Khao Sok National Park Day Trip: Sailing Through Thailand’s Emerald Cheow Lan Lake

Just a hop and skip away from the sandy shores of nearby Phuket, Khao Lak and Krabi is Khao Sok National Park. Surrounded by lush jungles, towering limestone karst mountains and a picturesque jewel-toned lake, visitors travel to Khao Sok to embark on nature excursions, spot wildlife, sail on traditional longtail boats and even sleep under the stars in unique floating hotels.

Though we weren’t lucky enough to spot any wild elephants, sailing through the karst mountains scattered around the emerald-coloured Cheow Lan (or Cheow Larn) Lake was a highlight of our Khao Lak trip. With a young child in tow, staying overnight at one of the floating hotels or ethical elephant jungle camps was not a possibility due to age and safety restrictions – which is why we planned a Khao Lak to Khao Sok National Park day trip!

Read more: The Best Things to Do in Khao Lak in Thailand

While Khao Sok National Park day trip itineraries can vary slightly, they typically include a 60-minute lake cruise on a longtail boat, lunch at one of the floating restaurants where you can swim and/or kayak in the fresh lake water, bamboo rafting at a nearby jungle stream and a visit to the Monkey Temple afterwards. Planning a day trip to Khao Sok National Park? Here is what you need to know!

Where is Khao Sok National Park?

Khao Sok National Park is a large, biodiverse rainforest in the south of Thailand, occupying just under 740 square kilometers. It is located inland, about an hour to 90 minutes by car through winding mountain roads from Khao Lak in Phang Nga Province, 2.5 hours by car from Krabi Town or Ao Nang (and even further from Railay) or just over 2 hours from Phuket International Airport.

Note that if you are staying in southern Phuket (Karon, Kata, Cape Panwa, Patong etc.) this will add on an additional hour to your travel time – this can make for an extremely long day, as you can expect the roundtrip travel time to be upwards of 5-6 hours in a car.

✈️ To get to Khao Sok National Park you can fly into Phuket International Airport (airport code: HKT) or Krabi International Airport (airport code: KBV -which has fewer international options). The best way to get from the airport to the hotel is by pre-booking your private pick-up here or by renting a car via Klook. Depending on where you are staying in Khao Lak, Phuket or Krabi, the drive will take you anywhere from 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Tip: While Grab (similar to Uber) is ubiquitous in Phuket, everything is fairly spread out in Khao Lak and Krabi, so renting a car offers you more flexibility to get around, otherwise your movement will be somewhat limited by hotel shuttles and booking taxis. While Grab is readily available in places like Phuket, Koh Samui and Bangkok, you will find that Grab is not used widely in Khao Lak or Krabi.

Khao Sok National Park day tours

While it is technically possible to self-drive to the Cheow Lan Lake pier and beyond, I highly recommend booking a private tour to save yourself the time and hassle. If you are traveling with children, anyone with reduced mobility, or you’re just short on time and want to focus on enjoying the day rather than the nitty gritty logistics, here is my tried-and-tested Khao Sok National Park private tour recommendation.

We highly recommend booking with Robert from Khaolak Day Trip at +66 80 246 5916. Robert is a former teacher who relocated to Khao Lak after the tsunami to help coordinate the disaster relief efforts, and has since established his own tour company. He speaks perfect English and was always responsive, punctual and is just a lovely guy all around.

The private Khao Lak to Khao Sok day trip costs around 3500 THB per adult, 2500 THB per child including transfers, lunch, soft drinks and insurance and requires a minimum of 4 people to run, or you can do what we did and convert it to a private tour with an additional charge of 1500 THB per person for 2 people. Prices are accurate as of the end of 2025. You can also check out some other Khao Lak trip options here or explore Khao Sok National Park tickets & tours here.

More tips for visiting Khao Sok National Park in Thailand

🛂 Thailand visa requirements: Thailand currently offers visa-free travel to nationals of nearly 100 countries. Visitors from ASEAN or Western countries, including most European, Commonwealth, and North American citizens, are not required to have a Thai visa for visits less than 60 days in Thailand. Starting 1 May 2025, all non-Thai nationals entering Thailand by air, land, or sea must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before arrival. This can be completed within 3 days before arrival.

💱 The currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht. The exchange rate is approximately US$1/Euro to approximately 32-35 Baht or 1 AUD: 22 Baht. There are some ATMs available in Khao Lak town and cash is king if you are booking local tours (such as if you are going on a day trip to Khao Sok National Park or the Similan Islands), so I do recommend withdrawing some Thai Baht when you arrive.

