Khao Sok National Park: Thailand’s Ancient Rainforest

With the early morning mist swirling around the towering limestone karsts, Khao Sok could be mistaken at a glance for either Vietnam’s Halong Bay or Guilin in China. The dramatic karst formations were originally components of the same prehistoric reef system, housing one of the world’s oldest rainforests, estimated to be around 160 million years old.

There are guided treks under towering buttress roots, through dense bamboo thickets, and to massive fig trees, and, if you’re fortunate, to the planet’s largest flower the infamous rafflesia flower, the stinking corpse flower. If your group is lucky enough to spot gibbons through the canopy, and hornbills overhead, encounters with the brightly colored exotic birds, kingfishers, and serpent eagles can be equally thrilling while hiking has you in the thick of the jungle.

In the centre of the park is Cheow Larn Lake with jade coloured waters, dotted with eco-friendly floating lodges where your multi-day lodgings may include kayaking, waterfall hikes, and longtail boat travel into the jungle. With Elephant Hills’ camps, it is even possible to help care for rescued elephants, from preparing their food to watching them bathe.

It’s only a two hour drive from Phuket, so Khao Sok can nicely pair with a coastal experience in Phuket, Krabi or Khao Lak.

When to Visit Khao Sok National Park

The best time to visit Khao Sok is during the dry season months of December to April, when trails are firm and skies are often clear. In May and November, there might be rain but you can still get out. From June to October, the ‘green season’, there is rain pretty much every day, with many paths slippery the area can be beautiful and scenic, but less a great time to hike.