A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ao Nang vs. Sihanoukville for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ao Nang or Sihanoukville?

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

Should I visit Ao Nang or Sihanoukville? 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 Sihanoukville?

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.

Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville, also known by locals as Kompong Som, was named after King Sihanouk. Also Cambodia's youngest city, construction started in 1955 to build Cambodia's first and only deep water port so that ships would no longer have to go through the Mekong Delta in order to trade with Cambodia. Today, many visit Sihanoukville as a hub to visit Cambodia's islands.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.


Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Ao Nang?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Ao Nang is $108, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $51. 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 Sihanoukville in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ao Nang $52
    Sihanoukville $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ao Nang $104
    Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Ao Nang and Sihanoukville

Looking for a hotel in Ao Nang or Sihanoukville? 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 Ao Nang


Hotels in Sihanoukville


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ao Nang $56
    Sihanoukville $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ao Nang

Also for Ao Nang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Krabi Airport Private One-Way SUV Transfer: $22
  • Aonang : Ferry Transfer from Aonang to Ko Lanta: $24
  • Aonang : Ferry Transfer from Aonang to Phuket: $28
  • Krabi:Speedboat Transfer to Phi Phi Islands: $41
  • Phuket: Speedboat Transfer to Ao Nang or Railay via Ko Yao: $41
  • Private Eco-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Bus Station, Krabi: $18
  • Private Eco-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Downtown, Krabi: $18
  • Private SUV-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Bus Statation: $22
  • Private SUV-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Downtown, Krabi: $22
  • Private SUV-Transfer: One-way Krabi to Phuket: $108

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Private Transfer in South Cambodia: $60
  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
  • Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57

Is it cheaper to fly into Ao Nang or Sihanoukville?

Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Ao Nang $25
    Sihanoukville $18

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: $40
  • Krabi : Authentic Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour: $41
  • Krabi: Morning/Afternoon Thai Cooking Class at Ya's Cookery: $47
  • Half Day Thai Cooking Class in Ao Nang, Krabi: $51
  • Krabi 7 Island Sunset by Luxury Vintage Boat With BBQ Dinner: $130

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sihanoukville

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sihanoukville.

  • Cooking class in Kampot: $20
  • Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ao Nang $11
    Sihanoukville $5.37

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: $23
  • Krabi 4 Island One Day Tour by Speed boat or Longtail boat: $25
  • ATV adventure 30 mins drive: $27
  • Krabi: Bioluminescent Plankton, Snorkeling & Sunset Tour: $28
  • Kayak Tour in Krabi Mangrove Forest with Lunch: $28
  • Krabi: ATV adventure and extreme: $32
  • Kayaking klongroot and atv adventure: $33
  • From Hong Islands Day Tour by Boat with Lunch: $33
  • Krabi: Tiger Cave, Hot Springs and Emerald Pool Jungle Tour: $36
  • Krabi: Railay Beach Bioluminescent Plankton Ferry Cruise: $36

Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville

Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 4 hours guided tour: Pepper farm, Secret Lake, Salt fields : $17
  • Best Sihanoukville Day Tours from Cruise Port or Hotel: $79
  • Best of Sihanoukville City Tour from Cruise Port: $79
  • Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
  • Bokor Mountain Hill Station Tour: $75
  • Bokor Mountain Hill Station Tour Inclusive Lunch: $78
  • Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $45
  • Explore Sihanoukville Dirt Bike Tour: $140
  • Exploring Bokor National Park Full-Day Tour from Sihanoukville: $99
  • Exploring Kampot: A Memorable Tour from Sihanoukville: $63
  • Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
  • Full Day Pepper Farm Adventure by Scooter: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ao Nang $15
    Sihanoukville $4.42


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ao Nang and Sihanoukville, we can see that Ao Nang is more expensive. And not only is Sihanoukville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sihanoukville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sihanoukville 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 Sihanoukville.

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 Sihanoukville Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ao Nang or Sihanoukville?

Sihanoukville has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Ao Nang. When comparing the sizes of Ao Nang and Sihanoukville, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.