Wake up in the middle of a rainforest on a floating bungalow to a view of towering cliffs rising out the water like a sunken giant trying to grab the sun.
This is Khao Sok, an incredible wildlife reserve filled with lush jungle, endangered wildlife, lagoons, waterfalls, and a 165 km lake. We stayed with the Smiley Reserve spending three days trekking through jungle, taking night boat safari’s and kayaking from our private floating bungalow.
Is Khao Sok Dangerous? Exploring any jungle has a fair amount of risk, yet with a guide Khao Sok is a very safe place to travel to. The main dangers come from the Lake itself as fresh water swimming lacks the natural buoyancy of the ocean, so poor swimmers can often struggle especially when their Kayak overturns. Keep an eye out for dangerous animals too. While you won’t meet a tiger here, larger mammals such as, boar and elephants have been occasionally sighted alongside poisonous snakes so keep your wits about you, trust your guide and watch your step.
You can get to Khao Sok National Park via shared minibus from any of these major towns in southern Thailand – Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani, or Koh Lak.
