3 Day Phuket to Khao Sok National Park Tour: Paddle through turquoise lake

Paddle through emerald water, hike into rainforest that predates dinosaurs

You're picked up from your Phuket hotel and driven north to Khao Sok National Park, where you spend two nights in a mainland hotel. Day one includes a bamboo raft down the Klong Sok river with views of limestone cliffs and wildlife; day two is a longtail boat tour of Cheow Lan Lake with swimming and kayaking time, plus a cave hike and floating restaurant lunch; day three is a three-hour jungle trek before your return transfer. All meals, accommodation and transport are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Khao Sok and rafting

• Pick up from Phuket hotel
• Rest and photo stop at Sarasin Bridge
• Visit Tsunami Memorial Site at Khao Lak
• Stop at Khaosok scenic viewpoint
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Bamboo rafting on Khao Sok river
• Check in at Khao Sok accommodation
• Dinner with jungle sounds

Day 2: Cheow Lan Lake boat tour

• Breakfast and depart for Cheow Lan Lake
• Arrive at Cheow Lan pier and board boat
• Cruise to Khao Samklur rock landmark
• Short hike to cave
• Lunch at floating restaurant
• Free time for swimming and kayaking
• Boat trip back to Cheow Lan pier
• View at Ratchaprapha Dam viewpoint

Day 3: Jungle hike and return transfer

• Breakfast
• Jungle hiking in Khao Sok National Park
• Check out from accommodation
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Transfer back to Phuket or nearby areas

The experience

The pickup starts early (between 7 and 8:30 a.m. depending on your hotel in Phuket), and the drive north takes you past the Tsunami Memorial Site at Khao Lak Beach before you reach the park's edge. You'll stop at a scenic viewpoint for the first real look at Khao Sok's limestone ridges, then break for lunch at a local restaurant before the afternoon's bamboo raft glides down the Klong Sok river. The water is clear enough to see the limestone cliffs rise straight from it, and if you're quiet, you might spot birds or monitor lizards moving through the trees along the banks. By 2 p.m. you're checked into a three-star mainland hotel where the jungle sounds start as soon as the sun drops.

Day two is built around Cheow Lan Lake, a turquoise reservoir that looks transplanted from southern China: locals call it the Guilin of Thailand. You board a traditional longtail boat at 9 a.m. and cruise past the famous three-rock landmark Khao Samklur, then hike to a cave before the boat carries you to a floating restaurant for a Thai lunch. The afternoon is yours to swim or kayak (self-paddle) in the lake, or simply sit on the water and watch the limestone walls rise around you. The boat returns you to the pier by late afternoon, and you're back at the hotel for dinner.

The final morning brings a three-hour jungle hike through the rainforest. This one is 160 million years old and still wears it. You'll walk on foot looking for plants, flowers, butterflies, birds and reptiles that live nowhere else in Thailand. After checkout and a final lunch at a local restaurant, the driver takes you back to Phuket, Krabi or Khao Lak by late afternoon. The whole trip is designed to move you through three different ways of seeing the park: from the river, from the water, and on foot.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Phuket (7–8:30 a.m., time varies by location).
• Sarasin Bridge viewpoint stop.
• Tsunami Memorial Site visit at Khao Lak.
• scenic viewpoint at Khao Sok.
• bamboo raft down Klong Sok river.
• two nights at a three-star mainland hotel.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner each day).
• Cheow Lan Lake longtail boat tour.
• Khao Samklur rock landmark.
• cave hike.
• floating restaurant lunch with Thai cuisine.
• free swimming and self-paddle kayaking time.
• three-hour jungle hike through the rainforest.
• return transfer to Phuket, Krabi or Khao Lak.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (12 to 60 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 46

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gembira Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Khao Sok's three distinct landscapes (river, lake and rainforest) without arranging transport, park entry or meals yourself. The fixed itinerary and included accommodation mean you arrive and the park unfolds in front of you over three days.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

What time does the tour start?

Hotel pickup runs between 7 and 8:30 a.m., depending on your hotel's location in Phuket. The exact time is confirmed when you book.

Is the jungle hike difficult?

The hike lasts about three hours and requires moderate physical fitness. It's on foot through the rainforest floor, not a steep climb.

Can I swim in Cheow Lan Lake?

Yes. Day two includes free time for swimming and self-paddle kayaking in the lake after lunch at the floating restaurant.

What's included in the price?

All accommodation (two nights at a three-star mainland hotel), meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner each day), transport from Phuket, park entry, the bamboo raft, longtail boat tour and jungle hike are included.

How far is Khao Sok from Phuket?

The drive from Phuket takes roughly two to three hours depending on traffic and your hotel location.

What should I bring?

Bring swimwear, water shoes or sandals for the boat and lake, insect repellent, sunscreen and a light rain jacket. The rainforest can be wet even in dry season.

What's the accommodation like?

You stay at a three-star hotel on the Khao Sok mainland for both nights. It's basic but comfortable, and you'll hear the jungle sounds from your room.