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

Should you visit Kanazawa or Khao Sok National Park?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Kanazawa and Khao Sok National Park can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Kanazawa or Khao Sok National Park?

Kanazawa

An important city of the Edo-period, Kanazawa is a well preserved city from a time when samurai, merchants, geisha, and lords made up the core of its culture. Though it is often overlooked by foreigners, the city is a gem of Japanese tourism with a number of preserved historic districts, temples, regional handicrafts, art museums, and some of the best food to be had in Japan.

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 Family-Friendly Tours to Japan, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Japan, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.

When comparing the travel costs between Kanazawa and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Kanazawa 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 Kanazawa Expensive? and Is Khao Sok National Park Expensive?.

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

Kanazawa 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 Kanazawa or Khao Sok National Park in the Summer?

Both Khao Sok National Park and Kanazawa during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Kanazawa for the family-friendly experiences during these months. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.

In July, Kanazawa is generally around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Kanazawa average around 26°C (78°F), 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, Kanazawa often gets less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park. Kanazawa gets 180 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. It rains a lot this time of the year in Kanazawa. Kanazawa usually gets less rain in July than Khao Sok National Park. Kanazawa gets 251 mm (9.9 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Kanazawa and Khao Sok National Park. The autumn months attract visitors to Kanazawa because of the shopping scene. Khao Sok National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Kanazawa is much colder than Khao Sok National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in Kanazawa averages around 17°C (62°F) in October, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Kanazawa usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during autumn. Kanazawa gets 155 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. Kanazawa gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Kanazawa usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Kanazawa gets 203 mm (8 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

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

The winter brings many poeple to Kanazawa as well as Khao Sok National Park. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Kanazawa this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.

It's quite cold in Kanazawa in the winter. In the winter, Kanazawa is much colder than Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in Kanazawa in January average around 3°C (38°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 27°C (80°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Khao Sok National Park. In the winter, Kanazawa often gets less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park. Kanazawa gets 67 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Khao Sok National Park receives 287 hours of full sun.

Kanazawa receives a lot of rain in the winter. Kanazawa usually gets more rain in January than Khao Sok National Park. Kanazawa gets 294 mm (11.6 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

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

In April, Kanazawa is generally much colder than Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Kanazawa average around 12°C (54°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).

It's quite sunny in Khao Sok National Park. Kanazawa usually receives less sunshine than Khao Sok National Park during spring. Kanazawa 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. It's quite rainy in Kanazawa. In April, Kanazawa usually receives around the same amount of rain as Khao Sok National Park. Kanazawa gets 149 mm (5.9 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 Kanazawa