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

Should you visit Sandakan or Khao Sok National Park?

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

Should I visit Sandakan 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: Sandakan or Khao Sok National Park?

Sandakan

Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.

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 Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.

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

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

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

Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.

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

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

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. It's quite rainy in Sandakan. In July, Sandakan usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Sandakan gets 195 mm (7.7 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

It's quite sunny in Khao Sok National Park. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park during summer. Sandakan gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 206 hours of full sun in the summer.

In the summer, Sandakan is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sandakan in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 28°C (82°F).

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Sandakan during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Sandakan 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 Sandakan. Sandakan usually gets less rain in October than Khao Sok National Park. Sandakan gets 253 mm (10 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

In the autumn, Sandakan often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park. Sandakan gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 181 hours of full sun.

In October, Sandakan is generally around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Sandakan average around 28°C (82°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

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

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

Sandakan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Sandakan usually receives more rain than Khao Sok National Park. Sandakan gets 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Khao Sok National Park this time of the year. Sandakan usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during winter. Sandakan gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun in the winter.

Sandakan is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Sandakan averages around 26°C (80°F) in January, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

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

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

It's quite rainy in Khao Sok National Park. Sandakan receives a lot of rain in the spring. Sandakan usually gets less rain in April than Khao Sok National Park. Sandakan gets 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 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 Sandakan this time of the year. In the spring, Sandakan often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park. Sandakan gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 249 hours of full sun.

In the spring, Sandakan is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sandakan in April average around 28°C (82°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 29°C (83°F).

Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Sandakan