Last visited March 2011
Part of Lake Rajjaphapa (Rechapbrapho/Cheow Law) from the Lake-Trip viewpoint.
Okay, nosotros aren't talking beaches here. But in that location are enough of spectacular islands - with karst limestone cliffs climbing 200m from the water.
But the primary reasons I did this page are - the location is a natural for travellers moving betwixt the Andaman together with southern Gulf islands - the expanse is amid the most asked-for on move websites - together with this house is 1 of the most enjoyable I've visited inwards my travels together with 1 I hadn't been to inwards 0ver 10 years, thus the lack of a page until now.
The primary green HQ, walking trails together with bungalow expanse is virtually 1 hr yesteryear rider vehicle from Takua Pa to the westward together with maybe 2.5 from Surathani inwards the east. Travellers' minibuses also come upward across from the Krabi area.
The pop lake trips start at the dam expanse virtually 1 hr eastward together with it takes some other hr to cruise across to the raft houses together with jungle-cave walk expanse (modified Google footing image).
MAIN PARK HQ-BUNGALOWS-WALKING TRAILS AREA
When you lot instruct inwards at the rider vehicle halt on route 401 (the bus-conductor volition brand certain you lot know) in that location volition live some touts from diverse bungalow operations waiting to present you lot pix of their places. This is groovy if you lot are unbooked similar me - because they tin dismiss furnish gratuitous carry the 1 to 2km downwards to the accommodation. If booked into a house a songthaew makes fairly regular trips from the rider vehicle stop. The travellers' minibuses tend to drib you lot (and selection upward again) at the bungalows.
I went with the guy from Khao Sok Evergreen House because the other tout waiting was from Jungle Huts where I stayed commencement trip - I similar to endeavour novel places. Above is my "tree house" - similar most tree houses I've seen inwards Thailand this is built on stilts upward nether the canopy of a tree - non on the tree itself. Shaded for all but virtually iii hours inwards the afternoon which becomes prime number clothes-drying fourth dimension - if the thunderstorm doesn't fix inwards which it did each afternoon I was there. Bungalow with bath cost 300 lowered to 250 because of unmarried occupancy. Good status but basically a box on stilts with comfy bed together with skillful net.
Evergreen House is a pretty sweetness operation. It is quite closed to the green boundary but some distance downwards tracks to the correct every bit you lot approach Park HQ. Only iii tree houses together with iii normal bungalows inwards a spacious garden setting. Very friendly hosts Gai together with Noi. Laid dorsum eating seat showing payoff of mainland setting together with enough of contest with skillful nutrient at the lower terminate of budget eating seat prices. Small supermarket, mesh together with swimming hole maybe iii minutes walk away.
ph 0066 77395144 - www.evergreenhouse2007.net - e-mail khoasokevergreen@yahoo.com
"Main street" runs downwards from the rider vehicle halt to the green HQ. Lots of traveller-orientated businesses along hither - trip booking agents, minimarkets (one forepart left has an ATM), restaurants, bars together with some accommodation places. Surprisingly uncrowded inwards this shot (people had told me Khao Sok is much busier than the 90s. Surprising until Gai told me it was Full Luna Party solar daytime on Phangan - he had 12 guests the previous solar daytime but solely me at fourth dimension of pix. Most of the accommodation is on laneways off to the left of this street - tracks are inwards much ameliorate status than days yesteryear - many are paved.
One of the biggest changes from my commencement trip was the release of novel accommodation places together with how existing places had expanded together with upgraded. This is a novel department at Jungle Huts which has an interconnecting elevated walkway to the novel elevated restaurant. The house all the same has cheaper old-style bungalows together with tree-houses but they were a flake neater than when I stayed lastly century. Jungle Huts was known for its entertainingly eccentric eating seat staff - these guys would live pushing early-mid 30s now, may live different.
The inwards a higher house bungalows are 800 on the website at fourth dimension of writing but Jungle Huts does non offering aircon on environmental grounds. Plenty of similar places with aircon (note it gets quite cool towards sunrise - the solely house inwards the southward I've needed a total blanket - but tardily afternoons tin dismiss live warm together with steamy) One articulation fifty-fifty had a neat looking pool. Misty Mountain Resort or similar.
Of course of study you lot don't demand a resort-type puddle if you lot remain at the oft-praised Art's River View Lodge (or several other places along the river). Outsiders are welcome to swim but it would live skillful politics to lodge a drinkable or snack at the elevated eating seat behind camera.
The nearest swimming spot to my bungalow was virtually iii minutes away at Bamboo House. The puddle extends maybe 30m to correct of frame. I shot this from following Bamboo Bar which is a cool house to live stuck when the afternoon tempest breaks. Keep those Changs coming ………..
GETTING THERE
Details volition live clearer if you lot click icon to expand.
Minibus operations to together with from Sok embrace enough of areas these days. Note a lot of the inwards a higher house services involve a alter to ferries, bigger coaches, trains or fifty-fifty some other minibus at centres similar Surathani, Krabi, Trang, maybe Hat Yai together with Chumpon.
Note that your bungalow tin dismiss accommodate these tickets only every bit good every bit the trip-booking agents.
ROUTE 401 BUSES - roughly 10 services a solar daytime run hourly betwixt Surathani together with Takua Pa (from where most proceed to Phuket via Khao Lak). It took me virtually an hr to come upward up from Takua Pa together with I think Surathani is roughly 2.5. These buses overstep yesteryear the railway station some distance out of Surathani town itself. Note that non all Surathani-Phuket buses instruct out via highway 401 - some instruct out via the southern route thru Phang Nga town so cheque at the rider vehicle station for a Khao Sok bus.
