Another bag of mangosteen awaited us on the balcony, and while Lilach and I did some birdwatching from the balcony, Tamar went down for a tour and came back with a bunch of Rambutan. We said farewell to our generous hosts, this time for real, and headed in the direction of our next destination – Khao Sok national park, near the western border of the Surat Thani province. We had a coffee stop and breakfast shortly after leaving, and drove more or less continuously, till reaching the park in the early afternoon. We had lunch in a small cafe on the crowded road leading to the park entrance, where we were sheltered from a sudden downpour and Daniel spotted a tiny gecko in one of the orchid pots (made of coconut shell).
After finishing lunch, we decided to enter the park at 15:30, to the ranger’s disbelief. He explained to us that if we waited another hour the ticket would be good for the next day too, but since the park closes at 18:00, waiting till 16:30 didn’t seem wise. On the other, we preferred to hike the afternoon hours anyway, since a lot of animals become active around dusk. The trail was very well maintained, and we encountered quite a few other tourists along it, in contrast to Khao Luang where we only met two girls by the waterfall. The forest was cloud-shrouded and beautiful following the afternoon rain, and we spotted a strange caterpillar, several bird species, and interesting fungi. At a couple of points along the trail we reached the river and made short stops. Shortly before closing time, while I was shooting some fungi and the rest of the family was heading to the exit, I heard breaking branches and saw what looked like a Spectacled Langur high up in the canopy. Not photo-worthy, but definitely thrilling. We reached our riverside bungalow resort when the sun has already set. It was beautifully set along the river, with lush vegetation between the bungalows. The bungalow itself was basic, but the location more than compensated for it. Dinner at a table overlooking the river was very enjoyable.
Family Trips 