Khao Sok National Park Floating Bungalows: A Brilliant & Unique Thailand Experience

Dreaming of staying in the iconic Khao Sok National Park floating bungalows?

After experiencing these remarkable accommodations during my visit to Cheow Lan Lake, I’m here to share everything you need to know about these unique retreats.

Picture this: traditional wooden bungalows floating on emerald waters, surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and echoing rainforest.

When I first kayaked past these unique accommodations, it felt like I’d discovered a hidden paradise that belonged on another planet.

Whether you’re a budget-conscious backpacker or seeking a luxury escape, this guide breaks down all your options for experiencing these floating sanctuaries.

I’ll help you decide if splurging on an overnight stay is worth it (spoiler: it can be!) and share honest insights about what to expect, from basic raft houses to high-end floating resorts, as well as the Cheow Lan Lake.

For couples looking for a romantic getaway or solo travellers craving a unique adventure, I’ll walk you through everything I discovered during my time exploring these floating bungalows.

Check out my Southeast Asia Packing List to effectively plan your trip.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means that if you make a booking through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my Privacy Policy.

Khao Sok National Park Floating Bungalows Vlog

CHEOW LAN LAKE IN 2025 | KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK | 1 DAY TOUR

The Best Khao Sok National Park Floating Bungalows

The Khao Sok floating bungalows vary in design, quality and cost.

There are options for each type of traveller. You can choose from basic bamboo bungalows that do a simple job. Alternatively, you can rent a superior floating villa on the water.

I have broken down the options below for you to consider.

I won’t hesitate to say that no matter which one you choose, it will be a memorable and exciting experience.

Luxury:

• 500 Rai Floating Resort
• Elephant Hills – The Lake Camp
• Panvaree Resort
• Panvaree The Greenery
• 360 Issara Floating Resort
• The Laguna Chiewlarn
• Keereewarin

Mid-Range:

• Praiwan Raft House
• Nang Prai Raft House
• Khao Sok Smiley Lakehouse
• Phupha Waree
• Keereethara Raft House

Budget:

• Phutawan Rafthouse
• Krai Son Lake House
• Khaosok Eco Raft
• Phae Saichol
• Klong Ka Lakehouse
• Orchid Lake House

Book your Khao Sok National Park Floating Bungalow experience right now.

Khao Sok Floating Bungalows – My Experience

We travelled from Bangkok via a minivan to Khao Sok National Park.

The long journey took well over ten hours, but it was completely worth it once I woke up and was surrounded by tall limestone rock formations on every side.

This is southern Thailand at its best.

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One great way to maximise your time and stay in the centre of the beauty is to get yourself accommodation by the lake.

This is where you must check out the wonderful Khao Sok National Park floating bungalows.

It sounds brilliant, right?

If there’s a chance to stay in an accommodation that floats, I will be the first person to sign up.

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What makes it even more special, however, is the surroundings.

The clearest of turquoise water, the greenest of vegetation and the peaceful sounds of nature 24/7.

Phutawan Rafthouse

This place was pretty special if you ask me.

The bungalows were oval-shaped, modern, and looked newly built, though quite small. Inside, they are basic with little space around the beds.

The mattress sits on the floor, and there are four windows with drapes. Some of the bungalows are extremely basic and only have a fan to keep cool at night, which could be a problem when it’s very hot.

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Sure, it’s only for one night, but would that bother you?

We were able to eat lunch at the restaurant, which provided food and a large space for group tours to eat, which was great.

All things considered, they are a unique place to stay in Khao Sok in one of the most beautiful settings, that is Cheow Lan Lake.

How To Book The Floating Bungalows

You can book a floating bungalow to get the best experience of Khao Sok National Park and Cheow Lan Lake.

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You can book the floating bungalows in two different ways:

• Online

We use booking.com to book all of our rooms wherever we go.

Rarely, if ever, have we had an issue, so I trust them. So there are a number of floating bungalows listed, which are helpful.

Any hotel we booked was acceptable without any real issues.

You can also book a stay in the bungalows via this blog post.

• Book Through Your Hotel

When we visited Khao Sok, our hotel reception had 100s of leaflets with different tours, including one in Khao Sok National Park and also to the Cheow Larn Lake with an overnight stay in the bungalows included.

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We booked our tour at the reception without issue. You can simply walk into a random hotel and see what they offer.

