Stay
Epic doesn’t always have to equal expensive. These simple bamboo raft houses in southern Thailand, about halfway between the Andaman and Gulf of Thailand coasts, are about as basic as you can get (no hot showers, shared bathrooms, electricity for only a few hours each evening), but the vast expanse of Cheow Lan Lake outside the door and the jungle beyond are like another world. There are kayaks aplenty for exploring the shoreline, where karsts erupt from the lake, waterfalls cascade in the jungle and the rainforests – home to elephants, deer, gibbons and bears – are some of the oldest in the world.
get there
Fly with AirAsia to Phuket, then take a private taxi transfer (arrange with Khao Sok Lake tours) to Ban Ta Khun where you will meet your guide and start your tour.
airasia.com
Overnight private tours for two people from US$230 per person.
Khao Sok Lake Tours
khaosoklake.com
It is one of the wettest parts of Thailand, so best to plan your adventure between December and April.