A Nature Trip Like No Other

Wild Thailand's Khao Sok National Park

There are so many animal experience opportunities in Thailand, but few truly immerse you in nature like a stay at Our Jungle House in Khao Sok National Park. Unlike other animal sanctuaries, encounter experiences, or the beautiful but chaotic Monkey Bay in the Phi Phi Islands, Our Jungle House literally allows you to live among Thailand’s flora and fauna. All of the accommodations are in luxury treehouses nestled high in the forest, where you can hear birds call and small creatures scurrying from the comfort of your bed (which is protected by mosquito netting to prevent any insects actually joining you at night!). A walk to the rustic restaurant for breakfast offers a high likelihood of a monkey encounter, as long-tailed macaques swing from branches and mothers carry their babies across the paved path.

We visited Our Jungle House in April as part of a couple’s trip to celebrate my 50th birthday. The aim was to stay somewhere far away from the crowds and craziness of Phuket or Bangkok, and the eco-resort lived up to our wildest dreams and hopes to “see lots of animals!” We opted for a three-night, four-day stay with two nights at Our Jungle House and the third night at Cheow Lan Lake in a floating bungalow. There are a variety of activities to choose from that seamlessly get incorporated into your itinerary, and we started our stay with a bamboo rafting trip down the river at Klong Sok. We were able to simply let the world float by while our guide navigated our route via what is Thailand’s most traditional form of transportation.

After a relaxing night’s sleep listening to the sounds of the jungle, the next day was my birthday and I was surprised by a handmade card from the staff and a delicious carrot cake! Our carefully curated celebration day began with what was my favourite experience of our whole two-week trip to Thailand at the local elephant sanctuary. There is a lot of debate about which elephant experiences are ethical, and this family-owned sanctuary truly felt like a safe space for all their animals. It was clear how much our guide, Charlie, loved these majestic creatures and looked after them like we do our dogs and cats. The 20-year-old elephant who we were assigned to bathe, feed, and take for a roll in the river had been born at the sanctuary and felt completely comfortable with people. She was like a giant puppy, following us around, begging for treats and just wanting to play! The morning included a talk about the history and welfare of elephants in Thailand, and concluded with the opportunity to buy gifts that support the sanctuary – which we left with armfuls of!

That afternoon was spent getting a couple’s massage in the simple treehouse spa area, before meeting our next guide, Chai, for a traditional bamboo cooking lesson. It was amazing to see how he could cook an entire meal of green chicken curry, vegetables and rice on an open fire using bamboo instead of utensils. When we asked if the locals usually eat like this, however, he admitted that it simply takes too long, and they mostly opt for modern-day cooking techniques.

We were lucky enough to also have Chai as our guide for the next part of our itinerary — a night safari through the rainforest in the national park. This was both the most exciting and the scariest part of our trip! Chai set the tone and the safety requirements from the get-go, telling us to keep our eyes and flashlights to the ground to avoid snakes and scorpions, while he scanned the trees and rocks for creatures of the night. I couldn’t keep track of how many insects, birds, snakes, monkeys, and exotic creepy crawlies we encountered on our two-hour trek as the entire jungle seemed to come to life. The park rangers blocked off part of the main path because a herd of wild elephants had been spotted, so Chai diverted us into the rainforest where the intensity reached a whole new level. We saw numerous pit vipers coiled on trees waiting to hunt, but the most awe-inspiring scaly friend was an eight-foot-long gold-ringed cat snake slithering down a tree trunk.

After our safari experience, we went to the Our Jungle House bar to wind down with mocktails and were fortunate enough to stumble upon a presentation from a staff member of the educational and community outreach unit called Jungle Life Camp. Don led us through a fascinating explanation of the history of Khao Sok National Park and how Cheow Lan Lake is actually a man-made reservoir created by the Rajjaprabha Dam. He included quizzes and games to keep everyone engaged in what felt like part natural history education and part standup comedy show! Don also shared photos of children attending the Jungle Life Camp, which is the first dedicated kids’ camp in Khao Sok focused on nature, conservation, and sustainability.

The night presentation perfectly prepared us for the next stage of our adventure, an overnight stay at the 71-square mile lake itself. The 24-hour experience was entirely coordinated by Our Jungle House staff, including the bus to the entry area of the national park, a hike that involved a “bat cave” adventure, and a longboat to the overwater bungalows. Although the accommodation was simple, it was perfect for one night and allowed us to step straight off the back deck into the 30-meter-deep lake. Upon arrival, we all got to relax for a few hours in our bungalows, swim, sunbathe on a giant floating log, or venture further out on kayaks. Next was a longboat cruise around the lake looking for wildlife, while most of the animals were buried deep in the undergrowth, we spotted a few monkeys and packs of wild boar. The evening consisted of a group communal dinner before chilling on our patio under the stars, basking in the peace that can only come without WiFi and cell phone service.

We left the three day-stay at Our Jungle House with an innate sense of calm that is difficult to acquire anywhere else in the world. It was truly an experience that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives and to which I return to every time I look at the little wooden elephants hanging in my house.