Neil Aronson Visiting National Parks in Southern Thailand is different from Northern Thailand. Since we live in the northern Chiang Mai province mountains, we frequently visit them. However if you are looking for a different type of nature and wildlife adventure, consider these amazing places in the south.
Southern Thailand national parks tend to cater to those that like beaches and water activities, since many are on lakes and along the ocean. You will also find more tropical jungle like nature and wildlife.
Resources
Agoda is the best place to book cheap affordable hotels in Thailand, especially near national parks. They also book flights as well.
Viator is the top choice for activities. Book everything from a waterfall tour to scuba diving and jungle trekking,
12Go is the top transportation source for Asia. From busses to trains to regional flights.
Khao Sok NP
When I ask anyone which of the National Parks in southern Thailand should you visit, almost everyone says Khao Sok. It is a favorite of the national parks because it is a rainforest with a great biodiversity of plants and animals, and beauty. It is also one of the most popular mainland national parks destination in southern Thailand.
Before getting to the park, it’s good to know that there are two equally popular areas 67 km apart. One is the area around the headquarters generally referred to as Khao Sok or Khao Sok Village, where it is possible to walk a number of trails, visit waterfalls and join various activities in the river. The other hotspot is Khao Sok Lake (aka Cheow Lan Lake) east of the headquarters, best known for it’s raft houses, caves, viewpoints, trails, limestone hills etc.
Because if its location in Surat Thani province, the park is one of few national parks in the country easily accessible by public transportation, an obvious stop for many tourists while travelling between Phuket and Ko Samui. The nearest cities are Surat Thani, Krabi, Ao Nang (Railay Beach), Phuket, Khao Lak, Ko Lanta and Koh Samui, which are all top tourist destinations.
Many people think Khao Sok National Park may just be the one of the most beautiful national parks in southern Thailand. Cheow Lan Lake with its jungle-covered banks, limestone pillars rising out of the lake and a network of green islands and aquamarine bays is just remote enough to keep the air of tranquility.
Like most areas of Thailand, the rainy season is May through November, so going during the drier winter time is more advisable.
Things To Do
The reason people go to Khao Sok are Cheow Lan Lake, wildlife, iconic limestone hills, waterfalls, raft houses spread over the lake, trails, caves and rivers.
Wildlife viewing is one of the main attractions of the park. It is an amazing area for the exciting wildlife of Southern Thailand. It is a birding paradise with over 400 species of birds, including some rare species.
Many of Thailand’s exciting mammal species can be found in the park, and over 90 species of reptiles. Some of the animals seen in are elephants, gaurs, sambar deer, sun bears, Asian black bears, Malayan tapirs, crab-eating macaques, and gibbons.
Hiking through the forests is great as there are plenty of trails around the headquarters area and the lake. Only a couple of these trails around the headquarters can be walked without a guide. All other trails in the park strictly require a guide to walk. Ton Kloi Waterfall Trail is a 7 km long trail along the Sok River is the main trail of the national park.
River tubing or bamboo rafting – If there is enough water flowing in the river, it is possible to attend river tubing bamboo rafting activities.
Canoeing is another popular water activity, only possible when there is enough waterflow in the river. Can be arranged from hotels or various agencies on the street. The price varies, a typical price is around 800 Baht per person.
Explore Caves and Waterfalls. There are 4 great caves to explore, and a many waterfalls, most of which need to be accessed by hiking a few KM, which is a nice way to get there.
Viator is a great way to book these activities.
Getting There
The easiest way to visit the lake is on an organized tour either from Krabi, Phuket or Khao Lak or from any of the guesthouses in Khao Sok Village. If you have the time, visit both parts of the park. If not, head to Cheow Lan Lake.
Khao Sok Village is easily accessible by public transportation. Buses and minivans from the nearby towns stop by on the main road junction to Khao Sok, 1.8 km from the park entrance.
Many of the hotels in the area are located between the entrance and the main road, others spread out on the side roads which can be up to 2-4 km away. Once dropped off on the main road, if the hotel is nearby, it can be reached by walking, for distant ones a taxi can be arranged on the spot.
Hotels can be booked on Agoda.
For convenience, the visitors are recommended to arrange a private taxi to Cheow Lan Lake from all nearby towns, including from Khao Sok.
The raft houses and attractions in the lake are only accessible by long-tail boats departing from Cheow Lan Lake Pier (aka Ratchaprapha Pier).
12Go is the best source for booking public transportation around Thailand and to Khao Sok.
Ao Phang-Nga NP
Ao Phang-Ngo was declared as a marine national park in 1981, and has to be the most familiar of the national parks, in pictures and movies. Ao Phang Nga National Park is situated along the coast of Phang-Nga Province in southern Thailand in the Andaman Sea.
