Cheow Lan Village Afternoon: Bamboo Raft, Turtle Forest & Sunset

Cheow Lan is usually seen from a boat. This afternoon goes into the village that sits beside the dam instead, with a local guide who speaks English.

The van collects you at 12:00 and lunch is the first stop: southern Thai dishes served on banana leaves beside the river. Next you board a bamboo raft and a raftsman pushes it along the village waterways while the riverbank goes by. Anyone who wants to cool off can get in the water.

The longest part of the afternoon is a walk through Tor Tao forest. Villagers named it for a giant turtle believed to live in it, though guests rarely spot one. Along the trail your guide names the plants that still go into village cooking and home remedies, and partway along the path you step into a cave.

Last comes a hilltop over Ratchaprapha Dam. The dam opened in 1987, after the families of the old valley village had moved to the higher ground you spent the afternoon on. Drop-off is around 18:30.