Khao Sok

Khao Sok is one of the largest national parks in Thailand, spread over an area of 739 ^km2 between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. One of the main attractions of the park is Cheo Lan Lake.

The park is the largest area of virgin forests in southern Thailand, and the rainforests themselves are older and more diverse than the Amazon forests. The sandstone and mudstone mountains rise to an altitude of 300-600 meters above sea level. The park is traversed from north to south by a limestone mountain range that holds back monsoon rains emanating from the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. This makes Khao Sok Park the rainiest region in Thailand with an annual rainfall of 3,500 mm. Such a large amount of precipitation adversely affects limestone, which is washed away, forming numerous karst formations and caves. 300 million years ago, Thailand had a sea with a huge coral reef, but due to tectonic plates about 50 million years ago, the region rose, at the same time the Himalayas were formed. This is how limestone rocks appeared in the area, from which nature has created stunning landscapes over the years. 

Khao Sok National Park has a very rich flora and fauna, according to scientists, 5% of the species of all animals living on the planet are found here. Here you can see tapirs, elephants, deer, porcupines, bears, wild boars, and various monkeys. Animals are attracted here by the abundance of fruit trees and many plants.

The main attraction of Khao Sok Park is Cheo Lan Lake, which was formed as a result of the construction of a dam in 1982 to generate electricity. A year later, the lake flooded 165 ^km2, which led to the relocation of residents of surrounding villages with compensation for losses. The appearance of the lake led to the death of many fish that could not live in stagnant water. Nevertheless, the appearance of the lake gave a powerful impetus to the development of tourism.