THE PARK WALKS
The entrance to the green is a brusque walk from most bungalows. Here you lot pay your 200 entry fee for 24 hours (March 2011 cost). Check the LAKE TRIP department for how you lot mightiness live able to brand this extend for the best portion of 2 days.
Very closed to the entrance is an exhibition-educational Visitors' Center where you lot tin dismiss selection upward skillful maps of the primary walks, a green restaurant, a squeamish picnic expanse with the stream, national green bungalows/camping expanse together with a rather swish youth hostel where a bunch of flat schoolhouse kids were having a groovy time.
This is a re-create of the hand-out map from National Park Visitors' Center (sic if yer non a Yank) - I've added a flake of info. Click to expand icon for detail.
The 2 primary tracks are good signposted together with don’t demand a guide for daylight exploration. Combined they are only a footling also long for the average trekker to embrace inwards a day. Because I did most of the to a greater extent than pop western walk inwards '97 earlier a heavy tempest forced retreat, I started on the northern walk this latest trip.
THE NORTHERN WALK
This runway starts upward a fairly steep department of stairs behind the green restaurant.
This is a truthful rainforest track, much to a greater extent than so than the early on stages of the western walk. Narrow, steep (much to a greater extent than so than the focal length of my elcheapo Cannon suggests inwards this shot), lots of foliage litter, a horde of leeches despite it non yet raining (but pretty damp from yesterday’s rain).
Leeches - don't freak out. These footling devils are non poisonous similar ticks - every bit a affair of fact some medicos state the anticoagulant they inject to sparse your blood is skillful if you lot receive got blood pressure level problems (or something similar that). Face it, leeches are all the same used inwards modern hospitals for a diversity of treatments. Main work is that the anticoagulant makes the puncture-mark haemorrhage harder to halt (good quondam pressure level plant eventually) together with the punctures tin dismiss live itchy which leads to infection from scratching.
Leech socks which are impervious canvass or plasticticised, going upward to only nether knee-level are most effective. Got a shot of some downwards page inwards the LAKE TRIP section. Leeches mainly lurk inwards the moisture foliage litter together with lower vegetation together with bound onto lower legs, feet - they tin dismiss genuinely burrow through less impervious socks, trousers, fifty-fifty some shoe types (a wild leech earlier it becomes blood-endgorged is quite a skinny streamlined dude) - although this takes fourth dimension together with if you lot are checking every 100m similar me you lot volition instruct them long earlier they exercise the dracula bit. I uncovering wearing shorts makes spotting them much easier than inwards longer trousers. I receive got an thought liberal applications of insect repellent may discourage them too.
When you lot complete your trek, cheque your body too. I receive got had a few hither inwards the Australian bush.
About 50 minutes upward the northern runway it splits - the western portion goes across this span together with and so climbs steeply to San Yang Roi. Trouble is the span was barricaded with ACTIVITY PROHIBITED IN THIS AREA signs. Of course of study I had to run into why - the span was inwards misfortunate repair with circumferentially-enhanced types inwards jeopardy of busting thru. And a fallen tree partially blocked the steep fix of stairs starting on the other side. Both problems looked at to the lowest degree a twelvemonth quondam - what does National Parks exercise with our 200baht entry fees? Hint - read inwards a higher house virtually the snazzy youth hostel.
After v minutes of steep stair-climbing the across-bridge runway meanders thru some dense high wood earlier coming to a circular switchback roughly a huge emergent tree inwards an expanse which must live virtually straight inwards a higher house the river. Must live because I could listen it agency downwards in that location - couldn’t run into anything but immediate trees from an expanse the notes hint is a viewpoint.
Back downwards on the primary northern track I moved some other 10 minutes on to a squeamish natural puddle which would live groovy for swimming. Past hither the path deteriorated sadly - narrow, steep, muddy, unclear with lots of simulated leads together with no indicator marks on trees or signs, important frequent backtracking - later xv minutes I figured I was making less than 1km inwards an hr which meant that the lastly goal Sip-et-Chan Waterfall was something similar vi hours render to that point. This would give me no fourth dimension to recheck the primary western runway earlier nightfall, so I turned dorsum towards Park HQ.
THE WESTERN TRACK
Although longer, this is agency easier together with busier together with than the northern runway (I solely saw 2 other trekkers inwards over iii hours on the latter, dozens on the western route). There is also to a greater extent than to run into with seven pools or “waterfalls” along here.
The commencement 2km or so is a broad path with a few relatively slow slopes. Past this it narrows to a proper rainforest walking runway - quite narrow with some steepish climbs together with drops - but does non instruct hard inwards normal conditions. On my commencement see at the plough of the century I had to plough dorsum at shortly later reaching the lastly falls at #7 because a deluge turned the runway into a mud current with thousands of leeches. I retrieve it became quite slippery inwards parts but despite this I made the 7.5km dorsum to HQ inwards 2 hours.
At the 3km grade a brusque side-track leads downwards to this attractive puddle at Wang Yao. Deliciously cool H2O saw quite a few people swimming behind camera. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 guide hither was telling his modest grouping the H2O is commonly real clear inwards dry out flavor - recent days had been quite wet.
