Which place is cheaper, Khao Sok National Park or Tanah Rata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Tanah Rata or Khao Sok National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Tanah Rata 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: Tanah Rata or Khao Sok National Park?
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is one of the main tourist towns in the Cameron Highlands. The Cameron Highlands are in western Malaysia and are a popular retreat for Malaysian residents and international travelers alike. The area's higher elevation offers an often much needed break from the country's oppressive heat. It also has a beautiful setting that is rich in agriculture and has rolling hills that are beautifully covered in tea plantations. Tanah Rata has many of the area's tourist amenities. ATMS, banks, and the area's main hospital are all found in town. For some, the area feels too touristy, but if you linger longer, and explore on your own, you can easily escape the mass tourism and see the area for what it is.
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 10-Day Tours in Malaysia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand.
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Tanah Rata Prices
Malaysia PricesKhao Sok National Park Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTanah Rata $192Khao Sok National Park $126
The average daily cost (per person) in Tanah Rata is $192, 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 Tanah Rata and Khao Sok National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTanah Rata $76Khao Sok National Park $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTanah Rata $152Khao Sok National Park $56
Compare Hotels in Tanah Rata and Khao Sok National Park
Looking for a hotel in Tanah Rata 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.
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: Tanah Rata Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tanah Rata $33Khao Sok National Park $74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tanah Rata
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tanah Rata:
- Cameron Highlands to Ipoh Hotel Transfer: $65
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $92
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $93
- Cameron Highlands City To Kuala Lumpur City Transfer: $94
- Cameron Highlands Hotels to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $94
- CameronHighland CityHotel to KualaLumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $109
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur Airport Departure Transfer: $110
- Chauffeur: Cameron Highlands to Singapore Van Transfer: $125
- Cameron Highland to KUL Hotel (One Way Transfer): $153
- Cameron Highland to Kuala Besut Jetty One Way SIC Transfer: $154
- Shared Transfer : Cameron Highland to Taman Negara via Kuala Tembeling Jetty: $155
Is it cheaper to fly into Tanah Rata or Khao Sok National Park?
Prices for flights to both Khao Sok National Park and Tanah Rata 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
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Food Meals for one dayTanah Rata $87Khao Sok National Park $52
Typical Food Prices in Tanah Rata
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tanah Rata:
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Dinner for Two$6.42
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Dessert$0.71
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Lunch$4.52
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Afternoon tea$4.40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tanah Rata $39Khao Sok National Park $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tanah Rata
Here are a few typical costs in Tanah Rata for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Tea Factory Visit$6.42
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Tour of Orang Asli Village$24
Tours and Activities in Tanah Rata
Here are a few actual costs in Tanah Rata for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cameron Highlands: Mossy Forest Tour: $30
- Cameron Highlands Sightseing Tour: $35
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Join in Tour: $49
- Cameron Highlands: Agro Tour: $61
- Cameron Highlands Full Day Tour: $75
- Cameron Highlands City to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $109
- Cameron Highlands City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur International Airport EN-ROUTE Batu Caves Tour: $110
- Cameron Highlands Private Sightseeing Tour : $211
- Special Cameron Highlands ~ Day tour;Solo;Couple;Group: $292
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTanah Rata $21Khao Sok National Park $6.50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tanah Rata and Khao Sok National Park, we can see that Tanah Rata is more expensive. And not only is Khao Sok National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Khao Sok National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Khao Sok National Park 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 Tanah Rata would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tanah Rata than you might in Khao Sok National Park.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tanah Rata Expensive? and Is Khao Sok National Park Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Tanah Rata or Khao Sok National Park?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Tanah Rata or Khao Sok National Park in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Tanah Rata and Khao Sok National Park. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Tanah Rata year-round. Khao Sok National Park attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Khao Sok National Park receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Tanah Rata usually receives less rain than Khao Sok National Park. Tanah Rata gets 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.
Tanah Rata is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park in the summer. The daily temperature in Tanah Rata averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyTanah Rata 27°C (81°F)Khao Sok National Park 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Tanah Rata or Khao Sok National Park in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Tanah Rata as well as Khao Sok National Park. Tanah Rata attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Khao Sok National Park throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Khao Sok National Park. Tanah Rata receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Tanah Rata usually gets less rain in October than Khao Sok National Park. Tanah Rata gets 237 mm (9.3 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the autumn, Tanah Rata is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Tanah Rata in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Khao Sok National Park averages at about 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberTanah Rata 27°C (81°F)Khao Sok National Park 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Tanah Rata or Khao Sok National Park in the Winter?
Both Khao Sok National Park and Tanah Rata are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Tanah Rata throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Khao Sok National Park because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Tanah Rata. In January, Tanah Rata usually receives more rain than Khao Sok National Park. Tanah Rata gets 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
In January, Tanah Rata is generally around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park. Daily temperatures in Tanah Rata average around 27°C (80°F), and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryTanah Rata 27°C (80°F)Khao Sok National Park 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Tanah Rata or Khao Sok National Park in the Spring?
Both Khao Sok National Park and Tanah Rata during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Tanah Rata because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Khao Sok National Park year-round.
Khao Sok National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Tanah Rata. Tanah Rata usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Khao Sok National Park. Tanah Rata gets 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain, while Khao Sok National Park receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
Tanah Rata is around the same temperature as Khao Sok National Park in the spring. The daily temperature in Tanah Rata averages around 28°C (82°F) in April, and Khao Sok National Park fluctuates around 29°C (83°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilTanah Rata 28°C (82°F)Khao Sok National Park 29°C (83°F)
Typical Weather for Khao Sok National Park and Tanah Rata
| Tanah Rata | Khao Sok National Park | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (80°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 113 mm (4.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 345 mm (13.6 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 286 mm (11.3 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 284 mm (11.2 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 126 mm (5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 272 mm (10.7 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 173 mm (6.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 417 mm (16.4 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 237 mm (9.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 351 mm (13.8 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 270 mm (10.6 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 188 mm (7.4 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (80°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.