A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Fraser Island vs. Khao Yai National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Fraser Island and Khao Yai National Park. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park?

Fraser Island

Fraser Island, located off Australia's eastern Queensland coast, is the world's largest sand island. It is best known as a camping and ecotourism destination, with a number of panoramic viewpoints, beaches, lakes, and freshwater pools. Hervey Bay, a beachside city on the nearby mainland, is a primary gateway to the island.

Khao Yai National Park

Adventurous travelers are always in search of new terrain to conquer. At over 2,000 square kilometers, Khao Yai National Park is Thailand's second largest national park, and just full of jungles to trek through. In the southwest of Thailand is a sanctuary of mountains and waterfalls.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Water Sports Tour Packages in Australia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, The Best Adventure Tours to Thailand, and The Best Eco Tours in Thailand.


Which place is cheaper, Khao Yai National Park or Fraser Island?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Fraser Island is $206, while the average daily cost in Khao Yai National Park is $62. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Fraser Island and Khao Yai National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Fraser Island $102
    Khao Yai National Park $36
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Fraser Island $204
    Khao Yai National Park $72
Compare Hotels in Fraser Island and Khao Yai National Park

Looking for a hotel in Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Fraser Island


Hotels in Khao Yai National Park


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Fraser Island $92
    Khao Yai National Park $14

Is it cheaper to fly into Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park?

Prices for flights to both Khao Yai National Park and Fraser Island change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Fraser Island $47
    Khao Yai National Park $17

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Fraser Island $44
    Khao Yai National Park $8.77

Tours and Activities in Fraser Island

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Fraser Island are as follows:

  • 2 Hours Hervey Bay Funset Cruise: $52
  • Hervey Bay Ultimate Whale Watching Cruise: $72
  • Hervey Bay Whale Watching Cruise: $98
  • Hervey Bay: Best Value Half Day Whale Watching Cruise : $79
  • Hervey Bay: Half Day Whale watching & Island Stop Tour: $109
  • K'gari (Fraser Island) Day Tour: $180
  • K'gari/2-Day Tagalong Tour from Hervey Bay: $340
  • Remote Fraser Island Experience: $164
  • Remote K'gari (Fraser Island) & Whale Experience: $164

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Fraser Island $20
    Khao Yai National Park $11


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fraser Island and Khao Yai National Park, we can see that Fraser Island is more expensive. And not only is Khao Yai National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Fraser Island is in Pacific and Khao Yai 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 Yai National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Khao Yai 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 Fraser Island would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fraser Island than you might in Khao Yai National Park.

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



When is the best time to visit Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park?

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

Should I visit Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park in the Summer?

Both Khao Yai National Park and Fraser Island during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Fraser Island in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Yai National Park year-round.

In January, Fraser Island is generally cooler than Khao Yai National Parkin July. Daily temperatures in Fraser Island average around 26°C (78°F), and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).

Khao Yai National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Fraser Island. Fraser Island usually gets less rain in January than Khao Yai National Parkin July. Fraser Island gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 315 mm (12.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January and July
    Fraser Island 26°C (78°F) 
    Khao Yai National Park 28°C (83°F)

Should I visit Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Fraser Island and Khao Yai National Park. Most visitors come to Fraser Island for the hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Khao Yai National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Fraser Island is cooler than Khao Yai National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in Fraser Island averages around 22°C (72°F) in April, and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in October.

Khao Yai National Park receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Fraser Island usually receives less rain than Khao Yai National Parkin October. Fraser Island gets 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 173 mm (6.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April and October
    Fraser Island 22°C (72°F) 
    Khao Yai National Park 28°C (82°F)

Should I visit Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Fraser Island as well as Khao Yai National Park. The winter months attract visitors to Fraser Island because of the cuisine. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Yai National Park throughout the year.

In the winter, Fraser Island is much colder than Khao Yai National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in Fraser Island in July average around 15°C (59°F), and Khao Yai National Park averages at about 26°C (78°F)in January.

Fraser Island usually gets more rain in July than Khao Yai National Parkin January. Fraser Island gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July and January
    Fraser Island 15°C (59°F) 
    Khao Yai National Park 26°C (78°F)

Should I visit Fraser Island or Khao Yai National Park in the Spring?

Both Khao Yai National Park and Fraser Island are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The beaches and the natural beauty are the main draw to Fraser Island this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Yai National Park because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In October, Fraser Island is generally cooler than Khao Yai National Parkin April. Daily temperatures in Fraser Island average around 21°C (71°F), and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 30°C (87°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Yai National Park. In October, Fraser Island usually receives less rain than Khao Yai National Parkin April. Fraser Island gets 75 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 128 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October and April
    Fraser Island 21°C (71°F) 
    Khao Yai National Park 30°C (87°F)

Typical Weather for Khao Yai National Park and Fraser Island

Fraser Island Khao Yai National Park
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (78°F) 164 mm (6.5 in) 26°C (78°F) 9 mm (0.4 in)
Feb 25°C (78°F) 163 mm (6.4 in) 28°C (82°F) 25 mm (1 in)
Mar 24°C (76°F) 134 mm (5.3 in) 30°C (86°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Apr 22°C (72°F) 87 mm (3.4 in) 30°C (87°F) 128 mm (5.1 in)
May 19°C (66°F) 78 mm (3.1 in) 30°C (85°F) 225 mm (8.8 in)
Jun 16°C (61°F) 64 mm (2.5 in) 29°C (84°F) 277 mm (10.9 in)
Jul 15°C (59°F) 59 mm (2.3 in) 28°C (83°F) 315 mm (12.4 in)
Aug 16°C (61°F) 45 mm (1.8 in) 28°C (83°F) 385 mm (15.1 in)
Sep 19°C (65°F) 29 mm (1.1 in) 28°C (82°F) 360 mm (14.2 in)
Oct 21°C (71°F) 75 mm (2.9 in) 28°C (82°F) 173 mm (6.8 in)
Nov 23°C (74°F) 106 mm (4.2 in) 27°C (81°F) 35 mm (1.4 in)
Dec 25°C (77°F) 134 mm (5.3 in) 26°C (78°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)