Thai “waterfalls” are oft a brusque drib over a few rocks every bit inwards background. Note rainfall starting. Later at my bungalow it absolutely poured, only every bit hard every bit when I commencement visited - I’m glad I turned dorsum when I did this latest trip.
Some of the other falls along this runway are a flake to a greater extent than impressive - but nosotros aint talking Niagara folks. I retrieve the puddle at #6 together with the puddle together with falls at #7 were quite squeamish when I called inwards the previous trip. Note the side-track out of #7 was pretty indisctinct dorsum together with so - maybe it has improved.
OTHER BUNGALOW-HQ AREA ACTIVITIES.
Elephant rides, guided treks to distant waterfalls together with viewpoints for overnight camping, river inner-tube rides/ kayaking, blossom tours together with guided fauna spotting treks are offered at the bungalows, tour booking offices together with green visitors’ centre. Some of these would involve carry to to a greater extent than distant locations - this is 1 large national park.
Guided fauna spotting is most successful every bit nighttime treks - Khao Sok is famous for wild elephants, deer, tigers, leopards together with tapirs but all I’ve seen on solar daytime trips are a few birds together with mass leeches. Plus a few crashing sounds inwards the undergrowh. I gotta acknowledge nighttime safaris are non my thing - I’d much rather live tucked inwards tight with Blow-Up Britney than charging roughly the boondocks with a flashlight.
THE LAKE TRIP
I did the Lake Trip inwards ‘97 but did non receive got the fourth dimension to remain overnight on the raft houses where daytrips telephone telephone inwards for lunch. I was determined to remain a nighttime this trip. The extra 1000baht (2400 v 1400) gets a surprisingly comfy floating bungalow, iii first-class meals together with some extra activities on the 2nd solar daytime including a trek to a wonderful viewpoint which I thought nearly every bit skillful every bit commencement day’s cave walk. Plus the exclusivity together with placidity of a nighttime on the lake.
Starting signal - the Lake Park HQ/Visitors' Center virtually 1 hr N of primary HQ-bungalow expanse - roughly 50km farther along 401 to Ban Takun together with and so some other 8km or so downwards a side route to the north. The Visitor's Center has the common educational stuff, toilets, shops, restaurant.
At the modest edifice to the correct you lot volition pay some other 200 baht entry fee - unless you lot delay your previous day's entry into the primary HQ area's walking tracks until state 10.30am every bit Gai from Evergreen House advised me, inwards which representative your arrival at the lake should live earlier the 24 hours is upward - together with you lot volition live waved thru on presentation of your previous day's ticket (time of entry the previous solar daytime is stamped on it). In this agency I got iii days inwards the green areas for 200 - they don't cheque your ticket on instruct out from the lake.
The gang - solely seven of us staying overnight - plus some other v with a dissimilar operator. However in that location were some other 20+ daytrippers at the raft-houses having tiffin earlier their cave trip.
Bloke on the tiller is our guide "Mr Big", an first-class source of data together with skillful humour.
It's 26km across the lake to Ton Tuoy raft-houses. Plenty of spectacular scenery along the agency so the longtail didn't hurry - took virtually an hour.
The raft houses. Restaurant expanse is larger buildings slightly correct of centre. Guest accommodation left, worker accommodation right.
Chez Tezza at the raft houses. Basic box with 2 double mattresses together with a skillful net. My mattress together with pillow pretty comfortable. Magic waking upward with the moonlit lake framed yesteryear the window. Couples got their ain house of course of study - the 2 unmarried girls inwards our grouping were asked to part - I was the solely unmarried bloke so got a house all to myself. Well me together with Britzer.
Bungalows (here from rear) receive got exterior bathrooms - this is a shot from the second, higher bath block which has ameliorate facilities (but all the same a flake decrepit) than the commencement - virtually one-half every bit high on the same pathway. Make certain you lot carry a torch - path is lit until generator quits inwards the early on hours, but non lit good inwards sections.
Sam from our trip sent me this shot of the raft houses (image uncle_sam)
THE CAVE TRIP
Starting at nowadays later luch, this must live the highlight of whatever Khao Sok trip. It's the 2nd fourth dimension I've done it, but that did non diminish enjoyment at all.
The commencement department involves a brusque longtail ride farther upward the lake branch the raft houses are located. We receive got extra passengers including other overnighters together with some of the daytrippers.
Out of the boat together with virtually a thirty infinitesimal walk to the cave. This involves numerous shallow river crossings - skillful sandals or hiking boots are in all likelihood best hither - I wore joggers which were okay but soggy of course of study - flip-flop sandals aka thongs/jandals inwards Aust/NZ are a no no. Mr Big went bare human foot - non a skillful thought unless you lot receive got been doing this all your life.
Click to enlarge to cheque the plastic leech-socks the 2nd dude heading towards photographic goggle box camera inwards a higher house has. He was the commencement of a large grouping coming away from the cave - looked to live an up-market daytrip grouping from Phuket, Phang Nga or Khao Lak. You tin dismiss fifty-fifty come upward from Krabi on daytrips. Phuket together with Krabi would live roughly seven hours render vehicle fourth dimension lonely - also far for me.
Cave entry - every bit you lot tin dismiss see, quite narrow. In fact the commencement xv minutes of the xl infinitesimal trip is confined to the narrow creek section. Here you lot are wading constantly - at 1 phase it is also deep to wade so non-swimmers should avoid although I institute I could haul myslelf along this brusque department using hands on rocks both sides without swimming. Claustrophobics should also avoid. The guides carry a moisture pack for cameras together with valuables inwards this section. Each trekker is given an effective head-band light.
