About Cheow Lan Lake
Cheow Lan Lake, also known as Khao Sok Lake or Ratchaprapha Dam Reservoir, is a must-visit destination popular for its floating resorts, diverse activities, and awe-inspiring natural attractions. Spanning 165 square kilometers, the lake is associated mainly with Khao Sok National Park but in fact over half of it extends into the Khlong Saeng and Khlong Yang Wildlife Sanctuaries.
Enchanting Natural Scenery
Cheow Lan Lake boasts breathtaking landscapes characterized by steep cliffs, towering limestone karsts reminiscent of Guilin, and serene waters reflecting the surrounding wilderness. Highlights include:
- Over 100 limestone outcrops scattered throughout the lake.
- Unique attractions: Several caves, a spectacular viewpoint, a picturesque waterfall, and short trails, including one through a rare swamp forest habitat.
- Six tributary regions, namely Klong Long, Klong Ka, Klong Pey, Klong Yee, Khlong Saeng, and Khlong Mon (khlong means river in Thai).
- Unique wildlife watching possibility, including elephants, gaurs, hornbills and many more
Whether you are drawn by the promise of adventure, relaxation, scenic beauty or wildlife watching, Cheow Lan Lake offers an unforgettable escape into Thailand's natural splendor.
Activities at Cheow Lan Lake
Cheow Lan Lake offers a variety of activities that allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in its natural beauty:
- Kayaking: Paddle through the serene waters, surrounded by stunning limestone cliffs and lush greenery. Most floating resorts provide complimentary kayaks and life vests for their guests. Kayaking is possible from the floating resorts only.
- Boat Excursions: Take a longtail boat to explore the lake’s numerous attractions, including caves, viewpoints, and unique karst formations or morning mist safaris.
- Swimming: Enjoy a refreshing dip in the tranquil waters of the lake.
- Wildlife safaris: Participate in a morning or late-afternoon safari, hoping to spot the diverse wildlife inhabiting the area.
- Hiking: Because the lake is surrounded by steep mountains/cliff, there are no official long trails to walk. Most hiking will be to various attractions, often enough a bit uphill hikes.
Bamboo rafting to Coral Cave
Visitors can enjoy a bamboo rafting adventure to Coral Cave. This excursion involves a longtail boat ride to the Khlong Long tributary, followed by a one-kilometer hike to a ranger station. From there, bamboo rafts can be arranged for a short journey to the cave. For more details about Bamboo rafting, please scroll further down to Coral Cave under the "Attractions" section.
Activities not possible in the lake
River Tubing: While popular in other locations such as in Khao Sok village, it is not possible in the lake.
Many tour companies advertise “evening” or “night” safaris; however, boats are prohibited from operating after sunset. These tours are, in reality, late-afternoon safaris conducted before nightfall. Additionally, other activities, such as nighttime forest wildlife searches or kayaking, are not permitted.
Floating Resorts on Cheow Lan Lake
There are dozens of floating resorts on the lake of which the very majority are very basic, a few average options and a few high-end ones.
The high-end resorts are 500 Rai, Pangaree The Greenery, Panvaree Resort and 360° Issara. The average options are Laguna Cheow Lan and Phupha Waree
The location of some of the raft houses are;
- Khlong Long Tributary (>15 km, 35-50 minutes boat ride) - Sai Chon Raft House, Panvaree Raft House, Plern Prai Raft House, Prai Wan, 360° Issara
- Khlong Ka Tributary (>15 km, 35-50 minutes boat ride ) - Klong Ka and Nang Prai
- Khlong Pey Tributary (> 20 km, 50 minutes to 1h 10 minutes) - Ton Toey Raft House
- Khlong Yee Tributary (> 26 km, 1h 20 minutes and up) - Phupha Waree Raft House, Krai Son Raft House, Tree Tops Floating Bungalows, Keeree Warin Raft House, 500 Rai
What wildlife to expect around Cheow Lan Lake?
The lake is an excellent place to spot some impressive animals such as elephants, gaurs, gibbons, langur species, hornbills, fox bats, deer and other impressive animals. During a 3D/2N stay in the lake, chances to see wild elephants is around 30-40%.
Gibbons calls are heard daily but sightings can be tricky because they are quite shy. But sometimes they are seen at the taller tree tops. While dusky leaf monkeys are very common in entire Thailand, seen at many touristic towns, Robinson’s banded langurs are very rare but often seen in the lake and often mistaken for dusky leaf monkeys.
Monitoring lizards swimming on the lake is a common sight.
A few times every year the very rare tapirs are seen around the lake. Clouded leopards are also around, but the sighting is extremely rare. A few Malayan sunbear individuals are seen from time to time, but they too are quite rare, one individual often visits Sai Chon (or Sai Chol) Raft House.
