TL;DR
A Khao Sok tour from Krabi picks you up around 07:30 in Ao Nang or Krabi Town and drives 2.5–3 hours each way. Private lake day tours cost ฿2,099–4,499 per person depending on group size; 2-day group tours from ฿3,899. Park fees (฿340) are extra. If you have two days, take them.
On this page
A Khao Sok tour from Krabi is a guided trip from Ao Nang, Krabi Town or nearby beaches to Khao Sok National Park, 2.5–3 hours north by road. Day tours pick up around 07:30, visit Cheow Lan Lake by long-tail boat and get you back between 17:00 and 19:00; private lake days cost ฿2,099–4,499 per person depending on group size, and 2-day tours start at about ฿3,899. The ฿300 lake fee and ฿40 pier fee are paid on the day.
Krabi is a good base for Khao Sok, if you accept a long day or take two. The details are below, including Ao Nang and Surat Thani departures.
Field notes
- A Khao Sok tour from Krabipicks uparound 07:30 in Ao Nang or Krabi Town
- Krabi to Khao Soktakesabout 2.5–3 hours by road
- Viagotour's Khao Sok Lake 1 Day from Krabicosts฿2,099–4,499 per person by group size
- The Khao Sok Eco Adventurestays atKhao Sok Safari Resort near the Sok River
- Park fees on Krabi toursare฿340 per adult, paid in cash on the day
Introduction to Khao Sok Tours
Overview of Khao Sok Tours from Krabi
Khao Sok tours from Krabi are packaged trips that handle the whole route: hotel pickup, the drive through Phang Nga's rubber plantations and limestone hills, the park or the lake, lunch, and the drive home. Some are lake days on Cheow Lan (see our lake tour guide); others are jungle-and-river trips based near Khao Sok village.
Why Krabi is a popular starting point: it's one of Thailand's biggest beach bases, with its own airport, and many visitors want one day that isn't islands. Khao Sok is the nearest big rainforest. The general experience: an early start, a scenic drive, 4–5 hours in the park, and an evening return. The 2-day version is calmer.
Tour Duration and Schedule
The typical duration from Krabi to Khao Sok: 10–12 hours for a day tour, 2 days for an overnight. Viagotour's published day:
- 07:30–08:00 pickup in Ao Nang, Krabi Town, Klong Muang, Tub Kaek or Nong Thale
- Drive to Khao Sok; register and buy tickets at the park office
- Long-tail boat across Cheow Lan Lake to the "Guilin of Thailand" pillars and a lagoon
- Optional Diamond Cave or Coral Cave
- Southern Thai lunch on a floating restaurant; kayaking, swimming, free time
- Boat back to the pier; hotel arrival 17:00–19:00
Best times of year to visit: December to April for dry weather and calm lake mornings, which lines up with Krabi's beach season. May to October is wetter and quieter; Nam Talu Cave closes 1 June–30 November.
Tour Details and Inclusions
Pricing and Inclusions
Average cost of tours from Krabi, per person (September 2026):
| Tour | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Viagotour Khao Sok Lake 1 Day (private) | ฿4,499 (2–3 people) / ฿2,799 (4–6) / ฿2,099 (7–12) | Private car and long-tail; self-guided |
| Koh Tour Krabi Full Day Lake Exploration | ฿2,895 adult / ฿1,895 child | Diamond Cave, rainforest hike, floating-restaurant lunch |
| Viagotour KhaoSok Lake 2 Day from Krabi | ฿3,899 | Raft-house night on the lake |
| Trip Store Krabi Khao Sok Eco Adventure | On the listing | 2 days, jungle bungalow, trek and canoe; 4.7/5 from 201 reviews |
What is typically included: return transfer from your hotel, the long-tail boat with driver and fuel, a life jacket, lunch, kayaking; on 2-day tours, the room, dinner and breakfast. Additional costs to consider:
- Park fees: ฿340 per adult, ฿170 per child (4–12) on Viagotour's lake tours (see the entrance fee guide)
- Coral Cave ticket: ฿200 adult / ฿100 child, if visited
- Diamond Cave add-on ฿300; Coral Cave with guided trek ฿1,300
- A guide, if your private tour is listed as self-guided
- Drinks, snacks, tips
Viagotour takes a deposit online and the balance in cash on the day; next-day bookings close at 20:00.
Activities and Highlights
Main activities included in Krabi tours (the full list is in what to do in Khao Sok): a long-tail boat ride on Cheow Lan Lake, a cave, lunch on the water, kayaking and swimming on lake days; trekking, canoeing and a viewpoint on jungle days.
Highlights of the Khao Sok Lake Exploration Tour (Koh Tour Krabi's full day): cruising the emerald lake, a hike in the rainforest, Diamond Cave with its stalactites and stalagmites, and lunch at a floating lake restaurant.
Eco-friendly activities in the Khao Sok Eco Adventure (Trip Store Krabi's 2-day trip) are all human-powered: a walk along the freshwater stream at Tha Pom Klong Song Nam, a visit to the hilltop Wat Bang Thong temple, a 3-hour guided trek, the Khao Sok viewpoint, and a 90-minute canoe trip down the Sok River the next morning, where guests are told to look for gibbons and basking snakes.
