For a trip to Khaosok National Park from Phuket, be it an overnight trip or a day trip, the first thing which must be understood is the distances involved. Even if you are going directly there with no stops it is a good three hours travelling time.
For my trip we were going to be starting with white water rafting in Phang Nga Province before heading to the Khaosok National Park in Surat Thani province.
The pickup in Chalong, southern Phuket was at 7am, we then went on to pick up Mark who I would be sharing this trip with, 20 minutes later we picked up our guide for the day on the edge of Phuket town close to all the shopping centres. From here it was going to be a one and a half hour drive to the rafting camp a little way past Phang Nga town. To break up the journey we were going to stop for fruit.
This stop turned out to be at “Lung Khai Fruit Garden”, which is a lot more than it sounds. As well as selling fresh fruit here they have an orchard of mixed fruit trees so you can see Mangosteens, Durians, Papaya, Rambutan, Jack Fruit and more all growing together. Once you go inside the garden they serve your fruit plate inside one of the small wooden pagodas set around the garden. Once you've eaten you can walk around the garden along paths that wind around the garden, along the way are various stalls where you can try different Thai dishes such as Mussaman Curry and Tom Yum Gung (spicy prawn soup) and various “kanom” - Thai cakes.
After this short stop we pressed on to the rafting camp in the hills behind Phang Nga Town. We arrived at the the camp set on the Tonepariwat river at about 9:30am. Once we arrived here we had the chance to change into swim gear and put anything we didn't want to get wet into lockers.
The water was not going to be released until 11 so we still had some time. The camp we were using control one of the dams which release water for the rafting so there are large holding pools dotted around the camp and they use one of these as a safety feature for their flying fox ride. As zip-lines go this was a pretty simple one, a single line going from the side of the hill over a small pond. For those who have done zip-lining, bungy jumping or parachuting before then this is probably nothing special, but for me this was my first time – I don't have a fear of heights, just a fear of landing at high speed. That first step is a bit nervy but once you realise that the equipment works then it's a great feeling – I will be doing this again.
Then it was time for rafting, we donned our life jacket and helmets and headed to the river
Here I must make a confession, I have been living in Thailand since 2001 and although I speak some Thai I am a long way from fluent.
As we were walking to the raft I heard our tour guide say to one of our raft guides that I was “con Thai”(from Thailand) – he turned to me and realising I had heard said that he had told the crew that I spoke Thai, when I said I spoke a little Thai his reply was “That's ok he's Burmese he only speaks a little Thai too”!
Most of the pictures you see of white water rafting show a single raft travelling down rapids all alone. That is not what actually happens. Before the dam was opened the river was little more that a trickle and all the rafts from our camp were placed on the dry riverbed, 6 or 7 in total. Then a load more raft were brought down a little further up the river towards the dam, two other raft companies were starting at the same point, and in fact there were more joining further down the river. Now don't think this is disastrous, there rapids here are pretty tame, nothing like the rafting you see from the US or New Zealand, the large number of rafts on the water adds to the fun, the guides are constantly splashing the other boats and collisions are common (and deliberate).
Once the sluice gates were opened the river started to rise, the two paddle guides on our raft checked that everybody had their feet in the straps on the hull and was holding the rope that runs down the centre of the raft (this is all that stops you falling out) and once they were happy we slowly drifted out into the centre of the river and that's where the fun really started. All the crews from the different companies obviously know each other quite well as they were joking and laughing at each other and then started racing for position and trying to knock each other out of the way. Every so often there is a sudden drop and on some of these there is a shallow rock just before the drop which can cause the raft to catch and spin then another raft hits from the side and you all go over together. The whole way down is aquatic dodgems.
About halfway down there is a calm spot where the paddlers pull the raft over to the side, I was told more water would be released soon and we would wait for that, they said we could swim if we wanted, so I jumped out to find that the water was barely a meter deep and this is the case for the whole river.
Many of the rafts were stopping here so the guides started water fights between the boats.
