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CALIGO RESORT - THE PERFECE STOPOVER ON THE EDGE OF THE LAKE OF KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK
Looking for a perfect stopover before and/or after you visit Khao Sok National Park (Cheow Lan Lake)? Look no further, one and a half kilometers from the lake you will find Caligo Resort. Opened in 2021, this resort offers 10 detached rooms with unparalleled views of the enchanting surroundings. The resort has an infinity pool with an adjacent terrace and offers quality Thai and Western food in the form of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Due to our tight schedule, we unfortunately only stayed one night at Caligo Resort, but it certainly won’t be our last one. We will definitely return here one day!
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Khao Sok National Park
Caligo Resort is located right near the town of Khao Phang, which is in the Ban Ta Khun district. To make it a little easier, the resort is located near the pier of Cheow Lan Lake, the well known lake of Khao Sok National Park. A MUST visit when in Thailand and preferably via overnight tour, where you sleep in a luxury or simple floating bungalow on the lake. An amazing experience you will never forget.
Cheow Lan Lake was created thanks to the Ratchaprapha Dam (Rajjaprabha Dam), a dam that powers hundreds of thousands of households in Surat Thani province. The result of this dam is a lake so large that you can actually sail for hours on a longtail boat. The lake and its surroundings are so overwhelmingly beautiful that you really want to sail there for hours. Seriously it’s indescribable and even with pictures or videos that can’t be expressed. We have written several articles about Khao Sok National Park and the accompanying Cheow Lan Lake. We also devoted a Picture This to it, namely Picture This #03.
Khao Sok Tours
We have been to Khao Sok National Park numerous times, we didn’t sleep at Caligo Resort for nothing. For years we have been friends with a fantastic local guide and his family who organize the best tours in Khao Sok National Park. Super kind and responsible people who are madly in love with their beautiful surroundings, just like we are. The friendly guide has let us sleep at different floating bungalows on the lake several times. From luxury to basic cottages and time after time we keep coming back to Khao Sok National Park. We think Khao Sok is one of the most special destinations in Thailand!
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Like many visitors, you too can choose to sleep in the similarly named village of Khao Sok before or after your visit. Here you will find plenty of good accommodations. In July 2022, we chose to sleep nice and close to the lake. Through an Instagram page of a content creator friend, we saw some super beautiful photos of the Caligo Resort. A few months later we were there ourselves, at the beautiful Caligo Resort near the lake of Khao Sok National Park.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO AN (OVERNIGHT) TOUR ON THE LAKE OF KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK?
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Welcome at the Caligo Resort
After our good friend dropped us off high on a hill in front of the Caligo Resort, we were immediately kindly greeted by a friendly young man named Nemo. He took us with a small electric cart from the parking lot to the lobby of the resort which was less than twenty meters away. Nice because the road there is very steep and with our heavy backpacks this was a lot easier.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
The sweet ladies behind the reception asked us to take a seat at a table in the spacious lobby. There we were given a glass of juice and a skewer with pieces of fresh fruit attached. We filled out the check-in form and were explained about the resort and our stay, “you are on the top row of five.” It was time to go to our bungalow.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Our bungalow
Caligo Resort at the time of writing (September 2022) consists of ten nearly detached bungalows of 54 m2. A resort that is never too crowded and where there is a very good chance that you will not be bothered at all by other guests. In our case this was true, we had a wonderful quiet stay. Caligo Resort’s ten bungalows are divided into two rows of five rooms with all rooms having a panoramic view from the back.
After we opened the door to our clean room, we were directly in the hallway with a large closet and a small desk. The closet contained two bathrobes, two pairs of slippers and two folding chairs. In the end, the chairs proved to be very convenient for our terrace. Next to the desk is a mid-size refrigerator and above it coffee and tea facilities. No instant coffee this time, but real roasted coffee beans from the Caligo Coffee Factory.
The bathroom
The large marble bathroom consists of two parts, a large sink and toilet in one and in the other part a rain shower. The shower area overlooks a large freestanding Jacuzzi tub placed in the living room/bedroom with a view of the valley beyond. On the sink are numerous packaged amenities such as toothbrushes, soap, a comb and a shower cap. There were also two bath bombs attached, 180 THB each. Such a bath bomb foams quite a bit when you turn on the Jacuzzi, a lot of fun while we enjoyed the mesmarizing view over the valey!
