As Thailand’s cities grow largerand the world continues to change, the Jungles of Khao Sok remain as a last refuge for the area’s wildlife. When visitors enter Khao Sok, they become enchanted by its dense forests that have stood unchanged for millions of years. Visitors that have a lot of patience and a little luck can see exotic species that are hardly seen elsewhere; Rafflesia flowers nearly a meter in diameter, the slow loris, which may be the cutest poisonous animal on the planet, river otters in the middle of the jungle, and great hornbills that have a wingspan of nearly two meters.
Another page of Khao Sok’s human history is a tale of treasure. Legend has it that the Burmese united 10 armies to attack Thailand from all sides. A wealthy businessman who lived in a nearby port city knew an army would soon come to invade. He decided to gather all of his valuable possessions and take them over the hills, deep into the forest on a covered wagon. It was then that he and his family came upon what is now Khao Sok and hid their treasure in a small cave. When you visit, you can look up past the valley and see a mountain that takes the familiar form of a woman. Over the years, the directions to this cave were said to be encoded in a local folk song. Few words of the song are remembered and the treasure remains undiscovered, but, as one line says, “if you can twist ‘Pan Toot Rat’ Mountain, you will be rich for the rest of your life.” ‘Pan Toot Rat’ translates to Giant Lady in Thai, so if you see a woman’s figure etched into the Khao Sok skyline, all you have to do is find a way to twist the mountain.
Today the forests seem just as mysterious as this local riddle, but the nature of Khao Sok is the treasure that attracts visitors from around the world. Some come to simply walk through the forest, but others prefer to take time and appreciate the small details. If you are interested in a unique experience with a guide who has a special focus on birds, insects, or plants, this website will help you find the right guide before you arrive in Khao Sok. Birdwatching from a specially designed canoe, checking under leaves for insects that are still unknown to science, and searching for freshwater shrimp at a remote hot spring are among the tours you can learn about here and book when you arrive in Khao Sok.