Private Tour | 2-days/1-night private tour on Cheow Lan Lake
Situated between Khao Sok National Park and Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Cheow Lan Lake has one of the most beautiful scenic views in Thailand.
The lake deserves more than one night of stay, but if you only can stay one night, you will still be able to enjoy a few activities with this tour. If you truly want to enjoy more of the lake, then a 3D/2N tour is recommended.
With the 2-days/1-night tour at Cheow Lan Lake you will be able to see scenic rock formations, hike to a viewpoint, visit a cave, hike in the jungle, kayak, swim and drive around for wildlife watching. The tour includes a stay at a floating resort of your choice, a private guide and a private boat with driver. No others will share the guide or the boat with you during the tour.
Floating resorts on Cheow Lan Lake
500 Rai Floating Resort (high-end)
500 Rai Floating Resort is one of the best floating resorts on Cheow Lan Lake, with 15 houses/units of various sizes. It is located at the far end of the lake, between Phupha Waree and Krai Son raft houses, with one of the best views at the lake. It is the only option at the lake providing electricity 24 hours/day (deluxe option with only 12 h/day a/c powered, others 24 h/day).
Following are the room types;
| Deluxe (4 pax) | 36 ㎡ - Master bedroom with double-size bed, loft with two mattresses. 1 kayak, 5 life jackets. A/c from 6 pm to 6 am. Check-in 2pm, check-out 9:30am |
| Villa (4 pax) | 42 ㎡ - Master bedroom with double-size bed, loft with two mattresses. 1 kayak, 5 life jackets. A/c 24h/day. Check-in 2pm, check-out 9:30am |
| Family Villa (8 pax) | 72 ㎡ - 2 connecting villas, 2 master bedrooms with double-size bed, 2 lofts with 4 mattresses, a/c 24h/day, 2 kayaks, 8 life jackets. Check-in 2pm, check-out 9:30am |
360° Issara Floating Resort (high-end)
360° is the a brand new high-end resort opened in January 2025.
360° Issara is located at Khlong Long tributary of Cheow Lan Lake, around 40 minutes boat ride from Cheow Lan Pier, somewhere between Sai Chon and Laguna Cheow Lan. When at full capacity, the floating resort has total 10 deluxe rooms for couples, 10 triple deluxe rooms with a queen-sized and a single bed. 4 more villa rooms will be ready later this year with a king-sized bed and a sofa bed (for 2 adults and 1 child).
While the deluxe rooms will be a/c powered from 6pm until 6am, the villa rooms will be powered 24 hours/day.
The 360° Issara Floating Resort offers three seasonal pricing tiers: the lowest rates are available from May to June, higher rates apply from July to October, and the highest rates are in effect from November to April.
Panvaree The Greenery (high-end)
The resort is located at the entrance of Khlong Long tributary. Compared to other optiong on the lake, Panvaree The Greenery has fewer cabins/houses which makes it a relatively quiet place even when the place is fully booked, ideal for people avoiding crowds. Quality wise it is no doubt one of the best and most popular floating resort on the lake. Electricity is provided from 5pm until 9am.
Following are the room types;
| Superior room (2 pax) | For couples or 2 adults + small child (child to share same bed as parents but quoted half price). Rooms can be with either a double bed or twin beds, unfortunately can't be chosen, either one can be booked depending on availability and other circumstances. |
| Family section (4 pax) | For families up to 4 pax, 2 storeys, 2 rooms, 1 bathroom, 1 king size bed in each room. |
The price for the rooms varies depending on week-day, week-end day or holidays.
Panvaree Resort (high-end)
Located right next to Panvaree The Greenery, Panvaree Resort has similar quality and price level with different type of bed settings, it too has less cabin/houses. The rooms gets a bit cheaper at Panvaree Resort for groups of 3 people or more.