After a few minutes we felt the water speeding up and started to head down again for more of the same.
The 5km ride took about 30 minutes, at the stopping point there were pickup truck and a bus to take all the people and rafts back up the river to the camp.
Arriving back at the camp there is a chance for a shower and change into dry clothes and lunch was served. A buffet lunch with plenty of choice, spaghetti bolognese for those who don't want Thai food but plenty of Thai curries , fried chicken and eggs for those who do.
After lunch it was time to continue north to Khao Sok
We arrived at Khaosok National Park a little after 3 pm, we went straight to The Ratchaprapa Dam from here we were to take a longtail boat to our raft house accommodation on Cheow Lan Lake.
The Ratchaprapa Dam was built across the Paseang River (also known as Khlong Saeng) in 1983, to provide Hydro electric power for the area, thus creating the 165 square kilometre Cheow Lan Lake in the centre of the 645 square kilometre Khaosok National Park.
Just at the east end of the dam is a boat jetty which was lined with the traditional thai boats known as longtails. The reason for this name being pretty obvious as former truck engines mounted on these boats have very long drive shafts with the propeller on the end. The boats on Cheow Lan Lake are somewhat larger than the ones we are used to in Phuket so there was plenty of room for the seven passenger on the boat. We headed north along the east side of the lake for about 30 minutes until we reached our destination – Phutawan Raft Home Stay. This is one of nine raft house operations on the lake, all are quite basic, some have mod-cons most don't.
It's important to remember that electricity needs to be generated on site with a diesel generator as there are no mains power cables in the park, so to keep power requirements down many luxuries are sacrificed.
Phutawan has two types of raft house, the older bamboo huts are set on logs which are floating just below the surface, these huts are constructed from bamboo poles covered with woven bamboo wall panels and a banana leaf thatch roof, in the hut is a 5 ft wide mattress, the other rafthouses (where we were staying) are raised on Metal pontoons and constructed from hardwood with again bamboo wall panels and a corrugated tin roof. I wasn't expecting air conditioning so I wasn't disappointed by it's absence but I was surprised that there was no fan.
Now here is a warning to all non-couples travelling all the huts have a double bed there are no twin bed huts. And for the techno junkies there is one plug socket in each room and no phone or wifi signal – you are cut off (the raft house management and the boat captains have VHF radios for emergencies).
Having arrived at the raft house resort just before 4pm we had three hours to relax before our night Safari. Though it was overcast and had been raining on and off during our drive from Phang Nga it was still very hot so we made the most of our free time by swimming in the lake and using the kayaks available to paddle off to explore some of the nearby parts of the lake.
At 7pm we set off on board our longtail boat to look for night life. What we were hoping to see was wild elephant, monkeys, Tapir ,deer and hornbills. Hornbills are large Toucan like birds with what appears to be a double decker beak – we saw plenty of these sleeping high in the trees, as for everything else we were not lucky this night though we heard plenty of bird and monkey calls ringing through the canopy as we glided around the edge of the lake.
On our return to the raft huts dinner was served. The accommodation may be basic but the food is not. Great quality Thai food and plenty of choice. A lot of the people coming to stay here are Thai so normally they are cooking food for both Thais and “Farang” (Europeans and Americans), this means that if you like properly spicy food you just have to ask.
After dinner everyone settled into there huts for the night, just enough lights were on to allow you to see where you were going if nature called and the only sounds were the infrequent calls coming from the jungle around us.
DAY 2
The second day started with the dawn light waking us up, I had thought that without a fan it would get too hot in the hut but there was enough natural breeze to keep it comfortably cool.
At 7am we headed out on another lake safari, pretty much covering the same areas as we had in the night safari – not being restricted to the view from a torch beam you realised how much life there is in the trees, loads of hornbills sitting close to the tops of the trees and occasionally flying from tree to tree. After about an hour searching for wildlife along the shores of the lake we headed back to the resort for breakfast. This was a eggs on toast and fried rice – fuel for what was to come.
