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The term “karst” refers to the structures created in limestone monoliths (large homogeneous bodies of specified rock type) by certain environmental conditions.  Karst is both a geologic term and a biologic term.  Geologists use it to focus on the physical aspect off the rock and the chemical conditions that created the rock.  Biologists use it to focus on the unique ecosystem created by the rock.  Karst topography produces dramatic landscapes. You will find a fine example at Khao Sok national park. What is Karst? Karsts (to a geologist) are characterized by holes, lots of holes.  Fractures along which water [...]

One of our favorite things about Khaosok is its versatility! It is the best family holiday Thailand has to offer. At Riverside Cottages, we take great pleasure in introducing children to the wonders of nature. You can also book a Khao Sok family room at our resort. Additionally, our staff can help you put together an amazing Khao Sok family tour! Keep reading to learn how visiting Khao Sok with children is not only possible, but a great idea. Need a family friendly Khao Sok itinerary? Read on to find out more. Visiting Khao Sok with children - where [...]

Where to stay in Khao Sok? The best Khao Sok National Park Hotels Although we are blissfully far away from shopping malls and mega-resorts, travelers will find no shortage of Khao Sok national park accommodation here! Tucked amongst the mountains, visitors will find Khao Sok national park hotels with options for all budgets and travel styles. To help sort the wheat from the chaff, we have provided an overview of where to stay in Khao Sok! Here, you can find our recommendations of the best hostel, Khao Sok river lodge, and treehouses. We hope that you find it useful! [...]

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, 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 alphabet representing vowel and consonant sounds, [...]

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, just up the road [...]

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 highlight of your next [...]

Our Khao Sok jungle camping trip continues... The trail away from the Dton Sai took us through dense forest as our Khao Sok jungle camping trip moved forward.  As we ascended the mountain, we couldn’t help but notice subtle changes taking place around us.  The types of trees were changing.  The colonies of moss, orchids and lichens were becoming thicker and more diverse.  The smells were different too, with sweeter forest perfumes drifting between the trees. In addition to the flora, the sounds of the forest were changing.  From insect chirping to bird song, there was a noticeable difference. [...]

We all hopped in the truck to head off to Khao Sok Park.  There, we would be hiking through dense Rainforest on the way to a little-known cave.  The staff at Khao Sok Riverside Cottages had arranged the trip.  Although most resorts here can arrange hikes, Riverside Cottages is one of the few that sends people to this part of the Rainforest.  Even though we had some great fried rice wrapped in banana leaves, we stopped to grab some water and snacks.  It’s always good to have extra snacks! The trek begins in Khao Sok Park We arrived at [...]

Would you like to know more about the Khao Sok national park elephant? How much do you know about the Asian elephant? Having some knowledge of elephant facts will help you get the most from your Asian elephant experience. For example do you wonder ‘how much does an elephant weigh?’ How useful is an elephant trunk? How about the elephant diet? What makes up an elephant family? Who looks after the baby elephant? Understanding some elephant facts will prepare you for your Khao Sok national park elephant experience and help you to learn about the life of these special creatures. [...]