Many websites and tour operators mention the existence of tigers in the lake for false advertising. Historically there have been tigers in the forest complex surrounding the lake and further north, however there hasn’t been any sighting, not even by any trail cameras for the last couple of decades. Tigers are probably extinct in the forest complex.
Tours in Cheow Lan Lake
Visitors to Cheow Lan Lake can choose between two main types of tours, each catering to different preferences and group sizes:
- Private Tours: These tours provide an exclusive experience with a dedicated guide and boat, ensuring flexibility to customize the itinerary according to your preferences. You can plan day-to-day activities in consultation with your guide, making it ideal for those seeking a more personalized adventure.
- Shared or Group Tours: These tours accommodate up to 18 people in the same boat and follow a fixed itinerary. Options typically include day trips or 2-day/1-night (2D/1N) tours. There are no 3D/2N shared tours offered by any company as far as we know. For overnight stays, shared rooms may be part of the arrangement, depending on the tour package and room size of the floating resort offered.
Private guided tours in Khao Sok lake
Join a private guided tour with your own boat/guide to enjoy 2D/1N or 3D/2N tour in Khao Sok, staying at a floating resort of your choice.
More infoImportant booking tip
Many operators do not explicitly disclose whether a tour is private or shared. To avoid confusion, always confirm the type of tour before booking. A more attractive price often means a shared experience if “private tour” is not mentioned anywhere in the tour description.
Ethical Considerations
Some tour companies promote visits to so-called “elephant sanctuaries”. Visitors are strongly encouraged to avoid supporting such activities and to prioritize tours that respect wildlife and ethical tourism practices.
Cheow Lan Lake offers a variety of touring options, ensuring a memorable experience that aligns with sustainable and responsible travel values.
Longtail Boats on Cheow Lan Lake
All transportation on Cheow Lan Lake is conducted using traditional longtail boats. These come in two sizes:
- Smaller Boats: Accommodate 7–10 passengers.
- Larger Boats: Hold up to 18 passengers.
No alternative boat types are available on the lake.
Boat Design and Weather Considerations
The boats are open-topped, providing no permanent rain protection. While a plastic canopy may be set up to shield passengers from the sun, it offers limited rain protection as side winds can still bring in water. During strong winds or stormy conditions, the canopy is typically removed to minimize wind resistance causing boats becoming unstable.
Every boat is required to carry enough life vests for all passengers.
For your safety and convenience, it’s highly recommended to store sensitive electronic devices in waterproof plastic or dry bags to protect them from unexpected splashes or rain. Always make sure to wear a lifevest.
Boat availability issues
During the high season months, particularly around mid November until April, there may be boat availability issues in the lake. You are recommended to make your boat arrangements in advance to be on the safe side if you are doing your own arrangements. For the most time you may be fine to arrange a boat on arrival to the lake, but during the busiests periods you may have to wait for hours for one to become available.
Weather
The rainy season in southern Thailand typically begins around May/June and can last well into the end of the year. This is followed by the dry and hot season, which generally runs from January to May.
However, the rainy season doesn’t guarantee daily rain. There may be stretches of several weeks or even months without rainfall, while at other times, showers can occur almost daily or every few days. Rainfall during this period is often short-lived, usually lasting no more than 20–30 minutes at a time. All day long rain showers are rare, but happen a few times every year.
Cheow Lan Lake is centrally located between the east and west coasts, which helps to mitigate the impact of stormy weather coming from the Gulf of Thailand or Andaman Sea. While strong winds typically weaken by the time they reach the lake, there are occasions when stormy conditions can affect the area, potentially making boat rides less comfortable.
If rainy conditions are not a concern, the rainy season is an excellent time to visit Cheow Lan Lake, as the surrounding forests are at their lushest, offering a true jungle experience.
It’s worth noting that weather forecasts for the Cheow Lan area are often unreliable. Predictions should be taken with caution, as they can sometimes be accurate but are just as likely to be entirely off, with rain forecasts resulting in clear skies or vice versa.
It’s also worth noting that the weather forecast for the coastal towns says nothing about the conditions in the lake.
During the dry and hot season, staying at one of the floating resorts on Cheow Lan Lake can become very uncomfortable without air conditioning during the night, particularly from February to May. During eventual heat waves, even air conditioning systems may struggle to provide a sufficiently cool environment for a comfortable sleep.
Safety
During the last few years there have been a number of incidents in the lake with people drowning, of which 2 were related to kayak activity. All could have been prevented if life vests were used.
It is very important to use life vests while driving around in the lake with a boat or while kayaking. Because of these mentioned incidents, the guides, floating resort staff will be insistent about using life vests, please avoid arguing about your swimming skills with them.
Attractions of Cheow Lan Lake
Kri Sorn Viewpoint (จุดชมวิวไกรสร)
Kri Sorn Viewpoint is the best panoramic vantage point in Cheow Lan Lake, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding limestone cliffs and lush forested landscapes. Located between the Khlong Yee and Khlong Prey tributaries, this viewpoint is a must-visit for adventurers.
