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CORAL CAVE
KHAO SAM KLOE
CHEOW LAN LAKE
Khao Sok National Park
Cheow Lan Lake Map
Floating Resorts, Attractions & Ratchaprapha Pier
UNDERSTANDING THE MAP
Cheow Lan Lake covers a large area within Khao Sok National Park, and most places on the lake are reached by longtail boat from Ratchaprapha Pier.
Use this map to see the location of floating resorts, major attractions, caves, viewpoints and wildlife areas — and to understand how the different parts of the lake connect.
KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK
SURAT THANI - THAILAND
Cheow Lan Lake lies within Khao Sok National Park in Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand. The lake occupies the eastern side of the national park, while Khao Sok village and the park headquarters are located farther west.
This distinction is important when planning your trip. Most Cheow Lan Lake boat tours and floating resort stays begin at Ratchaprapha Pier, not at Khao Sok National Park headquarters.
CHEOW LAN LAKE
Khao Sok National Park
HEADQUARTERS
Specifications:
Total area:
739,200 rai (1,183 square kilometers)
Topography:
The park consists of a tropical rainforest surrounded by steep limestone mountains. The landscape is rich with rivers, streams, caves, and beautiful waterfalls, contributing to its diverse natural features and making it a vital water source.
Biodiversity:
Khao Sok National Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including wild elephants, clouded leopards, gibbons, hornbills, and rare plant species such as the Rafflesia kerrii, one of the largest flowers in the world.
Key attractions:
The park offers numerous attractions, including Cheow Lan Lake, which was formed by the construction of the Ratchaprapha Dam, Nam Talu Cave, a cave with a stream flowing through it year-round, and several trekking trails where visitors can spot wildlife and explore nature.
Popular activities:
Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as boat tours on the lake, hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, and cave exploration.
CHEOW LAN LAKE
RATCHAPRAPHA RESERVOIR
Cheow Lan Lake, also known as Ratchaprapha Dam, covers a total area of approximately 185,000 rai (or around 297 square kilometers), combining both water and surrounding forest areas.
Forest area:
110,000 rai
INNER & NORTHERN LAKE
Longer boat journeys reach quieter parts of Cheow Lan Lake, including remote floating resorts and routes toward Khlong Saeng. These areas generally require more travel time and are better suited to overnight trips and wildlife-focused itineraries.
Water area:
75,000 rai
3D Map created by Khao Sok Travel
WESTERN & CENTRAL LAKE
The areas closer to Ratchaprapha Pier include Khao Sam Kler and several of the lake’s most frequently visited routes. Many day tours travel through this part of the lake before continuing to caves, floating resorts or viewpoints.
520 meters
above sea level.
KRAI SORN VIEW POINT
Khao Sok National Park
Kraisorn Viewpoint overlooks the inner reaches of Cheow Lan Lake, where limestone mountains, forest and narrow waterways stretch across the reservoir.
Reaching the viewpoint involves a longtail boat journey followed by a jungle hike. It is not included on most standard lake tours, so travelers who want to visit should plan the route in advance.
FLOATING RESORT LOCATIONS
WHERE TO STAY ON CHEOW LAN LAKE
Floating resorts are spread across different parts of Cheow Lan Lake rather than concentrated in one area. Their location affects boat travel time, nearby activities and the overall character of your stay.
Resorts closer to Ratchaprapha Pier are quicker to reach, while properties deeper inside the lake offer access to more remote areas but require a longer boat journey.
Boat journeys are measured from Ratchaprapha Pier, the main departure point for Cheow Lan Lake. Travel times vary with weather, water conditions, boat type and sightseeing stops.
PLACES TO SEE ON CHEOW LAN LAKE
LANDMARKS, CAVES & WILDLIFE AREAS
Cheow Lan Lake covers a large area, and its main attractions are spread across different waterways. Some places fit easily into a day trip, while others require longer boat journeys, hiking or an overnight stay.
KHAO SAM KLER — THREE BROTHERS
One of the best-known landmarks on Cheow Lan Lake. The three limestone formations rise directly from the water and are commonly visited on boat journeys from Ratchaprapha Pier into the lake.