Image: Thailand Magazine
The living / bedroom
The spacious bedroom of almost 6 m2, which also serves as the living room, has a nice soft bed placed, as well as a double sofa. Of course, a television in a modern room like this should not be missing. We didn’t touch the TV for a second, the best vision was the impressive view of the surroundings. Thanks to the large windows at the back of the bungalow, we could see far into the valley from our bed. The free-standing double Jacuzzi with the same view over the valley was also a real highlight! After dinner we lay in our Jacuzzi until late enjoying the beautiful panoramic view.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
The terrace
The next morning we got up extra early, to wake up on our 5 m2 terrace. The day before we saw many different species of birds around us and we wanted to wake up wonderfully to those fine sounds of nature. Over the valley we could see tufts of fog here and there, an enchanting sight. Wwe recommend everyone to get up early and enjoy the sounds and the low hanging fog over the valley and surrounding mountains.
DID YOU KNOW?
‘The Sea of Mist’ as the low-hanging clouds are called by the Thai is insanely beautiful to see. Sometimes the entire valley is hidden under a blanket of fog.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Each terrace of Caligo Resort has at the end a kind of stretched hammock, a ‘mesh’ as they call it. A large stretched net on which we hung out and chilled together. The folding chairs from the closet came in handy, so we could look sitting straight up hundreds of feet across the valley. A magical moment!
CAUTION!
The insanely cool terrace of the Caligo Resort rooms can be dangerous for small children. There is little protection, which is why there is also a warning sign posted on each terrace.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Facilities at the Caligo Resort
The picturesque Caligo Resort has a large lobby where guests can relax and have a snack and/or drink. Outside, guests will find a large terrace with an adjacent infinity pool. On the terrace, guests can enjoy breakfast and dinner. Caligo Resort’s helpful staff and fine chef ensure that you really won’t lack anything!
Image: Thailand Magazine
Infinity pool
Around the infinity pool of 3,5 x 3,7 meter are a number of sunbeds and bean bags placed. An amazing place to chill out and look over the valley and mountains beyond. From the large infinity pool it’s even more awesome to see such a beautiful picture while floating!
Food & Beverage
Guests at the resort can choose to eat in their own rooms with private terraces or in the common areas. We would have preferred to dine on the large public terrace by the pool. Unfortunately, a heavy rainstorm threw water on our dinner. We diverted to the restaurant next to the pool which was rather atmospheric. Therefore, this is the only minor flaw we were able to discover during our stay. Fortunately, the restaurant does offer a nice view over the valley as well.
Chef Jipon, the friendly and talented chef at the resort came to greet us personally during our dinner and we chatted with him for a while. Right away we felt his commitment and his passion for cooking. Rays of happiness when we told him that we loved his dishes.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Breakfast
Breakfast is served between 7:00 and 10:00 hours. After taking our time to wake up properly, we chose to have breakfast on our own large and private terrace. As room service breakfast we received an omelet, a fried egg, some sausages, some hot waffles and a plate of fresh fruit. As drinks, we were brought milk, coffee, tea and juice.
To our great surprise, after our breakfast, we were invited to a floating breakfast. Meanwhile the staff had learned that we were getting married a few weeks later and on behalf of the kind team of Caligo Resort this was their gift. Very sweet! We made it a floating lunch….
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Floating Breakfast
For less than 500 THB, guests can order a Floating Breakfast and are invited to have this at the communal infinity pool. Our floating breakfast consisted of an egg, waffles, sausages, salad and fresh fruit. Of course, juice, tea and coffee could not be missed. Eating by or in the pool was again out of the question during our stay. Before we could take one single bite it started raining again, fortunately we were still able to take a picture.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Caligo Coffee Factory
Caligo Resort is part of the Caligo Coffee Factory, which is a short half-hour drive from the resort. The coffee shop is located in the middle of a valley where coffee is roasted for a delicious smelling cup of coffee and more. During our stay at the Caligo Resort, we also drank the coffee from here. Farmers with coffee plantations in Surat Thani can sell their fresh coffee beans to Caligo Coffee Factory. These coffee beans are eventually transformed into the tastiest coffee beverages, hot or cold. Bags for home consumption are also sold, Caligo Coffee Factory is well established and well known in the region. The Caligo Coffee Factory menu can be found on their Facebook page.