Following are the room types;
|
Garret house king (4 pax) |
Semi-detached to a garret house queen, with a king size bed and a loft area with 2 single mattresses on the floor. |
| Garret house queen (4 pax) | Semi-detached to a garret house king, with twin beds and a loft area with 2 single mattresses on the floor. Max 4 people |
| Private garret (4 pax) | Solitary unit (not semi-detached), with twin beds and a loft area with 2 single mattresses on the floor. Max 4 people |
The price for the rooms varies depending on week-day, week-end day or holidays.
Laguna Cheow Lan
Laguna Cheow Lan is located on the Khlong Long tributary, in the middle of Cheow Lan Lake. Each room has a king size and a single bed, ensuite private bathroom, a/c, balcony and can accommodate up to 3 people. The beds are on the floor. Electricity is provided from 6pm until 6am.
5 of the rooms called "see view rooms" are charged at a higher rate, they are the rooms with best views, facing the mountains on the opposite coast.
Phupha Waree Raft House
Phupha Waree Raft House is set back in a private alcove just inside Klong Pey. Compared to most basic floating resorts on the lake, it is considered a bit better option. The rooms are equipped with 2 joined queen-size beds, ensuite private bathroom, a/c, balcony, and can accommodate 2–4 people. While the smaller rooms will be booked accommodate up to 3 people, the larger rooms accommodate 4 people. Electricity is provided from 6pm → 6–7am.
Sai Chon Raft House
Sai Chon Raft House is a cheaper alternative. While being a very basic raft house, it is still a better option when compared to most other basic options on the lake mostly because the rooms have ensuite private bathrooms. The raft house is located on Khlong Long tributary of the lake, not too far from the pier. The quality is somewhere between bamboo and average options. While the smaller rooms have 1 king size bed, the larger rooms have 2 king size beds. The rooms are equipped with fan only, electricity is provided from around 6pm until 6-7am.
Unlike the other raft houses, kayaking is not free at Sai Chon Raft House, rental will cost 200 Baht per kayak. The kayak fee is optional, not included in our listed prices for Sai Chon Raft House.
Itinerary
There is no strict itinerary with our lake tours, the following itinerary is just an example. Depending on the location of your raft house, weather conditions, your preferences the itinerary may be much different. Example; you may decide to do more kayaking, skip some activities for the other, or simply just decide to relax and spend some time with friend(s)/family at the raft house.
Because the lake is surrounded by steep cliffs/mountain slopes, there are no long hiking options. Alternatives hikes are quite short.
The time spent between visiting attractions and boat safaris must be balanced. While the boat will be at your service during the entire tour, the boat can't be used for continuous wildlife safari. Also, there is not much wild activity in mid-day, most activity will be in the early morning and late afternoon, the reason safari activities will be limited to early morning before/after the breakfast and before the sunset.
Day 1
- 10am – Pick-up from Cheow Lan Lake Pier and board a long-tail boat.
- Cruise past stunning limestone karsts, known as the "Three Rocks" or Khao Sam Kloe, before exploring Diamond Cave.
- Check in at the resort and enjoy a traditional Thai lunch featuring rich southern curries and fresh local vegetables.
- Optional guided hike: Visit scenic Kri Sorn Viewpoint or the nearby Bang Hoi Waterfall.
- Enjoy an afternoon wildlife safari by boat.
- Return to the resort for a refreshing swim, relaxation, and breathtaking views.
- End the day with a delightful dinner featuring fresh fish, Thai soup, and seasonal vegetables.
Day 2
- Rise before breakfast for an early morning mist/wildlife safari by long-tail boat
- Alternatively explore the surrounding area by kayak
- Return to resort for breakfast
- Depending on the resort and it's location the tour ends around 9:30 to 10 am at the pier
Where & When?
The tour starts at Cheow Lan Lake Pier (Rajjaprabha Dam), 65 km from park headquarters. We can arrange transfer from/to Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi, Ao Nang, Surat Thani and Khao Sok village straight to tour start in the morning or transfer to the mentioned towns after the tour.
The nearest airports are Surat Thani (~1h), Krabi (~2h) and Phuket Airport (~2.5h), you are recommended to arrive to the area a day before the tour start. This tour is not recommended to start the same day when arriving from the islands or the airports.
