🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Khao Sok National Park covers one of the largest tracts of rainforest in southern Thailand, straddling Surat Thani and Phang Nga. Broadly the park splits into two zones: the park headquarters zone off Highway 401, with waterfalls and trails you can walk on your own, and the Cheow Lan Lake (Ratchaprapha) zone, which you can only reach by boat and where the real river caves are. This article covers both, starting with what's easiest to reach and working up to what takes more effort.
Waterfalls in the headquarters zone (walk on your own)
This is the main gateway off the road — turn in from Highway 401 around the kilometer 109 marker. From here, several waterfalls are spread along trails that follow the Sok River. The closer ones are an easy out-and-back in a single day, while the ones deeper in require a park guide.
Mae Yai Waterfall
A single-drop fall about 30 meters high, right beside Highway 401 near the kilometer 113 marker — you can spot it just driving past. It makes a good first stop of the day because there's almost no walking, and it's the most photogenic and easiest-to-reach waterfall in Khao Sok.
Eleven-Tier Waterfall (Sip Et Chan)
A waterfall that cascades down 11 tiers like a staircase, about 4 kilometers from the headquarters. The lowest tier has a pool you can swim in, and the trail is easy with interpretive signs the whole way — good for taking kids out to learn about nature.
Ton Kloi Waterfall
The waterfall at the end of the main trail along the Sok River, about 7 kilometers in from the visitor center. You can walk the first 2.9 kilometers to the checkpoint on your own; beyond that you need a guide. Hikers rate this route highly for its deep, dense jungle scenery.
Bang Hua Raet Waterfall
A wide, curtain-like waterfall dropping into a clear pool, about 3 kilometers from the headquarters. It's a stop for white-water rafting tours, and the flow gets strong after rain — check the water level before you get in.
Than Sawan Waterfall
A waterfall on a side stream, about 6 kilometers deep from the headquarters. Sometimes the spray catches a rainbow, which is why it's nicknamed the rainbow waterfall. It's a long route that requires a guide, good for anyone who wants to hike a bit farther.
How far can you go on your own
On the main trail along the Sok River, the first 2.9 kilometers to the checkpoint can be walked without hiring a guide. To go any farther (Ton Kloi, Than Sawan), the park requires a ranger or guide to lead you — both for safety and to keep you from getting lost. You can arrange one at the visitor center by the entrance.
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Nature study trails
The charm of Khao Sok is that you can get the full rainforest feel without anything brutal. Most of the trails follow the Sok River — shady, with big trees and vines — and if you're lucky you might catch the Rafflesia (a huge parasitic flower) when it's in bloom. The trails are clearly graded by difficulty, so pick whatever your legs are up for.
- Short loop ~2 km — shares the same path as the Eleven-Tier Waterfall but loops back. It has steps and interpretive signs, you can walk it on your own, and it suits families and first-timers.
- Mid trail ~2.9 km to the checkpoint — follows the Sok River on fairly flat ground, walkable on your own as far as the checkpoint. This is the half-day out-and-back most people choose.
- Long trail 7 km to Ton Kloi — serious hiking along the river all the way to Ton Kloi Waterfall, taking most of a day, with a guide required for the final stretch.
- Eleven-Tier Waterfall trail ~4 km — heads to the 11-tier falls on the camp side, climbing steeply tier by tier with the waterfall, and you can swim in the lowest tier.
- Pha Kluai Mai trail ~10 km — a long route for the adventurous, starting about 4 kilometers from the entrance and climbing to a spot with wild orchids. It needs a guide and a body that's well prepared.
Leeches and the rainy season
Khao Sok is a rainforest, so in the wet season the trails are slick and there are loads of leeches. Wear leech socks (you can buy them near the entrance) or spray insect repellent on your legs and shoes. Leeches aren't dangerous, just annoying — if one bites, don't yank it off; let it drop on its own or use salt.
Nam Talu — Khao Sok's legendary river cave
Khao Sok's standout cave is Nam Talu, in the Cheow Lan Lake zone. The name comes from the stream that runs right through the cave year-round. To reach it you take a longtail boat from the Ratchaprapha Dam pier, then hike and wade up the stream. Inside is a river cave several hundred meters long, with stalactites and stalagmites, bats, and freshwater fish in the stream. You'll be wading through water, with some sections deep enough to come up on you, and the cave mouth is around 30 meters wide.
- Getting there — a longtail boat from the dam pier into Cheow Lan, then several more kilometers on foot wading up the stream to the cave mouth, with ups and downs and slippery ground.
- Inside — wading through the water along the stream inside the cave, with some sections so narrow you go single file, past beautiful stalactites and stalagmites and large numbers of bats.
- Always go with a guide — never enter on your own under any circumstances; you must go with an experienced guide and get permission from the rangers first.
- What to prepare — non-slip water shoes, a waterproof flashlight, anything that has to stay dry packed in a waterproof bag, and a body ready to wade.
Read this — rainy-season safety
Nam Talu cave is closed during the rainy season (roughly late June to November) because of the risk of a flash flood suddenly surging through the cave. In 2007 a flash flood swept through the cave in a tragedy that killed several people, and there have been guide deaths since then too. So never force your way into a river cave when it's raining or rain is coming — no exceptions. Take your cue from the rangers, check the forecast first, and if a guide says they're not going in today, believe them.
Other caves in the Cheow Lan area
Besides Nam Talu, the Cheow Lan Lake area has other caves that are easier to reach and don't involve as much heavy wading — good for anyone who wants to see a cave but doesn't want to risk a river-cave route.
Coral Cave (Tham Pakarang)
A cave in the Ratchaprapha Dam area with stalactites and stalagmites shaped like coral — strange and pretty. You reach it by boat and a short walk, and it's a popular cave that Cheow Lan tours often stop at.
Siru Cave / Bat Cave
A small cave on some of the hiking trails, home to bats — good to drop into along the way. It's not a main attraction but it rounds out a program nicely.
Sample 2-day, 1-night trip — waterfalls, caves, streams
If you want to cover both the waterfalls in the headquarters zone and the caves in the Cheow Lan zone in one trip, here's a plan that works without feeling rushed. Adjust the timing to your legs.
Headquarters zone — waterfalls and hiking
Cheow Lan Lake — caves and a boat ride
Entry fees, hours, and things to know
- Headquarters-zone entry — Thai adults around 40 THB, children around 20 THB; foreign adults around 300 THB, children around 150 THB (prices can change, so check on site).
- Cheow Lan Lake zone — charged separately from the headquarters zone, with boat/tour/guide fees on top depending on your package.
- Opening hours — roughly 06:00–18:00 daily, but long hikes and cave trips should start early so you get back before dark.
- Contacting the park — Khao Sok visitor center, tel. 0 7739 5139, to ask about trails, guides, and whether the caves are open before you go.
- Best season — roughly November to February, when the weather is just right and the waterfalls look great; for river caves, avoid the rainy season.
What to pack
Non-slip sneakers or water shoes, a quick-dry shirt and anything that needs to stay dry in a waterproof bag, drinking water, insect repellent or leech socks, a flashlight, and a power bank. Phone signal in the forest is basically nonexistent, so tell your accommodation or someone you know which trail you're heading into.
Want to do Cheow Lan and Khao Sok properly? See the full Surat Thani plan next
See the Surat Thani guide →