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 experience.

The Origins of Community-Led Tourism in Khao Sok

Khao Sok has not always been the destination visitors see today. During the second half of the twentieth century, large areas of Southern Thailand faced pressure from logging, mining, and agricultural expansion. The forests surrounding what would later become Khao Sok National Park were no exception.

Today, Khao Sok National Park remains one of Thailand’s most remarkable natural areas. Often regarded as one of the world’s oldest evergreen rainforests, it is home to extraordinary biodiversity, including wild elephants, gibbons, hornbills, and more than 1,500 plant species. The park’s rich wildlife and dramatic limestone landscapes continue to attract visitors from around the world.

As tourism developed throughout the region during the 1990s and 2000s, local communities faced an important question.  How could economic opportunities be created without sacrificing the natural environment and traditional ways of life that make Khao Sok unique?

While challenges remain, many local people, guides, small businesses, and community leaders have worked together to create tourism experiences that support both conservation and local livelihoods. Their efforts have helped Khao Sok develop in a way that remains closely connected to its natural and cultural heritage.

To better understand this approach, it helps to look at three principles that have shaped many community tourism initiatives in the area:

• sharing what’s already there
• empowering local ownership
• and creating future champions

Share What’s There

Two years after the National Park was established, the rising waters of the Cheow Lan Dam displaced the villagers of Khao Pang from their homes. Countless animal species were also affected, and the community faced the prospect of losing much of its traditional agricultural way of life.

As more visitors began arriving to enjoy the newly created lake, local residents formed a community action group and started exploring new ways to create economic opportunities. Rather than selling land to outside investors or relying on mass tourism, they developed a “Lunch with a Local” programme and later added homestay experiences for overnight guests.

Working alongside Bodhi Garrett, village leaders organised training workshops for local families interested in welcoming respectful visitors and sharing their way of life. Today, Khao Pang village welcomes around 700 guests each year. This provides an important secondary source of income that helps local families continue farming while maintaining their unique way of life.

According to Garrett:

“Responsible tourism is about minimizing the negative impact of your travel and directly giving back to the communities you visit. It is about understanding the story behind the price you are paying, and connecting with the local people that make your holidays memorable.”

Many of these same principles continue to influence the sustainability practices followed at Riverside Cottages today.

Visitors to Khao Pang have the opportunity to interact with local families through a variety of activities, including fruit picking, guided hikes, cooking classes, and visits to the spectacular scenery of Cheow Lan Lake.

Many aspects of daily life in the countryside become memorable experiences for visitors, creating a bridge between tourism and local culture, traditions, and values.

Empower (Don’t Own)

For centuries, elephants in Southeast Asia played an important role in daily life, helping transport crops, move timber, and support local communities. While many of these traditional roles have disappeared, domestic elephants today face a different challenge as tourism continues to evolve.

Not all elephant attractions place the welfare of the animals first. This reality motivated local businessman Aek to take action. For years, he had watched Somboon, his family’s elephant, work in conditions that did not always provide the care and rest she needed. Determined to create a better future, Aek approached Bodhi Garrett and the North Andaman Foundation for support in establishing an Elephant Retirement Sanctuary.

With training and guidance, Aek learned how to attract volunteers and visitors interested in ethical elephant experiences. Rather than relying on outside investors or large tour companies, he was able to build a sustainable business. It supports both his family and the wellbeing of the elephant.

Today, visitors to the Elephant Retirement Sanctuary can feed Somboon, help with bathing activities, and learn about traditional Thai elephant culture. Guests also gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing domestic elephants and the importance of responsible tourism.

By creating opportunities for local owners to earn a living while prioritising animal welfare, the project demonstrates a simple but powerful principle: helping elephants often begins by helping the people who care for them.

How do you help an elephant retire? Help its owner become self-supporting.

Creating Champions

After the boundaries of Khao Sok National Park were established, much of the land used by residents of Bang Man village became protected forest.

This helped preserve important natural habitats. However, it also created challenges for local people who depended on the surrounding land for their livelihoods.

Recognising their unique location beside the National Park, community members began exploring opportunities through nature-based tourism.

Early visitors came to see the giant Rafflesia flower, one of the world’s largest blooms. However, the flower only appears for a few months each year.

Village leaders recognised the need for a more diverse range of experiences. This would help create long-term opportunities for the community.

Inspired by other successful community projects in the region, local leaders worked with Bodhi Garrett and other partners to develop new ideas. As Garrett explains:

“The people who want to have a positive impact in their community, those are the people we listen to. Once we understand their priorities, we work with community leaders to figure out a method to accomplish that.”

Building Sustainable Futures

To build a sustainable future, village members invested in training, guiding skills, safety standards, and basic English language education. As knowledge spread throughout the community, new opportunities emerged. The result was the Bang Man Nature Trail. Visitors can explore waterfalls, caves, limestone formations, and the impressive Bang Man Cave.

Creating local champions was never limited to tourism. It also included guide training programmes, environmental education camps, and initiatives that encouraged local pride and environmental stewardship.

The same philosophy also extended to education. Local partnerships helped migrant children access education and opportunity. Programmes such as the Burmese Learning Centre helped provide stability, language skills, and pathways to a better future for children living in Southern Thailand.

As Garrett notes:

“Even local businesses can be champions of community development. Education is the cornerstone of self-sufficiency, and donations from the private sector can help make sure that all children go to school.”

Responsible Tourism Can Create Positive Change

For visitors seeking meaningful experiences, Khao Sok offers far more than beautiful scenery. Behind many of the region’s most memorable experiences are local guides, families, small businesses, and community leaders.

Together, they create tourism experiences that benefit both visitors and local communities.

Projects such as the Khao Pang community programme, the Elephant Retirement Sanctuary, and the Bang Man Nature Trail demonstrate how tourism can benefit both people and places.

These initiatives create opportunities while preserving local culture, supporting livelihoods, and encouraging environmental stewardship.

Riverside Cottages has been fortunate to support many of these initiatives over the years. We provide meeting space, connect visitors with local experiences, and contribute to projects that strengthen the wider community.

The lessons learned through these partnerships continue to influence the way we operate today. We believe tourism works best when it respects local people and supports local ownership. It should also create opportunities for future generations to become champions of their communities.

The challenges facing tourism and conservation continue to evolve. The principles remain the same: share what’s there, empower local people, and help create the next generation of community leaders.