up the river bank to resting area. The guides heated water over an open fire in bamboo shafts to make us coffee, tea or hot chocolate. We drank out of bamboo shafts which we were given to take home. Unfortunately I didn’t dry them out and a few days later realized they were growing mold.
