Khao Sok National Park Tour Package From Phuket: Prices, Itinerary & Guide
Cheow Lan Lake, the highlight of a Khao Sok tour from Phuket
Khao Sok is one of the most popular trips from Phuket. In one long day, you can cruise Cheow Lan Lake by longtail boat. You can swim beside the limestone cliffs and eat lunch at a floating restaurant. With an extra day, you can sleep in a floating bungalow and wake up to mist on the lake.
This guide compares real Khao Sok tour packages from Phuket. It gives seller prices in baht, sample itineraries and what's included.
- These are seller prices on the date I checked. Prices change with the season and group size. Always check the seller's page before booking.
- Park fee inclusion differs by seller. Phuket-Tour.com, Tisland and Thailand Express include the national park fee. Ticket2Attraction's page doesn't say whether it's included.
- The pier fee amount differs. Tisland says the lake pier fee is about ฿20 per adult, paid on site. Other Khao Sok guides list ฿40.
- Some tour pages have missing details. Ticket2Attraction doesn't give a child price, pickup time, day-by-day plan or raft house name. Thailand Express doesn't give clock times.
- Tisland's 2-day group tour has a Russian-speaking guide. Check the guide's language before booking.
- Halal meals aren't mentioned by any seller. Lunch is usually Thai food at a floating restaurant. Ask for seafood or vegetarian meals when you book.
- I couldn't find exact baht prices for some well-known sellers. Khao Sok National Park Tours only shows US dollars, so I've left it out.
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Drive from Phuket | About 2.5 to 3 hours each way |
| Day trip length | About 11 to 14 hours |
| Day trip prices | From ฿2,600 per adult |
| 2D1N prices | From ฿4,900 per person |
| Park fee | Usually included in tour prices |
| Best time | December to April |
| Pickup | From about 05:00 to 06:30 |
Day trip prices from Phuket
Most day trips include lunch at a floating restaurant
| Tour | Seller | Adult | Child | Park fee | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khao Sok & Cheow Lan Lake (1 day) | Phuket-Tour.com | ฿2,600 | ฿2,200 | Included | View tour |
| Cheow Lan Lake & Samet Nangshe | Tisland | ฿2,900 | ฿2,600 | Included | View tour |
| Lazy Secret Lake | Tisland | From ฿3,000 | Not stated | Included | View tour |
| Secret Lake (small group) | Tisland | ฿3,500 | ฿3,000 | Included | View tour |
| Cheow Lan Lake (shared, 6+ people) | Thailand Express | ฿5,000 | ฿3,600 | Included | View tour |
| Cheow Lan Lake (4 to 5 people) | Thailand Express | ฿6,600 | ฿4,600 | Included | View tour |
| Cheow Lan Lake (private, per person for 2) | Thailand Express | ฿11,300 | ฿8,300 | Included | View tour |
Cheapest: Phuket-Tour.com at ฿2,600 per adult. Lunch, soft drinks and the park fee are included.
2-day, 1-night packages from Phuket
An overnight tour includes a night in a floating cabin
| Tour | Seller | Adult | Child | Stay | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khao Sok & Cheow Lan Lake 2-Day Overwater | Tisland | From ฿4,900 | Not stated | Standard floating bungalow | View tour |
| Same tour, deluxe cabin | Tisland | ฿6,900 to ฿7,100 | Not stated | Deluxe floating cabin | View tour |
| Secret Lake with overnight | Tisland | ฿7,900 | ฿6,900 | Lake cabin | View tour |
| Khao Sok & Cheow Lan Lake 2D1N | Ticket2Attraction | ฿7,900 | Not stated | Floating raft house, fan room | View tour |
Extras with Tisland:
- Single room supplement on the Secret Lake overnight tour: ฿1,500
- Large luggage: ฿500 surcharge, as only hand luggage fits in the minivan
- Pickups from Ao Po, Cape Panwa, Phuket Town, Layan and other far areas: about ฿150 to ฿300 extra per person
Sample day trip itinerary
This is Phuket-Tour.com's published schedule:
Samet Nangshe viewpoint, the first stop on many day trips
06:30Hotel pickup in Phuket
08:00Pickup-truck ride to Samet Nangshe viewpoint
10:50Viewpoint over Cheow Lan Lake
11:10Board a longtail boat at the pier
11:20Lake safari begins
Khao Sam Kloe, known as the Guilin Rocks
12:00Guilin Rocks (Khao Sam Kloe) limestone formations
12:40Lunch at a floating restaurant, then canoeing and swimming
14:30Boat back to the pier
16:20Wat Bang Thong temple
17:00Transfer back to your hotel
Tisland's Secret Lake tour adds the Wat Tham Suwan Khuha cave temple and a hot spring near Natai Beach. Pickup is 05:00 to 06:00. You're back at 19:30 to 20:30.
