A full-day Cheow Lan Lake day trip from Khao Lak: glide across the emerald water by longtail boat beneath towering limestone cliffs, explore a cave and swim. Return transfers included.
Our Khao Sok day trip from Khao Lak takes you to a sightseeing cruise on the magical waters of Cheow Lan Lake, a strikingly beautiful corner of Khao Sok National Park best described as Shangri-La. Many of the world's most awe-inspiring places are seen best from the deck of a boat, and the panoramic views aboard a longtail on scenic Cheow Lan Lake are nothing short of extraordinary.
The drive to the pier takes about two hours, so we pick you up in front of your hotel bright and early to make the most of the day. At the Rajjaprabha Dam pier you board a traditional Thai longtail boat to begin the cruise. Once a near-impassable jungle basin, the flooding of the Cheow Lan Lake reservoir turned old mountains into islands that now rise from turquoise water, creating an otherworldly landscape that is breathtaking to behold.
Through the day the captain stops at a few locations where you disembark with your guide for activities and lunch. One is a short, low-effort jungle trek of about an hour, suitable for anyone who can walk on slightly uneven ground; your guide helps you spot rare flora and, if you look up, gibbons and elusive dusky-leaf monkeys hiding in the canopy.
The bedrock here is soft limestone eroded over tens of thousands of years into caves, caverns and sinkholes. Another land stop on this Khao Sok lake day trip is a little spelunking to explore the hidden world deep inside an ever-changing karst cave.
What the Cheow Lan Lake Day Trip Includes
This full-day Khao Sok day trip includes hotel pickup and return, the road transfer, a longtail cruise on Cheow Lan Lake, a guided jungle trek, cave exploration and lunch at a floating raft-house restaurant, where you dine on Thai cuisine over the water. After lunch there is time for a swim or simply to breathe in the scenery. Prices start from ฿2,500 per person and we return you to your hotel by approximately 6 PM.
Our guide on how to get to Khao Sok from Khao Lak covers the drive, timings and what to expect at the Cheow Lan Lake pier — useful reading before you book. Want more? Combine this with our James Bond Island tour, the Khao Sok jungle trekking experience, or arrange your Khao Lak transfer if you are arriving by air.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I stay overnight on Cheow Lan Lake?
Yes. If you'd like to extend your Khao Sok day trip, we offer multi-day packages with overnight accommodation on the lake in floating bungalows and jungle lodges. Our 3-day Khao Sok discovery tour combines the lake with immersive rainforest stays.
Is the tour suitable for non-swimmers?
Absolutely. The tour is fully accessible for non-swimmers. Swimming in Cheow Lan Lake during the lunch break is entirely optional — you can relax on the boat or at the floating restaurant instead. The jungle trek and cave exploration don't require swimming ability.
What is the best time to visit Khao Sok?
The best time is November to May, when the weather is dry and skies are clearer for photography. Water levels are highest in the rainy season (May–October), creating spectacular scenery but with occasional thunderstorms. December–February is peak season with the most reliable weather.
How long is the drive from Khao Lak?
The drive to the Cheow Lan Lake pier takes approximately 2 hours from Khao Lak. We pick you up from your hotel early in the morning and return by approximately 6 PM. Total day commitment is about 10–11 hours including travel, meals and activities.
What wildlife might I see?
You may spot gibbons, dusky-leaf monkeys, hornbills, kingfishers and monitor lizards. Sightings depend on season, time of day and weather, with early morning and late afternoon offering the best viewing. Our guides are skilled at spotting animals even when they are well hidden in the canopy.
Reference: Khao Sok National Park on Wikipedia.
Exact timings flex with conditions and traffic — your guide sequences the stops to keep them calm rather than rushed. This is how the day usually runs.
We've got you covered! Your friendly driver and guide will pick you up in a comfy air-conditioned minibus at around 6 am in front of your hotel lobby. The pick-up time may vary depending on the location of your hotel, but we confirm the exact time with you when you book.
We arrive at the pier at the Rajjaprabha Dam, and it's time to step onboard a traditional Thai Longtail boat to begin the sightseeing cruise on Cheow Lan Lake. Light reflects off the water surface, and because of this, it is a good idea to use sunscreen even though the boat is covered. Get your camera ready! There are thousands of photo opportunities coming your way.