This tour is available throughout the year.
When to book?
High seasons periods for the lake are November to mid April and mid July to end of August. Bookings for these months should be done well in advance, earliest possible. Even if some of the raft houses may still have rooms available days/weeks before, guide availability is more of a concern. The guides may get fully booked months in advance for the busiest times of the year.
Panvaree The Greenery superior rooms should be booked at least 6-12 months in advance for the busier months of the year, family rooms too may get booked far in advance.
Laguna Cheow Lan should be booked at least 3-6 months in advance for the high seasons months.
Phupha Waree can be booked a couple of months ahead, for the high seasons months they may get fully booked for most dates 1-4 months before.
Sai Chon tends to have more availability compared to the other raft houses we offer, sometimes days/weeks before. But for the certain peak dates, they too will eventually get fully booked many months before.
Tour details in short:
- Duration: 2 days/1 night
- Type: Private tour
- Price: * see the pricing table *
- Group size: 2 or more people
- Grade: Easy
- Transport: Long-tail boat
- Start: 10am (day 1)
- End: around 9:30 to 10am (day 2)
What to bring:
- Rain clothing, specially on the rainy seasons (no rain protection on longtail boats)
- Waterproof bag/cover for all your electronics in case of rain
- Sneakers for hiking, sandals for waterfall/cave visit
- Personal toiletries
- Swimming clothing & towel
- Hat
- Flashlight
- Insect repellent
- Sunblock lotion
How much?
The tour will be led by a private guide which means no others will join you while exploring the lake and surrounding areas. The price for this tour package depends on the choice of accommodation and number of people, please see price per person further down.
The prices below do not include entrance fees to the national park.
- Phupha Waree Raft House has new higher prices applying from 1st January 2026 onwards
- 500 Rai Floating Reost has new higher prices applying from 1st November 2025 onwards
| Price per person | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pax | Sai Chon | Phupha Waree | Laguna |
| 2 | 6,700 THB | 7,700 THB | 8,700 THB |
| 3 | 5,150 THB | 5,750 THB | 6,800 THB |
| 4 | 4,350 THB | 5,000 THB | 6,450 THB |
| 5 | 3,900 THB | 4,750 THB | 5,750 THB |
| 6 | 3,600 THB | 4,250 THB | 5,300 THB |
| 7 | 3,350 THB | 4,050 THB | 5,300 THB |
| 8 | 3,650 THB | 4,300 THB | 5,450 THB |
| Price per person | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pax | 360° Issara | Panvaree Resort | Panvaree T. G. |
| 2 | 9,000 to 12,200 THB | 10,000 to 11,700 THB | 10,500 to 12,800 THB |
| 3 | 7,500 to 10,600 THB | 7,900 to 9,450 THB | 10,200 to 12,800 THB |
| 4 | 6,750 to 9,900 THB | 6,250 to 7,500 THB | 8,050 to 9,900 THB |
| 5 | 6,300 to 9,400 THB | 6,900 to 8,550 THB | 8,950 to 11,500 THB |
| 6 | 6,000 to 9,100 THB | 6,400 to 7,950 THB | 7,250 to 9,100 THB |
| 7 | 5,800 to 8,900 THB | 6,600 to 8,100 THB | 7,650 to 9,800 THB |
| 8 | 6,300 to 9,300 THB | 6,900 to 8,500 THB | 7,400 to 9,300 THB |
| Price per person | |
|---|---|
| Pax | 500 Rai |
| 2 | 15,900 to 26,800 THB |
| 3 | 12,800 to 20,400 THB |
| 4 | 11,200 to 17,200 THB |
| 5 | 11,200 to 14,700 THB |
| 6 | 11,100 to 13,500 THB |
| 7 | 10,400 to 12,700 THB |
| 8 | 10,600 to 12,600 THB |
Displayed prices are per person
Tour rates include:
- Lodging
- Private guide
- Tour around the lake
- Private long-tail boat from the moment of tour start until the tour ends
- Lunch and dinner on day-1, breakfast on day-2
- Drinking water
- Kayaking (not included at Sai Chon Raft House)
- Insurance for incidents during the tour (covering eventual hospital costs)
Tour rates doesn't include:
- Entrance fees to the park
- Transfer to the lake from the nearby hotels/towns
- Parking fee (if you have your own vehicle)
- Kayaking at Sai Chon Raft House (the fee is included at the all other resorts we offer)
Reviews from our guests
By: World Wild Hearts | posted Sun 16 Apr, 2023 | Sai Chon
A video review from one of our guests. This clip wasn't promoted by us, nor were we informed in advance about it.