Because of its location, Khao Sam Kler can be included in many day tours and overnight itineraries without requiring a separate long excursion.
PAKARANG CAVE — CORAL CAVE
Pakarang Cave is reached by travelling deeper into the lake, followed by a forest walk and a short raft crossing.
The cave is known for limestone formations that resemble coral, but the journey itself is also part of the visit. It requires more time than a simple sightseeing stop and is commonly included in overnight lake programs.
PRAKAY PETCH CAVE — DIAMOND CAVE
Prakay Petch Cave is a relatively accessible cave route used on a number of Cheow Lan Lake itineraries.
Unlike a water cave, the visit does not involve walking through an active underground stream, making it suitable for a wider range of travelers when conditions allow.
KHLONG SAENG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Khlong Saeng lies much deeper beyond the standard sightseeing areas of Cheow Lan Lake.
Reaching this part of the reservoir requires considerably more boat travel, which is why it is better suited to wildlife-focused trips and longer itineraries rather than a standard day tour.
The surrounding forest is important habitat for wildlife including Asian elephants, gaur, gibbons, hornbills and other forest species, although sightings are never guaranteed.
BANG HOI WATERFALL
Bang Hoi is reached by boat followed by a forest route, and conditions vary significantly with the season.
It works particularly well as part of a longer lake itinerary rather than as a quick sightseeing stop. Water levels, rainfall and trail conditions can affect whether the route is suitable on a particular day.
KRAISORN VIEWPOINT
Located deeper inside the lake, Kraisorn combines a longtail boat journey with a jungle hike to a high viewpoint overlooking the reservoir.
Because of the additional travel and hiking involved, it should normally be planned in advance rather than added casually to a standard lake tour.
A MAP DOESN'T SHOW TRAVEL TIME
Two places can appear close together on a map but still require considerable travel time by boat. Cheow Lan Lake has long inlets, narrow waterways and limestone formations that affect the route.
When planning an itinerary, consider boat time, walking time, weather and daylight — not just the straight-line distance shown on the map.
PLAN YOUR CHEOW LAN LAKE ROUTE
USE THE MAP TO PLAN THE RIGHT TRIP
Where you stay and what you want to see will affect how much time you need on Cheow Lan Lake.
A day trip works well for the main lake scenery and selected attractions closer to the standard routes. With 2 days / 1 night, you can stay at a floating resort and experience the lake in the early morning. A 3 days / 2 nights itinerary gives you more time for longer boat journeys, hiking and areas deeper inside the lake.
Before booking, plan these three parts together:
1. CHOOSE YOUR ITINERARY
Decide how many days you want on the lake before choosing every activity. Longer routes such as Khlong Saeng or Kraisorn require more time than the main sightseeing areas.
View Cheow Lan Lake Itineraries →
2. CHOOSE YOUR FLOATING RESORT
Location matters. A resort closer to Ratchaprapha Pier reduces boat travel, while a more remote raft house can work better for travelers who want to spend more time deeper inside the lake.
3. PLAN YOUR TRANSPORT
Most trips begin at Ratchaprapha Pier. Check your road transfer, required pier arrival time and boat departure before booking flights, trains or ferries.
How to Get to Cheow Lan Lake →
NEED HELP PLANNING THE ROUTE?
If you are unsure which floating resort or itinerary works best for your travel dates, tell us where you are coming from, how many nights you have and where you are going next.
We can help you plan the lake stay around the route rather than adding unnecessary transfers or backtracking.
KHLONG SAENG — THE WILDER SIDE OF CHEOW LAN LAKE
Beyond the main lake lies a remote network of waterways surrounded by protected rainforest.
Cheow Lan Lake covers a large area, and its main attractions are spread across different waterways. Some places fit easily into a day trip, while others require longer boat journeys, hiking or an overnight stay.
Khlong Saeng lies deep beyond the main areas of Cheow Lan Lake, where long stretches of water lead into protected forest and remote wildlife habitat.