Note this department floods later heavy pelting - a flash- overflowing some years agone saw several people lost. Guides are real safety-conscious (Mr Big together with friends had to haul victims out of the cave) - volition non go into if weather condition seem risky. There is a trekking by-pass for such times.
Sam shot Corrine modelling headband flashlight.
After xv minutes or so the cave widens together with most progress is non thru water. Cameras are handed out but my crap Canon's flash failed 2 seconds later the warranty expired together with so I receive got no shots of the limestone formations (not mind-blowing similar some caves), bats together with spiders. But I'm hoping some of my swain travellers volition e-mail some shots.
Okay, Anette from Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany sent me this cave shot.
And Sam from England this 1 of a bat colony......
---plus this of hundreds of spiders nesting on the walls.
The cave instruct out (much bigger than the entrance) doesn't demand a flash although the iii seconds or so the lens was opened upward saw some photographic goggle box camera shake.
Sam's flashlight does a much ameliorate undertaking of this area.
The runway splits hither shortly later cave exit. The daytrippers receive got the correct branch which gets them to a waiting longtail closer to the green HQ - the overnighters receive got the other which eventually goes dorsum to the master copy mooring signal closed to the raft-houses. Both routes involve virtually a 1 hr trek thru real skillful rainforest - truthful to its advert because yesteryear this phase it was raining. There are virtually 10 creek crossings along the way.
Mr Big had a real skillful optic together with spotted this modest fringe-back lizard lurking inwards the bush.
Still raining dorsum at the raft-houses. Excellent fourth dimension for a swim. Image from Sam.
Near DINNER TIME! Dinner was done on a multi-plate part system. I thought the nutrient was real very skillful for quantity, gustatory modality together with variety. There seemed to live unlimited gratuitous bottles of H2O on the tables. Coffee together with tea were comp together with beer, soft drinks together with juices could live purchased.
SPOT-LIGHTING
After dinner nosotros took off on a 1 hr lake cruise to run into if nosotros could spot whatever animals or birds. Not greatly successful - an owl, a twosome of eagles together with 1 hornbill. But it certain was squeamish out in that location cruising the lake inwards the moonlight/spotlight.
NEXT DAY
First persuasion inwards the morn - glassed-off lake together with misty mountains. I only had to exercise a lengthy swim to wake me upward (water surprisingly warm despite Mr Big reporting a 30m depth) - several other guests took the comp kayaks.
7am saw a 1 hr pre breakfast fauna spotting tour - 1 time once to a greater extent than several birds of prey, a one-half dozen monkeys crashing roughly high inwards the trees together with ------
This happy camper - a bigger monkey feeding his/her confront inwards the grass with the lake. Didn't seem overly impressed with Mr Big's monkey calls.
THE VIEWPOINT TREK
Around 9am nosotros packed upward our gear together with headed across lake thirty minutes to the start of the viewpoint trek. The actual viewpoint isn't at the highest signal inwards the shot give thank you lot God, but on a ridge inwards the vicinity of the yellowish arrow head. Still took over iii hours return.
I'd flat the overall walk upward through first-class rainforest every bit a existent skillful workout for a someone of average fitness - they volition require quite a few stops. For jibe people in that location are no killer slopes, but this lastly xv infinitesimal stretch was skillful value to instruct the pulse charge per unit of measurement up. Once 1 time to a greater extent than my camera's focal lenght de-exaggerates the steepness. Rocks real sudden hither - Mr Big bare-footed every bit everywhere else. Unfortunately you lot exercise non instruct a persuasion until the real top - but it is worth it every bit the shot top of page shows.
Sam's shot from the viewpoint.
Mr Big missed this dude on the agency down, but eagle-eyed Sam belongings it didn't.
Once dorsum inwards the boat, nosotros headed for the Lake HQ. I receive got an thought some trips crush inwards a waterfall see together with a swim, but a tempest was threatening so nosotros made for shelter.
I modified this Google footing icon to present approx positions - the cave is maybe a footling to the correct of my place-marker.
GETTING TO THE LAKE INDEPENDENTLY.
Get the route 401 rider vehicle to drib you lot off inwards the fairly large town of Ban Takun. Mention "lake" to the conductor. This town is roughly the 53-54km markers from Surathani. Mr Big told me in that location are motorbike taxis the 8km or so to green HQ. You tin dismiss charter longtails hither - but the 26km out to the raft-houses would non live inexpensive - ditto for a lake cruise. Of course of study shared betwixt friends it may live fine.
Note I saw at to the lowest degree 2 other raft family operations but they seemed closed mid March 2011.
If coming from Krabi, the cross-mountain route hits 401 much closer to Ban Takun than the primary Park HQ-bungalow area. You could bail-out of the minibus together with hold off for a passing rider vehicle or motorcyle-taxi. The latter mightiness live scarce away from town..
If you lot run into whatever errors or receive got additional information, delight post below.
If you lot receive got questions, delight post them inwards THE FORUM department accessed via the INDEX which I cheque most days - I cheque private pages similar this Sok 1 solely occasionally.