At about 9:30 we set off in the longtail again towards Pakarang Cave. To get there we spent almost one hour in the boat and then we had a jungle trek. I not sure how far the trek was but it took a good thirty minutes climbing up and down along a twisting jungle path, we stopped along the way as we had spotted a lemur in the trees a few metres off the path. I have been living in thailand for many years and have not worn proper shoes for over 4 years – the only shoes I own are flip flops (or thongs), hiking in these is not a good idea, I managed but it was uncomfortable and definitely took more out of me than it would have if I'd had proper shoes. At the end of the trek was another floating jetty, but with a difference, there were no longtails here but bamboo rafts. These rafts have small seat running across but you are mere centimetres away from the water. This, however is only a five minute journey across to Pakarang cave, also known as coral cave. From the tiny bamboo jetty you climb up about five metres along a rough rock path and you enter a cave system filled with stalactites and stalagmites.
This cave takes it's name from these limestone deposits which have formed structures that look almost identical to many corals. After our visit to the cave we had the return hike back to our longtail and then another sightseeing run in the longtail as we made our way back to the resort. A Thai lunch was waiting for us when we returned, we then had just enough time for a quick dip in the warm lake before heading back to the Dam and the three hour ride back to Phuket, everyone was tired from the mornings exertions so the trip went pretty quickly.
All in all a very enjoyable trip, and although it may be a little short of truly getting back to nature it is a truly relaxing experience just being on the lake away from modern day life.
Showing posts with label Khao Sok. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khao Sok. Show all posts
Friday, May 31, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Khao Sok - Private Tours
More of our custom made tours designed for independently minded travellers who want to side step
the big bus tours but don't want the hassle of organizing everything themselves. We take care of the
details while you enjoy the sights and the nature at your own pace.
We believe that freedom during your valuable holiday time is the most important thing so there is no
fixed itinerary, we design it around what you want. These are the general guidelines and our
recommendations:
Your driver and your English speaking guide will collect you at your hotel around 7:30am and start to drive north. After 1-1.5 hours, depending on your hotel location, we stop for a coffee break in a local place at Khok Kloy town, a few km after crossing Sarasin Bridge which connects Phuket to the mainland. Around 10:30-11:00 we reach Khao Sok and start an amazing canoe experience on the river, completely surrounded by the wilderness of the oldest rain forest on Earth. Pleasant and professional local paddlers are provided, but you can also paddle by yourself if you prefer.
After about one hour following the river flow we stop on the riverside and enjoy a nice and unusual
Jungle Lunch (in case of rain lunch will be home stay style). Our staff will take care of everything
for you. After enjoying the meal and the jungle atmosphere, we will proceed along the river with the
“tubing”. This is a mix of relaxation and fun as we go with the water flow sitting in the big
doughnuts. Some sections are slow and quiet, while others have little rapids to make the descent
more exciting. This is an amazing experience that makes you really feel as if you are part of the
jungle itself and the stunning limestone cliffs nearby.
Around 14:00 we arrive at the “pier” where the driver is waiting for us ready to start the way back
to Phuket; depending on time, weather and traffic, we have the opportunity for one more stop and
additional sightseeing or activity such as visiting the Tsunami Memorial “Police Boat 813 ”, Turtle
Conservation Centre, short Elephant Trekking and more that you can decide with your guide.
We arrive back at the hotel around 18:30
Price:
1 to 4 person: THB 11,400 (in total)
Extra person: THB 2,900 / person
Children: 5-11 years THB 900 per child, kids below 5 years of age are free of charge.
Included: All transfers, knowledgeable and friendly English speaking guide, Unique Jungle Lunch, softdrinks, local beers (two cans per adult), canoe and tubing, tax and insurance, National Park fees.
Two great days in nature, a good balance between adventure and relaxation.
DAY 1
Same itinerary as DAY TOUR, but after tubing we check in at Cliff & River Jungle Resort in
Standard Room (double/twin sharing) enjoy the place with SPA, pool and natural surroundings, relax in the wonderful atmosphere, dinner.