Accommodation and Transportation
Accommodation Options
Overview of accommodation options on Krabi tours: jungle bungalows near Khao Sok village on land-based trips, raft houses or floating resorts on Cheow Lan Lake on lake overnights.
Features of Khao Sok Safari Resort, as described on the Eco Adventure itinerary: jungle bungalows near the Sok River, a jungle restaurant for lunch and a Thai dinner, and breakfast before the morning canoe. You fall asleep to jungle noise, which is the point.
Staying near Cheow Lan Lake means a raft house on the water, the better choice if the lake is your priority: evening and dawn boat rides, swimming off the deck, and no drive between the bed and the scenery. Compare standards on the floating bungalows page.
Transportation from Krabi to Khao Sok
Transportation options from Krabi to Khao Sok:
| From | Shared minivan | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Krabi Town (bus terminal) | ฿350–400 | 2.5–3 hours |
| Ao Nang | ฿500–550 | 2.5–3 hours |
| Railay (via Ao Nam Mao pier) | ฿600–650 | Add the boat to Ao Nam Mao |
| Khao Sok village → Krabi | About ฿350 | 2.5–3 hours |
Travel time and logistics: minivans go to Khao Sok village, not the lake; the lake is another hour east. Private taxis from Krabi cost more (Thai National Parks quotes ฿1,600–4,000 for private transfers around the region). Tips for a smooth journey: from Railay East, boats land at Ao Nam Mao where the vans leave; from Railay West or Tonsai you'll land in Ao Nang instead, so book accordingly. Leave early, bring snacks and motion-sickness tablets.
From Surat Thani instead? Surat Thani airport is about 1 hour from Cheow Lan Pier and 1.5 hours from the village; Khaosok.com's recommended tours include a free 08:00 pickup at Phun Phin (Surat Thani) railway station. See how to get to Khao Sok National Park.
Customization and Safety
Customizing Your Tour
Options for customizing your tour experience from Krabi:
- Go private (your own car and boat) and set the pace.
- Add Diamond Cave (฿300) or Coral Cave with a guided trek (฿1,300 plus the ฿200 ticket).
- Add a guide to a self-guided private boat.
- Turn the day into 2 days on the lake or a jungle-and-lake combo.
Adding specific activities or sites works best when requested before the day; the Lake Exploration and Eco Adventure itineraries are fixed group programmes. Working with tour operators for personalised experiences: send dates, group size and must-dos in one message, and confirm the price per person and the inclusions in writing.
Safety and Travel Advisories
Current safety guidelines for travellers: wear the life jacket on long-tails and when swimming, follow your guide in caves, and don't hike alone beyond the marked sections. Travel advisories for Khao Sok National Park worth knowing:
- Nam Talu Cave is closed from 1 June to 30 November because water can rise fast.
- Boats may not run on the lake before sunrise or after sunset.
- Boat availability is tight in high season; book ahead.
- Side trails such as Than Sawan can be slippery and dangerous in the rainy season.
Safety tips for activities on the Khao Sok River: tubing and canoeing depend on water levels (too low in the late dry season, strong after heavy rain); wear footwear you can swim in; keep valuables in a dry bag; ask the guide before rope swings.
Sustainability and Environmental Impact
Environmental Impact of Tours
Environmental considerations of tours from Krabi: long drives and long-tail engines add fuel use and noise; busy caves and trails wear down; plastic from lunches ends up in the lake if nobody carries it out. Sustainability practices in the Khao Sok Eco Adventure are mostly about its format (walking, paddling, local lodging); the listing doesn't publish a written sustainability policy, so ask.
Efforts to preserve Khao Sok National Park: park fees fund ranger stations and trails; Klong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary next door protects a larger forest block. What you can do: pick 2-day tours over repeated day trips (half the driving per experience), refill water bottles at the raft, choose elephant programmes without riding or bathing, and don't feed monkeys.
FAQ
Khao Sok Tour from Krabi
- How long is a Khao Sok tour from Krabi?
- A Khao Sok tour from Krabi takes 10–12 hours as a day trip (pickup about 07:30, back 17:00–19:00) or 2 days as an overnight. The drive is 2.5–3 hours each way.
- Is there a Khao Sok tour from Ao Nang?
- Yes, there are Khao Sok tours from Ao Nang. Most Krabi operators pick up in Ao Nang, Krabi Town, Klong Muang, Tub Kaek and Nong Thale. A shared minivan from Ao Nang to Khao Sok village costs about ฿500–550.
- Should you do a Khao Sok 2 day tour from Krabi?
- Yes, you should if you can. A 2-day tour from Krabi (from about ฿3,899) halves the driving per day and adds a raft-house night with dusk and dawn boat safaris; see the overnight tour guide.
- Is there a Khao Sok tour from Surat Thani?
- Yes. Surat Thani is the closest city: about 1 hour from Cheow Lan Pier. Several operators include pickups at Surat Thani airport or Phun Phin railway station, and shared vans run from the lake back to Surat Thani for about ฿400.
Sources, checked September 2026: Viagotour: Khao Sok Lake 1 Day from Krabi, Koh Tour Krabi, Trip Store Krabi, In Between Travels, This Remote Corner, Thai National Parks, Khaosok.com.