Khao Sok - Hiking guide and lake tour

Hi everyone,

So happy to discover by chance that VoyageForum is back! We’re leaving in a few days for Thailand with our two kids, aged 12 and 15. We’re considering stopping by Khao Sok but don’t want to do a typical 2D/1N or 3D/2N excursion with an overnight stay on the lake—it’s way out of our budget 🤪. Still, the place seems worth the detour. We’ve planned to spend 2 nights there (arriving in the late afternoon on the first day) and I’d love to do a full-day private boat tour on the lake and a hike (half-day or full-day). Do you think it’s doable to book on the spot if we arrive a bit late on the first day? Or is it better to book in advance? None of the websites for booking these services inspire confidence—I get the feeling it’s a real lottery afterward for getting an interesting and friendly guide. But I’m worried it’ll be the same on-site since everything seems so standardized. Do you have any firsthand experience? Maybe even a Facebook contact or something for a guide? Are the prices still really that expensive if we don’t stay overnight on the lake? I’ll admit I’m not sure if we should even stop there anymore...

Thanks in advance!

Marmite

Hi there,

Any hotel can arrange a private boat tour on the lake for you and handle transportation to the site with a minivan. Just specify how long you'd like the boat ride to be. I highly recommend getting there for sunrise so you can set off before everyone else. Having the lake to yourself, with the gibbon calls in certain spots, is amazing.

For the national park, some hikes can be done without rangers, while others require them. Check directly at the park HQ.

Going any other way often leads to much higher prices.

One more thing—I should mention this is the rainiest region in Thailand. The real gamble there is whether you'll get good weather or not.

Hi there,

I just got back from Thailand. I did a 3-hour lake excursion without booking anything in advance. But I arrived before the crowds... (around 09:00). We got and paid for the boat on-site at the ticket counter. We paid 2200 baht for the boat (the price is for the whole boat), 40 baht per person for the port fee, and 300 baht per person for park entry.

This entry is also valid for the hiking side if it's the same day.

Private or group tour?

I specified that the price was for the entire boat. So it's private.😉

Thanks to both of you for your super quick reply! We’ll go ahead and book two nights there and figure things out once we arrive. I just need to relearn how to relax about the planning... 🙂

You’re not entirely wrong: while you can wait until the last day to organize some activities, sometimes it’s better to plan ahead. Other national parks close at certain times of the year, and for some treks, you’ll need to register in advance.

You can find plenty of info by searching the national park’s name online, and if it’s in Thai or English, just one or two clicks will translate it for you.

Here are a few more details and photos to give you an idea of what to expect, from one of my travel journals: https://voyageforum.com/forum/mois-en-thailande-sud-retour-d7234455-4/

Time has passed since then, but nature hasn’t changed much.

Correction: The tour lasted 2 hours, not 3!

I get the feeling that the 3-hour tour includes a lunch stop that’s pretty pointless if you leave early in the morning.

Also, the boats are *extremely* loud... Despite the beauty of the place, we were glad when the tour ended so we could finally have some peace and quiet! 😊