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IF YOU ARE VISITING KHAO SOK, ALL THE OTHER PRIORS AND EXTENSIONS SUCH AS PHANGAN, TAO, SAMUI, THE SURINS, KHAO LAK, KO KHO KHAO, THE SIMILANS, PHUKET, PHANG NGA BAY AND KRABI CAN BE ACCESSED THRU THE INDEX Sumber http://tezza-thailandbeachesandislands.blogspot.com/
Part of Lake Rajjaphapa (Rechapbrapho/Cheow Law) from the Lake-Trip viewpoint.Okay, nosotros aren't talking beaches here. But in that location are enough of spectacular islands - with karst limestone cliffs climbing 200m from the water.
But the primary reasons I did this page are - the location is a natural for travellers moving betwixt the Andaman together with southern Gulf islands - the expanse is amid the most asked-for on move websites - together with this house is 1 of the most enjoyable I've visited inwards my travels together with 1 I hadn't been to inwards 0ver 10 years, thus the lack of a page until now.
The primary green HQ, walking trails together with bungalow expanse is virtually 1 hr yesteryear rider vehicle from Takua Pa to the westward together with maybe 2.5 from Surathani inwards the east. Travellers' minibuses also come upward across from the Krabi area.The pop lake trips start at the dam expanse virtually 1 hr eastward together with it takes some other hr to cruise across to the raft houses together with jungle-cave walk expanse (modified Google footing image).
MAIN PARK HQ-BUNGALOWS-WALKING TRAILS AREA
When you lot instruct inwards at the rider vehicle halt on route 401 (the bus-conductor volition brand certain you lot know) in that location volition live some touts from diverse bungalow operations waiting to present you lot pix of their places. This is groovy if you lot are unbooked similar me - because they tin dismiss furnish gratuitous carry the 1 to 2km downwards to the accommodation. If booked into a house a songthaew makes fairly regular trips from the rider vehicle stop. The travellers' minibuses tend to drib you lot (and selection upward again) at the bungalows.
I went with the guy from Khao Sok Evergreen House because the other tout waiting was from Jungle Huts where I stayed commencement trip - I similar to endeavour novel places. Above is my "tree house" - similar most tree houses I've seen inwards Thailand this is built on stilts upward nether the canopy of a tree - non on the tree itself. Shaded for all but virtually iii hours inwards the afternoon which becomes prime number clothes-drying fourth dimension - if the thunderstorm doesn't fix inwards which it did each afternoon I was there. Bungalow with bath cost 300 lowered to 250 because of unmarried occupancy. Good status but basically a box on stilts with comfy bed together with skillful net.Evergreen House is a pretty sweetness operation. It is quite closed to the green boundary but some distance downwards tracks to the correct every bit you lot approach Park HQ. Only iii tree houses together with iii normal bungalows inwards a spacious garden setting. Very friendly hosts Gai together with Noi. Laid dorsum eating seat showing payoff of mainland setting together with enough of contest with skillful nutrient at the lower terminate of budget eating seat prices. Small supermarket, mesh together with swimming hole maybe iii minutes walk away.
ph 0066 77395144 - www.evergreenhouse2007.net - e-mail khoasokevergreen@yahoo.com
"Main street" runs downwards from the rider vehicle halt to the green HQ. Lots of traveller-orientated businesses along hither - trip booking agents, minimarkets (one forepart left has an ATM), restaurants, bars together with some accommodation places. Surprisingly uncrowded inwards this shot (people had told me Khao Sok is much busier than the 90s. Surprising until Gai told me it was Full Luna Party solar daytime on Phangan - he had 12 guests the previous solar daytime but solely me at fourth dimension of pix. Most of the accommodation is on laneways off to the left of this street - tracks are inwards much ameliorate status than days yesteryear - many are paved.
One of the biggest changes from my commencement trip was the release of novel accommodation places together with how existing places had expanded together with upgraded. This is a novel department at Jungle Huts which has an interconnecting elevated walkway to the novel elevated restaurant. The house all the same has cheaper old-style bungalows together with tree-houses but they were a flake neater than when I stayed lastly century. Jungle Huts was known for its entertainingly eccentric eating seat staff - these guys would live pushing early-mid 30s now, may live different.The inwards a higher house bungalows are 800 on the website at fourth dimension of writing but Jungle Huts does non offering aircon on environmental grounds. Plenty of similar places with aircon (note it gets quite cool towards sunrise - the solely house inwards the southward I've needed a total blanket - but tardily afternoons tin dismiss live warm together with steamy) One articulation fifty-fifty had a neat looking pool. Misty Mountain Resort or similar.
Of course of study you lot don't demand a resort-type puddle if you lot remain at the oft-praised Art's River View Lodge (or several other places along the river). Outsiders are welcome to swim but it would live skillful politics to lodge a drinkable or snack at the elevated eating seat behind camera.
The nearest swimming spot to my bungalow was virtually iii minutes away at Bamboo House. The puddle extends maybe 30m to correct of frame. I shot this from following Bamboo Bar which is a cool house to live stuck when the afternoon tempest breaks. Keep those Changs coming ………..GETTING THERE
Details volition live clearer if you lot click icon to expand.Minibus operations to together with from Sok embrace enough of areas these days. Note a lot of the inwards a higher house services involve a alter to ferries, bigger coaches, trains or fifty-fifty some other minibus at centres similar Surathani, Krabi, Trang, maybe Hat Yai together with Chumpon.
Note that your bungalow tin dismiss accommodate these tickets only every bit good every bit the trip-booking agents.
