Khao Lak Expedition
Jungle 4×4, Waterfall & Bamboo Rafting

The day starts with pickup at your Khao Lak hotel, then straight into a Land Rover off-road jeep for a climb up a rough track into the Phang Nga rainforest. Where the jeep track ends, it's a short fifteen-minute trek on foot to a waterfall that most visitors to Khao Lak never see, let alone reach.

From the forest, the day turns toward the coast. The first stop is Police Boat 813, a Thai police patrol boat that the December 2004 tsunami carried two kilometres inland — it remains today exactly where it came to rest. From there you continue to the Turtle Conservation Centre, a sea turtle sanctuary run at the Royal Thai Navy Fleet Base in Lam Kaen. The morning closes with a stop at a working Buddhist temple, so bring something to cover your shoulders and knees, as you would for any active temple in Thailand.

Lunch is a proper sit-down meal at a local restaurant, not a lunchbox eaten on the move. In the afternoon you drift downriver on a traditional bamboo raft, then finish the day with free time on a quieter stretch of Khao Lak beach before the drive back to your hotel.

The Khao Lak Expedition departs on Tuesdays at 07:00 and runs in small groups, a maximum of twelve guests. Children are welcome from age 5, at a reduced rate.

Visiting the turtle sanctuary and want to know more about the conservation work at Lam Kaen? See our Turtle Conservation Festival in Khao Lak write-up.

Khao Lak Expedition — Quick Facts

Khao Lak Expedition — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Khao Lak Expedition tour?

It's a full-day tour, about eight hours door to door, that combines a Land Rover off-road jeep ride into the Phang Nga rainforest with a short trek to a hidden waterfall, a visit to Police Boat 813 and the Turtle Conservation Centre, a stop at a working Buddhist temple, a sit-down lunch, bamboo rafting, and free time on the beach. Hotel pickup in Khao Lak is included, and the tour departs every Tuesday at 07:00.

What is Police Boat 813?

Police Boat 813 is a Thai police patrol boat that the December 2004 tsunami carried two kilometres inland. It remains today exactly where it came to rest, and the Khao Lak Expedition stops here on the way from the waterfall to the coast.

What happens at the Turtle Conservation Centre?

The Turtle Conservation Centre is a sea turtle sanctuary at the Royal Thai Navy Fleet Base in Lam Kaen. It's one of the stops on the Khao Lak Expedition, between Police Boat 813 and the temple visit.

What does the bamboo rafting section involve?

After lunch, the Khao Lak Expedition includes a bamboo rafting section: you board a traditional bamboo raft and drift downriver, before the tour moves on to beach time on a quieter stretch of Khao Lak beach.

Why does the temple visit have a dress code?

The temple on the Khao Lak Expedition is a working Buddhist temple, not a museum, so the same etiquette applies as at any active temple in Thailand: shoulders and knees covered. Bring something to cover up before the stop.

Flying into Phuket before your Khao Lak Expedition day? Book a private Khao Lak airport transfer and your driver delivers you door-to-door, so you're rested and ready for an early Tuesday pickup.

Want more jungle time on a different day? See our Khao Sok Jungle Trekking tour.