Khao Lak

Around the Visitor Center of Khao Sok National Park, the region's infrastructure has congregated in Khlong Sok village: guesthouses and lodges along the road and river, tour offices, restaurants, and a small market. The main road between Surat Thani and Takua Pa passes directly by, making the location easily accessible from both coasts.From the park entrance, the main hiking trail begins, following the valley with branches leading to several waterfalls. Night hikes are only possible with a guide and are organized locally. During the dry season, especially from January to March, the Rafflesia kerrii blooms in the region, with flowers reaching 50 to 90 centimeters in diameter.The village also serves as a starting point for trips to Cheow Lan Lake, available as day or overnight tours.Several elephant camps operate in the vicinity, each with a very different approach. Those who value animal welfare should check in advance what a camp truly offers.

The Sok River runs along the western edge of Khao Sok National Park and flows past Khlong Sok village, home to most of the region's accommodations. Many lodges are situated directly on its banks, making the river at once a transport route, a swimming area, and a scenic vista.On the water, activities include tubing, canoe trips, and rides on bamboo rafts. The current is mostly calm, making the tours more about the scenery than strenuous sport: Above the river, the park's limestone cliffs ascend, and with a little patience, hornbills, kingfishers, and monkeys can be spotted along the banks.The water level fluctuates significantly. After rain, the river carries much more water, while during the dry season, it can become very shallow in certain areas; operators adjust routes accordingly. Early mornings and dusk are the best times for wildlife observation, and the heat is more tolerable than at midday.

Phang Nga Bay, north of Phuket, has been protected as Ao Phang Nga National Park since 1981, covering around 400 square kilometers. Here, steep limestone islands rise from the shallow sea, and along the coast grows Thailand's largest contiguous original mangrove forest.The bay is primarily known for Khao Phing Kan, the James Bond Island, where scenes from the 1974 film The Man with the Golden Gun were filmed. In front of it stands the narrow rock pinnacle Ko Tapu. Another destination is the stilt village of Ko Panyi.Most visitors arrive by boat tour from Phuket, Krabi, or the mainland near Phang Nga. On weekends and during high season, the popular spots can get very crowded; early departures are quieter.

The Khao Sok Region is located in southern Thailand, inland in the provinces of Surat Thani and Phang Nga, approximately halfway between the Gulf and Andaman coasts. This makes it an obvious stopover between the coasts.Characterized by steep limestone mountains rising above evergreen rainforest and *Cheow Lan Lake*: A dam flooded a valley system, leaving the mountaintops standing as rocky towers in the water. The Khao Sok National Park protects a large contiguous rainforest, home to hornbills, gibbons, and wild elephants, among other species.Infrastructure is concentrated around Khlong Sok village at the park entrance and the floating raft houses on the lake. Guided jungle treks, canoe tours, and cave visits are common activities.The driest period is from January to March, with most rainfall occurring from May to October. Following heavy rain, streams and caves carry a lot of water, and some paths may be closed.

The Similan Islands are located about 70 kilometers off the coast of Phang Nga and form the Mu Ko Similan National Park. The name comes from Yawi, a Malay dialect, and means "nine". Today, the park comprises eleven islands, numbered from north to south. The largest is Koh Similan, Island 8.Above water, rounded granite boulders and white sandy coves shape the landscape. On the east sides are shallow coral slopes, on the west sides rock formations with passages like Elephant Head Rock. Manta rays and whale sharks are rare, most likely between February and April.The park is closed from May 16th to October 15th. Overnight stays on the islands are no longer possible since October 2019; you can visit as a day guest or on a liveaboard dive safari. The number of daily visitors is limited.