Unlike the more frequently visited areas around the lake’s floating resorts and main attractions, journeys into Khlong Saeng are about distance, forest and wildlife. Access is primarily by boat, taking you progressively farther from Ratchaprapha Pier and into one of the least developed parts of the lake.
The surrounding landscape forms part of Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary, while the reservoir itself connects back through Cheow Lan Lake and Khao Sok National Park. This combination of water, mountains and protected forest creates one of Southern Thailand’s most important wilderness areas.
EXPLORE KHLONG SAENG
Go deeper into one of the most remote wildlife areas connected to Cheow Lan Lake. Discover its waterways, rainforest, wildlife and private expedition options.
THE MAIN WATERWAYS
KHLONG KA
One of the waterways branching from the main body of Cheow Lan Lake. Its position makes it an important part of the route toward the western and deeper sections of the lake.
Character: Forest-lined waterway • Mountain scenery • Gateway toward the inner lake
KHLONG LONG
A long waterway extending north between forested mountain ranges. Its relatively enclosed geography creates a very different feeling from the broad open sections of Cheow Lan Lake.
Character: Long and narrow • Mountain corridor • Quiet inner waterway
KHLONG MON
Khlong Mon reaches deep into the protected forest and is one of the important waterways associated with wildlife exploration in the Khlong Saeng area.
The deeper sections are considerably more remote than the main sightseeing areas of Cheow Lan Lake and are reached by boat.
Character: Remote • Wildlife-focused • Deep forest access
KHLONG YEE
A western branch surrounded by extensive forest. The numerous smaller inlets and forest edges create a landscape well suited to slow boat exploration and wildlife observation.
Character: Secluded • Forest edges • Wildlife exploration
KHLONG PEY
Another remote branch extending into the southwestern side of the lake system. The surrounding landscape is dominated by forest, mountains and long stretches of undeveloped shoreline.
Character: Remote • Forested • Away from the main lake traffic
MAP NOTE
The map is designed to show the general geography of Khlong Saeng and the relationship between its main waterways. Boat routes, access areas and wildlife exploration routes may change according to conditions and regulations.
KHLONG SAENG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
A PROTECTED RAINFOREST BEYOND CHEOW LAN LAKE
Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary protects a vast area of rainforest and mountainous terrain north of Khao Sok National Park. It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1974, long before the creation of Cheow Lan Lake. Historical conservation records describe the area as an extensive tropical forest surrounding the Khlong Saeng watershed.
Today, the sanctuary forms part of a much larger connected forest landscape in Southern Thailand. Steep mountains, limestone formations, valleys and waterways create a variety of habitats that support a remarkable diversity of wildlife.
BEFORE CHEOW LAN LAKE
THE FOREST CAME FIRST
Before Ratchaprapha Dam and Cheow Lan Lake existed, this landscape was a continuous rainforest valley crossed by rivers and streams.
The construction of Ratchaprapha Dam transformed the lower valleys into the reservoir seen today. Department of National Parks information records that approximately 50,432 rai of the former forest landscape became part of the reservoir, leaving forest-covered ridges, limestone mountains and upper valleys surrounding the new lake.
This history explains the unusual geography visible today: long waterways penetrate deep between mountains because many of them follow former river valleys.
WHY KHLONG SAENG MATTERS
A CONNECTED WILDERNESS
Khlong Saeng is important not simply because it is remote. Its forests provide extensive habitat for large mammals and other wildlife that require large, connected natural areas.
Scientific surveys conducted in Khlong Saeng after the construction of Ratchaprapha Dam documented large mammals including Asian elephant, Malayan tapir, gaur, serow, sambar deer, leopard and clouded leopard.
For visitors, this means Khlong Saeng should not be approached like a conventional sightseeing attraction. It is a protected wildlife landscape where the forest — rather than a fixed list of stops — determines the experience.
THIS IS WILDLIFE HABITAT, NOT A ZOO.
Animals move freely through an enormous forest. Sightings can never be guaranteed, and routes may change according to wildlife activity, weather, water levels and regulations.
EXPLORE KHLONG SAENG
Go deeper into one of the most remote wildlife areas connected to Cheow Lan Lake. Discover its waterways, rainforest, wildlife and private expedition options.