Khao Sok National Park

As the most popular mainland national park destination in South Thailand, Khao Sok is a rainforest with great variety of plants and wildlife. It is one of the few national parks in Thailand that is easily accessible by national public transportation. The closet towns are Surat Thani, Krabi, Ao Nang (Railay Beach) , Phuket, Khao Lak and Koh Samui.

Basic facts about Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok was established as Thailand's 22nd national park in 1980 by The Royal Forest Department. It covers 739 km² land area of Amphoe Phanom District and Ban Takhun District in Surat Thani province and includes the Cheow Lan Reservoir dammed by the Ratchaprapha Dam. Khao Sok contains jungle which is even older than Amazon rainforest. There are 40 different types of bamboo here in the park.

 

The main attractions of the park

The main attractions of the park are Cheow Lan Lake, iconic limestone hills, waterfalls, raft houses spread over the lae, trails, caves and rivers.

Many of Thailand's exciting mammal species can be found in Khao Sok; elephant, gaur, sambar deer, sun bear, Asian black bear, Malayan tapir, Crab-eating macaque, gibbon, Indochinese serow, mouse-deer, porcupine, marbled cat, wild boar and Asiatic wild dog.

 

There are over 400 species of birds reported from Khao Sok. Although rare and some sightings are decades old, Storm's stork, Malayan peacock-pheasant, woolly-necked stork, straw-headed bulbul, Gurney's pitta, chestnut-necklaced partridge are all recorded from the park. Other interesting birds found in the park are; wrinkled hornbill, chestnut-backed scimitar babbler, sooty-capped babbler, long-billed partridge, ferruginous partridge, brown barbet, cinnamon-rumped trogon, red-naped trogon.

Helmeted hornbills used to be quite common in the park, but due to poaching, it is now a very rare sighting. With a bit of effort, great argus can be seen at the Khlong Saeng tributary of Khao Sok Lake.

Great hornbill is one of the many hornbill species found in Khao Sok. So far, around 90 reptile species reported from the park, there are likely many more. Of the rare reptile species Burmese peacock softshell, enigmatic leaf turtle, brown wolf snake, Malayan smooth snake, Kopstein's bronze-back are all found in the park. There are three pit viper species found in the park.

Khao Sok is more famous for the symbolic flower of Surat Thani Province, the huge rafflesia flower (Rafflesia kerrii). The flower can be up to 70-80 cm in diameter, blooming only around October to December.

 

Before getting to the park, it's good to know that there are two equally popular areas 67 km apart. One is the area around the headquarters generally referred to as Khao Sok or Khao Sok Village, where it is possible to walk a number of trails, visit waterfalls and join various activities in the river. The other hotspot is Khao Sok Lake east of the headquarters, best known for its raft houses, caves, viewpoints, trails, limestone hills etc.

 

Getting to Khao Sok Village

Khao Sok Village is easily accessible by public transportation. Buses and minivans from the nearby towns stop by on the main road junction to Khao Sok, 1.8 km from the park entrance.

Best time to visit Khao Sok National Park

The best time to visit Khao Sok is during Thailand’s east coast dry season. The dry season is January to March while the rainy season is between late April and early December with most rainfall from May to October. Average temperature ranges from 22°C to 36°C all year around.