Khao Sok National Park Entrance Fee & Raft House Tax: Complete Guide
Khao Sok National Park entrance fees explained
Khao Sok has two main fee zones. One is the park headquarters (HQ) near Khao Sok village. The other is Cheow Lan Lake at Ratchaprapha Dam. Each zone charges its own entrance fee. If you stay in a raft house on the lake, a few smaller charges are added on top.
This guide covers every fee in baht. It explains what people mean by "raft house tax" and shows what a Malaysian family can expect to pay.
- There's no official "raft house tax." I couldn't find any source that lists a separate government tax on raft house stays. When people say "raft house tax," they usually mean the extra cash charges paid at the lake. These include the lake park fee, the ฿40 pier cleaning fee and sometimes a small trash fee. I've listed all of them below.
- The HQ fee differs by source. Khao-Sok.tours (updated September 2026), It's Better in Thailand and Visit Thailand Today list ฿200 for foreign adults at HQ. Khaosoknationalpark.org and Couples Travel Stories list ฿300. Khao-Sok.tours says older sources mix up the HQ fee with the ฿300 lake fee. I've used ฿200 for HQ and ฿300 for the lake.
- Ticket validity is unclear. Couples Travel Stories says a ticket lasts 24 hours. Khao-Sok.tours says it covers one area for one day, unless you sleep inside the park. It's Better in Thailand and Couples Travel Stories both say a ticket bought late in the afternoon is valid the next day. They give different cut-off times (16:00 and 16:30).
- Thailand Magazine lists a ฿200 park fee plus a ฿20 trash fee for its lake tour. Most other sources say ฿300 plus a ฿40 pier fee at the lake. The Thailand Magazine page isn't dated, so its figures may be out of date.
- The lake fee rose in 2024. My Thailand Tours says the foreign adult fee at Ratchaprapha Dam went up from ฿200 to ฿300 on 1 May 2024. I couldn't check the original announcement, which only appears as images.
- Some sources are independent guide sites. Khaosoknationalpark.org and Khao-Sok.tours are not official park websites. Confirm fees at the counter.
Khao Sok fees at a glance
| Fee | Foreign adult | Foreign child (3 to 14) | Thai adult / child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park HQ entrance | ฿200 | ฿100 | ฿40 / ฿20 |
| Cheow Lan Lake entrance | ฿300 | ฿150 | ฿40 / ฿20 |
| Pier cleaning fee | ฿40 | ฿40 | Varies |
| Klong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary (Coral Cave) | ฿200 | ฿100 | Not stated |
| Camping at HQ | ฿30 per person, tents from ฿225 a night |
Fees from Khao-Sok.tours (September 2026). Children under 3 are usually free.
Park HQ entrance fee
Pay the HQ fee at the visitor centre near Khao Sok village
You pay this fee at the visitor centre near Khao Sok village. It covers the jungle trails to Wing Hin and Bang Hua Rat waterfalls. It also covers the night safari area.
- Foreign adult: ฿200
- Foreign child (3 to 14): ฿100
- Thai adult / child: ฿40 / ฿20
- Opening hours: 08:00 to 16:30
Night safari: Khao Sok Jungle Hostel lists a ฿200 park fee for its night safari, on top of the tour price.
Cheow Lan Lake entrance fee
Pay the lake fee at Ratchaprapha Dam Pier
You pay this fee at Ratchaprapha Dam Pier before you board a longtail boat. It's charged separately from the HQ fee.
- Foreign adult: ฿300
- Foreign child (3 to 14, or under 140 cm): ฿150
- Thai adult / child: ฿40 / ฿20
- Pier cleaning fee: ฿40 per person
Total per foreign adult at the lake: ฿340
What is the "raft house tax"?