📱 Stay connected and buy a local SIM card at the airport. We purchased a True SIM card which was extremely easy to pick up in the international arrivals halls, just after you exit the baggage claim and customs area. You can purchase your True SIM card ahead of time and pick it up at Phuket International airport. Get your True SIM card here!

🌤️ The best time to visit Khao Sok National Park is typically considered to be during the dry season between approximately November to April. That being said, we visited in July and with the exception of a few rainstorms here and there (as well as one full day which was rained out by a typhoon), we experienced plenty of blissful sunshine.

🇹🇭 The main language spoken in Thailand is Thai: You may experience a slight language barrier in Thailand, but most people working in the hospitality sector will speak English.

🗓️ Wondering how many days to spend in Khao Lak? For a first time visitor I would recommend spending no fewer than 3-4 days in Khao Lak, more if you plan on spending a night staying on the lake in Khao Sok National Park or doing a day trip to the Similan Islands.

🚁Drone usage in Khao Lak National Park: In addition to getting the requisite NBTC and CAAT licenses as well as drone insurance, you will need to visit the national park headquarters with your passport and permits for approval to use your drone in Khao Lak National Park. However, as of 2026 it appears that Khao Sok National Park does not allow any drone usage in the park. Read more on Thailand drone licensing here.

Where to stay for a Khao Sok National Park day trip: You will want to stay in either Khao Lak, Phuket, Krabi or Khao Sok itself. Here are some luxury and boutique hotel options that I have stayed at and loved.

Phuket: For easy access to Khao Sok National Park, you’ll want to stay on the northern end of Phuket near the international airport. For an all-round option, I recommend checking yourself into the Angsana Laguna Phuket on Bang Tao Beach with spacious rooms, a number of excellent on-site restaurants and a beach club with unparalleled sunset views. Click here to check availability and rates at Angsana Laguna Phuket. I also highly recommend the sophisticated Bill Bensley-designed The Slate Phuket (read my full review here). It offers easy access to Nai Yang Beach and offers 3 pools (1 family pool and 2 adults-only pools). Click here to check rates and availability at The Slate Phuket. You can also head on over here to check out some other highly rated accommodation options in Phuket.

Khao Lak: For an all-round and luxury option, we loved our stay at the dreamy Devasom Khao Lak, a tranquil 69-room beachfront boutique property perfect for design or architecture lovers. Read my full Devasom Khao Lak review here or check rates and availability here.

Avani Plus Khao Lak Resort offers a world-class fitness center, multiple restaurant options, climbing wall, water slides, arcade rooms, outdoor playgrounds and so on. The rooms are modern and the grounds are stunning. Check rates and availability at Avani Plus Khao Lak Resort.

For a quieter and more relaxed resort experience consider the beachfront Outrigger Khao Lak next door. The rooms are spacious, very clean and comfortable. The main pool is lovely with plenty of sun loungers as well as massage cabanas (bookings highly recommended). Check out rates and availability at Outrigger Khao Lak or explore other unique accommodation and luxury hotel options in Khao Lak here.

Krabi: For a day trip to Khao Sok National Park, it is probably easiest to base yourself closer in either Tubkaek (or Tupkaek), Krabi Town or Ao Nang, rather than Railay or Tonsai which are only accessible by boat. Click here to check out highly-rated hotels and guesthouses in Krabi Province here.

Stay within Khao Sok National Park: If you prefer staying overnight in Khao Sok National Park, Panvaree, Elephant Hills, 500Rai and 360° Issara are all highly-rated accommodation options within the park. Click here to check rates and accommodation options in Khao Sok National Park!

Khao Sok National Park Day Trip Itinerary

Day trips to Khao Sok National Park generally last somewhere between 9-11 hours including travel time. We stayed in Khao Lak and were picked up at around 7:30 AM in the morning. The drive from Khao Lak to Khao Sok National Park took just under 90 minutes.

We drove to the Cheow Lan Lake pier and hopped aboard a private longtail boat. It was a magical experience sailing through the towering karts on the emerald lake, trying to spot an elusive elephant on the banks of the lake. Don’t miss the Three Brothers (also known as Khao Sam Kler or the Three Friends), a cluster of three limestone karsts that rise straight out of the lake. The longtail boat journey lasts about 45 minutes to an hour.

