7 Reasons Khao Sok Should Be Added to Your Thailand Itinerary

Most of the hiking "trails" (if you can call them that, as they are definitely not manicured) are not super easy; there aren't any precarved walking paths or laid-out foundations. It's just you, a steep mountain, and a few rocks, vines, and branches to cling to for support. But once you've reached the crest, looking back at all the ground you covered is incredibly powerful!

Here, we had just concluded about three hours of hiking, primarily uphill, and our guide requested we stop to take in the moment before venturing into the pitch-black cave. We looked outward and studied the colossal trees that appeared to be growing up, down, and even sideways, with branches that were five times as tall as the average man and vines as thick as telephone poles. We were mesmerized. Neither one of us had ever seen a landscape so raw, so Jurassic, so teeming with life. It was a moment that somehow felt bigger than others, and we'll carry it with us for the rest of our lives.