From my experience, they can pick you up at your accommodation, provided you are not too far away.

Keep in mind that during high season, it can be more difficult to find availability. To ensure you get a spot, you can book well in advance right here.

Khao Sok National Park Entrance Fee

However, you must note that a fee is due to enter to park.

The cost per person is 200 Baht Per Person, plus another 20 Baht if you are a foreigner.

Ensure you bring some cash and have it to hand to avoid any embarrassment along the way.

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Cheow Lan Lake Tour Options

There are several tours you can choose from in Khao Sok National Park and Cheow Lan Lake.

They can be arranged from most hotels in and around Khao Sok National Park and from further afield.

You can even book them online.

Some examples include half-day and full-day Cheow Lan Lake tours, trekking tours, Tubing tours, canoeing, Elephant bathing, hot springs and overnight stays at Koh Sok floating bungalows.

Some popular options are below.

But I recommend booking well in advance to avoid any disappointment when you arrive in the high season:

From Khao Lak/Khao Sok: Cheow Lan Lake and Emerald Pool Tour

Khao Sok: Private Longtail Boat Tour at Cheow Lan Lake

From Khao Lak or Phuket: 2-Day Cheow Lan Lake Tour

Our Cheow Lan Lake Tour Experience

We explored Cheow Lan Lake on a tour.

The pickup truck collected us in the morning at 08.30 AM, and a little under an hour later, we arrived at Ratchaprapha Dam.

From there, we zipped out on the water on a long-tail boat, which included life jackets.

The water seemed not to move as we blazed our way north. We overtook other boats that were either slower or had broken down.

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But not us, thankfully.

The tour itself costs 1,500 Baht with additional park fees.

We first stopped off at Phutawan Raft House. We ate here, then rented a kayak and explored the lake for about 45 minutes.

After we came back, we got to swim for about forty minutes or so. There are toilet facilities here and a place to sit and relax from the hot sun.

It was honestly a magical experience.

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We heard wildlife in the jungle from the kayak. Floating alone in the water, just the two of us for a big distance, was unique and memorable.

Later, we visited Pra Kai Petch Cave and Khao Sam Kloe. The latter was the ultimate picture I had in mind of Thailand.

What To Do In Khao Sok National Park?

Cheow Lan Lake Tour

We really enjoyed the Cheow Lan Lake tour.

Kayaking and swimming at Khao Sok National Park were tremendously memorable. I still dream of the water today.

Khao Sok National Park Jungle Trek

We also did a jungle day trek (there are night options too). All of these experiences were worth the money. In fairness, they went above and beyond my expectations. They were immense.

As previously mentioned, we were allowed to swim in a safe setting directly in front of the Khao Sok National Park floating bungalows. Imagine jumping from your balcony into the lake before breakfast!

Khao Sam Kloe

If you are staying a night at the floating bungalows in Khao Sok National Park or just visiting on a day trip, then you cannot miss Khao Sam Kloe.

Also known as the three brothers, these three limestone formations are like a postcard from another planet.

See for yourself below how beautiful they are.

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Pra Kai Petch Cave

We got to dive deep into this amazing cave and see massive spiders and even a crocodile.

Well, not a real one, but a big chink of rock which looked like a crocodile. We received headlamps and went in with our guide, and the formations inside were impressive too.

Getting To Khao Sok National Park

You can get to Khao Sok National Park in several ways.

Most travellers end up staying in Khlong Sok before they enter the park, and they use a bus/minibus to get there. This road is covered with hotels and hostels for tourists to stay.

As it is within walking distance of the entrance to the Khao Sok National Park HQ, you can arrange tours into the park or enter unguided on your own.

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By Minivan/Bus

Countless bus companies take people from Bangkok to Khlong Sok (10-16 hours with a few stops for food and the toilet).

At Surat Thani, you may need to switch to a minibus as travellers break up into smaller groups and go to different locations within southern Thailand.

From Surat Thani to Khao Sok by bus takes about 2.5 hours.

The cost for a bus from Bangkok to Khao Sok is approximately 1100-1600 THB PP (29.00 Euro/32.00 USD).

You may need to pay an extra 100 Baht to get a small minibus journey to your hotel in Khlong Sok.

By Plane

There are many airports where you can get to Khao Sok in a reasonable amount of time.

You will need to consider flight duration and flight times when planning your trip.