ROUTE 401 BUSES - roughly 10 services a solar daytime run hourly betwixt Surathani together with Takua Pa (from where most proceed to Phuket via Khao Lak). It took me virtually an hr to come upward up from Takua Pa together with I think Surathani is roughly 2.5. These buses overstep yesteryear the railway station some distance out of Surathani town itself. Note that non all Surathani-Phuket buses instruct out via highway 401 - some instruct out via the southern route thru Phang Nga town so cheque at the rider vehicle station for a Khao Sok bus.
THE PARK WALKS
The entrance to the green is a brusque walk from most bungalows. Here you lot pay your 200 entry fee for 24 hours (March 2011 cost). Check the LAKE TRIP department for how you lot mightiness live able to brand this extend for the best portion of 2 days.Very closed to the entrance is an exhibition-educational Visitors' Center where you lot tin dismiss selection upward skillful maps of the primary walks, a green restaurant, a squeamish picnic expanse with the stream, national green bungalows/camping expanse together with a rather swish youth hostel where a bunch of flat schoolhouse kids were having a groovy time.
This is a re-create of the hand-out map from National Park Visitors' Center (sic if yer non a Yank) - I've added a flake of info. Click to expand icon for detail.The 2 primary tracks are good signposted together with don’t demand a guide for daylight exploration. Combined they are only a footling also long for the average trekker to embrace inwards a day. Because I did most of the to a greater extent than pop western walk inwards '97 earlier a heavy tempest forced retreat, I started on the northern walk this latest trip.
THE NORTHERN WALK
This runway starts upward a fairly steep department of stairs behind the green restaurant.
This is a truthful rainforest track, much to a greater extent than so than the early on stages of the western walk. Narrow, steep (much to a greater extent than so than the focal length of my elcheapo Cannon suggests inwards this shot), lots of foliage litter, a horde of leeches despite it non yet raining (but pretty damp from yesterday’s rain).Leeches - don't freak out. These footling devils are non poisonous similar ticks - every bit a affair of fact some medicos state the anticoagulant they inject to sparse your blood is skillful if you lot receive got blood pressure level problems (or something similar that). Face it, leeches are all the same used inwards modern hospitals for a diversity of treatments. Main work is that the anticoagulant makes the puncture-mark haemorrhage harder to halt (good quondam pressure level plant eventually) together with the punctures tin dismiss live itchy which leads to infection from scratching.
Leech socks which are impervious canvass or plasticticised, going upward to only nether knee-level are most effective. Got a shot of some downwards page inwards the LAKE TRIP section. Leeches mainly lurk inwards the moisture foliage litter together with lower vegetation together with bound onto lower legs, feet - they tin dismiss genuinely burrow through less impervious socks, trousers, fifty-fifty some shoe types (a wild leech earlier it becomes blood-endgorged is quite a skinny streamlined dude) - although this takes fourth dimension together with if you lot are checking every 100m similar me you lot volition instruct them long earlier they exercise the dracula bit. I uncovering wearing shorts makes spotting them much easier than inwards longer trousers. I receive got an thought liberal applications of insect repellent may discourage them too.
When you lot complete your trek, cheque your body too. I receive got had a few hither inwards the Australian bush.
About 50 minutes upward the northern runway it splits - the western portion goes across this span together with and so climbs steeply to San Yang Roi. Trouble is the span was barricaded with ACTIVITY PROHIBITED IN THIS AREA signs. Of course of study I had to run into why - the span was inwards misfortunate repair with circumferentially-enhanced types inwards jeopardy of busting thru. And a fallen tree partially blocked the steep fix of stairs starting on the other side. Both problems looked at to the lowest degree a twelvemonth quondam - what does National Parks exercise with our 200baht entry fees? Hint - read inwards a higher house virtually the snazzy youth hostel.After v minutes of steep stair-climbing the across-bridge runway meanders thru some dense high wood earlier coming to a circular switchback roughly a huge emergent tree inwards an expanse which must live virtually straight inwards a higher house the river. Must live because I could listen it agency downwards in that location - couldn’t run into anything but immediate trees from an expanse the notes hint is a viewpoint.
Back downwards on the primary northern track I moved some other 10 minutes on to a squeamish natural puddle which would live groovy for swimming. Past hither the path deteriorated sadly - narrow, steep, muddy, unclear with lots of simulated leads together with no indicator marks on trees or signs, important frequent backtracking - later xv minutes I figured I was making less than 1km inwards an hr which meant that the lastly goal Sip-et-Chan Waterfall was something similar vi hours render to that point. This would give me no fourth dimension to recheck the primary western runway earlier nightfall, so I turned dorsum towards Park HQ.
THE WESTERN TRACK
Although longer, this is agency easier together with busier together with than the northern runway (I solely saw 2 other trekkers inwards over iii hours on the latter, dozens on the western route). There is also to a greater extent than to run into with seven pools or “waterfalls” along here.
The commencement 2km or so is a broad path with a few relatively slow slopes. Past this it narrows to a proper rainforest walking runway - quite narrow with some steepish climbs together with drops - but does non instruct hard inwards normal conditions. On my commencement see at the plough of the century I had to plough dorsum at shortly later reaching the lastly falls at #7 because a deluge turned the runway into a mud current with thousands of leeches. I retrieve it became quite slippery inwards parts but despite this I made the 7.5km dorsum to HQ inwards 2 hours.
