Khao Sok National Park covers an area of 739 square kilometres. The combined sizes of Khao Sok (740km2), Sri Phang nga (246km2) and Khlong Phanom (410km2) National Parks along with Khlong Saeng (1156km2) and Khlong Naka (480 km2) wildlife sanctuaries is just over 3000 square kilometres

Khao Sok is in the south of Thailand in the Surat Thani province, between Surat Thani on the east (120km) and Takuapa on the west coast (60km). The park extends into parts of the Khlong Yee and Khlong Pra Sang forests as well as portions of the Krai Son and the Khao Pung sub-districts in the district of Ban Ta Khun and the Khlong Sok and Panom sub-districts in the province of Surat Thani.

Khao Sok has the highest level of rainfall in Thailand (3 500 mm per year), due to the high mountains and the fact it is influenced by both the Northeast (Pacific Ocean) and Southwest (Indian Ocean) monsoons. The heaviest rains are between May and November, the driest period between December and April; although even during these times there can still be some rain.

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.

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.

The National Park consists of:

• 40 % foothill rainforest
• 27 % rainforest plains
• 15 % limestone crag vegetation
• 15 % lowland scrub
• 3 % rainforest at 600-1000 m

Surat Thani is the closest airport to Khao Sok, with Krabi and Phuket airports proving more popular and only slightly further afield. Flights to all three airports from Bangkok take around 1 hour, 20 minutes. Minibus tours run daily from Khao Lak, Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui to Khao Sok, with a decent highway road making the park easily accessible.