Which place is cheaper, Royal Chitwan National Park or Khao Lak?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Khao Lak or Royal Chitwan 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 Khao Lak and Royal Chitwan 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: Khao Lak or Royal Chitwan National Park?
Khao Lak
Resiliency and relaxation. Those are the two words used to describe one of Thailand's most breathtaking cities. Khao Lak is located in southern Thailand, and when the tsunami of 2004 hit, this area saw the most damage. With more than 4,000 fatalities, 3,000 still unaccounted for and enormous structural damages, many thought Khao Lak would not be able to bounce back. They have proved everyone wrong with a strong and impressive recovery. Now it has returned to its status of vacation hotspot. Unlike neighboring Phuket, though, the resorts in Khao Lak are designed for families and some peace and quiet.
Royal Chitwan National Park
The majestic elephant, the silly monkey and dozens of soaring birds call the Royal Chitwan National Park home. At the foot of the Himalayas, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is 932 square kilometers of animal and plant life preservation in Nepal.
Once the favorite hunting ground for Nepal's ruling class, the area began seeing the endangerment of all the area animals. So in 1957, Nepal passed its first conservation law to protect the rhinos and their habitat. At the end of the 1960s, however, DDT had cleared 70% of Royal Chitwan National Park jungles, thousands of people had created moved in on the land and only 95 rhinos were left. By 1977 the park was under complete protection, enlarged to the present-day size and is one of the last refuges of the Bengal tiger.
This park, also known as "the heart of the jungle," provides over 70,000 annual visitors with opportunities to get close and personal with animals they've only seen in movies. Fair warning, however, the weather is quite hot and humid for most of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Thailand, The Best Wildlife Tours to Thailand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Pokhara, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Nepal.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKhao Lak $112Royal Chitwan National Park $35
The average daily cost (per person) in Khao Lak is $112, while the average daily cost in Royal Chitwan National Park is $35. 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 Khao Lak and Royal Chitwan National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKhao Lak $51Royal Chitwan National Park $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKhao Lak $102Royal Chitwan National Park $22
Compare Hotels in Khao Lak and Royal Chitwan National Park
Looking for a hotel in Khao Lak or Royal Chitwan 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.
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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Khao Lak Hotel Prices and Royal Chitwan National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Khao Lak $52Royal Chitwan National Park $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Khao Lak
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Khao Lak:
- Similan Island Snorkeling Adventure -Full-Day Tour with Transfers: $119
- Private Transfer from Phuket Airport to Khao Lak: $44
- Private Transfer from Khao Lak to Phuket (HKT) Airport: $100
- Phuket: Private One-Way Transfer to/from Khao Lak by Car: $30
- Krabi Airport: Private Transfer to/from Khaolak: $111
- Khao Lak/Bang Sak: 1-Way Private Transfer to Phuket Airport: $41
- Khao Lak To Khao Sok Private Minivan & Car Transfer: $56
- From Carnival Magic Phuket Ticket with Transfer: $106
- 30-Minutes Guided Tour & Transfer to Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary: $42
- 2-Hour Guided Eco-Tour & Transfer to Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary: $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Royal Chitwan National Park
Also for Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chitwan to Kathmandu One Way Transfer by Private AC Car : $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Khao Lak or Royal Chitwan National Park?
Prices for flights to both Royal Chitwan National Park and Khao Lak 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
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Food Meals for one dayKhao Lak $31Royal Chitwan National Park $9.44
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Khao Lak
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Khao Lak.
- Authentic Thai Cooking Class in Khao Lak with Market Tour by Pakinnaka School: $56
- Riverside Thai Cooking Half Day Class: $57
- Authentic Thai cooking class with market tour.: $59
- Thai Cooking Class in a Garden with Transfer: $59
- Thai Cooking Class in Khaolak: $61
- 3 hours Khao Lak Cooking Class and Market Visit: $68
- Half-Day Cooking Class and Ingredient Hunt: $68
- 3-Hour Khaolak Cooking Class with Food Market Visit: $69
- Khao Sok Local Life Adventure & Traditional Cooking Class: $89
- Khaolak Elephant Sanctuary, Cooking Class and Waterfall Tour: $97
- ATV Quad Bike Excursion to Stunning Waterfalls with Dinner: $97
- Thai Food Cooking Class & ATV Adventure Tour: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Khao Lak $19Royal Chitwan National Park $9.63
Tours and Activities in Khao Lak
Here are a few actual costs in Khao Lak for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours-Early Bird Guide Tour in Khao Lak Elephant Sanctuary: $68
- 30 Minutes Khaolak ATV Quadbike & Waterfall Adventure: $53
- 30-Minutes ATV Quads and Waterfall Experience in Khaolak : $55
- 4 hours Tour with Khaolak ATV Quad Bike and Rescued Elephant: $97
- Adventure Off Road Safari to Khao Lak National Park: $140
- Adventure Off Road Safari to Khao Lak National Park: $140
- Bamboo Rafting and Sea Turtle Conservation Center Half Day Tour From Khao Lak: $37
- Cheow Lan Lake: 2-Day Guided Tour with Meals and Activities: $176
- Day Tour with Sea Canoeing at Hong Island from Khao Lak: $81
- Early Bird Phi Phi Islands Adventure From Khao Lak: $112
- Eco Grand Canyon with Hot Springs and Elephant Retreat Tour: $97
- From Khao Lak Or Khok Kloi : Phi Phi Islands Adventure Day Trip with Lunch: $103
Tours and Activities in Royal Chitwan National Park
For Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Experience the ride in Lowlands of Nepal: $62
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Safari Tour: $118
- Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour: $140
- 2 Nights 3 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour : $154
- Chitwan Safari Tour : $160
- 3 Nights 4 Days Comfortable Chitwan Safari Tour: $195
- Chitwan Tour Packages: $200
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKhao Lak $13Royal Chitwan National Park $6.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Khao Lak and Royal Chitwan National Park, we can see that Khao Lak is more expensive. And not only is Royal Chitwan National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Royal Chitwan National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Royal Chitwan 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 Khao Lak would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Khao Lak than you might in Royal Chitwan National Park.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Khao Lak Expensive? and Is Royal Chitwan National Park Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.