Thai National Parks

Private Tour | 2-days/1-night private tour in Cheow Lan Lake

As of 26th July, the boat prices in Cheow Lan Lake are increased with 1,000 Baht for a 2D/1N tour and with 1,500 Baht for a 3D/2N tour. This price difference will add to all displayed prices further below and concerns all new bookings effective immediately. We will update our new prices soonest possible, sorry for the inconvenience caused.

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 in 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 in a raft house 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.

Out tours must be booked with "no matter the weather" in mind. We don't find the lake tours suitable for kids under 7 years old, other companies may have a different opinion about age limits.

Raft house options

500 Rai Floating Resort (deluxe)

500 Rai Floating Resort is one of the two top raft houses in the lake, with 15 houses/cabins of various sizes. The raft house is located at the far end of the lake, between Phupha Waree and Krai Son raft houses, with one of the best views in the lake.

Following are the type of rooms;

Type	Pax	Size	Info
Deluxe	4	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	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	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
Deluxe Suite	4	72 ㎡	Master bedroom with double-size bed, loft with 2 mattresses, a/c 24h/day, 2 kayaks, 7 life jackets (2 sofa beds for additional 2 pax if needed). Check-in 4pm, check-out 1pm
Family Suite	10	86 ㎡	2 master bedrooms with double-size bed, 2 lofts with 6 mattresses, a/c 24h/day, 2 kayaks, 7 life jackets (2 sofa beds for additional 2 pax if needed). Check-in 4pm, check-out 1pm
Honeymoon Suite	4	92 ㎡	Master bedroom with double-size bed, loft with two mattresses, a/c 24h/day, 2 kayaks, 4 life jackets, private swimming pool, jacuzzi. Check-in 4pm, check-out 1pm

Panvaree The Greenery Floating Resort (deluxe)

Panvaree The Greenery is fully booked for the entire July/August months.

While most raft houses in the lake have on average around two dozen bungalows, Panvaree The Greenery Floating Resort have fewer which makes it a relatively quiet place even when the place is fully booked. Quality wise it is no doubt one of the best and most popular raft houses in the lake. The raft house is located in the entrance of Khlong Long tributary.

Following are the type of rooms;

• Superior 2 pax - For 2 adults or 2 adults + small child (child to share same bed as parents but quoted half price). Room can be with either a double bed or two single beds, unfortunately can't be chosen, either one can be booked depending on availability and other circumstances.
• Family rooms; For 3+ pax

The price for rooms varies depending on week-day, week-end day or holidays.

Phupha Waree Raft House

Phupha Waree is set back in a private alcove just inside Klong Pey, compared to most basic/average raft houses in the lake it is considered a bit better option. The rooms are equipped with 2 joined queen size beds, a private bathroom, a/c, balcony and can accommodate 2-4 people. While the smaller rooms will be booked for up to 3 people, the larger rooms will be booked for 4 people.

For the dates concerning high season months, week-ends (Fri-Sat nights) and public holidays, rooms at Phupha Waree should be booked well in advance.

Laguna Cheow Lan Raft House

Laguna Cheow Lan is fully booked for the entire July/August months.

Laguna Cheow Lan is located in Khlong Long tributary, in the middle of the lake. Each room have a king size and a single bed, private bathroom, a/c, balcony and can accommodate up to 3 people. The beds are on the floor.

(a new increased price will apply for Laguna Cheow Lan from January 2025 onwards)

Sai Chon Raft House (wooden)

Sai Chon Raft House is a cheaper alternative compared to high end ones, located in Khlong Long tributary of the lake, not too far from the pier. The quality is somewhere between the bamboo and high end options. The rooms can accommodate 2-4 people with king size beds, equipped with fans and has rooms with private bathroom.

Unlike the other raft houses, kayaking is not free at Sai Chon Raft House, rental will cost 200 Baht per kayak. The price is optional, not included in our listed price.

Itinerary

The following itinerary is just an example. Depending on the location of your raft house, weather conditions, your suggestions or eventual shorter/longer time you may decide to spend at attractions may change the planning. 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.

Day 1

• 10 am pickup from Cheow Lan Lake Pier to board your long-tail boat
• Scenic tour of limestone karst formations on the way to your rafthouse
• Check in to the raft house. Enjoy a traditional Thai Lunch prepared with rich southern Thai curries, delicious local vegetables.
• Guided hike to see viewpoints on dry season or to a waterfall on rainy season (optional)
• Afternoon wildlife safari by boat
• Return to the raft house for a swim, relax and enjoy the scenery
• Enjoy a delectable dinner of fish, Thai soup, and veggies.

Day 2

• Rise before breakfast for the morning mist safari, the best time to see gibbons, macaques, and dusky leaf monkeys
• Return to raft house for breakfast
• Explore the surrounding area by kayak
• Depending on the raft house and it's location, check-out from the raft house is around 9:30 am, tour ends around 10:30 to 11 am

Where & when?

The tour starts at Cheow Lan Lake Pier (Rajjaprabha Dam), 65 km from park headquarters. We can arrange transfers from/to Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi, Ao Nang, Surat Thani and Khao Sok village on request.

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 to the airport far away.

This tour is operated all year round.

When to book?

High seasons months in the lake are November to April and July/August. Bookings for these months should be done far in advance, earliest possible. Even if some 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. During the low season months there is less risk of unavailability. 

Panvaree The Greenery superior rooms should be booked at least 6-12 months in advance for the busier months of the year, even the family rooms may get room far in advance. It is one of the most popular raft houses in the lake.

