
Welcome to Surat Thani Province
When you think of Thailand do visions of white sand beaches, a nightlife that won’t quit, and those insanely crowded (albeit, exhilarating) walking streets dance across your mind like a couple of sugar plum fairies? If so, you’re likely dreaming about the alluring southern provinces of Phuket and Krabi. While these popular tourist destinations warrant a visit of their own beachy merit, not to be overlooked is the understated, yet enchanting neighbouring province of Surat Thani. A nature lover’s paradise, Surat Thani is home to not one, not two, but six national parks, including 739 km2 of jungle forests, limestone mountains, and Cheow Lan Lake (made by the construction of Ratchaprapha Dam) that comprise the astonishingly aesthetic Khao Sok National Park…
An Introduction to Khao Sok National Park
Established in 1980 as Thailand’s 22nd national park, Khao Sok National Park appeals to the adventure seeker and self-professed “glamper” alike. Whether you want to work up a sweat with an arduous trek through the jungle or take it easy with an afternoon dip in the impossibly teal water of Cheow Lan Lake, opportunities to immerse yourself in nature are endless.

Khao Sok Floating Bungalows Tour – 3 Day Adventure!
When planning a trip to visit a national park as big as Khao Sok, it can be a little overwhelming to figure out where to begin. Should you stay in a hostel or pitch your tent and camp? What kind of food is available in the park? Is there a bar!? Where are the best day hikes? Are there places to rent a canoe or kayak? You could spend your precious time researching these questions and more to eventually come to your own conclusions. However, a much easier alternative that’ll save you both time and energy is booking a multi-day tour package instead! When my fiancé, David, and I decided to explore Khao Sok National Park for the weekend, we thought it wise to leave the logistics to the locals and booked a three day tour through the charming Coco Hostel.
How Much Does a Khao Sok Tour Cost & What’s Included?
The cost of a three day, two night Khao Sok tour arranged by the Coco Hostel is 3,600 THB per person ($115.00 USD).
- A one night stay at the Coco Hostel (Day 1)
- Canoe ride along the Sok River (Day 1)
- All Meals (Day 2)
- Entrance fee to Khao Sok National Park (Day 2)
- Tour activities including transportation to the pier (Day 2)
- A one night stay at a floating bungalow (Day 2)
- Breakfast and lunch (Day 3)
- Tour activities including transportation back to the pier (Day 3)
But What’s It Really Like?
3-Day Khao Sok National Park & Cheow Lan Lake Tour
Day 1 – Morning Flight from Bangkok
On Friday morning we caught an early flight from Bangkok to Surat Thani, the closest airport to Khao Sok National Park. We touched down around 11:30 AM and made our way towards the exit, where we were immediately approached by several eager cab drivers, ready to whisk us away to the park! At that point, we had worked up a bit of an appetite from traveling and decided to catch a ride to Surat Thani town for some lunch, before embarking on the two-ish hour trip to the park (you can catch a bus or minivan from Surat Thani town to Khao Sok. (See our section on How to get to Khao Sok National Park for more info!). 500 THB ($15.77 USD) and a 30 minute cab ride later, we found ourselves in Surat Thani’s “downtown”, a hub of shops and traffic with a beachy kind of vibe.Day 1 – Lunch in Surat Thani
With a quick Google search, we made our way to a highly regarded hole-in-the-wall restaurant, Tip Pa Rod, and joined a handful of locals in hungrily wolfing down a couple plates of Pad See Ew. Afterwards, we headed to Phantip bus station to figure out the best way to get to the park. We ended up buying two seats in a silver, minivan for 200 THB each ($6.31 USD) that dropped us off at the entrance to the park about two hours later. We disembarked the van to a few taxi drivers inquiring about our final destination. Much to our delight, when I mentioned we were heading to Coco Hostel a sweet woman offered to give us a ride for free since she was heading there anyway! Thai generosity never ceases to amaze me!Day 1 – Arrival at Coco Hostel in Khlong Sok Village
A brief, 5 minute ride later we had pulled up to the enchanting Coco Hostel. We couldn’t help but smile as we caught sight of the welcome sign advertising, “A Nice Place for a Nice Price”.