Sample 2D1N itinerary
This is Tisland's Secret Lake overnight tour:
Day 1
- 06:00 to 07:00: Hotel pickup in Phuket
- Wat Tham Suwan Khuha cave temple
- Raman Waterfall (optional swim)
- Wat Bang Thong
- Longtail boat safari on Cheow Lan Lake
- Check in to your lake cabin, then lunch and free time
- Sunset safari and Guilin Rocks
- Dinner and overnight on the lake
Day 2
Bamboo rafting on the Klong Sok River
- Breakfast
- Bamboo rafting on the Klong Sok River
- Lunch at Bridge Hill restaurant
- Samet Nangshe viewpoint
- About 17:00: Back in Phuket
Ticket2Attraction's 2D1N tour includes a morning wildlife safari, kayaking and bamboo rafting. It also has 30 minutes of elephant bathing and the Rommanee Hot Spring.
Day trip or overnight?
Choose a day trip if:
- You're short on time.
- You're happy with a long day of around 11 to 14 hours.
- You mainly want photos of the lake and a swim.
Choose an overnight if:
- You want to see the lake at sunrise and sunset, when it's quietest.
- You want the morning wildlife safari.
- You'd rather split the 5 to 6 hours of driving over two days.
DIY option: go independently
You can also take the bus from Phuket to Khao Sok village. Visit Thailand Today lists the fare at ฿370, taking about 2.5 to 3 hours. From there, local operators sell lake tours. For example, Khao Sok Smiley's 3D2N lake tour costs ฿2,999. Khao Sok Jungle Hostel's costs ฿3,499. Add the ฿300 lake fee and ฿40 pier fee.
This is the cheapest way to spend a night on the lake. You'll need to organise the bus yourself.
What to bring
- Swimwear and a quick-dry towel
- Sunscreen and a hat
- A dry bag for the longtail boat
- Cash for drinks, temple donations and pier fees
- Halal snacks, as halal meals aren't offered
- Only hand luggage on overnight tours
Tips for Malaysian travellers
- Ask for halal, seafood or vegetarian lunch when you book. No seller mentions halal meals.
- Check your pickup zone. Far areas like Phuket Town and Cape Panwa cost extra.
- Book a smaller group if you want a quieter day. Thailand Express and Tisland offer small-group options.
- Go from December to April for calmer weather and clearer views.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming every tour includes the park fee. Check before you pay.
- Bringing a big suitcase on an overnight tour.
- Booking the cheapest day trip and expecting a quiet experience. Shared tours can be busy.
- Forgetting cash for small fees on site.
Sourced from Phuket-Tour.com Khao Sok 1 Day Tour, Tisland Cheow Lan Lake Tours from Phuket, Thailand Express Khao Sok from Phuket, Ticket2Attraction Khao Sok 2 Days 1 Night, Visit Thailand Today Khao Sok Guide, Khao Sok Smiley 3D2N Lake Tour and Khao Sok Jungle Hostel 3D2N Lake Tour.