Lake Chiew Lan in Khao Sok National Park

Hi, I’m heading to Thailand (first time!) in a week. We planned to be in Khao Sok National Park on February 1st and 2nd. I got a message yesterday saying it wouldn’t be possible to do any activities on Lake Chiew Lan as planned because of “weather conditions.” Despite all my research, I can’t find any info that supports this. Does anyone have recent updates? Is it really impossible to visit the lake, and if so, are there any alternatives? They’re offering a walk to Bang Hua Rad waterfall instead. Any thoughts? We’re really disappointed—the lake looked amazing 😢

Hi there, this lake is in the rainiest part of Thailand, so you’ll need a bit of luck to visit it in good conditions.

Southern Thailand isn’t really recommended for weather from December to February. Strong winds, in particular, can rough up the lake and cause small boats to capsize. That’s exactly what happened a few weeks ago, so authorities are a bit on edge right now.

Still, no one can guarantee today that it’ll be impossible on any specific date in February.

For the waterfall, check this out—you can translate it: https://www.khaosoktravel.com/services-1/bang-hua-rat-waterfall?srsltid=AfmBOorjYrqfBVi0zKKjcsYSDayQMuPGX_kU2ISJehV52C15E5-TXrh-

Thanks for the info 😊 I think we’ll check all that out once we’re there, depending on the weather forecast. We won’t be spending much time in the south anyway (we’re not really beach people).

About the “waterfall,” I did see that site, but it didn’t really excite us—though first impressions can be misleading 😅 Have a great day!

Hi Joël,

I’m digging up this old thread. Well, it’s not *that* old, really. 😉

You mentioned that southern Thailand isn’t really recommended for weather from December to February. I’m surprised—everywhere I read says the best time to visit Lake Cheow Lan and the Phang Nga Bay area is from December to March. 🤔

I’ll take the chance to ask you a question. 🙂 Do the landscapes at Lake Cheow Lan look like those in Phang Nga Bay? Karst limestone cliffs, water, etc.?

Agnès (Attila) visited Lake Cheow Lan and said the noise from all the boats was pretty annoying. So, for now, we’re not sure we’ll go see the lake.

It's the perfect time to share the VF link with you. It includes text, photos, and a video. Honestly, I couldn’t have done better to show what it looks like.

https://voyageforum.com/forum/mois-en-thailande-sud-retour-d7234455-4/

It’s one of our best memories from our vacation in Asia, and I’d call it a must-see. The lake plus one or two treks in one of the oldest primary forests on the planet! During the rainy season, we were lucky enough to have three sunny days in one of the wettest regions of the country.

Sure, the best time is from December to April, but there’s never a full guarantee. An expat told me that December can be hit or miss depending on the year.

I’d read Attila’s comment about the noise. It’s true that when your guide cuts the engine now and then, it gives your ears a break. Those things still have a truck engine, after all 🙂 But skipping the boat ride on this lake, or the ones on the klongs in Bangkok or the river around Ayutthaya, would be a mistake in my opinion.

The photos really capture the beauty of the place, and when you’re under its spell, the noise bothers you less. It’s like when you’re in love—you don’t see the flaws anymore

Do what we did: arrange with the provider to leave early, almost at sunrise, so you can avoid the crowds on the way back. It’s amazing what you can get in Thailand just by asking nicely—and especially by daring to ask.

Thanks so much, Joël! 🙂

Hi there, To avoid the crowds and noise, you're right—you need to leave early, as is often the case. And don’t hesitate to shift lunch to around 11:00 AM, then head out on your excursion at noon when everyone else is heading back for lunch. Our guide arranged this perfectly—sometimes our meal was simpler than the menu promised, but who cares? It was such a pleasure to glide along without any noise. Except for his, of course. Eric

I was thinking that sleeping on the lake would let me experience it in a quieter way (even though there seem to be quite a few accommodations on the water), but if I understand correctly, heading out at sunrise is just as interesting (if not more). Is it enough to just go to the pier—are there always boats waiting (even really early)?

We’d gone to grab a bite in the village of Khao Sok because that’s where we’d booked our hotel. Makes sense—the village is right next to the national park. While chatting with the young woman who was preparing our meal, we mentioned the excursion we wanted to do the next day. In no time at all, she found us a guy who picked us up in his pickup truck while it was still dark and drove us to the lake pier. It’s about an hour’s drive. We boarded a little after sunrise, whereas most other groups leave around 8 or 9 AM. It’s like in quite a few other places—you’ve got to get there before the crowds or after they’ve cleared out. Either early in the morning or when the afternoon is well underway.

Otherwise, those who want to be close to the lake and are comfortable can always book at Caligo Resort...

Thanks Joël for these details.

Either early in the morning or when the afternoon is well underway.

I completely agree (for us, it’s more like early, but it’s true that late often works too).

the noise from the many boats seems quite bothersome

It’s mostly the noise from the boat you’re on that’s bothersome. And there’s no way to escape it!

It’s like this pretty much everywhere when you take a longtail boat, but especially here. I guess the engines are more powerful? Or the boat drivers speed up for the parts they think are less interesting.

Though I bet it’s even worse if 10 boats follow one after another...

The accommodation I stayed at is only a few minutes from the pier. (By car)

It also has more traditional rooms.

Still, it's better to stay in this area than in the "jungle" area. It's much closer and what views! After that, you’ll need your own vehicle.

The plan is with a rental car... I’m noting lake over jungle 😉

Lake for going to the lake. Jungle for going into the jungle!

😉

Maybe there are also jungle trips to the lake? But then I think you’d have to sleep in one of those floating things.

Good evening! Sleeping on the lake is indeed a great compromise—you get to enjoy the wildlife scenes until nightfall, as animals come to drink at sunset or bathe once most of the boats have returned. We saw wild elephants, bathing sessions, a mother chasing her now-adult son out of the herd, and more. Our guide was an elephant enthusiast, and the boatman was patient. We combined the lake with its karst peaks, caves, and the surrounding rainforest. Stayed at Panvaree Resort. Happy travels!

Hi Eric

Thanks for this review ... which won’t help me decide (lake night or not) 😏 But since the 2026 trip’s been postponed, I’ve still got time to think about it ...😉