Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Ao Nang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ao Nang or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ao Nang or Shangri-La? 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: Ao Nang or Shangri-La?
Ao Nang
If you're looking for a relaxing beach on the coast of Thailand, it might be time to make a trip to Ao Nang. This developed and "westernized" beach was once the place to be for backpackers, but is now quite popular with package tourist crowds, too, as prices have risen in recent decades. Here you'll find nice hotels, restaurants, and plenty of fun activities at the beach and nearby, too.
Shangri-La
The original Shangri-La existed in the fictional world of James Hilton's novel "The Lost Horizon." It was a hidden paradise, a place so beautiful that it couldn't possibly exist on earth. The Shangri-La that exists in Yunnan, China today was renamed from its former title Zhongdian in 2001 in order to associate the place with the mystical allure created in Hilton's novel. Visitors come to admire the traditional monasteries and temples set against a backdrop of mountain preserves and pristine lakes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAo Nang $107Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Ao Nang is $107, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $46. 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 Ao Nang and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAo Nang $52Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAo Nang $104Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Ao Nang and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Ao Nang or Shangri-La? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ao Nang $56Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ao Nang
Also for Ao Nang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Eco-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Downtown, Krabi: $18
- Private Eco-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Bus Station, Krabi: $18
- Krabi Airport Private One-Way SUV Transfer: $22
- Private SUV-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Bus Statation: $22
- Private SUV-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Downtown, Krabi: $22
- Aonang : Ferry Transfer from Aonang to Ko Lanta: $23
- Aonang : Ferry Transfer from Aonang to Phuket: $31
- Krabi:Speedboat Transfer to Phi Phi Islands: $41
- Phuket: Speedboat Transfer to Ao Nang or Railay via Ko Yao: $41
- Private SUV-Transfer: One-way Krabi to Phuket: $105
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
- Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149
- Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Ao Nang or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Ao Nang 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 dayAo Nang $24Shangri-La $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ao Nang
For Ao Nang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Krabi: Ya's Cookery Late Afternoon Thai Cooking Class: $39
- Krabi : Authentic Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour: $40
- Krabi: Morning/Afternoon Thai Cooking Class at Ya's Cookery: $46
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class in Ao Nang, Krabi: $50
- Krabi 7 Island Sunset by Luxury Vintage Boat With BBQ Dinner: $127
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ao Nang $11Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Ao Nang
For Ao Nang, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Krabi: South Kayak Klong Root Kayaking Tour: $16
- Krabi ATV adventure drive 30mins: $22
- Krabi kayaking and swimming clongrood Tour: $22
- Krabi 4 Island One Day Tour by Speed boat or Longtail boat: $24
- ATV adventure 30 mins drive: $27
- Krabi: Bioluminescent Plankton, Snorkeling & Sunset Tour: $27
- Kayak Tour in Krabi Mangrove Forest with Lunch: $27
- Krabi: ATV adventure and extreme: $31
- Kayaking klongroot and atv adventure: $32
- From Hong Islands Day Tour by Boat with Lunch: $32
- Krabi: Tiger Cave, Hot Springs and Emerald Pool Jungle Tour: $35
- Krabi: Railay Beach Bioluminescent Plankton Ferry Cruise: $35
Tours and Activities in Shangri-La
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shangri-La are as follows:
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
- 1 day Shangri-La Highlights Mini Private Tour: $117
- 1-Day Shangri-La Private Tour: Potatso National Park and Baiji Temple: $169
- 1-Day Shangri-La Tour to Ganden Monastery, Nixi Pottery Village and Tibetan Town: $185
- 1-Day Shangri-La tour with Ganden Monastery, Napahai Lake and Tibetan Town: $190
- Private tour Songzanlin Monastry & Tibetan lunch from Zhongdian: $199
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAo Nang $15Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ao Nang and Shangri-La, we can see that Ao Nang is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Shangri-La would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shangri-La 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 Ao Nang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ao Nang than you might in Shangri-La.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ao Nang Expensive? and Is Shangri-La Expensive?.
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.