DAY 2
We recommend an early wake up to witness the mist that at night time came up from the humid
trees and hangs over the hills, the insects chirp, the birds are not angry and the wild gibbons call
through the jungle. Then mists slowly clear revealing the 300m vertical cliff that towers over the
resort.
Around 8:30am we enjoy the nice Thai-American breakfast and then we get moving for a very
nice scenic Jungle Trek that lasts approximately 3 hours (5-6 km). During the walk we see
several kinds of local flora and fauna, and sometimes there's also the chance to spot wild monkeys
and boars. At the end of the walk we reach a nice spot on the river where the water is clean and can
have a refreshing dip.
As an alternative to the Jungle Trek, for those who are not keen on walking or have different interests,
there is the opportunity to do Elephant Trekking instead. It takes place in a nice jungle area near
Khao Lak and lasts approximately one hour, here we also find a small scenic waterfall.
After the activities we enjoy a tasty lunch and start to head back towards Phuket Island, on the way
we can do some additional stops for sightseeing like Tsunami Memorial “Police Boat 813 ”, Turtle
Conservation Centre, and more that you can decide with your guide. Just few minutes before
crossing Sarasin Bridge and enter Phuket Island we stop for a coffee break at 360° Andaman View
Point from where you have a stunning view over the Phuket and the Andaman Sea.
We arrive back to the hotel around 18:00.
Price:
1 to 4 person: THB 25,500 (in total)
Extra person: THB 5,900 / person
Note: Elephant Trekking available on request - Surcharge 1,000 THB per person
Included: All transfers, knowledgeable and friendly English speaking guide, Unique Jungle Lunch (Day 1), soft drinks, local beers (two cans per adult), canoe and tubing, Dinner (Day 1), one night
accommodation in Standard Room (Double/Twin sharing) at Cliff & River Jungle Resort, Breakfast
(Day 2), Lunch (Day 2), tax and insurance, National Park fees.
More about Khao Sok Join-In Adventure Tours
More on tours in Thailand at www.easydaythailand.com
the big bus tours but don't want the hassle of organizing everything themselves. We take care of the
details while you enjoy the sights and the nature at your own pace.
We believe that freedom during your valuable holiday time is the most important thing so there is no
fixed itinerary, we design it around what you want. These are the general guidelines and our
recommendations:
Day Tour to Khao Sok National Park
 |
| Tubing at Sok River |
After about one hour following the river flow we stop on the riverside and enjoy a nice and unusual
Jungle Lunch (in case of rain lunch will be home stay style). Our staff will take care of everything
for you. After enjoying the meal and the jungle atmosphere, we will proceed along the river with the
“tubing”. This is a mix of relaxation and fun as we go with the water flow sitting in the big
doughnuts. Some sections are slow and quiet, while others have little rapids to make the descent
more exciting. This is an amazing experience that makes you really feel as if you are part of the
jungle itself and the stunning limestone cliffs nearby.
Around 14:00 we arrive at the “pier” where the driver is waiting for us ready to start the way back
to Phuket; depending on time, weather and traffic, we have the opportunity for one more stop and
additional sightseeing or activity such as visiting the Tsunami Memorial “Police Boat 813 ”, Turtle
Conservation Centre, short Elephant Trekking and more that you can decide with your guide.
We arrive back at the hotel around 18:30
Price:
1 to 4 person: THB 11,400 (in total)
Extra person: THB 2,900 / person
Children: 5-11 years THB 900 per child, kids below 5 years of age are free of charge.
Included: All transfers, knowledgeable and friendly English speaking guide, Unique Jungle Lunch, softdrinks, local beers (two cans per adult), canoe and tubing, tax and insurance, National Park fees.
2D/1N - Khao Sok Overnight Tour
 |
| View at Cliff & River Jungle Resort |
Two great days in nature, a good balance between adventure and relaxation.
