While most travelers in southern Thailand only visit the islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, there's a true gem in the province of Surat Thani: the Khao Sok National Park.
The area of the national park covers 739 km² and one of the most beautiful places is the Cheow Lan Lake that is surrounded by magnificent limestone rock formations. You can find the lake about 90 kilometers west of Surat Thani Town and it's definitely worth to stay there for at least few days.
The floating bungalows of Khao Sok
One thing not to miss in Khao Sok are the Thai raft houses directly on the lake. Surrounded by pure nature, it's a perfect getaway and it was probably one of my best trips in southern Thailand. Waking up with a view like this is something you will never forget. Can you believe that these limestone rocks are up to 150 million years old?
View from my floating bungalow at Smiley Lake House
Enjoying some delicious Thai food at Smiley
Obviously, there is not much else to do than relaxing, swimming in the fresh water of the lake and just enjoy this nature's beauty. Forget about your 3G/4G connection, because there is none. By the way, I booked a tour package and stayed 2D1N at Smiley Lake House and it was pretty good (however, a little bit too short). Just make sure to book one of the "better" bungalows and not the cheap ones.
Tour around the lake
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Well, actually there are indeed 2 activities that you can do. One is kayaking and many of the bungalows offer this for free when you stay there. Another thing, which is part of the tour package, is the boat tour around the lake.
First we have visited some awesome waterfalls called Bang Hoi. The jungle trekking to get to the top of the waterfalls was pretty adventurous and much fun. After this we went to the most famous place of Cheow Lan Lake: the Hin Sam Glur rocks, also known as the Guilin of Thailand.
Hin Sam Glur
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After a few hours the tour was over and the long-tail boat driver brought us back to the Ratchaprapha Dam, where we parked the car.
Apart from the Cheow Lan Lake, Khao Sok National Park has to offer many more amazing nature wonders and fun activities. Trekking, canoeing, bamboo rafting are just a few of them. It's one of the oldest tropical rain forests in the world and you can find countless species there: Wild elephants, tigers and sun bears, just to name a few. I will definitely come back to Khao Sok again and discover more of this beautiful piece of Thailand.
Have a great Sunday, Steemians! Upvote, resteem and follow, if you enjoyed this post :)
Travel Resources for your trip to Thailand
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Flights: We recommend checking Kiwi.com to find the best and cheapest flights to Thailand.
Accomodation: Explore the best places to stay in Thailand on Booking.com, Agoda and Hostelworld.
Travel Insurance: Medical emergencies abroad can be pricey, but travel health insurance is not. We always use SafetyWing for affordable and reliable coverage.
Car Rental: For hassle-free car hiring, DiscoverCars is our trusted choice with a wide selection of vehicles.
Internet: Got an eSIM compatible phone? Airalo is perfect for reliable internet access during your trip. Just install it before you go, and you're set!
Day Trips & Tours: We recommend GetYourGuide for a variety of well-organized and enjoyable activities.
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