Day 1 – Afternoon Canoe Tour on Khao Sok River!
Once we were checked in, we donned our bathing suits and prepared to begin our 3 day tour with a canoe ride along the Sok River. Around 4PM a friendly Thai man fetched us from the hostel in a white pickup truck, loaded with two canoes in the back. After a short 10 minute ride through town, we reached the spot where our canoe excursion would commence. I took the front seat of the navy blue inflatable canoe (prime seating for photography!), David sat behind me, and behind him sat our canoe “conductor”, a young Thai man with impressive steering skills.


Day 1 – Evening Meal at Coco Hostel
At the conclusion of our canoe trip we hopped back in the pickup truck to return to the Coco Hostel. We headed to our room to freshen up a bit before dinner and were delighted to find our three temporary roommates chatting amongst themselves. One of my absolute favourite parts of traveling is the interesting people you meet along the way! Hostels tend to attract an adventurous crowd and the backpackers we met at Coco Hostel were no exception. We chatted a good bit about traveling, where we were from, where we had been, and where we were headed. Through our conversations with a Swedish backpacker, we even learned about a half-day batik class in Ubud, which we’re looking forward to dabbling in when we visit Bali at the end of the month! For dinner, we walked a few steps to the conveniently located hostel restaurant, next door to our room! The menu was expansive offering both Thai classics and western food for average prices ranging between 80 – 200 THB ( ~ $3-7 USD). We shared fried pork, Penang curry, and stir fried vegetables with a side of white rice. We were pleasantly surprised when the entirety of our order arrived to our table at the same time, which we’ve noticed is somewhat of a rarity in our Thai dining experience!
Day 2 – Setting Off to Cheow Lan Lake in the Morning
On the agenda for day two of our tour was a stay at an Instagram worthy, floating bungalow perched atop the impossibly teal water of Cheow Lan Lake! In the morning, we grabbed a light breakfast from the hostel restaurant – a bowl of fruit, muesli, and yogurt for David and a cappuccino for me (I was still plenty full from the previous night’s feast!).
Day 2 – A Stop at a Local Thai Market
Along the way, we’d make a pit stop at a local market where we could purchase headlamps that we’d need for future cave explorations – exciting! Local markets are at the epicentre of life and community in Thailand, and are perhaps the only place in the world where you can purchase a competitively priced case of fish sauce while nibbling on some gooey fried bananas in your newly purchased elephant pants!
Day 2 – Glimpsing Cheow Lan Lake for the First Time!
A half an hour later we reached the pier and feasted our eyes on the absurdly blue water of Cheow Lan Lake. We grabbed our bags and joined our tour group in shuffling onto a long tail boat, eager to catch a glimpse of our dreamy bungalow accommodations for the evening.




Day 2 – Khao Sok Caving Expedition
After lunch it was time to don our 50 Baht headlamps for some cave exploration! Our tour group loaded onto a long tail boat for a quick 5 minute ride to the forest we’d traverse through in order to reach the opening of Nam Talu Cave!
Day 2 – Evening Canoe on Cheow Lan Lake
A few minutes later we made it back to the boat and returned to the bungalows. We had about an hour to kill before our next activity so we jumped right back in the lake and took the canoe out for a spin.
Day 3 – An Early Start!
Day three of the tour began with an early wake up call at 6:30 AM! We had just enough time to grab a cup of coffee (or tea) before returning to the longtail for a morning safari. We cruised through the water of Cheow Lan Lake, stopping to observe a family of playful monkeys as they swung between the branches of the forest. Post safari, we were greeted at the dock by the scent of thick, fluffy pancakes (my favorite kind of welcome)! We topped off our pancakes with a drizzle of of honey and a few slices of banana. Afterwards, we had one last hour to revel in our bungalow leisure. We dove into the lake for a swim, packed up our belongings, and changed into some dry clothes. By mid morning we were back on the longtail with our baggage in tow, headed to explore another cave. This adventure, Lek told us, was much less intense than our trek through Nam Talu and could even be done in sandals. Pra Ka Pelch Cave was much shallower than Nam Talu, but still warranted a headlamp!
Day 3 – Swimming in the Lake
Our final stop on the tour was a secluded section of the lake where we paused for lunch and a last bit of swimming. A serene nook of land and lake, this spot looked like a postcard and felt a bit like we’d gone “off the grid”, although I doubt it felt that way to Lek!

