Khao Sok 3D2N Itinerary With Floating Bungalow Stay: Cheow Lan Lake Guide
A night in a floating bungalow is the highlight of Khao Sok
Three days is the ideal amount of time for Khao Sok. You spend one day in the jungle near the village. You spend one night on Cheow Lan Lake in a floating bungalow. On the last morning, you look for wildlife at sunrise.
This guide gives you a day-by-day plan, real package prices, floating bungalow options and a full budget. It also has tips for Malaysian travellers.
- This itinerary follows two real 3D2N packages. The timings come from Khao Sok Smiley's and Khao Sok Jungle Hostel's published schedules. Both say plans can change with the weather.
- Floating bungalow prices are estimates. Trip Unpacked (September 2026) gives 2026 planning ranges for upmarket rafts. It says they're "not fixed official tariffs."
- The park HQ fee differs by source. In Between Travels and Visit Thailand Today list about ฿200 for the HQ trail. Khao Sok Jungle Hostel lists ฿200 for the night safari park fee. Other guide sites say ฿300. The lake fee is ฿300 in all sources.
- Most package prices don't include park fees. Smiley and Jungle Hostel charge the ฿300 lake fee and ฿40 pier fee separately, in cash. Khao Sok Travel's premium packages include park fees.
- Basic rafts are very simple. In Between Travels describes floor mattresses, shared bathrooms and no Wi-Fi or phone signal on the lake. Power usually only runs in the evening.
- I couldn't find any halal food in Khao Sok. MileHacker says halal food is "not widely available" in the area.
Khao Sok 3D2N at a glance
| Day | Where you sleep | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Khao Sok village | Jungle trail to the waterfalls, night safari |
| Day 2 | Floating bungalow on Cheow Lan Lake | Longtail boat, swimming, kayaking, cave, sunset boat trip |
| Day 3 | Back to the village or onward | Sunrise wildlife safari, Guilin viewpoint, jungle walk |
Getting to Khao Sok from Malaysia
Fly from Kuala Lumpur to Surat Thani, Phuket or Krabi. Visit Thailand Today lists these bus or van fares to Khao Sok village:
- From Surat Thani: ฿280, about 1 hour
- From Phuket: ฿370, about 2.5 to 3 hours
- From Krabi: ฿400 to ฿500, about 2 hours
Surat Thani is the closest. Arrive by early afternoon so you have time for the jungle trail.
Day 1: Khao Sok village and jungle
The main jungle trail from Khao Sok park HQ
MorningTravel to Khao Sok village and check in by early afternoon. Smiley asks guests to check in between 09:00 and 14:30.
AfternoonWalk the main trail from park HQ along the Sok River. The first 3 km to Bang Hua Rat waterfall is flat. It doesn't need a guide. Wing Hin waterfall is at 2.8 km. Wear leech socks in the wet season.
EveningJoin a guided night safari from 18:30 to 20:30 to spot frogs, spiders and insects. Khao Sok Jungle Hostel includes it in its package. Its park fee is ฿200 extra.
Day 2: Cheow Lan Lake and floating bungalow
Longtail boats waiting at Ratchaprapha Pier
09:00Minivan from Khao Sok village to Ratchaprapha Pier.
10:30Stop at a 7-Eleven and ATM. This is your last chance for snacks and cash.
11:30Pay the ฿300 lake fee and ฿40 pier fee. Then board the longtail boat across the lake.
12:30Arrive at your floating bungalow. Have lunch, then swim or kayak from your raft.
Kayak straight from your raft on Cheow Lan Lake
15:00 to 16:00Take a boat trip to a cave or waterfall. Smiley visits Guilin Rock and Diamond Cave. Jungle Hostel visits Bang Hoi Waterfall with a short jungle walk.
SunsetSmiley adds a sunset boat trip, weather permitting.
18:30 to 19:00Dinner at the raft house. Smiley says lights go out at 23:00.
Day 3: Sunrise safari and return
Khao Sam Kler, known as the Guilin of Thailand
06:30 to 07:00Morning boat safari to look for hornbills, monkeys and, if you're lucky, wild elephants.
08:00 to 08:30Breakfast on the raft.
09:00 to 11:00Check out, then visit a cave or the Guilin viewpoint. Smiley does a jungle trek to Bang Hoi Waterfall instead.
