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

Should you visit Longsheng 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 Longsheng 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: Longsheng or Khao Sok National Park?

Longsheng

A county of the city, Guilin, Longsheng is a hub of several ethnic cultures that thrive on farming and tourism. It is located about 50 or so miles north of the Guilin city center. The region is perhaps most known for the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces located in Heping Township. These, along with many other natural features like hot springs, waterfalls, and meadows are a few of the main attractions that draw visitors to Longsheng.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.

When comparing the travel costs between Longsheng and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Khao Sok National Park is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

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

Longsheng has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Khao Sok National Park experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Longsheng during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.

In the summer, Longsheng is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Longsheng in July average around 30°C (86°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 28°C (82°F).

Khao Sok National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Longsheng. Longsheng usually gets less rain in July than Khao Sok National Park. Longsheng gets 206 mm (8.1 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

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

In October, Longsheng is generally cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Longsheng average around 23°C (73°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Khao Sok National Park receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Longsheng usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Longsheng gets 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

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

The winter brings many poeple to Longsheng as well as Khao Sok National Park. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.

Longsheng is much colder than Khao Sok National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Longsheng averages around 10°C (49°F) in January, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

Longsheng usually gets more rain in January than Khao Sok National Park. Longsheng gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

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

In the spring, Longsheng is cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Longsheng in April average around 20°C (68°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 29°C (83°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. It's quite rainy in Longsheng. In April, Longsheng usually receives more rain than Khao Sok National Park. Longsheng gets 263 mm (10.3 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Longsheng