The Pre-Covid Series is a series of posts about my trips and adventures pre-pandemic. You'll get to hear about some of the amazing places that I was able to visit before travel was extremely limited. Hopefully soon, I'll be able to return to a life of traveling soon!
Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
Today, we'll travel back to 2018 and my first trip to South East Asia.
While most of my first trip to Thailand was centered around tourist areas and cities, I wanted to experience some nature as well. After extensive research, I found Khao Sok National Park.
Coming from Koh Phangan, I needed to board a ferry to the mainland and then take a bus into the national park. I was still pretty hungover from the last nights in Koh Phangan.
After a few hours by bus, I was finally in Khao Sok National Park. My plan was to stay in one of those huts on the water but by the time I got off the bus I needed a real bed and some air conditioning.
I found a great resort right on the main street in the heart of the jungle. Currently, it's called Montania Lifestyle Hotel, but I think that is a new name since I don't remember that name at all.
Anyways, they offered cozy and comfortable luxury cabins for rent. I only had a few days to recover and relax here so figured I'd splurge on a nice room.
Adventure Time
The goal was to go on some hikes, visit floating villages, swim in the lake, and do anything else I could squeeze in on my 3-day excursion.
I ended up booking a full-day boat tour that included a hike through the jungle and some spelunking. There were about 20 of us on the trip and once we got to the caves you could tell many people were scared.
While the caves were beginner caves, there were some extremely tight and dangerous spots we had to navigate. There were also plenty of areas where the water reached up past my chest in the path. It was exhilarating and I loved that I had a chance to experience it.
After the hike, we finished up the boat tour and headed to one of the floating bungalow areas for lunch and some drinks.
The next two days, the area was doused with rains. I ended up spending one full day at the spa and the other reading and relaxing.
Refreshed and revitalized, I was off to Bangkok for 2 weeks of nightclubs, markets, shopping, and dining!
Let's Connect
I hope everyone is enjoying these posts. I'm sure everyone is anxious to get back out on the road and enjoy life the way we could before the pandemic.
I encourage everyone to do what they can to stay safe and stop the spread of Covid. This doesn't mean living in fear. Do what's right and do what you can to stay healthy! Let's beat this thing and get back to traveling!
Currently based in Siem Reap, Cambodia, I'm a solo-traveling, digital nomad. Due to the pandemic, I've been living in Siem Reap for almost 2 years now. While I'm hoping to get back on the road soon, I'm not in a rush.
I'd love to connect with other travelers, digital nomads, gamers, or residents of Cambodia. Don't hesitate to say hi or send me an upvote!
You can learn more about me and my company at OneZen.me.
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