Extra charges apply when you stay in a raft house
There's no separate government tax on raft house stays. These are the extra charges you may pay when staying on the lake:
| Charge | Amount | Who charges it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake park fee | ฿300 adult, ฿150 child | National park | Khao-Sok.tours |
| Pier cleaning fee | ฿40 per person | Pier | Khao-Sok.tours, Khao Sok Smiley |
| Trash fee | ฿20 per person | Paid at the lake | Thailand Magazine |
| Klong Saeng fee (Coral Cave trips) | ฿200 adult, ฿100 child | Wildlife sanctuary | Khao-Sok.tours |
| Pier parking (own car) | ฿80 per night | Pier | Thai National Parks |
| Canoe hire at Sai Chon Raft House | ฿200 per canoe | Raft house | Thai National Parks |
| Cash deposit at 500 Rai | ฿3,500, refunded at checkout | Resort | Trip.com |
Most raft house packages, such as Khao Sok Smiley and Khao Sok Jungle Hostel, don't include the park and pier fees. You pay them in cash at the pier.
Do you pay twice?
Yes, if you visit both zones. Khao-Sok.tours says a ticket covers one area only. For example:
- Day 1: Hike from HQ, pay ฿200
- Day 2: Boat trip on the lake, pay ฿340 (฿300 + ฿40 pier fee)
It's Better in Thailand says that if you enter HQ after 16:30, your ticket is still valid the next morning. Couples Travel Stories gives 16:00 as the cut-off.
Other costs to budget for
| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Guide for trails beyond the 3 km mark | About ฿600 half day, ฿900 to ฿1,500 full day | Khao-Sok.tours |
| Night safari tour | ฿600 to ฿800 per person | Khao-Sok.tours |
| Private longtail hire at the pier | ฿2,000 for 2 hours, ฿2,800 for 3 hours | Visit Thailand Today |
Example costs for Malaysian travellers
A family of four pays about ฿1,060 in lake fees
Couple, 3D2N with HQ hike and one lake night:
| Item | Per person | For 2 |
|---|---|---|
| HQ fee | ฿200 | ฿400 |
| Lake fee | ฿300 | ฿600 |
| Pier fee | ฿40 | ฿80 |
| Total park fees | ฿540 | ฿1,080 |
Family of 2 adults and 2 children (3 to 14), lake only:
| Item | Adults | Children | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake fee | 2 × ฿300 | 2 × ฿150 | ฿900 |
| Pier fee | 2 × ฿40 | 2 × ฿40 | ฿160 |
| Total | ฿1,060 |
How to pay
Bring Thai baht cash for all park fees
- Cash only. Khao-Sok.tours says foreign visitors shouldn't count on cards or QR payments.
- On a tour, the guide usually collects the fees and pays at the counter.
- Bring small notes. Thailand Magazine says there's no ATM in the jungle or on the lake.
Can Malaysians pay the Thai rate?
No, unless you have Thai ID. Khao-Sok.tours says some foreign residents with a Thai work permit may qualify. A Thai driving licence alone usually doesn't.
Tips for Malaysian travellers
- Carry enough baht for the whole trip. Fees, snacks and drinks are paid in cash.
- Check whether your package includes park fees. Most budget raft house tours don't.
- Keep your ticket. You may be asked to show it.
- Visit HQ late in the afternoon if you're heading to the lake next morning. Your ticket may still be valid.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming one ticket covers both HQ and the lake.
- Forgetting the ฿40 pier fee.
- Arriving with only cards or ringgit.
- Paying for a Coral Cave trip without budgeting the ฿200 Klong Saeng fee.
Sourced from Khao-Sok.tours Entrance Fee 2026, It's Better in Thailand Khao Sok Guide, My Thailand Tours Updated Entrance Fees, Khao Sok National Park Hours and Fees, Khao Sok Park Cheow Lan Lake, Couples Travel Stories Khao Sok Guide, Thailand Magazine Khao Sok Lake 2D1N Tour, Thai National Parks 2D1N Spirit of Khao Sok, Khao Sok Smiley 2 Days Overnight Lake Tour, Khao Sok Jungle Hostel 3D2N Lake Tour, Trip.com 500 Rai Floating Resort and Visit Thailand Today Khao Sok Guide.