At the 3km grade a brusque side-track leads downwards to this attractive puddle at Wang Yao. Deliciously cool H2O saw quite a few people swimming behind camera. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 guide hither was telling his modest grouping the H2O is commonly real clear inwards dry out flavor - recent days had been quite wet.
Thai “waterfalls” are oft a brusque drib over a few rocks every bit inwards background. Note rainfall starting. Later at my bungalow it absolutely poured, only every bit hard every bit when I commencement visited - I’m glad I turned dorsum when I did this latest trip.Some of the other falls along this runway are a flake to a greater extent than impressive - but nosotros aint talking Niagara folks. I retrieve the puddle at #6 together with the puddle together with falls at #7 were quite squeamish when I called inwards the previous trip. Note the side-track out of #7 was pretty indisctinct dorsum together with so - maybe it has improved.
OTHER BUNGALOW-HQ AREA ACTIVITIES.
Elephant rides, guided treks to distant waterfalls together with viewpoints for overnight camping, river inner-tube rides/ kayaking, blossom tours together with guided fauna spotting treks are offered at the bungalows, tour booking offices together with green visitors’ centre. Some of these would involve carry to to a greater extent than distant locations - this is 1 large national park.
Guided fauna spotting is most successful every bit nighttime treks - Khao Sok is famous for wild elephants, deer, tigers, leopards together with tapirs but all I’ve seen on solar daytime trips are a few birds together with mass leeches. Plus a few crashing sounds inwards the undergrowh. I gotta acknowledge nighttime safaris are non my thing - I’d much rather live tucked inwards tight with Blow-Up Britney than charging roughly the boondocks with a flashlight.
THE LAKE TRIP
I did the Lake Trip inwards ‘97 but did non receive got the fourth dimension to remain overnight on the raft houses where daytrips telephone telephone inwards for lunch. I was determined to remain a nighttime this trip. The extra 1000baht (2400 v 1400) gets a surprisingly comfy floating bungalow, iii first-class meals together with some extra activities on the 2nd solar daytime including a trek to a wonderful viewpoint which I thought nearly every bit skillful every bit commencement day’s cave walk. Plus the exclusivity together with placidity of a nighttime on the lake.
Starting signal - the Lake Park HQ/Visitors' Center virtually 1 hr N of primary HQ-bungalow expanse - roughly 50km farther along 401 to Ban Takun together with and so some other 8km or so downwards a side route to the north. The Visitor's Center has the common educational stuff, toilets, shops, restaurant.At the modest edifice to the correct you lot volition pay some other 200 baht entry fee - unless you lot delay your previous day's entry into the primary HQ area's walking tracks until state 10.30am every bit Gai from Evergreen House advised me, inwards which representative your arrival at the lake should live earlier the 24 hours is upward - together with you lot volition live waved thru on presentation of your previous day's ticket (time of entry the previous solar daytime is stamped on it). In this agency I got iii days inwards the green areas for 200 - they don't cheque your ticket on instruct out from the lake.
The gang - solely seven of us staying overnight - plus some other v with a dissimilar operator. However in that location were some other 20+ daytrippers at the raft-houses having tiffin earlier their cave trip.Bloke on the tiller is our guide "Mr Big", an first-class source of data together with skillful humour.
It's 26km across the lake to Ton Tuoy raft-houses. Plenty of spectacular scenery along the agency so the longtail didn't hurry - took virtually an hour.
The raft houses. Restaurant expanse is larger buildings slightly correct of centre. Guest accommodation left, worker accommodation right.
Chez Tezza at the raft houses. Basic box with 2 double mattresses together with a skillful net. My mattress together with pillow pretty comfortable. Magic waking upward with the moonlit lake framed yesteryear the window. Couples got their ain house of course of study - the 2 unmarried girls inwards our grouping were asked to part - I was the solely unmarried bloke so got a house all to myself. Well me together with Britzer.
Bungalows (here from rear) receive got exterior bathrooms - this is a shot from the second, higher bath block which has ameliorate facilities (but all the same a flake decrepit) than the commencement - virtually one-half every bit high on the same pathway. Make certain you lot carry a torch - path is lit until generator quits inwards the early on hours, but non lit good inwards sections.
Sam from our trip sent me this shot of the raft houses (image uncle_sam)THE CAVE TRIP
Starting at nowadays later luch, this must live the highlight of whatever Khao Sok trip. It's the 2nd fourth dimension I've done it, but that did non diminish enjoyment at all.
The commencement department involves a brusque longtail ride farther upward the lake branch the raft houses are located. We receive got extra passengers including other overnighters together with some of the daytrippers.
Out of the boat together with virtually a thirty infinitesimal walk to the cave. This involves numerous shallow river crossings - skillful sandals or hiking boots are in all likelihood best hither - I wore joggers which were okay but soggy of course of study - flip-flop sandals aka thongs/jandals inwards Aust/NZ are a no no. Mr Big went bare human foot - non a skillful thought unless you lot receive got been doing this all your life.Click to enlarge to cheque the plastic leech-socks the 2nd dude heading towards photographic goggle box camera inwards a higher house has. He was the commencement of a large grouping coming away from the cave - looked to live an up-market daytrip grouping from Phuket, Phang Nga or Khao Lak. You tin dismiss fifty-fifty come upward from Krabi on daytrips. Phuket together with Krabi would live roughly seven hours render vehicle fourth dimension lonely - also far for me.
