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

Should you visit Te Anau 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 Te Anau 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: Te Anau or Khao Sok National Park?

Te Anau

Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.

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


Which place is cheaper, Khao Sok National Park or Te Anau?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Te Anau is $118, while the average daily cost in Khao Sok National Park is $126. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Te Anau and Khao Sok National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Te Anau $44
    Khao Sok National Park $28
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Te Anau $88
    Khao Sok National Park $56
Compare Hotels in Te Anau and Khao Sok National Park

Looking for a hotel in Te Anau or Khao Sok National Park? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Te Anau


Hotels in Khao Sok National Park


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Te Anau Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Te Anau $27
    Khao Sok National Park $74

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau

Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Kepler Water Taxi Transfer across Lake Te Anau: $17
  • Te Anau to Invercargill Small Group Transfer: $53
  • Lake Marian Guided Hike with Transfers, Lunch & Morning Tea: $184

Is it cheaper to fly into Te Anau or Khao Sok National Park?

Prices for flights to both Khao Sok National Park and Te Anau change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Te Anau $46
    Khao Sok National Park $52

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Te Anau $47
    Khao Sok National Park $33

Tours and Activities in Te Anau

For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Glowworm Caves Guided Tour: $75
  • Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour: $76
  • Evening Champagne Cruise on Historic 1935 Motor Yacht.: $84
  • Scenic Cruise & Guided Walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau: $86
  • Scenic Cruise & Guided walk on Historic Motor Yacht Lake Te Anau: $86
  • Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $98
  • From Milford Sound Coach Tour and Cruise: $119
  • Fiordland: Jet Boat & Nature Walk Experience from Te Anau: $119
  • Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Tour from Te Anau : $122
  • From Milford Sound Cruise & Scenic Coach Tour: $126
  • Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau: $128
  • Milford Sound Day Tour from Te Anau: $129

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Te Anau $14
    Khao Sok National Park $6.50


When comparing the travel costs between Te Anau 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 Te Anau 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 Te Anau Expensive? and Is Khao Sok National Park Expensive?.


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