Is it worth staying on Cheow Lan Lake in Khao Sok?

Khao Sok National Park has two main visitor areas. One is the village around the park headquarters, where trails lead into the rainforest along the Sok River. The other is Cheow Lan Lake, also written Chiaw Lan and known as the Ratchaprapha reservoir, about 65 kilometres east. Both Lonely Planet and Thai National Parks put the drive between them at about an hour.

The lake covers about 165 square kilometres and was created by the Ratchaprapha Dam. Limestone outcrops rise straight out of the water, and Thai National Parks notes that more than half of the lake extends into neighbouring wildlife sanctuaries. Most visitors see it on a day or overnight tour that includes transfers, boats and a guide.

The floating resorts are reached only by longtail boat from the Cheow Lan (Ratchaprapha) pier, and some are more than an hour away by boat. Thai National Parks describes most of them as very basic, with a few mid-range and high-end options. Basic rooms often have shared bathrooms and fans, and electricity may run only from sunset until late evening; the better ones have private bathrooms and air conditioning.

The reward is the setting. Rough Guides describes rising early at a lake house to see langurs, macaques and gibbons along the shore. Many raft houses lend kayaks, and people swim from the rafts; Thai National Parks advises you not to swallow the lake water. Boats are not allowed to run before sunrise or after sunset, so evenings are spent where you are staying.

Wear a life vest every time you are on a boat or in a kayak. Thai National Parks reports drownings on the lake that life vests could have prevented, and guides and resort staff will insist on them.

A raft-house stay usually comes with a tour. Thai National Parks explains that shared tours can put up to 18 people in one boat on a fixed itinerary, while a private tour gives you your own guide and boat. Many operators do not say which one they are selling, so ask. In busy periods boats can be scarce, so arrange your boat in advance through the tour operator or raft house.

Some lake outings are more demanding than they sound. Rough Guides describes the trek through Nam Talu cave as involving a long wade and a swim in the dark, and Lonely Planet advises against visiting the cave in the rainy season, noting that there have been fatalities. Ask your guide how conditions on the day affect the plan.

The headquarters area is the place for rainforest walks. Its main trail follows the Sok River to waterfalls and swimming spots, and Lonely Planet notes that the falls are at their fullest in the rainy season. Thai National Parks says that only a couple of trails near the headquarters can be walked without a guide; guides are now booked through hotels and tour operators. Night safaris run only in this area, not on the lake.

Many lodges and guesthouses sit between the park entrance and the main road, so you have road access, restaurants and simpler transfers. Rough Guides recommends loose long trousers, long sleeves, insect repellent and plenty of water, as the forest is very hot and humid.

Khao Sok is wet. Lonely Planet calls it Thailand’s rainiest spot, and Thai National Parks gives the rainy season as late April to early December, with most rain from May to October. Rough Guides suggests avoiding June to October if muddy, slippery trails would spoil the trip, and warns that the river wade to Tan Sawan waterfall should not be tried in the rainy season. Thai National Parks adds that forecasts for coastal towns say nothing about conditions on the lake.

National park entrance fees apply, but guides describe them differently, including whether the headquarters and lake areas are charged separately. Ask your tour operator or the park for the current rules rather than relying on an old figure. In early October, pack a dry bag for phones and cameras; the longtails are open boats.