Holiday in Khao Sok National Park

What makes Khao Sok National Park special as a destination?

Khao Sok National Park in southern Thailand protects one of the oldest evergreen rainforests in the world — at an estimated 160 million years old, it is significantly older than the Amazon rainforest. Spanning 739 square kilometers, it features an overwhelming wilderness of meter-thick jungle giants, limestone formations, and a biodiversity that amazes even biologists. The park is home to wild elephants, Malayan tapirs, gibbons, hornbills, and even some of the last clouded leopards in Southeast Asia. The centerpiece is Cheow Lan Lake (Ratchaprapha Dam), a surreal water landscape with emerald green water, from which bizarrely shaped limestone cliffs rise up to 960 meters high — three times taller than the rocks in Ha Long Bay. Floating bungalows on the lake offer a unique overnight experience: at night, the jungle echoes with gibbon calls, and in the morning, mystical fog blankets the water. Day trips include kayaking tours through flooded caves, jungle hikes to hidden waterfalls, and night safaris with headlamps. The Rafflesia kerrii, the largest flower in the world with a diameter of up to 80 centimeters, blooms here between January and March. The park is strategically located between Phuket, Krabi, and Khao Lak and can be planned as a two-day trip or a longer stay. The best travel time is from December to April, while the rainy season (June to November) showcases the forest in its lushest splendor.