Review by; World Wild Hearts
By: Gijs Overes | posted Wed 27 Aug, 2025 | Sai Chon
Our guide Bee honestly made the tour so worth it. He knew a lot about the park and all the different animals it had. He also knew all the good spots and times to see the animals. Very great experience!
By: Lide de Izeta Zalduendo | posted Wed 27 Aug, 2025 | Phupha Waree
A great experience!! Our guide Au made the tour very interesting sharing facts about the National Park’s flora, fauna and history. She knew a lot about wildlife and its sounds, and led us to see and identify several different species of monkeys, toucans, eagles and even otters! Even though the conditions weren’t optimal to see a lot of wildlife she made an effort to take us to different spots so that we could maximize our chances of seeing animals. The hike was also beautiful and very special, and Au’s knowledge made it safe. It was an overall amazing and unique tour that I certainly recommend!
By: Jay Rao | posted Fri 22 Aug, 2025 | Sai Chon
Au was a fantastic guide with an exceeding passion. She
> Jay Rao
Au was a fantastic guide with an exceeding passion. She ensured we were well taken care of during the entirety of the stay.
The cabins were just right and the place was stunning and is definitely a must visit. Very high on my recommendations
By: David Eichner | posted Fri 22 Aug, 2025 | Sai Chon
The whole tour was awesome. We spend two days in the Khao Sok national park (11th and 12th of August) and even though the weather wasn’t as pleasant, as we hoped it would be, we still experienced many beautiful sights. Have to give a great appreciation to our guide Tham, who was very helpful throughout the whole trip, was very caring and even taught us some party tricks and many other things. Wonderful guy!
David
By: Jeroen Elings | posted Thu 7 Aug, 2025 | Phupha Waree
Beautyfull trip with a perfect guide, Su.
Thanks!
By: Emily HOTCHKISS | posted Mon 28 Jul, 2025 | Phupha Waree
We had the best time on our tour! It exceeded our expectations, Pupha Waree was fantastic for our family, food was delicious and plentiful and the kids loved swimming off the deck. We saw lots of macaques on our boat safaris and both Su our guide and our driver were really invested in finding wildlife. We particularly rate the communication from the company, we booked taxi via them too and this made the experience seamless. All the drivers were fantastic. Highly recommend this company thank you
By: Sandra Vande Weyer | posted Fri 11 Jul, 2025 | Phupha Waree
The booking of our overnight stay at Cheow Lan lake went flawless. You reacted really quick and with lots of information. Super friendly, detailled and correct.
The trip was really wonderfull. We had a private boat, guide and captain. Guide Bee really did everything to make it perfect. We hiked a waterfall; the highlite of the trip for our teenage boys. The food was really good. The houses a little bit dated but new houses are being installed. We could kajak out to the lake from our house. The captain even showed us a tree full of fruit bats.
By: Maxine Buyle | posted Wed 25 Jun, 2025 | Laguna
Junn was the beste guide. She’s a human form of sunshine, brining joy to whoever she’s guiding arround. We loved spending our time with her, watched all the elephants in the wild and had such a fun time! You should be so happy to have Junn in your team. Also, big thanks to the rest of the team! You helped us so good and made our stay perfect! Thanks ♥️
By: Divya Antoney | posted Tue 29 Apr, 2025 | Sai Chon
I loved the tour. The stay was amazing. I stayed for 1 one day sai pier. I loved the whole experience. The kao sok national park is piece of heaven. It is must visit place of thailand.