This is a mini-review, there are a lot of pictures, I will post more pictures of the view later :) We believe that most tourists who think of traveling to the south will only think of the sea. So I searched for interesting tourist attractions in the south to relax with friends. But if we go to the sea, there will be nothing new. We found an interesting tourist attraction where we can take a boat, enjoy the breeze, beautiful mountains, clear water and sleep comfortably on a raft surrounded by pure nature at "Ratchaprapha Dam", Surat Thani province.

As someone who frequently searches for and views information about beautiful tourist destinations on the internet, I came across a place that piqued my interest so much that I knew I had to visit it at least once in my life. Most importantly, it's an ideal destination for the rainy season: "Ratchaprapha Dam." When I researched and suggested this place to my friends, it turned out that we were all on the same page and wanted to go there too. So, we decided to invite more friends, bringing the total number of people going to 10. One of our friends volunteered to book round-trip flights for us at the best price for students like us. As for accommodation, we changed our minds several times due to various factors until we finally settled on a floating raft called "Pa Klong." Once we had everything booked, we were all excitedly preparing for our trip to Khao Sok National Park, eager to see the place that many people have dubbed "the Guilin of Thailand."

On the day of our trip, my friends and I rushed to Don Mueang Airport around 4:30 AM to check in because there were a lot of people. We boarded the plane around 6:00 AM and landed at Surat Thani Airport. After waiting for a while, a van that we had booked picked us up and took us to the dam. It took about an hour from the airport to reach the office where we would rent a boat to travel to the Pak Khlong floating raft. In our case, we did not book a boat package. We only booked the raft and meals for all meals, so we had to rent a boat ourselves because we thought it would be cheaper if we split the cost per person. For sightseeing here, we can book a raft package for convenience and to get a good deal.

We embarked on a diverse journey, visiting various locations as arranged by the tour operator. After securing our boat, we waited for our departure time. In the meantime, we stopped to take photos on the crest of the Ratchaprapha Dam. Before entering the dam's reservoir, we were greeted by thick fog, adding to the scenic beauty. We couldn't help but wonder how breathtaking the interior of the Ratchaprapha Dam would be, given the stunning views from the crest.

The boat is ready, the passengers are ready, and we are ready to set sail. One of the good things about taking a boat to our accommodation at this time of day is that the sun is pleasant and not too hot. The boat we are on is a large long-tailed boat with an engine that runs fairly fast. Some boats have a sunshade made of canvas that can be folded away, but our boat does not have a sunshade, so we can enjoy the scenery comfortably. The weather is good and the wind is cool and comfortable. During the journey, we quickly take our cameras to capture the beautiful and impressive sights, not wanting to miss even a second. Because it is truly beautiful, like being in a heavenly land.




The rainy season makes the mountains lush and fertile, especially. The weather is not hot even though there is sunlight, making us feel refreshed. The water at the Ratchaprapha Dam is very clear and looks like a beautiful emerald green. The boat driver told us that the water looks like emerald green because there are a lot of algae and moss. As we continue to enjoy the scenery by boat, we will soon reach the Kui Lin Gate. The phone signal and internet will be lost after this. We will not be able to contact anyone after this, as if we are cut off from the outside world. There will only be nature to accompany us throughout this trip. We will be at our accommodation in just a few moments.


Finally, we arrived at the raft house, where we will be staying for the next two nights. The atmosphere was lively, as it was the time when guests were coming out to do water activities, such as paddling or jumping from the balcony in front of their rooms. We wasted no time in dividing up the sleeping arrangements, putting away our belongings, and changing into our swimsuits to jump into the water. The water was warm and comfortable, and we were completely relaxed. Some people sat by the water singing songs and playing the guitar. It was a very happy time for all of us.


As evening approached, it was time for dinner. According to the package, dinner was included from noon, but since we arrived by boat in the evening, this was our first meal on the raft. The food here was diverse and delicious, impressing all of us. The food here can be refilled when it is finished, and we refilled many dishes because of our hunger and the delicious taste of the food. After dinner, we had a fun karaoke session with other guests staying in different rooms. During the meal, the staff at the raft came to discuss where we would go the next day. After the discussion, we went our separate ways to take a shower.

The weather here is very cold, so we don't need to turn on the fan. Importantly, electricity is only available here from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM to minimize electricity consumption. After completing the mission, it was time to go to bed.

The next morning, we woke up early to watch the sunrise, but unfortunately, we could barely see the sunlight due to the thick fog. There was a light drizzle. We went our separate ways to shower, get dressed, and have breakfast at the floating restaurant. The meal was simple but delicious as always, consisting of rice porridge with side dishes, coffee, and Ovaltine.

As soon as we finished our meal, the rain stopped. We then prepared for our tour around the dam for the day. To be safe from the weather, the raft guide asked us to bring colorful raincoats. We then boarded the boat and set off. We were very excited because we didn't know what we would encounter ahead.