Slow drip coffee
While checking in, we were also told about the slow drip coffee maker. A set of props used to make delicious filter coffee. The set includes a bag of roasted coffee beans, a coffee grinder, a glass jar and coffee filters. That day and the next morning we drank our own cup of homemade coffee in our mesh. Besides the fun experience, it was also very good coffee.
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Dinner
After a long journey from Bangkok to Khao Sok National Park, with Koh Samui as a stopover, we had gotten quite hungry after arriving at Caligo Resort. After a full day of travel to feast on some snacks from the 711, a good meal is truly a blessing. Khun Jipon, the chef of the resort, brought us a variety of dishes. We got a small pizza, salad with fruit that was surprisingly tasty, Vietnamese rice skin spring rolls and a well-fried salmon steak with crispy fries. Thanks to Chef Jipon, it was delicious!
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Shabu / Hot Pot
Next time we stay at Caligo Resort, we will choose the Shabu dinner on our private terrace. We can’t wait to enjoy a fondue with delicious ingredients from the hot pot while watching the lights go on in the valley. A dinner set for two including some drinks costs less than THB 1,000. We can’t wait to come back to this cool resort near Cheow Lan Lake!
Thanks!
Of course we want to thank the team of Caligo Resort for the great time we had in their amazing resort! Especially Khun Mo, Khun New and Khun Jing from the front desk, Khun Nemo who was always there for us and Chef Jipon the good-natured chef who made sure we had delicious food. Thanks to the entire team!!
Regular information
Check-in at Caligo Resort is from 2:00 pm and check-out is until 12:00 pm. Each hour you wish to stay longer will cost 100 THB. For current prices of this nice resort, it is best to check Booking and/or Agoda. In addition, you support Thailand Magazine by booking through our partner links. We receive a small commission on your booking. This costs you nothing extra and this allows us to continue working hard on our great passion, sharing our deep-rooted love for Thailand and thus promoting the land of smiles.
Address: Unnamed Road Khao Phang, Ban Ta Khun District, Surat Thani 84230, Thailand
Address in Thai: Unnamed Road ตำบลเขาพัง อำเภอบ้านตาขุน สุราษฎร์ธานี 84230
Phone Number: +66 6217 62888
Website: https://www.caligoresort.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caligoresort/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Caligoresort
How to reach Caligo Resort?
To get to the Caligo Resort from, say, Bangkok, it is best to travel to Surat Thani first. Here you can fly, take the (night) train or come by bus. From Surat Thani you rent a cab that will take you to the resort in an hour. Coming from Surat Thani’s Donsak Pier or Krabi (Airport)? Then assume a two- to three-hour drive. An indication of the price from Surat Thani to Caligo Resort is 1,500 THB and from Krabi to Caligo Resor is 3,500 THB.
Our route to the Caligo Resort
Our trip on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 ran a little differently … Because of our wedding on August 4, we were carrying luggage with wedding supplies. As you can understand, we didn’t feel like lugging this around for part of our trip. Bangkok Airways brought the perfect solution! We flew from Bangkok to Koh Samui in less than an hour and a half. From Koh Samui Airport, we took a cab to Nathon Pier, where the villa manager of Villa Purana (part of Panacea Retreat), our wedding venue, took some of our luggage. Packed a lot lighter, we bought two ferry tickets to Surat Thani’s Donsak Pier where we were met by a good friend and his daughter. He took us to Caligo Resort – Thanks Gai!
Our itinerary with times and prices for two people that day:
Taxi: Banyan Tree Bangkok (08:00) – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (08:30) = THB 500 for the ride including tip and tolls
Plane: Bangkok (10:00) – Koh Samui (11:15) = THB 5,000 (approximate and variable, depending on what day and with how much luggage you fly)
Taxi: Koh Samui Airport (11:45 ) – Nathon Pier (12:20 ) = THB 900 including tip
Ferry: Nathon Pier (12:30) – Donsak Pier Surat Thani (14:00) = THB 380
Car: Donsak (14:30) – Caligo Resort (17:00) = THB 2,000 if taxi (indication as we were picked up by good friends of ours)
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Image: Thailand Magazine
Thanks to Bangkok Airways!
Special thanks to our partner Bangkok Airways the flight was comfortable also thanks to the fine service on board. Everyone got something to eat and drink and in no time we landed on Koh Samui. A strange sensation to drive in less than two hours from a busy city like Bangkok along beautiful quiet beaches on a tropical island.
Some tips for your visit to Khao Sok National Park
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