Khao Sok National Park is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful national parks in Thailand. Its pristine moist evergreen forests abound with wildlife and fascinating plants. Locals have named the area after a beautiful place in China called "Gui Lin", and the local name is "Gui Lin of Thailand".

Topography
In the past, Khao Sok was called "Sop Village", sop being the Thai for corpse. One of the mountains in Khao Sok resembles a sleeping or dead giant and is called "Pu Khao Pan Tu Rat". According to legend, a giantess fell in love with a human pipe player. He played so sweetly that she lay down and slept, but never woke Khao Sok was designated a national park on 22nd December 1980 and became Thailand's 22nd National Park. It covers an area of 739km².

Climate
The weather is influence by monsoon winds from both the Indian and Pacific Ocean with rain beginning in late April until late December. Heaviest rain is during May to November. The best time to visit the Khao Sok Park is December to April.

Flora and Fauna
The towering limestone mountains of Khao Sok are covered in fertile moist evergreen forests. It is wet and humid here all year round, and the forest is the watershed for the Ta Bee River. Below the tall forest canopy there are twisted lianas, young trees, mosses, ferns and orchids. But down on the ground is one of Thailand's most weird and rare flowers - the Raffesia patma. This giant red flower measures 70-80cm. across and is a food thief or saprophyte. It does not make its own food, but connects into the roots of lianas and trees that grow nearby and steal food from there.
Khao Sok is home to many species of wildlife such as elephant, sambar deer, bear, gibbons, the rare Malayan Tapir and many kinds of birds.