A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Basse-Terre vs. La Serena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Basse-Terre or La Serena?

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

Should I visit Basse-Terre or La Serena? 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: Basse-Terre or La Serena?

Basse-Terre

In Guadeloupe there is Basse Terre the city and Basse-Terre the island - the city is the capital of Guadeloupe, and the island is Guadeloupe's western half of the main island. As a whole, the place is very green, featuring lush vegetation and a mountainous landscape with a sulfuric volcano.

La Serena

La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!

Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Basse-Terre and La Serena, we can see that Basse-Terre is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Basse-Terre is in Caribbean Islands and La Serena is in South America, 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 Basse-Terre would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Basse-Terre than you might in La Serena.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Basse-Terre Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Basse-Terre or La Serena?

La Serena has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Basse-Terre. When comparing the sizes of Basse-Terre and La Serena, 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.

When is the best time to visit Basse-Terre or La Serena?

La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Basse-Terre experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Basse-Terre or La Serena in the Summer?

Both La Serena and Basse-Terre during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Basse-Terre because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

Basse-Terre is much warmer than La Serena in the summer. The daily temperature in Basse-Terre averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F)in January.

In La Serena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Basse-Terre. In the summer, Basse-Terre often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Serenain January. Basse-Terre gets 245 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Basse-Terre. Basse-Terre usually gets more rain in July than La Serenain January. Basse-Terre gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Basse-Terre or La Serena in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Basse-Terre and La Serena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Basse-Terre year-round.

In the autumn, Basse-Terre is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Basse-Terre in October average around 27°C (80°F), and La Serena averages at about 15°C (59°F)in April.

In Basse-Terre, it's very sunny this time of the year. Basse-Terre usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during autumn. Basse-Terre gets 217 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Basse-Terre gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Basse-Terre usually receives more rain than La Serenain April. Basse-Terre gets 228 mm (9 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Basse-Terre or La Serena in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Basse-Terre as well as La Serena. Basse-Terre attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In January, Basse-Terre is generally much warmer than La Serenain July. Daily temperatures in Basse-Terre average around 24°C (76°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Basse-Terre this time of the year. In the winter, Basse-Terre often gets more sunshine than La Serenain July. Basse-Terre gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.

Basse-Terre usually gets more rain in January than La Serenain July. Basse-Terre gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Basse-Terre or La Serena in the Spring?

Both La Serena and Basse-Terre are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Basse-Terre throughout the year.

Basse-Terre is much warmer than La Serena in the spring. The daily temperature in Basse-Terre averages around 26°C (78°F) in April, and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F)in October.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Basse-Terre. Basse-Terre usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during spring. Basse-Terre gets 240 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.

It's quite rainy in Basse-Terre. In April, Basse-Terre usually receives more rain than La Serenain October. Basse-Terre gets 123 mm (4.8 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for La Serena and Basse-Terre