A Travel Price Comparison for Thailand Hat Yai vs. Khao Sok National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hat Yai or Khao Sok National Park?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hat Yai and Khao Sok National Park can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Hat Yai or Khao Sok National Park?

Hat Yai

The fourth largest city of Thailand, Hat Yai is a popular tourist destination, especially on weekends and holidays for people in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. It is best known as a commercial hub and shopping destination, and for its floating market and Buddhist temple.

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 Contiki Tours to Thailand, The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Bangkok.

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

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

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

Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Hat Yai are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Hat Yai 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. It's quite rainy in Hat Yai. In July, Hat Yai usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Hat Yai gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

It's quite sunny in Khao Sok National Park. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Hat Yai. Hat Yai usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park during summer. Hat Yai gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 206 hours of full sun in the summer.

Hat Yai is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park in the summer. The daily temperature in Hat Yai averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Hat Yai during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Hat Yai 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.

May to December is the rainy season in Hat Yai. Khao Sok National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Hat Yai. Hat Yai usually gets less rain in October than Khao Sok National Park. Hat Yai gets 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

In the autumn, Hat Yai often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park. Hat Yai gets 182 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 181 hours of full sun.

In the autumn, Hat Yai is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Hat Yai in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 27°C (81°F).

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

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

January to April in Hat Yai is the dry season. Hat Yai gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Hat Yai usually receives more rain than Khao Sok National Park. Hat Yai gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Khao Sok National Park this time of the year. In Hat Yai, it's very sunny this time of the year. Hat Yai usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during winter. Hat Yai gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Hat Yai is generally around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Hat Yai average around 28°C (82°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

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

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

Also, January to April in Hat Yai is the dry season. May to December in Hat Yai is the rainy season. It's quite rainy in Khao Sok National Park. Hat Yai usually gets less rain in April than Khao Sok National Park. Hat Yai gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 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 Hat Yai this time of the year. In the spring, Hat Yai often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park. Hat Yai gets 265 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 249 hours of full sun.

Hat Yai is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park in the spring. The daily temperature in Hat Yai averages around 30°C (85°F) in April, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).

Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Hat Yai