Lake Overnight @Raft House

[Cheow Lan Lake]
Surrounded by Khao Sok Rainforest, Cheow Lan Lake has pristine freshwater that comes out from the rainforest underground. Being in the middle of the lake, you can feel the freshwater in your hands. Looking up, you can view the entire mountainous green landscape in the distance.

Along the sides of the lake, the jungle is visible. Wild animals like wild elephants or monkeys would often go to those places to hang out or to drink water from the lake.

Across the lake, limestone cliffs and small islands stand out from the water. Their ragged shapes add to a dramatic scenery unique to this lake. Some of those small islands also contain explorable caves that go deep into the lake underground.

[Sunset & Sunrise]
The sunset experience at the lake is distinctly spectacular. When the sun is going down behind the mountains around the lake, it is casting the mountain silhouettes over the lake, projecting sun rays at different spots, and creating a dramatic view in the sky. And deep in the jungle, you begin to hear the animal sounds that are about to get ready for the hunt. Each evening offers a different sunset experience as the time of the sunset changes over time on a monthly basis and as the local weather also changes on a daily basis.

The sunrise experience at the lake is also spectacular but totally different from the sunset experience. The sunrise is relatively quiet. Occasionally, you would hear splashes in the water where the fishes are still hunting. The sky around the lake would get a bit noisy when the sun is rising. The sounds mostly come from birds either those passing by or those that are hunting fishes above the surface of the lake. As the sun is getting higher, it is highlighting different places around the lake bright especially the jagged limestone cliffs. The views are magnificent.

[Raft House Restaurant]
In addition to bungalows, there are also raft house restaurants at different places on one side of the lake. Overlooking the view of the lake, the restaurants are an ideal place for outdoor lunches. Some of the restaurants also build public platforms from where you can go swimming or canoeing.

[Rainforest Bamboo Rafting]
Bamboo Rafting is most efficient in rainforest exploration. Because it is quiet and slow, you can enjoy the jungle scenery along the river without disturbing animals living there.

For hundreds of years, before there was any road, bamboo rafting had been traditionally the most economical mode of mass transport across Thailand. Back then, people who lived in remote villages would transport things in a large number like chicken, pigs, vegetables, or rubber to market places by bamboo raft.

Bamboo is environmentally friendly. Bamboo trees can easily be found along a river. And the rafts could be made in a matter of hours. After use, the bamboo could be re-used for other purposes such as chicken or pig coops.