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

Should you visit Haifa or Khao Sok 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 Haifa and Khao Sok 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: Haifa or Khao Sok National Park?

Haifa

Located on the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel, Haifa is Israel's third largest city. It is also a beautiful and strategically located city near the border with Lebanon. The population of Haifa, which is approximately 300,000, is surprisingly diverse. There are Jews, Muslim, and Christian Arabs throughout the city. While Haifa is an industrial city with a strong work ethic and a good job base, it is also a beautiful city with many gardens and a stunning coastline. Today the job base has increasingly become technology based with some large companies such as Google and Microsoft offering employment in the area. Haifa University is also the country's top technology university.

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 Sightseeing Tours in Israel, The Best Cultural Tours in Israel, 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 Haifa and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Haifa is more expensive. And not only is Khao Sok National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Haifa is in Middle East 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 Haifa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Haifa 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 Haifa Expensive? and Is Khao Sok National Park Expensive?.

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

Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.

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

The summer brings many poeple to Haifa as well as Khao Sok National Park. Haifa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.

It's quite rainy in Khao Sok National Park. Haifa usually gets less rain in July than Khao Sok National Park. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

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 Haifa this time of the year. In the summer, Haifa often gets more sunshine than Khao Sok National Park. Haifa gets 364 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 206 hours of full sun.

In July, Haifa is generally around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Haifa average around 27°C (81°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Haifa are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Haifa throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Sok National Park because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. In October, Haifa usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Haifa. Haifa usually receives more sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during autumn. Haifa gets 274 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 181 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Haifa is cooler than Khao Sok National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in Haifa averages around 24°C (75°F) in October, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Haifa during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Haifa because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Haifa. Haifa usually gets more rain in January than Khao Sok National Park. Haifa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

In Khao Sok National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Haifa often gets less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park. Haifa gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun.

In the winter, Haifa is much colder than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in Haifa in January average around 14°C (57°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 27°C (80°F).

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

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Haifa and Khao Sok National Park. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Haifa year-round. Khao Sok National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Khao Sok National Park receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Haifa usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Haifa gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Khao Sok National Park this time of the year. In Haifa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Haifa usually receives more sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during spring. Haifa gets 269 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 249 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Haifa is generally cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Haifa average around 19°C (66°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).

Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Haifa