Khao Sok is a beautiful national park north of Phuket, Thailand, and is a must-visit. It's truly one of the most breathtaking landscapes we have seen with our own eyes. While most travelers will book a package tour from Phuket or Krabi, it's worth exploring whether a DYI tour to Khao Sok and the beautiful Cheow Lan Lake is a viable option. Short answer is yes - it is possible, but of course requires some more planning. We'll help walk you through the steps.
Be sure to check out our complete Khao Sok guide, and our guide to Khao Sok accommodation to help plan your trip.
Getting to Khao Sok National Park
We'll summarize the DYI transportation options from the major hubs.
Bangkok to Khao Sok
The most common way to reach Khao Sok is to take the train from Bangkok Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station (Bang Sue Grand Station) to Surat Thani Train Station. There are seats and sleeper options that leave in the evening from Bangkok and arrive the next day to Surat Thani with a travel time of 10 hours. A faster but more expensive way is to fly from Bangkok airport to Surat Thani airport. Then from Surat Thani, take a bus or minivan (more details below).
We recommend taking the first class train carriage if planning to do an overnight trip so you can have a bunk to sleep in. Another direct option is to take an overnight bus + van transfer from Bangkok to Khao Sok National Park with travel times around 14-15 hours. This would have less hassle in booking however, if you have a hard time falling asleep sitting, then the sleeper train is the better option for you.
Surat Thani to Khao Sok
Travelers arriving at Surat Thani Airport or train station can arrange transportation to Khao Sok by taxi, shuttle bus, or private transfer. If taking the bus, you can head to Surat Thani Bus Station or book online here. Beware of scammers at the station selling overpriced tickets. If taking the overnight train from Bangkok, we recommend booking the bus+van option for simplicity.
Phuket to Khao Sok
Visitors can also travel by bus or private transfer from Phuket to Khao Sok National Park. From our experience, travel time takes 2 to 4 hours. If you plan to take a bus, go to Phuket Bus Terminal 2, the earliest schedule is 6:00 AM and the latest is 3:40 PM. At the entrance, you will be greeted with staff and will direct you to counter 22 to get your ticket. The travel time will take roughly 4 hours as it stops at different destinations: Khao Lak, Takuapa, Khao Sok and Surat Thani, before arriving at Khao Sok Bus Station.
Krabi to Khao Sok
The most common way to reach Khao Sok from Krabi is by van which can take up to 4 hours. You can also choose to go to Krabi Bus Terminal or get picked up from your hotel. Check out the link here. Alternatively, you can also take a bus with the earliest time leaving at 7:30 AM and the latest at 1:50 PM.
If you are planning to take public transportation, it's advisable to check the latest schedules and availability of transportation options. Further, consider booking tickets in advance, especially during peak seasons to save.
If you have less time or just want to do a day tour here, you might want to check out tours from Phuket or Krabi. These will take care of transport and will allow you to visit the national park, possibly stay in a floating bungalow, enjoy the many water activities or go jungle trekking.
Arrival at Khao Sok
Regardless of your starting point, your public bus or private transfer will most likely drop you off at the main town of Khao Sok, just outside of the national park. This is located here.
This town is the primary transport hub where the majority of the shops, restaurants and nature lodges are. It's also the location for most activities that's not on Cheow Lan Lake, including jungle trekking, night safaris, and river canoeing. That map link above is the main park entry point where you buy your park tickets (and additional fee for visiting the lake).
Just beyond this ticket gate is where you can do a DIY hike within the park. From this HQ, you can hike roughly 7km of trails by yourself without a guide. To reach the furthest waterfalls to the west, you will have to hire a local guide. To do this, you can simply hike yourself to the rest point just beyond Bang Hua Rat Waterfall, where you'll find guides who can take you further.
Even if not hiring a guide, you will spot plenty of wildlife yourself. You'll find gibbons, horn-bills, and long-tail macaques, and numerous other animals. The monkeys will be all over the trails, you'll have no trouble finding them.
Unfortunately, it's not possible to DYI any night tours to the park. Guides are required to enter the park at night. We really enjoyed our guided night hike, as they helped us spot so many animals we would have missed.
If you're looking to book a night safari, or any other tours or transport, your accommodation will be able to assist. We found that prices are regulated, so you're unlikely to get overcharged - you can simply show up to your hotel without a plan and explore what the tour options are. We would however recommend booking accommodation in advance, as options are quite limited. Over-water bungalows especially sell out quite fast.
Getting to Cheow Lan Lake Without a Tour
There is no dedicated public bus route that runs directly between Khao Sok Village and Cheow Lan Lake. You have two reliable options for a shared transfer:
Shared Minivan/Van (Semi-Public Transport) is the most common and practical option for budget travelers. Transport bookings can be made with your hotel, or at the transport companies near the village bus station. Prices generally range from THB 350 to THB 500 per person, and the travel time is typically about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
Private Taxi or Shared Taxi is the fastest and most flexible option. Similarly, this can be booked with your hotel or at the village bus station. The price is typically about double compared to shared vans, and often results in a slightly faster trip.
DYI Boat Tours at Cheow Lan Lake
The entry point to the lake is at Ratchaprapha Pier. After arriving, you can absolutely book a boat tour yourself without having an advanced reservation.
Upon arrival, head to the main office where you'll purchase your Khao Sok National Park tickets. Once you have this, you can head to the pier where boats will be waiting. Prices are regulated for all standard routes. You'll see a sign-board with routes, duration and prices. The price listed is for the full long-tail boat. You can reserve the entire boat yourself, or split the cost with other travelers.
Following this DIY method can be the cheapest option. If sharing the boat with a group, it's often the most affordable way to visit the lake.
Booking a two-hour longtail boat tour at Ratchaprapha Pier for a two-hour tour costs approximately 1,800 THB for a 6-person boat or 2,500 THB for a 10-person boat. You will also need to pay additional fees for the National Park entrance (300 THB per adult) and the pier fee (40 THB per person).
Usually, there is not a long wait for boats, except for peak times. December and January is peak tourist season, and 10:00 AM to noon is when most guided boat tours arrive. Arrive early morning or early afternoon and you should have no problems.
One more thought - it's also possible to DIY your trip to an over-water bungalow. To do this, book a stay at a hotel in the village. Upon arrival, discuss with them regarding stay options. You can often find a package which will include round-trip transport to the pier, as well as an optional boat tour, along with your stay on the water. Stays can sell out, so it's a slight risk, but it's the cheapest way to secure a couple nights on this beautiful lake.
Conclusion - DIY Khao Sok
There you have it - to summarize, Khao Sok National Park can absolutely be visited as a last-minute DIY trip. There are plenty of bus and train options to get to Khao Sok village. Once at the village, you can explore the hiking trails, or arrange transport to Cheow Lan Lake. At the lake you can see the boat tour options and book on the spot.