As the Longtail cruises around the lake, the captain will make a couple of stops, including one for a one-hour trek through the 160 million-year-old rainforest, where your experienced guide will assist you in spotting some of the more elusive creatures you might otherwise miss.
Exotic wildlife is not all there is to see! Khao Sok is home to many rare and endemic orchid species, as well as the largest flower in the world, the Rafflesia arnoldii. Spectacular landscapes and a vast array of flora and fauna combine to make the Khao Sok a paradise for nature lovers and photographers! Your senses of perception are in for a treat. Unique sights, smells, and sounds are ever-present in the jungle and impossible to ignore.
After the morning activities, you will likely have worked up an appetite. Your captain will make way to a floating restaurant where a delicious traditional Thai lunch awaits. After filling your belly, there is time to jump in for a refreshing swim in vivacious waters or sit back, relax, and take in the view. Please inform us when you book if you have any special dietary restrictions or requirements. We will do our best to accommodate them.
After completing the lake tour itinerary, your captain will return to the pier, where your minibus driver will be waiting. Please be sure to take all of your belongings off the boat when you disembark. Now is the time to use the facilities if you need a bathroom break before the minibus departs the pier to take you back to Khao Lak.
Your driver and guide will return you to your hotel around 6 pm. If you are hoping to get a chance to see wild Asian elephants, Guar, and more of the 200 species of birds found further away from the pier, we proudly offer overnight trips that take you further into the lake, where you will have a much better chance of spotting them. We hope to see you again soon.
You can tell your friends after today that you are an amateur spelunker! One of the stops your boat captain will make will allow you to step back in time as you walk through speleothems that took thousands of years to form. Stalactites hang precariously from the cave ceiling, and stalagmites rise from the floor, continuously growing in size. Today, the snapshot of the interior has never looked the same, nor will it ever again. The interior shape of this cave is constantly evolving and will continue doing so long after we are gone.
Not included
Children age 2–11 ฿2,900 · hotel pickup & lunch included
Check dates & book →Being about 160 million years old, Khao Sok National Park belongs to the oldest rainforests in the world.
It covers an area of approx. 739 sq km and offers thousands of animals and plants a wonderful place to live. Even nowadays new species can be found, among them wild elephants, sun bears, macaques, prehistoric deer, tigers, hornbills and the rafflesia flower.
Besides breath-taking jungle vegetation Khao Sok shows off with majestic limestone cliffs (up to 960m high), which remind of long-gone coral reefs. Waterfalls and the unique barrier lake Cheow Lan are part of the almost untouched nature as well.
Cheow Lan Lake (also written Chiao Lan or Rajjaprabha Reservoir) is a 165 km² man-made reservoir at the heart of Khao Sok National Park, created when the Rajjaprabha Dam was completed in 1987. Thousands of submerged trees gave rise to its nickname "Guilin of Thailand." Dramatic limestone karst peaks rise directly from the turquoise water, making it one of the most photogenic landscapes in Southeast Asia.
Yes. Floating bungalows and raft-house guesthouses moored on the lake allow overnight stays. Waking up surrounded by mist-covered limestone cliffs and the sounds of the jungle is a highlight for many visitors. Our standard tour is a full-day return trip, but we can arrange multi-day packages with overnight accommodation on the lake on request. Contact us for availability and pricing.
Khao Sok National Park is one of the most biodiverse rainforests on earth. On and around the lake you have a good chance of spotting white-handed gibbons, Dusky Langur monkeys, hornbills, kingfishers, and large monitor lizards. Wild elephants, sun bears, and clouded leopards inhabit the park interior, though sightings require time and luck. The rare Rafflesia arnoldii — the world's largest flower — blooms seasonally in the park.
Yes, the tour is fully accessible for non-swimmers. The main activities — a scenic longtail boat cruise on Cheow Lan Lake, a gentle jungle trek, and cave exploration — do not require swimming ability. Swimming is offered as an optional activity at a calm section of the lake. Life jackets are provided for anyone who wishes to enter the water. Children and elderly guests participate on this tour regularly.
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Khao Lak Land Discovery Co., Ltd. 21/5 Moo7 Khuk Khak, Phang Nga 82220 TAT 41/00132 Thailand-licensed tour operator
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