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

Should you visit Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa 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: Puerto Princesa or Khao Sok National Park?

Puerto Princesa

The island of Palawan is known the Philippines' last frontier and its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the greenest city in the Philippines. With plenty of land that has yet to be explored and inundated with tourists, Puerto Princesa, also known as "The City of the Living God," is a nature buff's dream. Whether you want to swim with starfish, walk among the mangrove treetops, or visit the world's largest saltwater crocodile at the Palawan Nature Conservation Center, Puerto Princesa and its surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities to get into the great wide open.

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 in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.


Which place is cheaper, Khao Sok National Park or Puerto Princesa?

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

  • Puerto Princesa Prices
    Philippines Prices
    Khao Sok National Park Prices
    Thailand Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Puerto Princesa $86
    Khao Sok National Park $126

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $86, 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 Puerto Princesa and Khao Sok National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Princesa $24
    Khao Sok National Park $28
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Princesa $48
    Khao Sok National Park $56
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Khao Sok National Park

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa


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: Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Princesa $51
    Khao Sok National Park $74

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa

Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.11
  • Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
  • Puerto Princesa:El Nido – Shared Van Transfer: $14
  • One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
  • Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
  • Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $17
  • Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $18
  • Airport Transfers airport to city center hotel and cruise port: $20
  • Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $21
  • Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
  • Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
  • Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $52

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Khao Sok National Park?

Prices for flights to both Khao Sok National Park and Puerto Princesa 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
    Puerto Princesa $34
    Khao Sok National Park $52

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Princesa

For Puerto Princesa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
  • Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
  • Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
  • Firefly Watching with Dinner: $39
  • Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $53
  • Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $59
  • Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $80
  • Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $87
  • Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $116

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Princesa $6.77
    Khao Sok National Park $33

Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa

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

  • PPS CITY TOUR: $13
  • Puerto Princesa; Half day City tour: $13
  • Cathedral and Baker's Hill Tour: $14
  • Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $14
  • Half Day City Tour with Butterfly Garden: $14
  • Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $14
  • Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
  • City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
  • 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
  • Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $27
  • Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
  • Shared Half City Tour with SPA: $30

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Princesa $14
    Khao Sok National Park $6.50


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

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