DAY 1
Same itinerary as DAY TOUR, but after tubing we check in at Cliff & River Jungle Resort in
Standard Room (double/twin sharing) enjoy the place with SPA, pool and natural surroundings, relax in the wonderful atmosphere, dinner.
DAY 2
We recommend an early wake up to witness the mist that at night time came up from the humid
trees and hangs over the hills, the insects chirp, the birds are not angry and the wild gibbons call
through the jungle. Then mists slowly clear revealing the 300m vertical cliff that towers over the
resort.
Around 8:30am we enjoy the nice Thai-American breakfast and then we get moving for a very
nice scenic Jungle Trek that lasts approximately 3 hours (5-6 km). During the walk we see
several kinds of local flora and fauna, and sometimes there's also the chance to spot wild monkeys
and boars. At the end of the walk we reach a nice spot on the river where the water is clean and can
have a refreshing dip.
As an alternative to the Jungle Trek, for those who are not keen on walking or have different interests,
there is the opportunity to do Elephant Trekking instead. It takes place in a nice jungle area near
Khao Lak and lasts approximately one hour, here we also find a small scenic waterfall.
After the activities we enjoy a tasty lunch and start to head back towards Phuket Island, on the way
we can do some additional stops for sightseeing like Tsunami Memorial “Police Boat 813 ”, Turtle
Conservation Centre, and more that you can decide with your guide. Just few minutes before
crossing Sarasin Bridge and enter Phuket Island we stop for a coffee break at 360° Andaman View
Point from where you have a stunning view over the Phuket and the Andaman Sea.
We arrive back to the hotel around 18:00.
Price:
1 to 4 person: THB 25,500 (in total)
Extra person: THB 5,900 / person
Note: Elephant Trekking available on request - Surcharge 1,000 THB per person
Included: All transfers, knowledgeable and friendly English speaking guide, Unique Jungle Lunch (Day 1), soft drinks, local beers (two cans per adult), canoe and tubing, Dinner (Day 1), one night
accommodation in Standard Room (Double/Twin sharing) at Cliff & River Jungle Resort, Breakfast
(Day 2), Lunch (Day 2), tax and insurance, National Park fees.
More about Khao Sok Join-In Adventure Tours
More on tours in Thailand at www.easydaythailand.com
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Easy Day Thailand Staff Party at Khao Sok – Part 4
Easy Day Staff Party 2012: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Once the necessary pictures had been taken we gathered for the quick transfer up river in the van and cars, only about 10 minutes, where everyone boarded canoes for a guided tour down the river. The river skirted along the cliff walls and past the resort and everyone had a relaxing time.
Upon our arrival down river, a hardy lunch was served and after the ride down river, everyone was hungry. Not to rush things, everyone relaxed for a couple of minutes to let our food settle before moving on to our next river voyage with Tubing. This time we decided to actually enjoy the river water and use large inner tubes to float down the river. One problem was getting in a starting the journey, the other was how cold the water was, by the time we were getting out everyone was looking to warm up.
All in all, it was a good day on the river and everyone agreed it was great fun and a different kind of adventure then they are use to. After a brief discussion, Diego decided since we got out of the river right at “The Cliff & River Jungle Resort” Restaurant, we might as well relax a bit and have dinner there before getting on the road to head home to Phuket. Dinner was very good and we all got to choose what looked good on the menu. Everyone’s hunger satisfied and warm again, we load into the various vehicles we came in for the long ride back, I was glad to be in the minivan and not driving. Everyone arrived home safe and sound after what was a great two day adventure to one of Thailand’s beautiful Nature Parks.
