A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Darwin vs. Khao Sok National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Darwin or Khao Sok National Park?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Darwin or Khao Sok National Park, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Darwin or Khao Sok National Park?

Darwin

Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.

Khao Sok National Park

In the south of Thailand, visitors will find a gorgeous getaway of pure nature. The Khao Sok National Park is a jungle reserve that covers over 700 square kilometers, and described as one of the most beautiful wildlife reserves in the country.

Many say this jungle is over 160 million years old making it one of the world's oldest rainforests. The lush environment of limestone, waterfalls and thickets of vegetation will make any wanderer eager to discover more. Keep your eyes peeled for bears, boars, gaurs, tapirs, gibbons, deer, marbled cats, wild elephants and more. Look to the sky for over 300 species of bird and 38 different types of bats.

You'll find the best time to book is from December to April, better known as the dry season. From June to October there is significantly more rain and the threat of monsoons. Not only does it rain on your parade, but also it causes the leeches to emerge.

To enter the park is a 300 baht fee for foreigners, 150 for children, and 40 for Thai citizens. If someone tries to sell you a ticket for more than that, simply buy one at the park entrance. When planning your stay remember that your entrance fee is only valid for 24 hours. If you're staying multiple days, you'll need to pay up front. Often if you're with a tour, the entrance fee is included in the tour price, but you should inquire about this to make sure.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Week Tours in Australia, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Darwin and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Darwin is more expensive. And not only is Khao Sok National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Darwin is in Pacific and Khao Sok National Park is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Khao Sok National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Khao Sok National Park and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Darwin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darwin than you might in Khao Sok National Park.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Darwin Expensive? and Is Khao Sok National Park Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Darwin or Khao Sok National Park?

Darwin has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Khao Sok National Park experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Darwin or Khao Sok National Park in the Summer?

Both Khao Sok National Park and Darwin are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Darwin in the summer for the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Sok National Park because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the summer, Darwin is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Darwin in January average around 29°C (83°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 28°C (82°F)in July.

It's quite sunny in Khao Sok National Park. Darwin usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during summer. Darwin gets 173 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 206 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. It's quite rainy in Darwin. In January, Darwin usually receives more rain than Khao Sok National Parkin July. Darwin gets 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Darwin or Khao Sok National Park in the Autumn?

Both Khao Sok National Park and Darwin during the autumn are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Darwin for the hiking trails and the shopping scene during these months. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.

In April, Darwin is generally around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Parkin October. Daily temperatures in Darwin average around 29°C (84°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

It's quite sunny in Darwin. In the autumn, Darwin often gets more sunshine than Khao Sok National Parkin October. Darwin gets 267 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 181 hours of full sun.

Khao Sok National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Darwin usually gets less rain in April than Khao Sok National Parkin October. Darwin gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Darwin or Khao Sok National Park in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Darwin and Khao Sok National Park. The winter months attract visitors to Darwin because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Khao Sok National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Darwin is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Darwin averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in January.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Khao Sok National Park this time of the year. In Darwin, it's very sunny this time of the year. Darwin usually receives more sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during winter. Darwin gets 312 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun in the winter.

In July, Darwin usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Parkin January. Darwin gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Darwin or Khao Sok National Park in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Darwin as well as Khao Sok National Park. The beaches are the main draw to Darwin this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.

In the spring, Darwin is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Darwin in October average around 29°C (85°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 29°C (83°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Darwin this time of the year. In the spring, Darwin often gets more sunshine than Khao Sok National Parkin April. Darwin gets 291 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 249 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Khao Sok National Park. Darwin usually gets less rain in October than Khao Sok National Parkin April. Darwin gets 76 mm (3 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Darwin