When most people think about Southern Thailand, they picture the limestone pillars rising out of the still aquamarine waters of the sea. This iconic image comes from Ao Phang Nga National Park which is home to dozens of these tower karst islands, including the famous “James Bond Island”, where the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed.
This southern Thailand park encompasses an area of 400 km², including the biggest native mangrove forests in Thailand along the mainland and many islands. The nearest popular towns and tourist destinations are Phuket, Phi Phi Islands, Krabi, Khao Lak and Ko Lanta.
Ao Phang Nga Bay is about 35 km from Rassada Pier in Phuket, about 50-65 km from various piers in Krabi and about 70 km from Khao Lak. As you can see it is very close to popular tourist areas, which has made it very busy and caused environmental issues. Recently some beaches have been temporarily closed, in order to recover.
Things To Do
As with all the national parks in southern Thailand, there is a lot to see and do. Because this one covers such a large ocean area, with multiple islands and bays, there is countless things to do. Therefor, here are some of the highlights.
Explore Nature: The native mangrove forests along the coast and in Ao Phang Nga National Park is the largest in Thailand. There are Around 180 bird species are recorded in the park, some of which are rare. Some mammals found in the park are smooth-coated otters, dusky leaf monkeys and crab-eating macaques.
The crystal clear waters of the park is an ideal place for canoeing and snorkeling, a very popular activity in the park. It is no doubt the best canoeing destination in the country. There are a good number of lagoons in various islands accessible by canoeing through sea level caves.
Scuba Diving is extremely popular in this southern Thailand area. There are many dive shops in all the major tourist towns.
Explore Caves: Around the islands there are numerous caves to explore, both above ground and at sea level.
Getting There
The park headquarters area is relatively easy to reach by public transportation or private transportation, but the area around there doesn’t have much to offer apart from a few short trails for birdwatching. Phuket International Airport is 60 km from the park headquarters.
Getting to the park headquarters is easy by public transportation, and can be booked on 123Go.
The best way is to book group tours to the park from all nearby southern Thailand destinations like Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi, Phi Phi and Ko Lanta. Tours can be arranged on arrival from most hotels reception or from travel agencies in nearby towns, or Viator.
Ko Lanta NP
Ko Lanta has 16 major islands within the park. The real name being Mu Ko Lanta National Park, the park was established as a marine park in 1990, situated in the southern part of Krabi Province. The park consists of several islands covering an area of 134 km².
The biggest islands in the park are Ko Lanta Noi and Ko Lanta Yai. “Mu” in Thai means a group/group of, “Mu Ko” means group of islands. There is more to see on some of the other smaller islands than on the main island. The smaller islands are popular diving and snorkeling spots.
Things To Do
The main attractions in the park are many white beaches, trails, islands, coral reefs, viewpoints and some very impressive caves. Ko Talabeng has some limestone karsts and sea level caves that can be explored by kayaking.
Tha Nod Beach is a 300 meters long beach with shallow and turquoise waters. There is a lighthouse at the west end of Ta Nod Beach.
There is a nearly 1.7 km long circular trail called “Nature Trail” starting from the visitor center area and ending at the main road. It is a moderate walk.
Diving is the best in this southern Thailand area. Divers come from all over the world to dive in among the islands, as this is one of the best national parks for clear waters and coral reefs.
Ko Ngai is one of the more popular islands to visit. Located just south of the main Ko Lanta Yai, it is populated with villages and resorts. The island is popular for its beautiful beaches and snorkeling and diving.
Getting There
While Ta Nod Beach and the park’s main visitor center can easily be reached by car or motorcycle, the other islands can be reached by various types of boats via private arrangements. Hotel staff or agencies all over the island can help with bookings.
Agoda offers some of the best rates for hotels around the national parks in southern Thailand.
The park headquarters are located on Laem Ta Nod at the southernmost end of Ko Lanta Yai Island, easily accessible from the road along the west coast.
The nearest airports are Krabi Airport, Trang Airport and Phuket International Airport. Krabi and Trang are both domestic options, they have direct road and boat connections to Ko Lanta, they are also the cheapest/best options if you’re only visiting Ko Lanta.
12Go is the way to book boats, regional planes, and all other ways to get to Ko Lanta and the area.
Private transportation can also be booked from Krabi to your hotels on Viator.
Favorite North National Parks:
In Northern Thailand, there are many more options for nature and wildlife in these parks worth visiting. You will not be able to go snorkeling or on a boat ride, but wildlife, huge waterfalls, and great hiking await.
Known for being the highest peak in Thailand. With spectacular waterfalls, great hiking, the Two Chedis, and lots of nature and wildlife. This is my favorite park!
Famous for Doi Suthep Temple. But also offers lots of hiking, waterfalls, camping, and Wat Phra Lat.
Famous for Pha Chor, or ‘little grand canyon’.