Once the necessary pictures had been taken we gathered for the quick transfer up river in the van and cars, only about 10 minutes, where everyone boarded canoes for a guided tour down the river. The river skirted along the cliff walls and past the resort and everyone had a relaxing time.
 |
| Canoeing at Khao Sok |
|
| Tubing in Khao Sok, Phang Nga |
All in all, it was a good day on the river and everyone agreed it was great fun and a different kind of adventure then they are use to. After a brief discussion, Diego decided since we got out of the river right at “The Cliff & River Jungle Resort” Restaurant, we might as well relax a bit and have dinner there before getting on the road to head home to Phuket. Dinner was very good and we all got to choose what looked good on the menu. Everyone’s hunger satisfied and warm again, we load into the various vehicles we came in for the long ride back, I was glad to be in the minivan and not driving. Everyone arrived home safe and sound after what was a great two day adventure to one of Thailand’s beautiful Nature Parks.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Easy Day Thailand Staff Party at Khao Sok – Part 3
Easy Day Staff Party 2012: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
After a leisurely ride back across the lake to where our vehicles were parked, we all headed to “The Cliff & River Jungle Resort” to check in to our individual cabins. Once we get checked in some relax in their cabins while the more energetic soles head to the pool for a quick dip.
We are in the peaceful, calm Garden Zone near the restaurant overlooking the river we will enjoy tomorrow.
A couple of hours of free time to relax and recharge our batteries bring us to the dinner party at one of our guide’s house. He has setup a great BBQ pit and has already started the slabs of pork tenderloins, jumbo shrimp, hot dogs, and plump sausages. The table is covered with various beverages on one end while the other holds the steamed rice and noodles along with several Thai dishes and condiments. In no time everyone is helping themselves and serving others the various delights from the BBQ.
I enjoyed the BBQ Shrimp and hot dogs while my girlfriend filled her plate with noodles and traditional Thai dishes to begin, but wasting no time peeling and eating the BBQ Shrimp. Diego brings out several large loaves of bread and cut up the pork to make nice thick sandwiches. The music is loud and fills the air with a rhythmic beat that provided a great opportunity for some karaoke after the kids have eaten their fill.
After a leisurely ride back across the lake to where our vehicles were parked, we all headed to “The Cliff & River Jungle Resort” to check in to our individual cabins. Once we get checked in some relax in their cabins while the more energetic soles head to the pool for a quick dip.
 |
| The Cliff & River Jungle Resort |
A couple of hours of free time to relax and recharge our batteries bring us to the dinner party at one of our guide’s house. He has setup a great BBQ pit and has already started the slabs of pork tenderloins, jumbo shrimp, hot dogs, and plump sausages. The table is covered with various beverages on one end while the other holds the steamed rice and noodles along with several Thai dishes and condiments. In no time everyone is helping themselves and serving others the various delights from the BBQ.
I enjoyed the BBQ Shrimp and hot dogs while my girlfriend filled her plate with noodles and traditional Thai dishes to begin, but wasting no time peeling and eating the BBQ Shrimp. Diego brings out several large loaves of bread and cut up the pork to make nice thick sandwiches. The music is loud and fills the air with a rhythmic beat that provided a great opportunity for some karaoke after the kids have eaten their fill.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Easy Day Thailand Staff Party at Khao Sok – Part 2
Easy Day Staff Party 2012: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
After our initial stop we headed to the middle of the dam to await the arrival of several members of our group that had trouble getting started as early as the rest of us. Again the views from this vantage point were incredible and we all enjoyed relaxing on the grass while we waited patiently. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we took some pictures marking it as the “Easy Day Thailand Staff Party 2555”. It took several attempts to get the pose just right.
After this brief respot and once the entire group was together, we headed down to the “Long Tail Boat” docks to board our boat for the trip across the approximately 1,500 sq Kilometer lake. Getting down to the boats and then boarding them proved to be an adventure in itself for me, but once on board the breeze and spray from the bow of the boat as it cut through the water were very pleasant.
Once we reached the far end of the lake, we arrived at a restaurant/cabins resort where we had both breakfast and lunch.
While the adults relaxed and ate, the kids in our group enjoy a refreshing dip in the lake and tried practising their kayaking skills.
After our initial stop we headed to the middle of the dam to await the arrival of several members of our group that had trouble getting started as early as the rest of us. Again the views from this vantage point were incredible and we all enjoyed relaxing on the grass while we waited patiently. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we took some pictures marking it as the “Easy Day Thailand Staff Party 2555”. It took several attempts to get the pose just right.
