Perfect day, well organised, good food. The tour guide was very organised and had good local knowledge. Definitely a trip to book

My wife and myself are currently holidaying in Kaolack (staying at the Kantary Beach Resort - Review to follow) and yesterday we went on a short (45 mins) Bamboo Rafting trip in Khao Sak. It was well organised and the staff were both pleasant and informative. The river water levels were also low so it was a comfortable and slow ride but, unfortunately, we didn’t see any bird or wildlife at all!! No matter, it was an enjoyable trip followed by a nice local lunch but I wouldn’t rush back!!

The bamboo raft and turtle experience was good value for money. We were collected on time and although had to make quite a few other hotel stops to collect passengers of various nationalities we were on our way an hour later. First stop was the turtle conservation centre at the naval base. I would have liked to spend more time here and had an expert take us around. As it was, our driver did his best to answer questions. Second was the bamboo rafting. I was apprehensive as the raft seemed unsteady. But once we were on board our puntsman took over steering us through the tranquil forest pointing out the snakes in the trees above our heads. The puntsman was a super fit young lad with just a smattering of English. He kept rowing for 45 minutes! A bottle of water and melon slices were waiting for us in the cafe along with the chance to buy a photograph. Next a visit to Ton Phang waterfall. Underwhelming at this time of year and not worth the visit. I recommend the bamboo rafting as it’s so relaxing and peaceful. Maybe visit the turtles separately on your own if you want more time there.

We've done a few snorkelling trips in Thailand, and this was not the best. The Moken community stop was very interesting. The first snorkel stop was good. Lunch was not good,it was lukewarm at best it had obviously sat there a while,so I was not keen to eat it. It was extremely busy with hundreds of people all at once.No drinks were offered. In fact, we had to search for them. The guide was one of the worst We've had. She said she'd tell us where everything was but went to have her lunch and didn't tell us anything! It was as if she were bored of the whole thing! We did, however, find a snake in a tree,two flying lemurs and a monkey stealing someone's food. The next two snorkel stops seemed extremely close together and were nothing special. There were 3 speedboats that left at the same time as us, so there were far too many of us snorkelling at once.

I booked this through what appears to be a smaller tour operator, but the trip ended up being with SeaStar. I can't recommend this booking agent (Oh-Hoo) as they were unresponsive to multiple messages after booking. The description says "max 30 persons per boat" but what they fail to disclose is that there were 5 boats, each with 30 people, all going out at the same time. It was fairly well organized, but not the experience I was looking for. After a lot of time spent waiting around (there is a large breakfast buffet but nothing very substantial) we were grouped into "teams" by color and after a mass group briefing were assigned to our boats. Ride to Surins is 1.5 hours. We stopped at the "sea gypsy" village and had mediocre buffet lunch at the national park (which seems to be the same routine for all of the snorkeling outfitters in Khao Lak). The most annoying part of the trip for me was the photographers (!) they had following us around, taking tons of photos. I had to keep telling them to stop as I did not want this. The boat staff was rather aggressive yanking you back onto boat after snorkeling and visiting islands, did not appreciate that either. The snorkeling itself was very good - I booked this because I went with a different tour the previous week, and visibility was not great. But snorkeling with masses of people and being herded like cattle definitely took away from the experience. Upon our return, which was barely 3 hours after lunch, there was a huge dinner buffet (no vegetarian options as I was told there would be). Also huge tables piled with hundreds and hundreds of the photos they took all day, framed and on sale for $6.50 each. Overall I would say if you are mainly interested in the snorkeling itself, seek out a smaller tour or book a private tour.

Fantastic tour. Made better by our tour guide Moo. So knowledgeable, kind and clearly loves what he does. Would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Khao Lak.

We had an amazing day with the rafting in the beautiful jungle! The guides made us bambu coffee and we got to keep the bambu cups as souvenirs. After the rafting we visited the monkey temple which was lovely and got to go inside this beautiful colourful temple. The last stop was a beautiful view of the Khao Sok view point where we took pictures. Our guide and driver that picked us up from our hotel was the best! They were so friendly and shared good information and on our way back to the hotel they even stopped on some spots to show us the beautiful small temples around in Khao Lak.

Excellent trip the snorkelling was excellent the crew & staff were very friendly & the service was excellent the food was exceptional throughout the day would definitely recommend Mick Ward

Excellent tour , Peter was very informative. Went to the lagoon early to avoid the crowds, supplied us with plenty of cold drinks

Very pleasant day, although I do agree with other reviews that seeing so many people around isn't the most desirable option when you want to enjoy the views..BUT what to do if the place you wanna visit is amazing AND its not a secret anymore ;) I bet you could find a better deal doing a more expensive private tour but for this price no reason to complain. Starting from the beginning.. we took a trip by catamaran to make sure its not a bumpy ride onboard the normal speedboat( anyway the antisickness tablets were provided and included in the price of the trip which is a nice thing) Organisation wise..despite the crowds. to take care of..the crew made a great job, everything went pretty smooth. Breakfast provided was simple..so if ( like me) u r not a fan of toasts with jam, rice and cookies u better get breakfast in the hotel or 7/11 before the trip starts ;) Snorkeling spots were great and we got advice on what to look for in the water, how to use the equipment provided etc. In my opinion its an excursion typically for people who love snorkeling so if you are not a fan if it( and prefer laying on the beach)..better choose a different one. Food wise...I think it was great .Breakfast was so so but lunch was very ok and..what came as a surprise..a dinner AFTER the trip was also provided..followed by icecream..wow .. You won't leave hungry for sure ;) ( fruit , drinks and cookies also available throughout the trip!) We even got beautiful framed pictures as a ( 200 bht) souvenir...recommended Also fins , snorkeling kit, towels and even Underwater cameras( for rent) were provided. My husband said it was the best kit he' d used so far ;) which added to the pleasure of today's experience. We were also divided into groups( on the boats)..possibly depending on language spoken ..which was a great idea. Last but not least ..our wonderful guide WAY ( and her team)..omg..she is a true gem ;)) This girl is super funny, informative, helpful, smiley and professional. The day spent with her was a REAL pleasure..The right person in the right place . We would love to use this trip provider when going on another excursion. Thank you very much Jola, Marcin, Kamila, Andre and Margaret ;)

The rafting was fabulous, but borrow a towel from your resort to roll up and sit on. Lots of wildlife to enjoy. The turtles are lovely. The waterfall is very picturesque but not much water, so pretty rather than spectacular.

I signed up to a small group max 20 trip.....try full capacity 60. A multiple island tour try 2 islands. Snorkelling stop and then beach adjacent counted as two stops and then the same on island two. The final straw was being tethered to another 7 boats for the final snorkelling with numerous people entering the water at the same time.....like scene from Titanic. From start to finish herded like cattle and a lazy itinerary. Avoid if you are serious swimmer/snorkeller..... It took 15mins just to get passed the crowded water.

The snorkeling was amazing, and the trip was incredibly well organized with lots of food provided before, during and after the trip. The boats were comfortable and the staff was helpful. the lunch and beach stops were great also.

The cheow lan park is very beautifull and it is an amazing spot. Nevertheless this tour tales you first to a esmerald pond which is not as astounding as the lake itself. After that everything is rushed. We couldn't ever stop to take photos when turning back

This was such a nice tour. The bamboo rafting was such a pleasent experience and the other sights too. The trip was well organised and the tour guide great. Overall would highly recommend this tour.