One of then most fascinating places in Thailand has to be the Khao Sok national park.

Khao Sok is the largest area of virgin forest in Southern Thailand and is the remains of a rainforest which people claim to be older and more diverse than even the Amazon Basin rainforest.

With Surat Thani situated to the east, Phuket to the south and Ranong to the north, Khao Sok can be easily accessed. And there lies the beauty of Khao Sok, tourists head for Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phuket in the south and Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north, and very rarely have the time to explore Khao Sok. It is therefore unspoiled and still offers outstanding natural beauty.

Personally, I would get in the car, travel from Bangkok via Ranong, possibly staying there for the night, and then head down Khao Sok. Going by this route you can see the beauty of both western seaboard of the Gulf of Thailand and also the spectacular scenery alongside the Andaman Sea.

On settling into my riverside bungalow for the evening, I would then look forward to the two or three days of visiting the forests, rivers, streams, waterfalls, and magnificent limestone cliffs.

Many of the resort and lodge owners can provide you with complete package tours, including your room, all meals, River Sok adventure trips, guided hiking tours, elephant trekking and even a night safari. And along the way you will see real species diversity as Khao Sok has a vast range of mammals, tropical birds, reptiles and plants.

If you are really lucky you may see the Bua Phut, or Rafflesia Kerrii, flower which grows within the park. The Bua Phut red flowers smell awful, similar to meat that has gone bad, and can grow up to eighty centimeters in diameter, making it one of the largest known flowers in the world. The flower only blooms for about one week, and you can normally see it January to March, and, very occasionally, around July.

Over the last few years there has been a genuine commitment to conserving Khao Sok. For example, the Bua Phut is actually endangered, so nowadays you cannot walk right up to the plants. On the other hand, elevated walkways have been built near to them so you can still view this truly remarkable plant.

And the commitment to conservation does not stop there. You will find many resorts offering educational programs relating to the national park.

A visit to Khao Sok would not be complete without visiting the Chieow Laan Lake which was created in 1982 when the Chieow Laan dam was completed. It is here that that you will find some of the best places to see animals such as gibbons, barking deer and wild boar.

If you have time, you should also plan to stay at one of the floating raft houses on the lake. Just the perfect place to relax and take in the truly magnificent natural surroundings. It is here that you will find the limestone cliffs that are typical of the entire region. The cliffs very much resemble the ones along the Krabi coast and in Phang Nga Bay. At Chieow Laan they really are stunning as they spectacularly rise up out of the lake.

All too soon it is time to head back to Bangkok, this time taking the road east to Surat Thani and then up the western seaboard of the Gulf.

And finally, and as usual, a big hello to all my friends at the Thailand Web Zone, www.thailandwebzone.com, which is a new Thai social networking and Thailand community site. Share information in Thai forums and Thailand articles, meet people, share photos, music and video, find & submit information on Thailand travel. Make new friends from all over the world! For those readers who have not visited TWZ, go have a look now!

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My aim was to spend a few days exploring the lower provinces of the North of Thailand, with Phitsanulok and Sukhothai as the main destinations, and in particular the Sukhothai Historical Park.

I eventually chose Phitsanulok as the first place to see, and also decided to go by car. However, from Bangkok, you can also get an air-con bus from the Mor Chit 2 terminal, or take the train from Hua Lamphong railway station.

Just as a small side note, I find the trains in Thailand to be very comfortable and exceptionally good value for money. But I do recommend that you book your ticket beforehand. Other stations in the North of Thailand are at Lampang, and, of course, Chiang Mai.

You can also fly to Phitsanulok with Thai Airways from Don Meuang airport, and also to Sukhothai with Bangkok Airways from Suvarnabhumi airport. You can check out the flight schedules using a little gem of an Internet application that I recently found at the flightstats.com website called The Road Warrior Tools. Other functions include flight status, airport delays, the weather and much, much more!

Anyway, back to the journey to Phitsanulok by car. With the detailed driving directions and travel information provided by Google Maps, it took me just over six and half hours to cover the 390 kilometers, which was very much in line with the information that Google Maps had given me – 376 kilometers and 5 hours 25 minutes. However, I made a couple of stops.

I like Phitsanulok! But some people have told me that they found it boring!

I find the life around both sides of the Nan River that divides Phitsanulok in to the East and West banks, to be both charming and fascinating. And the evening food stalls that you will also find on both sides of the river offer a variety of mouthwatering dishes. And for something slightly more formal, try out one of the riverbank floating restaurants. Also check out the night bazaar, again, near to the river, for local souvenirs, clothes, including Thai silk, antiques etc.

As hotels are not plentiful in Phitsanulok, I would book beforehand, and if you are looking for that delightful little guesthouse on the riverbank at B500 per night, let me know! I have stayed at the Grand Riverside, which is centrally situated, very near to the river, and the night bazaar is just a short walk away over the nearby bridge. Budget around B1,500 per night for a standard room.

After a good night’s rest it is off to the Sukhothai Historical Park, which is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. It is a fairly short journey to the new Sukhothai city from Phitsanulok, and takes about one hour. However, the historical city of Sukhothai is another twelve kilometers west from the new city, and is near to the Phitsanulok to Tak highway.

For me, the Sukhothai Historical Park is a must see in Thailand. Formerly the capital of Siam, it was founded in 1238. There are over 190 ruins in the Park, and these include the royal palace, temples, the largest being Wat Mahathat, the city walls and gates, moats, canals and the remains of the original water dyke system.

There is a Park tourist information centre near Wat Phra Phai Luang, and the site is best seen by hiring a bicycle from a small shop outside the main entrance, and that way you can even explore the temples outside the city walls.

You really need at least a couple of days to visit the Sukhothai Historical Park, so I would recommend staying over at one of new Sukhothai’s guesthouses, probably selecting the Lotus Village. This is a delightful small boutique hotel, set in lovely gardens, with the rooms located in Thai style teak houses, superb food and service and an excellent location in the heart of the city and very near to the Yom River. Budget around B1,300 for an air-con bungalow, and less for a fan room.

Both Phitsanulok and Sukhothai can be visited over a long weekend, but that is a bit of a whistle stop tour. I suggest that you plan for five days if you can afford the time. There is so much more to see and do both inside and outside the cities.

And finally, and as usual, a big hello to all my friends at the Thailand Web Zone, www.thailandwebzone.com, which is a new Thai social networking and Thailand community site. Share information in Thai forums and Thailand articles, meet people, share photos, music and video, find & submit information on Thailand travel. Make new friends from all over the world! For those readers who have not visited TWZ, go have a look now!

asean_al