What Should You Pack for A Khao Sok Lake Tour?
The Coco Hostel’s three day tour package blends the best of both worlds in an exciting mix of activity and leisure. Over the course of your time in Khao Sok, you’ll stay plenty busy! Therefore, it’s best to pack for a spectrum of activities ranging from outdoorsy adventures (think: cave explorations) to lakeside chilling (think: casual swimming). Along with your normal toiletries and clothes, consider bringing the following items to Khao Sok National Park to ensure your visit is a comfortable one:- Sunscreen – You’ll start to feel the sun creeping up as you leave the pier. Don’t worry the refreshing water of Cheow Lan Lake awaits you!
- Bug Spray – You’re in Thailand. At a National Park. There will be bugs. Prepare accordingly. PS – there are mosquito nets over the beds in the bungalows, fear not!
- Activewear – A good bit of experiencing Khao Sok is getting out into nature! Consider bringing clothes you can hike in and sweat in. Perhaps something that you’re not afraid to get a little wet or dirty.
- Bathing Suit – There’s no doubt you’ll want to jump into the beautiful lake or take the canoe out for a test drive. Be sure to pack a swimsuit!
- Headlamp – Learn from our mistake and bring your own headlamp (If you have one! If not, it’s no biggie) instead of settling for the 50 THB ones we bought at the market.
- Water Shoes – You’ll be thankful you brought your water shoes when you’re timidly stepping your way through the unknown floor of Nam Talu Cave.
- Towel – You’ll dry off pretty quickly just by sitting on the path when you step out of the lake, but we didn’t think to bring a towel with us and we wished we had! A microfibre towel is a great lightweight choice for the backpacker.
- Waterproof Bag – Between the boat and the cave there’s a chance your stuff can get a little wet! Bring a waterproof bag for stashing those precious devices like your camera and phone.
- Camera – You’ll want to take ALL of the pictures. Bring your camera. Trust me on this one.
- Lock/Key – There are no lockers at the bungalows, but there is a locker at the Coco Hostel for storing your valuables. If you don’t have your own lock/key you can borrow one from the concierge like we did.
So… What Are You Waiting For?
Although we were a bit depressed to bid farewell to the friendly staff at Coco Hostel, our floating bungalow, and the effervescent teal water of Cheow Lan Lake, we were very impressed with our 3 day tour experience! Upon our arrival to the Coco Hostel, everything was taken care of, which alleviated any stress we might have faced, it being our first time visiting Khao Sok. The tour experience was incredible from our leisurely canoe ride, to our adrenaline inducing cave trek, and the time we spent swimming in the lake. We enjoyed it all, all the while getting to meet some awesome people and hearing about their backpacking tales (note to self: if you’re going to crash your motorcycle don’t do it in Vietnam!). As for the bungalow…I still can’t get over how surreal it was to wake up to that view. Sure, the bungalow was simple, but it was all a part of the experience. Since we were happily preoccupied exploring nature, swapping travel stories with interesting people, eating delicious Thai food, and sipping on Changs, we didn’t even have time to miss our precious WiFi (…so much so that David accidentally left his cell phone at the hostel! The staff was extraordinarily helpful, however, and his phone was waiting for us at the pier when we returned on Sunday!).
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