A good idea is to stay a night close to the airport where you arrive, should you have spent a long time in the air, to avoid the dreaded jet lag and make the experience less tiring.

There are usually bus services that you can take from the airport and head for the national park, making life easier.

Surat Thani Airport: You can get to Khao Sok from Surat Thani Airport in about 2.5 hours via bus. The distance is 109 KM.

Phuket Airport: Takes about 3.5 hours, and the distance is 190 KM.

Krabi Airport: 138 KM from the park and takes about 3 hours.

You can enjoy the astonishing landscape when travelling on a minibus after getting the ferry from Don Sak Pier in Koh Samui to Khao Sok.

By Train

You can get an overnight train from Bangkok to Surat Thani.

Surat Thani’s Phun Pin train station operates a service to the capital. Then you can get a minibus to your final destination.

The easiest way is to get a tour, which typically includes a free minibus service, but ensure it is included with the ticket price when booking.

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Directions to the Park

Tourists usually enter the park via two entrances:

• Khao Sok National Park HQ – WG8H+75M, Khlong Sok, Phanom District, Surat Thani 84250, Thailand
• CheoLan Pier (Ratchaprapha Pier) – XRGC+V52 Unnamed Rd, Khao Phang, Ban Ta Khun District, Surat Thani 84230, Thailand

It is here that you must pay the entrance fee to gain access to the park.

Tours arranged beforehand typically don’t include the entrance fees, so ensure you have cash in hand to pay for these fees.

Opening Hours

While opening hours vary at times, it is generally accepted that they are 08.00 AM – 05.00 PM.

It is recommended to take a tour so you can avoid any problems with opening and closing times.

What to Pack for Khao Sok National Park

Depending on what you plan to do, this will affect the packing list. Assuming you want to capture the scenic jungle, lake, and landscape, bring the following items:

• Camera
• Power Bank
• Water Bottle
• Suncream
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear
• Waterproof Watch
• Waterproof bag
• First Aid Kit
• Insect Repellent
• Long trousers
• Long tops
• Light Rain Jacket

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Travel Insurance For Thailand

Do not travel without insurance.

Thankfully, when Guada needed an operation in Kazakhstan, we were covered under Safety Wing. In fairness to them, they assisted us through the entire ordeal.

I could not recommend them enough. Read about our experience in Almaty for more details.

Final Thoughts on Khao Sok Floating Bungalows

The floating Bungalows in Khao Sok National Park are epic.

The park has so many fun and adventurous activities for people to do; it’s a great place to spend a few days, especially as a digital nomad.

Though the floating bungalows are a unique and fun way to spend time in the park, really, the park and Cheow Lan Lake are the main attractions.

A Cheow Lan Lake tour is totally worth doing. Considering the cost and what’s included, it’s a no-brainer to see the best the region has to offer.

Here you can kayak, swim, snorkel and explore the rainforest. Getting the speedboat around the clear turquoise water is honestly like moving in slow motion.

The water glistens but doesn’t move. The karst landscape stands tall around you.

There is no better place, in my opinion, for an adventure than in the Khao Sok National Park!

If you liked this post, then you will enjoy our Southeast Asia Packing List to ensure you bring all you need to Thailand.

Any questions, just ask.

Thanks for reading,

James

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FAQs

How Much Are The Floating Bungalows In Koh Sok National Park?

The floating bungalows at Khao Sok range from budget options to mid-range. In the low season, you can pay between 800-1,200 baht, while in the high season prices range from 1,200-1,800 baht. I also saw one overnight lake experience advertised for 2,500 Baht. Keep in mind that depending on where you stay, you will likely share a bathroom, have cold showers, and have basic facilities.

Is Khao Sok Worth It?

Yes, visiting Khao Sok is totally worth the time and money. Especially if you experience the Khao Sok National Park floating bungalows. Whether you choose a budget or luxury option, it’s an amazing way to spend time in southern Thailand. Cheow Lan Lake is extraordinary. There are numerous tours to do and water activities like kayaking and swimming.

Is It Safe To Swim In Khao Sok National Park?

Yes, it is safe to swim in Khao Sok National Park. We swam right outside Phutawan Raft House. Thankfully, there were life jackets for everyone, and it was easy to get in and out of the water. There were many people around, so it felt quite safe. However, we didn’t see anyone swimming in the middle of the lake. I would not recommend swimming far away from the shore.

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