Which place is cheaper, Halong Bay or Bagan?
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 Bagan or Halong Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Bagan and Halong Bay can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bagan or Halong Bay?
Bagan
Located in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bagan is an ancient city best known as the home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.
Halong Bay
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi.
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Bagan Prices
Myanmar PricesHalong Bay Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $34Halong Bay $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $34, while the average daily cost in Halong Bay is $66. 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 Bagan and Halong Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $7.36Halong Bay $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $15Halong Bay $54
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Halong Bay
Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Halong Bay? 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.Bagan $3.57Halong Bay $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:
- From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $180
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bagan Nyaung-U Airport (NYU): $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- 2 Day Halong Bay Cruise from Hanoi by Expressway Transfer: $199
- 2D/1N at 5 STAR CRUISES: Transfer,Meals, Cave, Island & Beach: $185
- 2D/1N at AQUAMARINE CRUISES: Transfer,Meals, Cave, Island & Beach: $170
- Alova Premium Cruise to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip by Highway Transfer: $50
- Arcady Premium Cruise Halong Bay Day Tour with Optional Transfer: $60
- Best Seller Halong Full Day Tour All Included Expressway Transfer: $48
- Bus Transfer From Cat Ba Island To Ninh Binh/Ninh binh To Cat Ba: $19
- Classic 2D1N Halong Bay Cruise from Hanoi with Bus Transfer: $218
- Dragon 5Star HaLong Cruise 2D1N Included Transfer from Hanoi: $195
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
- Hai Phong airport transfer to Halong Bay with private car 4 seat from Hai Phong: $87
- Hai Phong airport transfer to Halong Bay with private car 7 seat from Hai Phong: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Halong Bay?
Prices for flights to both Halong Bay and Bagan 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 dayBagan $10Halong Bay $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bagan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bagan.
- Romantic Sunset Dinner At Bagan Viewing Tower: $91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
- Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour in Lan Ha Bay with Dinner: $37
- Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador: $79
- 1-day private Hanoi city tour with fun and night street walking food tour: $101
- Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $57Halong Bay $16
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Old Bagan Sightseeing Tour: $43
- Private Bagan Cultural Tour: $46
- Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
- Private Day Tour to Mt Popa: $48
- Visiting Mount Popa from Bagan - Private Tour: $48
- Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
- BAGAN TEMPLES FULL DAY GUIDED BY ELECTRIC BIKE ( Private Tour ): $64
- Tuk Tuk tour to Mt. Popa: $67
- Private Day Adventure Trip in Bagan: $71
- Full day Adventure Trip in Bagan with Tuk Tuk: $72
- Bagan Antique Day Tour in Bagan: $86
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Halong Bay UNESCO Cruise Tour: Sung Sot & Luon Cave, Titov Island: $1.79
- Cat Ba: Lan Ha Bay - Viet Hai Village - Kayaking Tours: $13
- Ha Long Bay Cruise Day Tour - best selling: Kayaking, Swimming, hiking & Lunch: $23
- Cat Ba Kayak Tour in Mangrove Forests and Explore Thien Long Cave: $24
- Cat Ba Sunset Jeep Tour Trek And Cave Exploration: $24
- Lan Ha Bay Cruise Day Tour : Kayaking, Swimming, Hiking & Lunch: $25
- Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise with Lunch, Cave & Kayaking: $25
- Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise: Cave Exploration - Swim and Kayak: $26
- Most favorite full day boat tour with kayaking in Lan Ha bay, Ha Long bay: $27
- From Cat Ba Island: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore Lan Ha Bay: $27
- Half-Day Lan Ha Bay Adventure: Boat Jumping, Kayaking, Sunset: $28
- Cat Ba: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore the Stunning Lan Ha Bay: $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Halong Bay $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Halong Bay, we can see that Halong Bay is more expensive. And not only is Bagan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bagan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bagan 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 Halong Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Halong Bay than you might in Bagan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bagan Expensive? and Is Halong Bay 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.