Cheow Lan Village Afternoon: Bamboo Raft, Turtle Forest & Sunset

Surat Thani, Thailand
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Duration6h 30m
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 15 travelers
Pickup offeredSee the meeting and pickup details below

Overview

Cheow Lan is usually seen from a boat. This afternoon goes into the village that sits beside the dam instead, with a local guide who speaks English.

The van collects you at 12:00 and lunch is the first stop: southern Thai dishes served on banana leaves beside the river. Next you board a bamboo raft and a raftsman pushes it along the village waterways while the riverbank goes by. Anyone who wants to cool off can get in the water.

The longest part of the afternoon is a walk through Tor Tao forest. Villagers named it for a giant turtle believed to live in it, though guests rarely spot one. Along the trail your guide names the plants that still go into village cooking and home remedies, and partway along the path you step into a cave.

Last comes a hilltop over Ratchaprapha Dam. The dam opened in 1987, after the families of the old valley village had moved to the higher ground you spent the afternoon on. Drop-off is around 18:30.

What's included

  • Southern Thai lunch served on banana leaves beside the river
  • The Turtle forest walk and cave
  • Bottled water
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off by shared van, Khao Sok side and Cheowlan side
  • English-speaking local guide
  • Bamboo rafting on the village waterways
  • Insurance
  • The sunset viewpoint over the dam
  • Nothing else to pay - this experience does not enter the national park, so there is no park fee

What to expect

  1. Cheow Lan Dam
    5h
    The afternoon is spent in the village beside the Ratchaprapha (Cheow Lan) Dam: lunch on banana leaves at a long table beside the river, a bamboo raft poled along the small green channels behind the houses, a walk into the forest the villagers call Turtle with its giant trees, herbs and cool cave, and finally a hilltop viewpoint where the sun goes down over the dam and the village it created.

Meeting and pickup

Pickup details

We collect you at 12:00 from any accommodation on the Khao Sok side (Khlong Sok village and the park entrance road) or the Cheowlan side (Ban Ta Khun, the village beside the dam). Give your hotel name at booking; the pickup time is confirmed the day before.

Additional information

  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Physical level: easy. Expect a forest walk on foot and stepping on and off a bamboo raft; there is no trekking. Swimming is optional and life jackets are provided, so non-swimmers can ride the raft
  • Wear shoes with grip for the forest path, and bring a hat and sunscreen; add swimwear and a dry change if you plan to get in the river
  • Minimum age is 5. Guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
  • Mondays and Thursdays from 12:00, finishing at 18:30; it goes ahead in rain as well as sun. Hotel pickup from the Khao Sok side or the Cheowlan side
  • Shared departures cap out at 15 guests, and each booking must include at least 2. No national park fee: the route stays outside Khao Sok National Park

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
From
5,900.00 THB per person
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Operated by Cheowlan untold · Booked through Viator
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