The raft's boat took us on a leisurely cruise around the island where the raft was located, allowing us to experience the morning atmosphere and listen to the sounds of the forest. In addition to the beautiful scenery, throughout the boat ride, the boat driver would point out various animals to us. I must admit that he had excellent eyesight, because even after we followed his fingertip, it still took us a while to see them. Our first destination was the Diamond Cave, which required us to take a boat to the entrance of the forest trail. The path we walked up was a well-defined forest trail.

Walking through the lush forest, the path was safe and clear, with only a few steep sections that required the use of ropes. The flat sections were rare, giving us a chance to rest. As we neared the summit, the path became more challenging, requiring us to climb over sharp rocks. During our trek, we encountered a variety of wildlife, from gibbons whose calls echoed through the forest, to hawks perched on treetops, to a troop of monkeys that our guide informed us were foraging for cherry snails. The highlight of our journey was the sighting of several hornbills, a symbol of a healthy and thriving forest and a testament to the enduring bond of their monogamous relationships. We were fortunate to witness these magnificent birds in their natural habitat.

After about 30 minutes of travel, we reached the other side of the forest. We had to take another raft-like boat to get to the cave. It was a lot of fun because we could dip our feet in the water while the boat was sailing.


It didn't take long for us to reach the Diamond Cave. We felt the coolness and the strange beauty. There were unique and beautiful coral stones, stalactites, and stalagmites.

I found this picture on my computer. I'll find some beautiful interior pictures to add later.

After that, we took a raft back to the forest to return to our floating accommodation. Upon reaching the forest, we hurried down to make it in time for lunch at the raft. It was expected to be the most delicious meal because we were all very tired and hungry. We were all drenched in sweat. When we arrived at the boat, it was just past noon. The boat was already waiting for us.

As we were on our way back, the boat driver took us to a spot known as the "Guilin of Thailand" to take pictures and admire the beauty. After a while, we came across a spot that looked just like Guilin, and it was truly magnificent.


Soon after, the rain began to fall gently, so we put on our colorful raincoats, like a rainbow, and hurried back to the raft for lunch.

As we arrived at the raft with our colorful raincoats, we had the idea to take a group photo, standing in a line according to the colors of our raincoats, forming a rainbow. The resulting photo was adorable, as it's a rare opportunity to take a picture like this.

We then had a hearty lunch, even though it was still drizzling. But we weren't deterred. After lunch, we went swimming at our raft and I tried canoeing for the first time. It was so much fun, a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. The dam is very deep, so everyone had to wear a life jacket, even me, who can swim. If you swim without a life jacket, you get very tired and exhausted, as if you're going to drown all the time.

And then the long-awaited moment arrived: the time for dinner, the last delicious meal of Pa's stay here. This meal was especially delicious, with fish in chili sauce, shrimp paste chili dip, and southern-style yellow curry.

The curry here is the best I've ever had. The staff at the camp collected wild bamboo shoots for us to eat, and they were so delicious and crunchy. I don't usually like bamboo shoots, but the ones here were truly amazing. My favorite dish was the simple omelet, which we had every day. I loved the omelets here so much that I kept asking for more servings.

After finishing our meal, we brought out the guitar and played and sang songs with the friendly staff at the floating house. They were so kind and provided excellent service. The place even had a seafood barbecue grill, and the seafood was incredibly fresh. It was another fun-filled day, but we also felt a pang of sadness knowing that we had to leave the next day. At first, I was worried about what we would do for two nights on a floating house, but everything that happened made me want to stay longer. Before bed, we did a few activities and then went our separate ways to sleep. We might have been tired and a bit worn out, but we fell asleep with smiles on our faces and sweet dreams.



The next morning, we had nothing planned and just waited to go home. While many of the guests who had just arrived the day before went out on a boat to enjoy the scenery, we slept in as late as possible. When we woke up, we showered, got dressed, packed our things, and went out for breakfast. We had some time left to take pictures of the atmosphere. This morning, the sun was finally shining, but there was still a light fog. In the morning, we had to pack our things and officially say goodbye to the floating raft. We carried our bags, got on the boat, and set off for the pier near the dam. Around 12:30 p.m., we arrived at the pier. From there, it was the job of the van driver we had hired to take us to the airport. We said goodbye and thanked the staff at the raft and the boat driver for taking good care of us for 3 days and 2 nights. Then we got into the van and headed for the airport. When we arrived at the airport, we waited until we boarded the plane at 1:30 p.m.

And before three o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived at Don Mueang Airport safely. We said goodbye to each other and went our separate ways to go home, with happiness and impressions that we had gathered in our hearts.

The feeling of visiting the "Ratchaprapha Dam" and relaxing at the Khlong Pae floating raft is like a trip to recharge your body. You can breathe in the fresh, clean air and let your mind wander free from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It's a truly relaxing and enjoyable experience to visit this place.

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