Through Kanchanaburi
The drive west runs past the Bridge over the River Kwai and the War Cemetery, the haunting history of the Death Railway, before the road climbs into the national park.
Khao Laem · Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Sleep on a private floating house in the middle of a wild Thai lake.
Khao Laem is a vast reservoir wrapped in jungle mountains on the Myanmar border. For two nights your group has its own floating raft house: balcony rooms over the water, a deck to swim and kayak from, and nothing around but forest, limestone cliffs and quiet. You reach it through Kanchanaburi, past the famous Bridge over the River Kwai.
A Go Beyond signature journey · 3 days, 2 lake nights · Private groups up to 14
The signature journey
Your own floating hotel, towed out into the wilderness.
No resort, no neighbours, no road noise. Just a handcrafted raft house tied up in a quiet arm of Khao Laem Lake, yours for two nights. Swim off the deck at dawn, kayak to a hidden temple, fall asleep to the water moving under the floor.
- 3 days
- on Khao Laem Lake
- 2 nights
- private floating house
- Up to 14
- small private groups
- All meals
- incl. a Thai cooking class
A lake the size of a county
Behind Kanchanaburi, an inland sea.
Khao Laem is an enormous reservoir held back by one of Thailand’s largest dams. It drowned old valleys and forest to leave a maze of islands, flooded trees and limestone cliffs. It sits inside Khao Laem National Park, pressed against the Myanmar border, a few hours past the famous bridges of Kanchanaburi.
Hardly anyone comes here. The water is calm enough to kayak at sunrise, deep enough to dive off the deck, and ringed by mountains that turn pink at dusk. For two nights, your raft house drifts in the middle of it.
Three days off the map
Everything you’ll do on Khao Laem.
Board your floating house
Welcome drink in hand, your private raft house is towed offshore to a quiet mooring below the Red Cliff. This is home for the next two nights.
Swim, kayak & laze on the deck
Dive straight off the deck into the lake, take a kayak out across the water, or just lie back and watch the cliffs change colour. The lake is yours.
Cook Thai food on the water
A hands-on cooking demonstration on the deck: learn the secrets of a few Thai classics, then eat what you made with the whole lake for a view.
Temples by boat
Cruise across to the serene Bo Ong Pagoda and the hilltop Phra That temple, a glimpse of local life on the shore before heading back to the raft.
Hellfire Pass on the way home
On the road back to Bangkok, stop at the moving Hellfire Pass Memorial, cut by hand through solid rock by prisoners of war.
Day by day
How the journey unfolds.
- 1
Day 1
Bangkok to the floating house
Leave Bangkok after breakfast and drive west to Kanchanaburi, with time to stretch your legs near the War Cemetery and the Bridge over the River Kwai. By afternoon you reach Khao Laem Lake and board your private raft house. Welcome drink in hand, you’re towed out to a quiet mooring by the Red Cliff, with the rest of the day to swim, row and settle in before dinner on the deck.
- Dinner
- Floating house: private room, balcony & bathroom
- Bangkok → Khao Laem by private van
- English-speaking guide
- 2
Day 2
A full day on the lake
Breakfast over the water, then a boat across to the tranquil Bo Ong Pagoda and the Phra That temple for a quiet morning ashore. Back on the raft, roll up your sleeves for a Thai cooking demonstration and eat your own lunch with a view. The afternoon is yours: kayak the bays, swim, or do gloriously nothing until dinner.
- Breakfast · Lunch (cooking class) · Dinner
- Floating house: private room, balcony & bathroom
- Kayaking · Bo Ong & Phra That temples
- English-speaking guide
- 3
Day 3
Back to Bangkok
One last breakfast on the lake, then cruise back to the pier and pack up. On the drive home you stop at the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum before continuing to Bangkok, where you’re dropped at your hotel, the station or the airport by late afternoon.
- Breakfast
- Khao Laem → Bangkok by private van
- Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum
- English-speaking guide
“You wake up surrounded by water and mountains, and the nearest road is an hour away.”
Press play
See it for yourself.
Two minutes on Khao Laem: the drive west, the floating house, the kayaks and the quiet.
Postcards from Khao Laem
Two nights you’ll be talking about for years.
What’s included
Everything’s taken care of.
- Two nights aboard a private floating house: a room each with balcony and private bathroom
- All meals: 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch (your own Thai cooking class) and 2 dinners on the deck
- Private air-conditioned van between Bangkok and the lake, with guided stops
- Boat trips to Bo Ong Pagoda and Phra That temple, plus kayaks to use on the lake
- English-speaking guide throughout, and all entrance fees
- Stops at the Bridge over the River Kwai and the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum
Good to know
Come prepared for the real thing.
- Swimsuit and towel: you’ll be in and out of the lake all day
- Light clothes plus something warmer for cool evenings on the water
- The floating house is comfortable but remote; bring any medication you need
- A dry bag for phones and cameras on the boat and the kayaks
Who it’s for
Built for couples, families and groups of friends who want comfort and quiet over crowds. The raft sleeps up to 14 in private rooms, so it works beautifully as a small private charter. If you can swim and you like the idea of a hotel that floats, this one’s for you.
Before you ask
Good questions, honest answers.
Anything we haven’t covered? Ask in the booking form. A real human from the Go Beyond team replies within 48 hours.
What is the floating house actually like?
It’s a handcrafted wooden raft house moored on the lake, not a tent. Each room is private, with a double or twin beds, a balcony over the water and its own bathroom. There’s a big shared deck for meals, swimming and lazing about. It’s comfortable, but it is genuinely remote: power and hot water are simpler than a city hotel, and honestly that’s part of the charm.
How many people are on the trip?
The raft takes a maximum of 14 travellers in four private rooms (two with two double beds, two with a double and a twin). It runs as a small private group, so it’s ideal for a family, a group of friends or two couples travelling together. Tell us your group in the form and we’ll confirm the room setup.
How do we get there, and how long is the drive?
A private air-conditioned van picks you up in Bangkok and drives west to Khao Laem, around six hours with a break in Kanchanaburi to see the Bridge over the River Kwai. From the pier you board the raft and are towed to the mooring. On day 3 the same van brings you home, stopping at the Hellfire Pass Memorial.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, families are very welcome. The days are about swimming, kayaking and boat trips rather than hard trekking. As the house sits on open water, children need to be confident in and around the lake and supervised at all times. Tell us their ages and we’ll make sure the setup suits your family.
What’s the food like?
All meals on the lake are included and cooked fresh: breakfasts and dinners served on the deck, and a hands-on Thai cooking demonstration that becomes your lunch on day 2. Let us know about any dietary needs or allergies in advance and the team will take care of it.
When can we go, and how do we book?
This runs as a private departure on the dates that suit you, year-round subject to weather and water levels. Send us your preferred dates and group size with the form below. There’s no payment at this stage; we reply within 48 hours with availability and a quote.
Ready when you are
Request your floating house dates.
Tell us your group and your dates. We’ll come back within 48 hours with availability, a quote and everything you need to know before you go.
Rates
Coming soon
Request dates for a quote · private charter up to 14