December, 2025

Cheow Lan Lake– where a flooded forest meets stunning limestone crops and cliffs.
Within beautiful Khao Sok National Park of Surat Thani province in southern Thailand, Cheow Lan Lake was created in the 1980s with the Ratchaprapha Dam and covers around 165 square kilometers.
An amazing place to explore either on a day-trip or overnighting in one of several floating cottages.

Getting to Khao Sok National Park is easiest from Surat Thani- approx 1.5 hours drive.
You can fly, train or bus to Surat Thani- also a jump-off point for those heading to Koh Samui Island.
From airports in Phuket or Krabi, the drive is about 2.5 hours drive.

Long-tail boats take visitors to explore caves and coves with time to kayak or swim. Overnighting in a floating cottage allows you to enjoy early mornings on the lake before all the day-trippers arrive.
Khao Sok National Park is truly stunning. Most visitors stay on the outskirts of the National Park to enjoy nature walks and visits to elephant sanctuaries.
Getting to Cheow Lan Lake requires a 70km drive from the main National Park entrance to a village called Baan Ta Khun, close to the boat pier. So if you are thinking of staying overnight on the lake, you may consider stopping over on the way from or to Surat Thani if planning to combine travel that way.

Khao Sok National Park is Thailand’s largest remaining wilderness- approx 739 sq kilometers.
However visitors only have access to a relatively small area for hiking or walks in the forest. For approx 3km from the entrance, you can enjoy walks comfortably on your own or choose to go with a local guide to learn more about the forest and wildlife. Ask the park officials if the Rafflesia flowers are blooming.

Early morning quiet trail and relax by the river at the edge of the park- where you could easily sit all day.
Lots of small guesthouses are available at the edge of the park, and it is nice to be off the main road.

Our Jungle House also located on the edge of the park is a peaceful sanctuary with cozy treehouse accomodations. They can assist with all your arrangements including Cheow Lan Lake.
More on: https://www.khaosokaccommodation.com/

Explore south to Phang Nga Bay

Phang Nga Bay is a marine national park also famous for dramatic, towering limestone karsts rising out of the emerald waters. 42 islands, hidden lagoons and mangrove forests are accessible by small boat or kayak.

One island known as James Bond Island became very popular with the scenic 1974 filming of Man with the Golden Gun.

The biodiverse area of Phang Nga Bay also includes ancient rock paintings thought to be at least 3000 years old. Depicting human and animal figures and abstract shapes, these paintings are believed to be made by early seafaring people seeking shelter from monsoons.
The island of Pan Yee is home to a muslim community, descendants of “sea gypsies”- nomads and seafaring families, who settled here from Indonesia, building their homes on stilts. In Thai they are known as “chao leh” ( people of the sea ). Their main source of income is still from fishing but they also thrive from tourists coming to buy souvenirs on day trips and to have lunch. If wish to visit Koh Pan Yee and you are with your own private boat, best arrive early before the busy lunch crowds.

Koh Pan Yee photo from guesthouse welcome folder
These nomadic people manage to adapt to a new life. Land ownership titles can only be held by Thais, so the solution was to simply build over the water.

A different world of gold and glitz enroute to Phang Nga:

The drive from Khao Sok to Phang Nga takes you on a beautiful quiet road and within the hills you can find Wat Bang Riang Temple– an unexpected creation.

Wat Bang Riang (also known as Wat Rat Upatham) is a relatively modern temple complex established in the late 1980s to house a Buddha relic within the bell-shaped chedi. The temple blends influences of Srivijaya and Ayutthaya styles. Overlooking the hills is a serene Kwan-Yin statue.

Into the Mangroves

After stopping to see Wat Bang Riang, another hour drive brings you to a small village of Ban Khiam situated along the waterways and mangroves of Phang Nga Bay.
The delightful little Khanittha Homestay has two rooms overlooking the water. Khanittha has put alot of love into her homestay which truly feels like your own little home on stilts.

Loved staying here- a special little place away from mass tourism. Khanittha is also a wonderful cook and can arrange your own private boat to explore Phang Nga Bay. Drive to Phuket or Krabi airport are easy approx 1.5 hours drive. For a delightful and different kind of Thai experience, find Phang Nga Khanittha Homestay on Booking com
Note swimming around this area of Phang Nga Bay, you can encounter lots of jellyfish certain times of the year. There are other small and quiet islands to explore within Phang Nga Bay – check out Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi with day trips out to stunning Koh Hong Island– easily accessible from Krabi.

Mai Khao Beach Phuket

Aviation lovers love to birdwatch on this beach by the airport in Phuket.

It’s amazing how Mai Khao Beach remains open and free of big development today.
Brings back memories of my first visit to Phuket back in 1987 and to Koh Phi Phi Island before a single hotel was built there. You could just stay in a few simple huts once the day-boat left you.

Phuket and Koh Phi Phi in 1987

Goodness, the 1980s feels like ancient times… which means that I am now ancient!
And happy to be so- grateful for the opportunities to travel and to experience the diversity of our world.
Fortunately there is still alot of beauty in the world to see.

Chiang Mai Main Page Click:
https://alamasia.net/asia-destinations-news-and-links/chiang-mai-and-thailand/