Next, we cruised to our lunch location – the floating restaurant and bungalows at Phutawan Raft House. Lunch was plentiful and delicious, and the best part was that right after lunch we were able to hop straight into the cooling lake water. The best thing about going on a private Khao Sok National Park day trip is that the itinerary is flexible, so we were able to stay a little longer and swim rather than have to rush off someplace else.

When we were all kayak’ed out, we made our way back to the van and headed back towards Khao Lak. On the way back, I made a quick pit stop at the famous Monkey Temple or Wat Tham Phanthurat where you can visit the resident monkeys that live on-site and step inside the peaceful temple, as well as the Ratchaprapha Dam Scenic Viewpoint.

There is also an option to go bamboo rafting in the jungle if you have time and energy, but we opted to head back to the dreamy Devasom Khao Lak to spend some time at the pool with some sunset drinks.

Final thoughts: Is it worth doing a Khao Sok National Park day trip?

In an ideal world, I would probably have liked to spend at least a night glamping in Khao Sok National Park and trekking through the jungle trying to spot wild elephants in their natural habitat. With the limited time we had and a young child in tow, the Khao Sok National Park day trip was a perfect taster of what the park had to offer – incredible landscapes, a longtail boat cruise that offers mindblowing views, and a chance to swim in one of the most iconic places in Thailand.

We would love to return and hope to see more of the park, it is a dream of mine to spot a wild elephant in the jungle in Khao Sok! If you are planning a day trip to Khao Sok National Park, I would highly recommend that you get in touch with Robert via Whatsapp at +66 80 246 5916 to book a private tour – the guidance, fuss-free logistics and flexibility made our trip easy and incredibly enjoyable. You can also check out some other Khao Lak trip options here or explore Khao Sok National Park tickets & tours here.

Ready to book a Khao Sok National Park day trip? You will want to stay in either Khao Lak, Phuket, Krabi or Khao Sok itself. Here are some luxury and boutique hotel options that I have stayed at and loved.

Phuket: For easy access to Khao Sok National Park, you’ll want to stay on the northern end of Phuket near the international airport. For an all-round option, I recommend checking yourself into the Angsana Laguna Phuket on Bang Tao Beach with spacious rooms, a number of excellent on-site restaurants and a beach club with unparalleled sunset views. Click here to check availability and rates at Angsana Laguna Phuket. I also highly recommend the sophisticated Bill Bensley-designed The Slate Phuket (read my full review here). It offers easy access to Nai Yang Beach and offers 3 pools (1 family pool and 2 adults-only pools). Click here to check rates and availability at The Slate Phuket. You can also head on over here to check out some other highly rated accommodation options in Phuket.

Khao Lak: For an all-round and luxury option, we loved our stay at the dreamy Devasom Khao Lak, a tranquil 69-room beachfront boutique property perfect for design or architecture lovers. Read my full Devasom Khao Lak review here or check rates and availability here.

Avani Plus Khao Lak Resort offers a world-class fitness center, multiple restaurant options, climbing wall, water slides, arcade rooms, outdoor playgrounds and so on. The rooms are modern and the grounds are stunning. Check rates and availability at Avani Plus Khao Lak Resort.

For a quieter and more relaxed resort experience consider the beachfront Outrigger Khao Lak next door. The rooms are spacious, very clean and comfortable. The main pool is lovely with plenty of sun loungers as well as massage cabanas (bookings highly recommended). Check out rates and availability at Outrigger Khao Lak or explore other unique accommodation and luxury hotel options in Khao Lak here.

Krabi: For a day trip to Khao Sok National Park, it is probably easiest to base yourself closer in either Tubkaek (or Tupkaek), Krabi Town or Ao Nang, rather than Railay or Tonsai which are only accessible by boat. Click here to check out highly-rated hotels and guesthouses in Krabi Province here.

Stay within Khao Sok National Park: If you prefer staying overnight in Khao Sok National Park, Panvaree, Elephant Hills, 500Rai and 360° Issara are all highly-rated accommodation options within the park. Click here to check rates and accommodation options in Khao Sok National Park!

Looking to get off the beaten path? I hope this Khao Sok day trip guide is helpful when you do your Thailand travel planning!

You might also enjoy these reads:

• Looking for a quieter alternative to Phuket? You might also considering exploring Khao Lak
• Need some trip inspiration? Check out my easy 10 day Thailand itinerary for first time visitors
• If you are spending some time in Bangkok here is my guide to making the most of your limited time in the capital
• Click here for even more Thailand travel guides and tips or head on over here for my top Southeast Asia travel tips

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