A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Atami vs. Te Anau for Families, Couples, Food, and Backpackers

Should you visit Atami or Te Anau?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Atami and Te Anau 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.

Atami

Atami is a nostalgic, authentic, and overlooked town. Visitors also love the nightlife, food, and beaches.

Te Anau

Te Anau is a breathtaking, stunning, and pristine town. You'll find plenty of local activities in this small town. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the food and hiking.

Atami and Te Anau: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Atami or Te Anau?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Te Anau than Atami, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Te Anau is better known for its food, hiking, small town charm, and impressive beauty, while Atami is more popular for its museums, nightlife, beaches, and shopping. Te Anau is more touristy than Atami and is known for being the gateway to Fiordland National Park. Also, Te Anau is famous for Te Anau Glowworm Caves. Atami is well known for its onsen (hot springs) and sandy beaches.

How is Atami different from Te Anau?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Te Anau and Atami. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Atami or Te Anau?

Atami is a town with good options for its museums and history. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

Atami offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. The onsen, or hot springs, have historically been a big draw to this town. Places to experience them include Oedo Onsen Monogatari Atami, Otsuki Hotel Wafukan, and Myoraku-Yu. Other sights around town include Kaminiya Shrine and the MOA Museum of Art.

Te Anau offers a handful of options for museums and historical sights. The town is about the surrounding outdoor activities but you will find the Te Anau Vintage Machinery Museum and the Te Anau Trout Observatory in town.

Is the Food Better in Atami or Te Anau? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Te Anau is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Atami is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Te Anau has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The town makes a great spot to refuel after all of your hiking and outdoor adventures. There are plenty of cafes and food trucks around town where you can enjoy local dishes and a friendly atmosphere.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Atami area. You'll find an authentic Japanese dining experience here, with a lot of seafood due to the city's coastal location. Popular dishes include sushi, dried fish, and fish boiled in broth.

Is Atami or Te Anau Better for Nightlife?

Atami is a town with good options for nightlife and partying. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its evening party scene.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Atami. The town was once a place to escape the city and enjoy a fun night out, but these days it's a bit quieter and has more of a nostalgic vibe. Head to Yushima Yugijo Yushima Amusement Center for some of the best nightlife in town.

Te Anau is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. This is a small town that's focused on outdoor activities, but it does receive a number of tourists, so you'll find a few bars around town where you can hang out.

Is Atami or Te Anau Better for Beaches?

Atami is a town with good options for the beache. However, Te Anau is not a beach destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Atami. The most popular beach in the city is Atami Sun Beach, which is right in town. It's a place to relax in the sun, and there are sometimes fireworks throughout the year.

Te Anau is not a beach destination.

Is Atami or Te Anau Better for Hiking?

Te Anau is renowned for its hiking trails. However, Atami is not a hiking destination.

Around Te Anau visitors will find world-class hiking trails. The town serves as basecamp for Fiordland National Park so there are many amazing hikes and walks in the area. Many of the hikes begin at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre and range in length and the required skill level.

Atami is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Atami or Te Anau?

Atami is a town with good options for its shopping opportunities. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its shopping areas.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Atami. You'll find a couple of retro shopping streets in town such as Atami Ekimae Shopping Street, Nakamise Shopping Street, and Heiwadori Shopping Street. There are arcades and food stalls where you can sample local dishes.

Te Anau has some good spots for those that want to go shopping. There are shops where you can pick up any outdoor supplies and food items that you may need.

Is Atami or Te Anau Better for Families?

Te Anau is renowned for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Atami is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

Te Anau is an extremely popular town to visit for families. The town's proximity to the Milford Sound make it a nice base for families who enjoy spending time outdoors. Kayaking or exploring the Te Anau Glowworm Caves are favorite activities in the area. There's also the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary and many hikes nearby.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Atami. The city is a hot springs area, but you can also head to the nearby beaches and other family-friendly activities.

Is Atami or Te Anau Better for Couples?

Te Anau is renowned for its romantic activities. Also, Atami is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for couples.

Te Anau is a great town for couples, as it has plenty to offer. The stunning scenery in the area, combined with small town charm, make this is a top couple's destination and a wonderful honeymoon spot. Couples who appreciate nature and outdoor adventure will fall in love with this amazing area.

Atami is a good town for couples to visit. This is a beach and hot springs resort area, and in historic times it was a honeymoon destination. Today you'll find beaches, hot springs, shopping, and museums to explore, but most visitors use it as a base to explore the nearby areas, as the town itself doesn't have a lot to offer.

Is Atami or Te Anau Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Te Anau is a very popular place for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Atami is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Many backpackers visit Te Anau. For such a small town, there are a decent number of hostels and budget accommodation options in the area. The town makes a good base for exploring the region's stunning scenery.

Plenty of backpackers visit Atami. While there aren't a huge number of hostels in the area, and backpackers often skip over this town, prices aren't particularly high so you should be able to find something affordable.

Is Atami or Te Anau Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Atami is a town with good options for times when you don't have a car. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its public transit.

Atami has some public transit options. There are public buses, such as the YuYu Bus, which has two routes and passes by many of the town's attractions.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Te Anau. Public transit in the area is limited and most visitors have their own car or join one of the many tours in the area.

Is Atami or Te Anau a more walkable city?

Atami is a town with good options for its high level of walkability. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its ease of walking around.

Atami is a somewhat walkable place. Some parts of the city are more walkable than others.

Te Anau is generally not very walkable. Exploring the area requires a vehicle and, while there are many hikes in the area, it's not easy to walk to many places. There are tours available for those that don't have a vehicle.

For even more information, also check out Is Atami Worth Visiting? and Is Te Anau Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Te Anau or Atami?

How long in Atami or Te Anau?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Atami and Te Anau. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Te Anau than in Atami. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Atami, and 1-3 days is enough time in Te Anau.

Families should spend more time in Te Anau than Atami. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Te Anau, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

One day in Atami or Te Anau?

In Atami, you'll find nightlife and food. This town offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Even though Te Anau is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. Lots of people come for the hiking. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

A weekend in Atami or Te Anau?

In Atami, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Atami has to offer.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Te Anau. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Five days in Atami or Te Anau?

Atami is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Te Anau is a fun place to experience. Te Anau is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. Lots of people come for the hiking. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Atami or Te Anau?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Atami. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Atami. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Te Anau is a small town, so you can explore the area with less time. Hikers are also drawn to this area. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Lots of people come for the hiking. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.

When comparing the travel costs between Atami and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau 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. Even though Atami is in Asia and Te Anau is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Atami Expensive? and Is Te Anau Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Atami or Te Anau?

Atami has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Atami and Te Anau, 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.