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

Should you visit Newcastle or Khao Sok National Park?

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

Should I visit Newcastle or Khao Sok National Park? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Newcastle or Khao Sok National Park?

Newcastle

Newcastle is 150 kilometers north of Sydney in New South Wales. It is also the second largest city in the state, and serves as a central point to explore the area's beaches, wineries, and beautiful natural landscape. North of the city is Stockton beach, which has many miles of isolated, beautiful beaches, stretching all the way up to Nelson Bay. The wineries are inland to the west and have some of Australia's finest wine which you can taste. If you want to see rainforests, you can head northwest to Barrington Tops National Park, which has great rainforests and freshwater streams. You may even get to see a platypus. The city also has the country's oldest sea port. In the past the city's economy was centered around the steel industry, but today the University of Newcastle is one of the area's most important employers.

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 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, The Best Budget Tours to Australia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.

When comparing the travel costs between Newcastle 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. Even though Newcastle is in Pacific and Khao Sok National Park is in Asia, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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

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

Newcastle 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 Newcastle or Khao Sok National Park in the Summer?

Both Khao Sok National Park and Newcastle are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Newcastle because of the beaches, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Sok National Park because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

Newcastle is cooler than Khao Sok National Park in the summer. The daily temperature in Newcastle averages around 22°C (72°F) in January, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in July.

It's quite sunny in Khao Sok National Park. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Newcastle. Newcastle usually receives more sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during summer. Newcastle gets 232 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 206 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. It's quite rainy in Newcastle. In January, Newcastle usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Parkin July. Newcastle gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Newcastle during the autumn are popular places to visit. The hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, and the shopping scene are the main draw to Newcastle this time of year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.

In the autumn, Newcastle is cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Newcastle in April average around 19°C (67°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 27°C (81°F)in October.

In the autumn, Newcastle often gets more sunshine than Khao Sok National Parkin October. Newcastle gets 199 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 181 hours of full sun.

Khao Sok National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Newcastle. Newcastle usually gets less rain in April than Khao Sok National Parkin October. Newcastle gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Newcastle and Khao Sok National Park. Many travelers come to Newcastle for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Khao Sok National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In July, Newcastle is generally much colder than Khao Sok National Parkin January. Daily temperatures in Newcastle average around 13°C (55°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Khao Sok National Park this time of the year. In Newcastle, it's very sunny this time of the year. Newcastle usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during winter. Newcastle gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun in the winter.

In July, Newcastle usually receives more rain than Khao Sok National Parkin January. Newcastle gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.

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

The spring brings many poeple to Newcastle as well as Khao Sok National Park. Many visitors come to Newcastle in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.

Newcastle is much colder than Khao Sok National Park in the spring. The daily temperature in Newcastle averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 29°C (83°F)in April.

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 Newcastle this time of the year. In the spring, Newcastle often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Parkin April. Newcastle gets 237 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 249 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Khao Sok National Park. Newcastle usually gets less rain in October than Khao Sok National Parkin April. Newcastle gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Newcastle