Khao Sok National Park: A sweet, pastel dream

Early Dawn at Khao Sok National Park

With the soft splashes of my paddle hitting the water, I rhythmically continued kayaking on the warm freshwater lake. No matter where I could possibly turn to look, I would see either the dark green colors of a thick forest or the lake itself.

The moon was still showing in the dawn sky when I woke at 6 that morning. Walking out onto the floating wooden walkway I found myself looking into the rising mist of Thailand’s Khao Sok National Park. All the karsts and low-lying clouds made this place seem like something I could only dream of, a true dreamland. The clouds lying more than half way down the karsts, and the dim light, completed this classic dawn view.

The River crossed on the forest hike

Lush green forest at the park

Hidden in these lush green forests of this miraculous park were gibbons, hornbills and other wildlife. As the boat of our dawn safari drove on I heard gibbons calling to either attract a mate, or to mark their territory. The female is the more territorial one in the gibbon family. Between 8 and 10 in the morning she does her “great call”, which translated into English would mean something like “Back off! I got my mate; I got my territory, so stay away!” During this time the thermal boundaries allow the gibbons to defend their territories better, since the sound travels much farther when the warm and cold currents meet. If I were to put what I heard into words, then it would be something like a “whoop-whoop”.

Looking at the sun setting behind the carsts

The same day we hiked through the forest of this park to get to a cave. Once we were in the spot of the cave where we would have to turn around, we all turned our flashlights off for 1 minute. In total darkness this minute seemed much longer than it would if I were able to see something. But this darkness was like no other I have ever seen before. There was not a single light source, not even a very faint light. It was far darker than being stuck in a closet during “hide and seek” in the dark. When the tremendously long minute was over and I turned my flashlight back on there were spiders along the side of the path we walked on. They appeared much more dangerous and frightening after the 1 minute in pitch-black darkness.

Floating log on the fresh-water lake

Our way back to the boat was luckily not as dark as the cave or as wet as the way there. Even though at the entrance to the forest hike was a sign telling us to not go inside while it’s raining, we still went. The rain wasn’t bad at first but then it started pouring and I was drenched within seconds. But unfortunately on the way back 10 leaches bit me, which was not really pleasant. Luckily enough I noticed them on me early enough to get them off before any blood was drawn.

Just as beautiful and eye-popping as the dawn was the night. We were lucky to find a full moon glowing as bright as a light bulb in a sky black as ink and most stars overpowered by the moons brightness to make them invisible. It lit up the whole park and I didn’t even need a flashlight to find my way around. It is really nice             to just sit down, listen to the sound of cicadas and forget about my regular stressful school life.

Thailand's famous karsts

The 2 days that we spent at Khao Sok National Park were the most magnificent, not only due to the scenery, but also due to the wildlife that it supported. Even after we left for the Jakarta airport, that pastel colored dawn painting that I experienced live and not on paper was still so clear in my head as if I were there still. I was on my way home again, away from the dream castle like park.