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

Should you visit Yaeyama Islands or Khao Sok National Park?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Yaeyama Islands and Khao Sok National Park. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Yaeyama Islands or Khao Sok National Park?

Yaeyama Islands

The Yaeyama Islands is a cluster of islands located in the southwestern part of Japan, close to Taiwan. There are nine different islands, varying from small islets to large holiday resort islands. The Yaeyama Islands are one of the most popular destination in Japan due to their beautiful beaches and underwater ruins. Yaeyama is also known for having their own language and writing system. For the most part, everyone on the Islands speak Japanese, but you'll often find the Yaeyama writing on T-shirts in souvenir shops or scattered around Yaeyama.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Tokyo, The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.

When comparing the travel costs between Yaeyama Islands and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Yaeyama Islands 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. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

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

Yaeyama Islands 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 Yaeyama Islands or Khao Sok National Park in the Summer?

Both Khao Sok National Park and Yaeyama Islands are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Yaeyama Islands 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 July, Yaeyama Islands is generally around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Yaeyama Islands average around 29°C (85°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

It's quite sunny in Khao Sok National Park. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Yaeyama Islands. Yaeyama Islands usually receives more sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during summer. Yaeyama Islands gets 279 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 Yaeyama Islands. In July, Yaeyama Islands usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Yaeyama Islands gets 179 mm (7 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

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

Both Khao Sok National Park and Yaeyama Islands during the autumn are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Yaeyama Islands for the hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.

Yaeyama Islands is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in Yaeyama Islands averages around 26°C (78°F) in October, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

In the autumn, Yaeyama Islands often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Khao Sok National Park. Yaeyama Islands gets 177 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 Yaeyama Islands. Yaeyama Islands usually gets less rain in October than Khao Sok National Park. Yaeyama Islands gets 173 mm (6.8 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

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

In the winter, Yaeyama Islands is cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in Yaeyama Islands in January average around 18°C (64°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 27°C (80°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Khao Sok National Park this time of the year. Yaeyama Islands usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during winter. Yaeyama Islands gets 97 hours of sunny skies, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun in the winter.

Yaeyama Islands gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Yaeyama Islands usually receives more rain than Khao Sok National Park. Yaeyama Islands gets 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.

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

The spring brings many poeple to Yaeyama Islands as well as Khao Sok National Park. Most visitors come to Yaeyama Islands for the beaches and the natural beauty during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.

In April, Yaeyama Islands is generally cooler than Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Yaeyama Islands average around 23°C (74°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. In the spring, Yaeyama Islands often gets less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park. Yaeyama Islands gets 154 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. Yaeyama Islands receives a lot of rain in the spring. Yaeyama Islands usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Khao Sok National Park. Yaeyama Islands gets 147 mm (5.8 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain this time of the year. May to June in Yaeyama Islands is the rainy season.

Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Yaeyama Islands