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

Should you visit Hongcun or Khao Yai 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 Hongcun and Khao Yai 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: Hongcun or Khao Yai National Park?

Hongcun

When you picture ancient China, you likely picture old cobblestone streets, white homes with pointed black roofs and a slight air of mysticism in the surroundings. This is Hongcun.

The backdrop for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is not usually on the top of many traveler's lists. This isn't a bustling tourist town with guides offering to show you the sights or carts peddling the latest tacky souvenir. It's a quiet village where you'll see the real Chinese culture. The homes along the complex water canals air their fish in their windows to preserve it for their family dinners. There is no bowing to tourism here.

Khao Yai National Park

Adventurous travelers are always in search of new terrain to conquer. At over 2,000 square kilometers, Khao Yai National Park is Thailand's second largest national park, and just full of jungles to trek through. In the southwest of Thailand is a sanctuary of mountains and waterfalls.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to China, The Best Adventure Tours to Thailand, and The Best Eco Tours in Thailand.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hongcun and Khao Yai National Park, we can see that Khao Yai National Park is more expensive. And not only is Hongcun much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hongcun would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hongcun 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 Yai National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Khao Yai National Park than you might in Hongcun.

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

When is the best time to visit Hongcun or Khao Yai National Park?

Hongcun has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Khao Yai National Park experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Hongcun or Khao Yai National Park in the Summer?

Both Khao Yai National Park and Hongcun during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Yai National Park year-round.

In the summer, Hongcun is around the same temperature as Khao Yai National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Hongcun in July average around 29°C (85°F), and Khao Yai National Park averages at about 28°C (83°F).

Khao Yai National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Hongcun. Hongcun usually gets less rain in July than Khao Yai National Park. Hongcun gets 185 mm (7.3 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 315 mm (12.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Hongcun or Khao Yai National Park in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Hongcun and Khao Yai National Park. Khao Yai National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In October, Hongcun is generally much colder than Khao Yai National Park. Daily temperatures in Hongcun average around 19°C (65°F), and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

Khao Yai National Park receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Hongcun usually receives less rain than Khao Yai National Park. Hongcun gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 173 mm (6.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Hongcun or Khao Yai National Park in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Hongcun as well as Khao Yai National Park. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Yai National Park throughout the year.

It's quite cold in Hongcun in the winter. Hongcun is much colder than Khao Yai National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Hongcun averages around 4°C (40°F) in January, and Khao Yai National Park fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).

Hongcun usually gets more rain in January than Khao Yai National Park. Hongcun gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Hongcun or Khao Yai National Park in the Spring?

Both Khao Yai National Park and Hongcun are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Yai National Park because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the spring, Hongcun is much colder than Khao Yai National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Hongcun in April average around 17°C (62°F), and Khao Yai National Park averages at about 30°C (87°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Khao Yai National Park. It's quite rainy in Hongcun. In April, Hongcun usually receives more rain than Khao Yai National Park. Hongcun gets 170 mm (6.7 in) of rain, while Khao Yai National Park receives 128 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Khao Yai National Park and Hongcun