A previous manager at Riverside Cottages, Jeff has contributed his insights and knowledge of Khao Sok and Riverside Cottages.
Bikes and boats – A Khao Sok Safari
Emmanuel Caristi shares insight from his recent Khao Sok safari with Riverside Cottages. We arrived to find wooden bungalows surrounded by tropical jungle, a place to find peace and reconnect with the nature. The accommodation was truly beautiful! Rooms are made with natural materials and beds are comfortable. Best of all, the view from the windows makes you feel like you are in the heart of the rainforest! Khao Sok safari on two wheels - A bike adventure Our Khao Sok safari began with a bike trip. The resort’s in-house guide [...]
How to spell Khaosok – Koh Sok – Koh Sok national park
A guide to the misspellings of Khaosok, and how to find good info online! Almost everyone planning a trip to this area will research their trip on the internet. People often wonder how to spell the name of this area. Most commonly used is Khao Sok, followed by Koh Sok, Kao Sok, Ko Sok and finally Khaosok. This can cause confusion for first time visitors, who frequently wonder how to actually spell Khao Sok? If you have ever visited Thailand, or encountered written Thai, you know that it does not use the Roman alphabet. Thai has its own unique [...]
Gateway to the undiscovered: Khlong Phanom National Park
Nestled up against Khao Sok is a primordial landscape unknown to most western travellers: Khlong Phanom National Park. It is sometimes just called Phanom national park. as Its larger neighbor and nearby Khao Sok Lake overshadow it at every turn. However, Khlong Phanom National Park is rich in natural wonders. In this blog we’ll look at what the intrepid traveler can find in this unexplored section of Thailand jungle! Sometimes spelt Klong Phanom or Klongphanom, the park is just a couple of kilometres down highway 401 from Khao Sok. Khlong Panom National Park covers just over [...]
Top 6 things to do in Khao Sok National Park
Khao Sok National Park is part of Thailand’s largest protected area. Within the unspoiled jungle, locals are leading a revolution in the quality of nature tourism. Choose from the many things to do in Khao Sok. Enjoy a relaxing jungle cooking class or experience a 10-day deep jungle survival tour! Local English-speaking guides will show you around. Top 6 things to suite everyone’s travel style! Adventure Culture Fitness 1 - Jungle Cooking In Khao Sok we love to make and eat great food! Visit a local Thai family to enjoy their [...]
Surat Thani to Khao Sok & Khao Sok to Surat Thani: Complete 2025 Travel Guide
Why Choose Surat Thani as Your Gateway Whether you are arriving at Surat Thani Airport to explore Khao Sok National Park, or preparing for your return journey from Khao Sok to Surat Thani to catch a flight, this guide covers all your transport options. Surat Thani airport is a big favorite of ours because of its small size, laid-back feeling, and high ratio of coffee shops to customers. However, getting from the airport to Riverside Cottages can be challenging. Quick Facts Distance: ~103 km (64 miles) Travel time: 1.5 to 3 hours Closest airport: Surat Thani [...]
Community-Led Tourism and the Story Behind Riverside Cottages
For many visitors, sustainability is measured by solar panels, recycling bins, or environmental certifications. While these initiatives have their place, the story behind Riverside Cottages began long before sustainability became a marketing term. For more than twenty years, the people behind Riverside Cottages have helped support communities and conservation efforts across Southern Thailand. Their work has included environmental education and responsible tourism initiatives. These experiences helped shape the values that continue to guide Riverside Cottages today. This is the story behind our community-led tourism philosophy. It explains how local communities, conservation efforts, and responsible travel shaped the Riverside Cottages [...]
Khao Sok jungle hike: journey to the giant bamboo
In terms of an epic Khao Sok jungle hike, our recent trek to the ‘Chiang Ruun’ bamboo ranks among the best! The hike featured dense jungle with unique karst geography and flora, along with some truly bizarre insect sightings. Additionally, we saw the ‘Chiang Ruun’ bamboo, growing on a mountain ridge high atop a limestone karst mountain. ‘Chiang Ruun’ (ไผ่เฉียงรุน) is a member of the Dendrocalamus family. It is the largest species of bamboo in Thailand, and grows in only a few places throughout the south. One of the sites for this natural wonder is Klong Phanom National Park, [...]
Bangkok to Khao Sok
One great aspect of traveling through Thailand is easy access to affordable transportation. For example, bus routes criss-cross the country, passing through, or at least by most villages. Additionally, airports have sprung up like mushrooms on a log. As a result, it is possible to get from one distant point to another in the same day. Finally, there is the rail system snaking through the countryside. This post will help you find the best way from Bangkok to Khao Sok and Khao Sok to Bangkok. By Train Unfortunately, there is no direct train from Bangkok to Khao Sok. However, [...]
Khao Sok Night Safari – Full Moon Party (of fear)
The air was alive with sound. It hung around us, thick and warm, in the velvety air. Chirping, humming, whirring, croaking and clicking in every pitch imaginable sounded from the darkened jungle close by. We had stopped mid-step at a word from our guide. Now we followed the beam of his headlamp, which illuminated two glowing eyes in the trees above. We were twenty minutes into our Khao Sok night safari trekking adventure, and so far it had been an eye-opening experience! Khao Sok night safari: am I going to die? We had [...]
A Khao Sok Jungle Adventure: Journey to Meuang Chon
With the dry season on the way, travelers should begin thinking about their next Khao Sok jungle adventure! We take adventures seriously at Khao Sok Riverside Cottages, and are always looking for new experiences to share with guests. Therefore, we would like to tell you the story of our favorite Khao Sok jungle adventure to date. That is, the trek to the old Chon Mining Area. In brief, the adventure involves deep jungle camping, an abandoned tin mine in the mountains, towering waterfalls, and pristine nature. We hope you’ll enjoy our story and consider making such an adventure the [...]