A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ayutthaya vs. Whitsundays for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ayutthaya or Whitsundays?

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

Should I visit Ayutthaya or Whitsundays? 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: Ayutthaya or Whitsundays?

Ayutthaya

Once the largest city in the world, Ayutthaya, is the example of an ancient capital within a modern city. Located in the central plains of Thailand, this spot is ideally located between China, India and the Malay Archipelago creating the perfect place for trade in Asia. Eighteenth century maps from Holland and France show golden palaces, large ceremony spots and trading vessels from all over the world. Suddenly, in 1767, Ayutthaya experienced a tragic fall from grace with a Burmese invasion burning much of the city to the ground.

Whitsundays

Just off the coast of Queensland, Australia is a cluster of 74 different islands. These islands, the Whitsunday Islands, welcome over a half a million visitors every year to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Barrier Reef.

As one of the most famous destinations in the world, it's not uncommon to see expensive yachts sailing around among the private ferries. Most of the islands are designated as national parks with access to snorkeling and diving in the coral reefs, or just to lay in the sand on the famous Whitehaven Beach.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Thailand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Thailand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Melbourne, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ayutthaya and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Ayutthaya much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ayutthaya is in Asia and Whitsundays is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Ayutthaya would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ayutthaya 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 Whitsundays would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Whitsundays than you might in Ayutthaya.

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

When is the best time to visit Ayutthaya or Whitsundays?

Whitsundays has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ayutthaya experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Ayutthaya or Whitsundays in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Ayutthaya as well as Whitsundays. Ayutthaya attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Ayutthaya is a little warmer than Whitsundays in the summer. The daily temperature in Ayutthaya averages around 29°C (84°F) in July, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. In the summer, Ayutthaya often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin January. Ayutthaya gets 176 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 285 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Ayutthaya receives a lot of rain in the summer. Ayutthaya usually gets less rain in July than Whitsundaysin January. Ayutthaya gets 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Ayutthaya or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

Both Whitsundays and Ayutthaya are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ayutthaya throughout the year.

In the autumn, Ayutthaya is a little warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Ayutthaya in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F)in April.

It's quite sunny in Whitsundays. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Whitsundays during autumn. Ayutthaya gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 207 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. It's quite rainy in Ayutthaya. In October, Ayutthaya usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin April. Ayutthaya gets 180 mm (7.1 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in Ayutthaya is October to April. The rainy season in Ayutthaya is May to October.

Should I visit Ayutthaya or Whitsundays in the Winter?

Both Whitsundays and Ayutthaya during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Ayutthaya because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In January, Ayutthaya is generally much warmer than Whitsundaysin July. Daily temperatures in Ayutthaya average around 25°C (78°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F).

In Whitsundays, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Ayutthaya. In the winter, Ayutthaya often gets more sunshine than Whitsundaysin July. Ayutthaya gets 276 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 226 hours of full sun.

Ayutthaya usually gets less rain in January than Whitsundaysin July. Ayutthaya gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Ayutthaya or Whitsundays in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Ayutthaya and Whitsundays. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ayutthaya year-round.

It's very hot in Ayutthaya this time of the year. Ayutthaya is a little warmer than Whitsundays in the spring. The daily temperature in Ayutthaya averages around 31°C (88°F) in April, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Whitsundays this time of the year. In Ayutthaya, it's very sunny this time of the year. Ayutthaya usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during spring. Ayutthaya gets 262 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 298 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Ayutthaya usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin October. Ayutthaya gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring. October to April in Ayutthaya is the dry season. Also, May to October is the rainy season in Ayutthaya.

Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Ayutthaya