After this brief respot and once the entire group was together, we headed down to the “Long Tail Boat” docks to board our boat for the trip across the approximately 1,500 sq Kilometer lake. Getting down to the boats and then boarding them proved to be an adventure in itself for me, but once on board the breeze and spray from the bow of the boat as it cut through the water were very pleasant.
Once we reached the far end of the lake, we arrived at a restaurant/cabins resort where we had both breakfast and lunch.
While the adults relaxed and ate, the kids in our group enjoy a refreshing dip in the lake and tried practising their kayaking skills.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Easy Day Thailand Staff Party at Khao Sok – Part 1
Easy Day Staff Party 2012: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Every one at Easy Day Thailand was very excited and really looking forward to the two day outing to Khao Sok National Park. After all it was 2 days away from work, staying at the beautiful “Cliff & River Jungle Resort”, with lots of great activities to keep us entertained. All in all we had a wonderful two days of excitement and adventures.
Tuesday started out at the marvellous hour of 4:00 am for yours truly, when my alarm awaken me so I and my girlfriend could be ready for the minivan pickup at 4:50. Unlike most minivan drivers in Thailand, ours was right on time, perhaps 5 minutes early. I am not sure what time he started, but he had already picked up two others. We headed over to Kathu to pick up several more people before heading north to Khao Sok for our first day of relaxation. We did make several stops along the way for fuel and provisions before arriving at picturesque Rajjaprabh Dam. First we stopped just off the dam to take some pictures for our scrapbooks.
For those of you interested here are some facts about the dam; the crest length is 969 meters, with a maximum height of 94 meters; and a volume of 6.5 million cubic meters. It is a hydroelectric dam and produces a maximum of 240 MW. At its normal high water level of 95.0 m, the reservoir has an active storage of 5 050 million cubic meter and a water surface of 165 sq.km2. After project completion the Chiew Larn Dam was conferred by His majesty the King to be called the “Rajjaprabha” Dam which means in English the “Ligth of the Kingdom” Dam.
Here we see the inside and outside faces of the dam and down into the valley below it.
But I must admit that these shots out over the lake Behind the dam are the most beautiful views. The pictures do not do this scene justice with the gigantic limestone cliffs rising out of the earth all around the lake.
Every one at Easy Day Thailand was very excited and really looking forward to the two day outing to Khao Sok National Park. After all it was 2 days away from work, staying at the beautiful “Cliff & River Jungle Resort”, with lots of great activities to keep us entertained. All in all we had a wonderful two days of excitement and adventures.
Tuesday started out at the marvellous hour of 4:00 am for yours truly, when my alarm awaken me so I and my girlfriend could be ready for the minivan pickup at 4:50. Unlike most minivan drivers in Thailand, ours was right on time, perhaps 5 minutes early. I am not sure what time he started, but he had already picked up two others. We headed over to Kathu to pick up several more people before heading north to Khao Sok for our first day of relaxation. We did make several stops along the way for fuel and provisions before arriving at picturesque Rajjaprabh Dam. First we stopped just off the dam to take some pictures for our scrapbooks.
The Easy Day folks checking their cameras and stretching their legs after the long ride.
For those of you interested here are some facts about the dam; the crest length is 969 meters, with a maximum height of 94 meters; and a volume of 6.5 million cubic meters. It is a hydroelectric dam and produces a maximum of 240 MW. At its normal high water level of 95.0 m, the reservoir has an active storage of 5 050 million cubic meter and a water surface of 165 sq.km2. After project completion the Chiew Larn Dam was conferred by His majesty the King to be called the “Rajjaprabha” Dam which means in English the “Ligth of the Kingdom” Dam.
Here we see the inside and outside faces of the dam and down into the valley below it.
But I must admit that these shots out over the lake Behind the dam are the most beautiful views. The pictures do not do this scene justice with the gigantic limestone cliffs rising out of the earth all around the lake.
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