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

Should you visit Koh Tao or Khao Sok National Park?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Tao or Khao Sok National Park, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Koh Tao or Khao Sok National Park?

Koh Tao

With a name that literally means, "Turtle Island," Koh Tao, Thailand is the type of vacation spot divers dream of. There is the faintest current and a buffet of dive sites and shops.

This tiny island hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, but take not that there are no garbage disposal facilities. Everything that can't be burnt needs to be taken from the island. Avoid plastic bags, and don't dump your trash in the open landscape (then again, why would you?) because there are no departments for road clean up. Water and electricity on the island are scarce, so use them wisely.

Keep in mind that monsoon season from November to January so you may be faced with constant rain for days at a time in those months.

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

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Tao and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Khao Sok National Park is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Koh Tao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Tao 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 Koh Tao.

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

When is the best time to visit Koh Tao 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 Koh Tao or Khao Sok National Park in the Summer?

Both Khao Sok National Park and Koh Tao during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Tao 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.

Khao Sok National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Tao. Koh Tao usually gets less rain in July than Khao Sok National Park. Koh Tao gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

In Khao Sok National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Koh Tao often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park. Koh Tao gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 206 hours of full sun.

In the summer, Koh Tao is cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Koh Tao in July average around 24°C (76°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 28°C (82°F).

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

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

Also, October and November is the rainy season in Koh Tao. Khao Sok National Park receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Tao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Koh Tao usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Koh Tao gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Koh Tao usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during autumn. Koh Tao gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 181 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Koh Tao is generally cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Koh Tao average around 24°C (76°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

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

The winter brings many poeple to Koh Tao as well as Khao Sok National Park. Koh Tao 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, February to June in Koh Tao is the dry season. Koh Tao usually gets more rain in January than Khao Sok National Park. Koh Tao gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 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 Koh Tao this time of the year. In the winter, Koh Tao often gets less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park. Koh Tao gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun.

Koh Tao is cooler than Khao Sok National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Koh Tao averages around 22°C (72°F) in January, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

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

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

The dry season in Koh Tao is February to June. It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. In April, Koh Tao usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Koh Tao gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

It's quite sunny in Khao Sok National Park. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Koh Tao. Koh Tao usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park during spring. Koh Tao gets 239 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 249 hours of full sun in the spring.

In the spring, Koh Tao is cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Koh Tao in April average around 25°C (77°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 29°C (83°F).

Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Koh Tao