Cave entry - every bit you lot tin dismiss see, quite narrow. In fact the commencement xv minutes of the xl infinitesimal trip is confined to the narrow creek section. Here you lot are wading constantly - at 1 phase it is also deep to wade so non-swimmers should avoid although I institute I could haul myslelf along this brusque department using hands on rocks both sides without swimming. Claustrophobics should also avoid. The guides carry a moisture pack for cameras together with valuables inwards this section. Each trekker is given an effective head-band light.Note this department floods later heavy pelting - a flash- overflowing some years agone saw several people lost. Guides are real safety-conscious (Mr Big together with friends had to haul victims out of the cave) - volition non go into if weather condition seem risky. There is a trekking by-pass for such times.
Sam shot Corrine modelling headband flashlight.After xv minutes or so the cave widens together with most progress is non thru water. Cameras are handed out but my crap Canon's flash failed 2 seconds later the warranty expired together with so I receive got no shots of the limestone formations (not mind-blowing similar some caves), bats together with spiders. But I'm hoping some of my swain travellers volition e-mail some shots.
Okay, Anette from Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany sent me this cave shot.
And Sam from England this 1 of a bat colony......
---plus this of hundreds of spiders nesting on the walls.
The cave instruct out (much bigger than the entrance) doesn't demand a flash although the iii seconds or so the lens was opened upward saw some photographic goggle box camera shake.
Sam's flashlight does a much ameliorate undertaking of this area.
The runway splits hither shortly later cave exit. The daytrippers receive got the correct branch which gets them to a waiting longtail closer to the green HQ - the overnighters receive got the other which eventually goes dorsum to the master copy mooring signal closed to the raft-houses. Both routes involve virtually a 1 hr trek thru real skillful rainforest - truthful to its advert because yesteryear this phase it was raining. There are virtually 10 creek crossings along the way.
Mr Big had a real skillful optic together with spotted this modest fringe-back lizard lurking inwards the bush.
Still raining dorsum at the raft-houses. Excellent fourth dimension for a swim. Image from Sam.
Near DINNER TIME! Dinner was done on a multi-plate part system. I thought the nutrient was real very skillful for quantity, gustatory modality together with variety. There seemed to live unlimited gratuitous bottles of H2O on the tables. Coffee together with tea were comp together with beer, soft drinks together with juices could live purchased.SPOT-LIGHTING
After dinner nosotros took off on a 1 hr lake cruise to run into if nosotros could spot whatever animals or birds. Not greatly successful - an owl, a twosome of eagles together with 1 hornbill. But it certain was squeamish out in that location cruising the lake inwards the moonlight/spotlight.
NEXT DAY
First persuasion inwards the morn - glassed-off lake together with misty mountains. I only had to exercise a lengthy swim to wake me upward (water surprisingly warm despite Mr Big reporting a 30m depth) - several other guests took the comp kayaks.
7am saw a 1 hr pre breakfast fauna spotting tour - 1 time once to a greater extent than several birds of prey, a one-half dozen monkeys crashing roughly high inwards the trees together with ------
This happy camper - a bigger monkey feeding his/her confront inwards the grass with the lake. Didn't seem overly impressed with Mr Big's monkey calls.THE VIEWPOINT TREK
Around 9am nosotros packed upward our gear together with headed across lake thirty minutes to the start of the viewpoint trek. The actual viewpoint isn't at the highest signal inwards the shot give thank you lot God, but on a ridge inwards the vicinity of the yellowish arrow head. Still took over iii hours return.
I'd flat the overall walk upward through first-class rainforest every bit a existent skillful workout for a someone of average fitness - they volition require quite a few stops. For jibe people in that location are no killer slopes, but this lastly xv infinitesimal stretch was skillful value to instruct the pulse charge per unit of measurement up. Once 1 time to a greater extent than my camera's focal lenght de-exaggerates the steepness. Rocks real sudden hither - Mr Big bare-footed every bit everywhere else. Unfortunately you lot exercise non instruct a persuasion until the real top - but it is worth it every bit the shot top of page shows.
Sam's shot from the viewpoint.
Mr Big missed this dude on the agency down, but eagle-eyed Sam belongings it didn't.Once dorsum inwards the boat, nosotros headed for the Lake HQ. I receive got an thought some trips crush inwards a waterfall see together with a swim, but a tempest was threatening so nosotros made for shelter.
I modified this Google footing icon to present approx positions - the cave is maybe a footling to the correct of my place-marker.GETTING TO THE LAKE INDEPENDENTLY.
Get the route 401 rider vehicle to drib you lot off inwards the fairly large town of Ban Takun. Mention "lake" to the conductor. This town is roughly the 53-54km markers from Surathani. Mr Big told me in that location are motorbike taxis the 8km or so to green HQ. You tin dismiss charter longtails hither - but the 26km out to the raft-houses would non live inexpensive - ditto for a lake cruise. Of course of study shared betwixt friends it may live fine.
Note I saw at to the lowest degree 2 other raft family operations but they seemed closed mid March 2011.
If coming from Krabi, the cross-mountain route hits 401 much closer to Ban Takun than the primary Park HQ-bungalow area. You could bail-out of the minibus together with hold off for a passing rider vehicle or motorcyle-taxi. The latter mightiness live scarce away from town..
If you lot run into whatever errors or receive got additional information, delight post below.
If you lot receive got questions, delight post them inwards THE FORUM department accessed via the INDEX which I cheque most days - I cheque private pages similar this Sok 1 solely occasionally.
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