12:00 to 13:30Lunch, then the longtail boat back to the pier.
14:00 to 16:00Arrive back in Khao Sok village. Smiley says a minibus also leaves the pier at 15:00 for onward travel.
3D2N package prices
| Package | Price per person | Nights | Park fees | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khao Sok Smiley 3D2N Lake Tour | ฿2,999 | 1 village + 1 lake raft | Not included | View tour |
| Khao Sok Jungle Hostel 3D2N | ฿3,499 | 1 hostel + 1 Krisorn Floating Bungalows | Not included | View tour |
| Khao Sok Travel 3D2N (Saichon Rafthouse) | ฿12,500 | 1 resort + 1 raft house | Included | View tour |
What the budget packages include:
- Smiley (฿2,999): lake house stay, 5 meals, kayaking, morning and evening boat safaris, minivan and boat transfers. AC lake houses cost ฿4,000 to ฿4,500.
- Jungle Hostel (฿3,499): one hostel night, one floating bungalow night, 5 meals, transfers, night safari and an English-speaking guide.
Floating bungalow options
Upmarket floating villas cost much more than basic rafts
Trip Unpacked gives these 2026 price ranges per person for a 2-day, 1-night stay. They don't include park fees.
| Floating bungalow | 2D1N price per person | Cooling | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sai Chon Raft House | About ฿5,000 to ฿7,600 | Fan | Mainly evening and overnight |
| Phupha Waree | About ฿8,000 to ฿9,200 | AC | Late afternoon to morning |
| Laguna Cheow Lan | About ฿8,900 to ฿9,600 | AC | Mainly overnight |
| 360° Issara | About ฿10,100 to ฿13,000 | AC | 24 hours in selected villas |
| Panvaree The Greenery | About ฿11,100 to ฿12,700 | AC | Extended hours |
| 500 Rai Floating Resort | About ฿18,200 to ฿20,400 | AC | 24 hours in Deluxe Suites |
All of these have private bathrooms. Budget rafts in the ฿2,999 to ฿3,499 packages usually have shared bathrooms.
3D2N budget example (per person)
| Item | Smiley package | Jungle Hostel package |
|---|---|---|
| Package | ฿2,999 | ฿3,499 |
| Lake fee | ฿300 | ฿300 |
| Pier fee | ฿40 | ฿40 |
| Night safari park fee | Not included in plan | ฿200 |
| Total | ฿3,339 | ฿4,039 |
Add your transport to Khao Sok, drinks and snacks. In Between Travels lists a beer on the raft at ฿80.
Halal food tips
I couldn't find any halal restaurants in Khao Sok. Raft house meals usually feature fresh fish from the lake.
- Tell the operator you need halal, seafood or vegetarian meals when you book.
- Bring halal snacks and instant food from Malaysia or Surat Thani.
- Ask about pork and cooking oil before you eat.
What to pack
In Between Travels suggests a daypack only. Hotels and tour offices store your main luggage. Bring:
- A power bank and a head torch
- A dry bag
- Swimwear, a quick-dry towel and slippers
- Leech socks or long leggings
- Mosquito spray and sunscreen
- Cash for park fees, drinks and snacks
Tips for Malaysian travellers
- Book early for November to April. Rafts fill up. In Between Travels mentions reports of street agents overbooking.
- Go from December to May if you want to visit Nam Talu Cave. It's closed from June to November.
- Bring enough cash. Park fees and package balances are paid in cash.
- Take only a daypack to the lake. The boat and floating walkways aren't easy with big bags.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Booking only a day trip. The overnight stay is the highlight.
- Forgetting a power bank. There's no power on most rafts during the day.
- Expecting phone signal or Wi-Fi on the lake.
- Assuming the package price includes park fees.
Sourced from Khao Sok Smiley 3 Days 2 Nights Lake Tour, Khao Sok Jungle Hostel 3 Days 2 Nights Lake Tour, Khao Sok Travel 3D2N Lake Packages, Trip Unpacked Khao Sok Floating Bungalows 2026, In Between Travels Khao Sok Overnight Lake Tour, Visit Thailand Today Khao Sok Guide, Couples Travel Stories Khao Sok Guide and MileHacker Best Restaurants in Khao Sok.