Khao Sok National Park
The Khao Sok National Park ( in Thai: อุทยานแห่งชาติ เขา สก ) is located in the province of Surat Thani in southern Thailand, 72 km north-east of Khao Lak on the south west coast, 41 kilometers east of Takua Pa, 109 kilometers west of Surat Thani. From the main thoroughfare turns off a well-signposted, 1.5 km long access road to the national park.
Does the bay of Krabi geologically Halong Bay in Hanoi ( Vietnam ), the Khao Sok National Park finds its counterpart in the "dry Halong Bay ". The solitary, dense limestone hills and rocks with their bare cliffs are former, selectively elevated the seabed off 60-140 Million years.
History
The Khao Sok National Park was established on December 22, 1980 to life, first with a size of 645 km ². That same year, the boundaries have been moved to after the construction of Ratchaprapha Dam ( locally also called Chiao Lan Dam ) to flood a portion of the park. The resulting Chiao Lan Lake is 162 km ² approximately twice as large as the Chiemsee. He is now part of the park. The Khlong Saeng Wildlife Refuge closes to the north of the park.
2001, the National Park has been extended to 739 km ². It provides an information center, which presents in Thai and English with many, partly faded photos with an overview of the flora, fauna and geology of the park. This national park is located at an altitude between 300 to 600 meters and the highest elevation is Khao Mok at 960 meters.
Flora and Fauna
While the northern part of Thailand has a monsoon forest with pronounced dry periods, reigns in the south front of an evergreen rain forest, which - due to the declining deforestation - has a good chance of survival. Impressive is a good secondary forest with approaches to the primary forest in which tree species of the family wing nut family ( Dipterocarpaceae ) prevail, the so-called dipterocarp forest. Of plant species is up to 80 cm wide Rafflesia kerrii Meijer, which was only discovered in the late 1990s in the local rainforest, particularly emphasized.
Remarkable are already before the park the many colorful dragonflies and colorful butterflies, ranging from mini exemplars to magnificent dovetails already reach the size of a small bat. Moreover, in addition to the attractions of the Black Yellow hornbill, species of the genera kingfishers, macaques, tiger and leopard, as well as the endangered sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ).
Although the main path is heavily leaked complicate some specimens of wild Asian elephants by pulling and broken signs to locate the attractions such as waterfalls and viewpoints.
Attractions
- Numerous waterfalls, such as the Bang - Hua Raet Waterfall ( Thai: น้ำตก บาง หัว แรด ) or the Bang - Liab -Nam Waterfall ( Thai: น้ำตก บาง เลียบ น้ำ ), as well as some caves can be visited.
- Lum Khlong Sok rapids ( ล่องแก่ง น้ำตก บาง หัว แรด - ลำคลอง ศก ) - Near the Bang - Hua - moraine, waterfall, there are rapids that can be navigated by rafts.
- Khang Khao - Cave ( Thai: ถ้ำ ค้างคาว ) - Here live thousands of bats. Also on display are numerous stalagmites and stalactites.
- Nam Talu Cave ( Thai: ถ้ำ น้ำ ทะลุ ) - The cave is located near the Rachabrapha dam, it can only be reached by boat. A 500 meter long river leads past bizarre rock formations and stalactites.