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

Should you visit Sapporo or Khao Sok 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 Sapporo and Khao Sok 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: Sapporo or Khao Sok National Park?

Sapporo

Capital of the northern Japanese island Hokkaido, Sapporo is a city surrounded by mountains and known for its beer, skiing, and annual snow festival with stunning ice sculptures. As host to the 1972 Winter Olympics, the city limits are dotted with ski jumps, hills, and popular ski resorts still in use today.

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 Coach Bus Tours in Japan, The Best Adventure Tours to Japan, 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 Sapporo and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Sapporo is more expensive. And not only is Khao Sok National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Khao Sok National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Khao Sok 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 Sapporo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sapporo than you might in Khao Sok National Park.

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

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

Sapporo 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 Sapporo or Khao Sok National Park in the Summer?

Both Khao Sok National Park and Sapporo during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Sapporo for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.

Sapporo is cooler than Khao Sok National Park in the summer. The daily temperature in Sapporo averages around 21°C (69°F) in July, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

In Khao Sok National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Sapporo often gets less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park. Sapporo gets 179 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 206 hours of full sun.

Khao Sok National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Sapporo usually gets less rain in July than Khao Sok National Park. Sapporo gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Sapporo and Khao Sok National Park. Many visitors come to Sapporo in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Khao Sok National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the autumn, Sapporo is much colder than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Sapporo in October average around 11°C (52°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 27°C (81°F).

Sapporo usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during autumn. Sapporo gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 181 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Khao Sok National Park receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Sapporo gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Sapporo usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Sapporo gets 116 mm (4.6 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

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

The winter brings many poeple to Sapporo as well as Khao Sok National Park. Most visitors come to Sapporo for the skiing, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.

Sapporo can be very cold during winter. In January, Sapporo is generally much colder than Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Sapporo average around -5°C (24°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. In the winter, Sapporo often gets less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park. Sapporo gets 99 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun.

Sapporo receives a lot of rain in the winter. Sapporo usually gets more rain in January than Khao Sok National Park. Sapporo gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

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

Sapporo is much colder than Khao Sok National Park in the spring. The daily temperature in Sapporo averages around 7°C (44°F) in April, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).

It's quite sunny in Khao Sok National Park. Sapporo usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during spring. Sapporo gets 183 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 249 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. In April, Sapporo usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Sapporo gets 62 mm (2.4 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 Sapporo