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

Should you visit Hat Yai or Khao Yai 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 Yai 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 Yai 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 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 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 Yai National Park, we can see that Khao Yai 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 Yai National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Khao Yai 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 Yai National Park Expensive?.

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

Both Khao Yai National Park and Hat Yai during the summer 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 Yai National Park year-round.

Khao Yai 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 July than Khao Yai National Park. Hat Yai gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 315 mm (12.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

It's quite sunny in Hat Yai. In the summer, Hat Yai often gets more sunshine than Khao Yai National Park. Hat Yai gets 206 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Yai National Park receives 176 hours of full sun.

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

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

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

Also, May to December is the rainy season in Hat Yai. Khao Yai National Park receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Hat Yai gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Hat Yai usually receives more rain than Khao Yai National Park. Hat Yai gets 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 173 mm (6.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Khao Yai National Park this time of the year. Hat Yai usually receives less sunshine than Khao Yai National Park during autumn. Hat Yai gets 182 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Yai National Park receives 206 hours of full sun in the autumn.

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

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

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

Also, January to April in Hat Yai is the dry season. Hat Yai receives a lot of rain in the winter. Hat Yai usually gets more rain in January than Khao Yai National Park. Hat Yai gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Khao Yai National Park. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Hat Yai this time of the year. In the winter, Hat Yai often gets less sunshine than Khao Yai National Park. Hat Yai gets 221 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Yai National Park receives 276 hours of full sun.

Hat Yai is around the same temperature as Khao Yai National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Hat Yai averages around 28°C (82°F) in January, and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).

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

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

The dry season in Hat Yai is January to April. The rainy season in Hat Yai is May to December. It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Yai National Park. In April, Hat Yai usually receives less rain than Khao Yai National Park. Hat Yai gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 128 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

It's quite sunny in Khao Yai 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 Yai National Park during spring. Hat Yai gets 265 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Yai National Park receives 262 hours of full sun in the spring.

In the spring, Hat Yai is around the same temperature as Khao Yai National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Hat Yai in April average around 30°C (85°F), and Khao Yai National Park averages at about 30°C (87°F).

Typical Weather for Khao Yai National Park and Hat Yai