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

Should you visit Wellington or Khao Sok National Park?

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

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

Wellington

Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.

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.

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

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

Wellington 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 Wellington or Khao Sok National Park in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Wellington as well as Khao Sok National Park. The summer months attract visitors to Wellington because of the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.

In the summer, Wellington is much colder than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Wellington in January average around 18°C (64°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 28°C (82°F)in July.

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 Wellington this time of the year. In the summer, Wellington often gets more sunshine than Khao Sok National Parkin July. Wellington gets 242 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 206 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Khao Sok National Park. Wellington usually gets less rain in January than Khao Sok National Parkin July. Wellington gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Wellington are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Wellington this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Sok National Park because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In April, Wellington is generally much colder than Khao Sok National Parkin October. Daily temperatures in Wellington average around 15°C (58°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Wellington usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during autumn. Wellington gets 163 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 181 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. In April, Wellington usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Parkin October. Wellington gets 82 mm (3.2 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Wellington during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Wellington for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.

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

In Khao Sok National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Wellington often gets less sunshine than Khao Sok National Parkin January. Wellington gets 122 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Wellington. Wellington usually gets more rain in July than Khao Sok National Parkin January. Wellington gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Wellington and Khao Sok National Park. Many visitors come to Wellington in the spring for the beaches. Khao Sok National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the spring, Wellington is much colder than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Wellington in October average around 13°C (55°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 29°C (83°F)in April.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Khao Sok National Park this time of the year. Wellington usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during spring. Wellington gets 180 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 249 hours of full sun in the spring.

Khao Sok National Park receives a lot of rain in the spring. In October, Wellington usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Parkin April. Wellington gets 93 mm (3.7 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 Wellington