Magic in Southern Thailand

Natural harmony, KHAO SOK: We all are searching for certain level of harmony in life. Certain people are seeking that serenity in communication with others. There are also those, who keen on getting the nourishing energy from book reading or musical instruments playing…
And, probably, regardless to what type of batteries recharging is best suitable for a particular person, everybody would agree that nature has absolutely unique properties. It’s calming, rejuvenating and beautifully perfect. Now let me tell you about all this and more that we’ve experienced in our 2 day trip to Khao Sok.

Khao Sok is the name, used to refer to a magnificent national park in Southern Thailand. Conveniently located in between provinces Phuket and Krabi, it’s one of the best places to visit during your holiday if lush greenery and incredible views are resonating with your sense of beauty. The most stunning lake, in my memory, is situated in the heart of Khao Sok, it is called Cheow Larn. Covered by the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world and huge limestone mountains shooting straight up in the air. One would also find there deep valleys, exciting caves, wild animals and much more…But let me tell you how our 2 day magic began.

That early wake up was worth doing it, cause we’ve relaxed into the comfy seats of a mini-van, taking us away from the bustling traffic of Phuket, giving the opportunity to finish watching our dreams or enjoy the tropical scenery in the picturesque windows. On the way we’ve got acquainted with the Monkey Cave with golden statues of Buddha and rooms intricately filled with underground creations of solid ground. Monkeys are the regular citizens of the nearby areas and being smart enough to grab tourist’s attention by their mere presence, they are feeding on generously provided bananas and nuts.

We came back to our vehicle only for a while, to get to the elephant tracking which was an excitement of the day! Those powerful animals were carrying us around palm trees plantations and the narrow paths along the stream. Their eyes were so intelligently deep and the walk was smooth…

Another part of the ride has brought us to the pier, where we’ve changed the mood of our trip to the wavy and windy one. Traditional Thai long tail boat was carrying our smiles, sliding the ripply surface of the Cheow Larn lake. Skyscraper tall cliffs capped with green fabrics of tropical wood were supported by the sand colored rocks. The picture made me feel like watching a well-made futuristic movie…Something about other planets and unbelievable creatures with bodies of different proportions and colors…When we’ve reached our final destination the sun was gently caressing the picks of the mountains around. The emerald green of the powerful branches intertwined with it’s reflection in the evening stillness of the water. The natural magic seemed to be whispering to us it’s deepest secrets while the harmony of sounds behind our floating bungalows was preparing to sleep. We made a kayak tour, rowing towards a small island nearby. It was a small patch of land, covered by the juicy grass. We passed the island by, wondering how this flat plateau would appear in the middle of the lake, and came back to join our fellow travelers for a dinner.

How to describe the feeling, when you wake up with the birds’ singing in the early morning? You stretch and smile to the sun lit gentleness of water in front of you, feeling fresh and rested. A jump to the lake right from your “porch” gives you enough of freedom and excitement to start the day on the keynotes of a major melody.

After breakfast we’ve had a nature-watching ride on the long tail boat. An eagle and a wild bore were the treasures captured by our cameras. One more chance to swim in the transparence of the water surrounded by nature we didn’t miss. And during lunch we were feeding joyful fish, circling right next to our table.

The way back home started from visiting the cave. Where bats were making their subtle noises, disturbed by an uninvited appearance of the alien species in their home. Nature surprised us again with stalactites and stalagmites of fantastic shapes...

”Just a little bit of imagination is needed to see the fairy tales nature’s creating. So subtle, so magical, so alive” - this is what I’ve been thinking about while the minivan wheels were carrying us back to Phuket. The picturesque views in cleared windows were passing by, as well as forever magical memories of Khao Sok in my mind.