Cheow Lan lake and the Samet Nangshe sunrise
Sunrise over Phang Nga Bay, a longtail safari across an emerald lake and cliffs 960 metres high
Two of the best landscapes in southern Thailand in one day, and neither of them is a beach. The morning starts at Samet Nangshe, watching the sun come up over the limestone islands of Phang Nga Bay. Then the road goes north into Khao Sok national park, to a lake the colour of jade with cliffs rising almost a kilometre straight out of it. You cross it in a longtail boat, eat on a floating restaurant, fish for red tilapia and swim, and walk a short trail through the rainforest before the drive home.
Price and booking
- Adult
- 2,600 ฿
- Child
- 2,200 ฿
Child price applies to ages 4–9. Younger children join free of charge. Hotel pickup on Phuket is arranged when you book — tell us where you stay and the manager confirms the pickup time.
Book this tour on WhatsAppPayment is agreed in the chat after the booking is confirmed — by card, bank transfer or USDT.
What you see
- Sunrise at the Samet Nangshe viewpoint over Phang Nga Bay
- Cheow Lan lake in Khao Sok national park
- Limestone cliffs up to 960 metres, covered in jungle
- A longtail boat safari across the lake
- Fishing for red tilapia
- Lunch at a floating restaurant
- Bang Tong temple and its painter monk
- A walk through the rainforest
How the day goes
- 06:00Hotel pickup and the drive to the Samet Nangshe viewpoint
- 08:00Sunrise at Samet Nangshe over Phang Nga Bay, with time for photographs
- 09:00The drive north to Cheow Lan lake through the jungle, around an hour and a half
- 11:20Arrival at the lake and boarding the longtail boat
- 12:00The cliffs: limestone walls up to 960 metres high, covered in forest
- 13:00Lunch at the floating restaurant in the middle of the lake
- 14:00Fishing for red tilapia and swimming in the lake
- 15:00A short trek through the rainforest
- 16:20Bang Tong temple, where one of the monks paints
- 17:00The drive back to Phuket
Photos from the tour
Included in the price
- +Transfer from anywhere on Phuket
- +English-speaking guide
- +Insurance
- +Lunch at the floating restaurant
- +The boat trip across Cheow Lan lake
- +Entry to the Samet Nangshe viewpoint
- +Fishing on the lake
- +Bang Tong temple
- +The jungle walk
Not included
- —Personal spending and souvenirs
What to bring
- Swimwear
- A towel
- Sunscreen
- A hat
- A camera
- Clothes covering shoulders and knees for the temple
Good to know
- The child price is for ages 4–9. From ten years old the adult price applies. The trip suits children from about three.
- English-speaking guide on this tour.
- The pickup is at six in the morning, because the sunrise is the first stop.
- The drive to the lake takes around two and a half hours each way.
- Bring a light layer — it can be cool on the water.
- The programme can change with the weather.
- Payment is agreed in the chat after the booking is confirmed.
Questions we get asked
Is this an overnight trip to the floating bungalows?
No, this is the one-day version: you cross the lake, eat at a floating restaurant and come back the same evening.
Can you swim in the lake?
Yes, the swimming stop comes after lunch, at the same time as the fishing. The water is fresh and calm.
How much of the day is driving?
Around five hours in total, split between the run to the viewpoint before dawn and the leg north to Khao Sok. It is the price of seeing two landscapes that are nowhere near each other.
Is an English-speaking guide available on this tour?
Yes, the tour includes an English-speaking guide.
Other tours from Phuket
Not sure which day to pick?
Write to us with your dates and the hotel you stay at. We live on Phuket and will say straight away whether the sea suits this trip that week, and what fits better if it does not.