Laguna Cheow Lan should be booked at least 5-6 months in advance, they are constantly fully booked at least 3-4 months ahead.

Phupha Waree can be booked a couple of months ahead, but during the high seasons they may get fully booked most dates 1-3 months ahead. There is greater risk for them to get fully booked during the week-ends.

For the dates concerning high season months from November to mid April, week-ends (Fri-Sat nights) and public holidays, the rooms at Phupha Waree should be booked well in advance. There can be rooms available for the week-days in short notice, but then again, guides may get fully booked.

Sai Chon should also be booked earliest possible for any week-end/holiday concerned dates.

Krai Son tends to have availability for the most year even if booked days/weeks in advance but can be fully booked months in advance for long week-end holidays.

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.

Reviews from our guests

Rated 4.65/5 based on 118 customer reviews

By: World Wild Hearts | posted Sun 16 Apr, 2023 | Sai Chon

5/5 stars

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: Katrien Berlengee | posted Tue 23 Jul, 2024 | Sai Chon

5/5 stars

We had a very nice 2-day on the lake.

We stayed in San Choi. The accommodation is basic, as we knew, the food is good and the location fantastic.

Behind our cabins there were 2 elephants which we were able to admire regularly.

Our guide, Aphattra Suankeaw, was super nice. She was also very caring to our children who traveled with us.

The hike went to a waterfall. This hike could have been much more challenging for us, we found it too short but we are used to long hikes.

Overall a very pleasant experience, also thanks to our nice guide.

By: Melissa Slimani | posted Tue 16 Jul, 2024 | Phupha Waree

5/5 stars

We recently had the pleasure of touring Khao Sok with Men as our guide, and I can't recommend him highly enough. From the start, Men was incredibly welcoming and instantly put everyone at ease with his great sense of humor. His command of English was excellent, which made communication smooth and enjoyable throughout the trip.

What really stood out was Men’s depth of knowledge about the area. He shared fascinating insights about the local flora and fauna, the history of Khao Sok, and the unique culture of the region. His passion for the place was evident and infectious, making every part of the tour both educational and fun.

Men also had a knack for storytelling, weaving in anecdotes and personal experiences that brought the landscape to life. Whether we were trekking through the jungle, cruising on the lake, or exploring caves, Men’s guidance enriched every experience. His professionalism and enthusiasm truly made the trip memorable.

If you're looking for an engaging and knowledgeable tour guide in Khao Sok, Men is definitely the one to ask for.

In addition to the quality of the tour guide, I had an excellent experience booking the tour through Thai National Parks. The process was incredibly easy and user-friendly, making it a breeze to arrange our trip. What impressed me most was their responsiveness; they promptly answered all my questions and provided detailed information that helped me plan the perfect adventure. The efficiency and clarity of their communication made the whole experience stress-free and enjoyable. Highly recommend booking through Thai National Parks for a seamless and well-organized trip!

By: Eliska Ryndova | posted Mon 10 Jun, 2024 | Phupha Waree

4/5 stars

We chose the 2 days/1 night option, stayed at Phuphawaree and were satisfied with our trip. Our guide Kiem was great, food was good. Waiting on the boat to see some animals can be sometimes tedious, but that’s understandable, can’t blame anyone.

By: Sarayu Gangavelli | posted Sun 9 Jun, 2024 | Phupha Waree

5/5 stars

This national park tour was the highlight of my time in Thailand! Our guide was absolutely amazing and the views were unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. We saw so many animals, including an elephant amongst the trees!

By: Tessa Koeman | posted Tue 4 Jun, 2024 | Sai Chon

5/5 stars

Amazing tour thank you so much!

By: Madison Sergerie | posted Wed 29 May, 2024 | Panvaree

5/5 stars

Hnum was an amazing guide. He was very knowledgeable. He spoke very well in English which was greatly appreciated. He adapted the tour based on our interests. He took the time to chat with us. The tour was very well organized. Everyone arrived on time (transfer service and guide). Overall an unforgettable experience. Thank you!

By: Afaf Atassi | posted Wed 8 May, 2024 | Phupha Waree

5/5 stars

Our stay and experience at Khao Sok was amazing and we loved every part of our tour. What made it even better was our tour guide Hnum, he was very trustworthy and helped us learn a lot about the area. Having him as our tour guide made the experience so wholesome, relaxing but also very fun and exciting.

We will for sure be coming back for more!

By: Mathieu David | posted Tue 7 May, 2024 | Phupha Waree

4/5 stars

The team of Thai National park was really professional, helpful and fast to respond to any of my questions. We felt we were in good hands. Our guide Nit was also amazing. On the other hand the accomodations could easily improve (we slept at Phupha waree). The air-conditioning was hold and noisy, the food could be better. Overall we had a really good experience on the lake.

> Tour operator's response

Thanks for your feedback. :)

Historical point of view, the last few weeks has been unusually too hot in the lake, we have got many complaints about the a/c not coping well with the heat. This kind of heat waves are rare. We also read in the news that this April has globally been the hottest ever measured April month. :(

Now that the rainy season is kicking in, the heatwave seems to be over since a few days back.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

By: Eloise Quinn-Taylor | posted Sat 4 May, 2024 | Krai Son (bamboo)

5/5 stars

We absolutely loved our private tour of Khao Sok National Park! Our guide was great and pointed out lots of animals for us. The park itself is just stunning, one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life! The bamboo hut that we stayed in was hot and very basic but it really didn't matter- the trip was so amazing that we didn't care. The food was great too! Overall it was a fantastic experience and we would go again tomorrow! We were very glad we booked a private tour- it was worth the extra money