- Trail details: The hike to the viewpoint is a challenging 1.5 km journey featuring steep inclines and sections that require light climbing, making it unsuitable for young children, those with limited mobility or anyone not up to a challenging hike.
- Accessibility: Due to its remote location, about 1 hour and 15 minutes by boat ride from the Cheow Lan Lake Pier, this attraction is not included in most day-trip itineraries. It is best visited as part of an overnight stay at one of the nearby floating raft houses.
For those willing to tackle the climb, Kri Sorn Viewpoint offers a rewarding experience with unmatched views of Khao Sok National Park's dramatic landscapes.
Bang Hoi Waterfall
A smaller waterfall located at the far end of the lake in the vicinity of 500 Rai and Phupa Waree floating resorts. The waterfall is reached by a moderately steep hike from a trail that starts from the coast. It is a 1h 20 minutes boat ride from Cheow Lan Pier.
3 rocks / limestone karst formations (เขาสามเกลอ กุ้ยหลินเมืองไทย)
In Thani, Khao Sam Kloe, also referred to as "Guilin of Cheow Lan" is a stunning sight, featuring three limestone karst formations rising from the water, resembling those surrounding Guilin City in China. These photogenic formations are typically the first stop on any tour departing from Cheow Lan Lake. The location is about a 35-40 minute boat ride from Cheow Lan Pier.
Diamond Cave (ถ้ำประกายเพชร)
Also known as Phra Kay Petch Cave, the 100 meters long cave is situated in Klong Ka tributary of Cheow Lan, on the south side of the reservoir. The cave features both stalactites and stalagmites.
The cave passages are quite wide with a major chamber.
The cave is around 18 km and about 40 minutes boat ride from Cheow Lan Pier, located between Guilin like limestone formations and Swamp Forest Trail. It is one of the best caves in the park with impressive stalagmites and stalactites, home to bats.
The location of this cave with other two mentioned nearby attractions makes it suitable as the first stop for the overnight tours before heading to the floating resorts for lunch. It is normally visited first because once this area passes, the location gets too far away to be visited later.
Nearest raft houses are Klong Ka (2 km) and Nang Prai (4.5 km), flashlights needed to visit this cave.
The cave floor may be slippery, shoes with good grip recommended.
(some websites claims the length of this cave to be 500 meters long, it is not true)
Coral Cave
Coral Cave is around 400 meters long with only one entrance and several chambers, some up to 15 meters high. The cave is wide and tall enough to move around, no extreme narrow passages for claustrophobics.The cave has both stalactites and stalagmites.
Technically, this cave is in Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary and a separate entrance fee for the sanctuary needs to be paid to visit. It is reached by a long boat trip to Khlong Long tributary of the lake, followed by a kilometer long hike to a different smaller lake and then a bamboo rafting to the actual cave.
Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary entrance fee is 200 Baht per person (100 Baht for children) and Bamboo Rafting rental is 400 Baht.
The cave is located in Khlong Long tributary of the lake, a few of the nearby floating resorts are Sai Chol, Laguna Cheow Lan, Panvaree Resort, Panvaree The Greenery and 360° Issara. A significant petrol charge, typically around 1,000 Baht may be charged to get to Khlong Long tributary from the other floating resorts.
The trailhead to Coral Cave is located around a 45-50 minutes boat ride from Choe Lan Pier, then around 20-25 minutes hike + bamboo rafting.
Coral fossils have been found in the cave.
The cave floor may be slippery, shoes with good grip recommended.
Nam Talu Cave (ถ้ำน้ำทะลุ)
This 500 meter long cave is located near Ranger Station 4 on Klong Pey tributary. The cave has a very wide opening and water streams through it. The cave is around 4 km from the lake.
Nam Talu Cave can be extremely dangerous to visit during rainy days. In a tragic incident in 2007, two guides and six tourists lost their lives when a sudden flash flood inundated the cave. For safety reasons, guides will not lead tours if rain is forecasted. The cave is open to visitors only from December 14th to the end of May, though these dates may vary annually.
In another incident in 2024, two guides broke the park rules and took their guests to Nam Talu Cave after the sunset in the rainy season. They were caught by a flush flood. While all tourists and a guide, some with light injuries managed to escape to safety, one guide lost his life.
Khlong Ka Peat Swamp Forest Trail
Swamp forests are rare in Thailand and have a unique habitat of being under water all year round. This natural swamp forest patch is not caused by dam construction as it is at a bit higher elevation from where the water level reaches its maximum. It is about a kilometer long one way, the last few hundred meters of the trail is a circular boardwalk over the swamp habitat. It takes less than an hour to walk this trail. The habitat is unique, worth to visit.
The walk to the swamp forest is mostly a regular hike then it turns into a boardwalk on the swampy bit with a circular walk and back the same trail.
(some websites claims the length of the trail to be 4-5 km, it is not true)