A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Beijing vs. Gold Coast for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Beijing or Gold Coast?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Beijing and Gold Coast 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.

Beijing

Beijing is a jam-packed, cultural, and fascinating city. Visitors will also find so much to do here because it's a large city with many sights and attractions. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Gold Coast

Gold Coast is a glamourous, vibrant, and colorful coastline. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Other popular activities here include scuba diving and snorkeling, beaches, and hiking.

Beijing and Gold Coast: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Beijing or Gold Coast?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Beijing than Gold Coast. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Beijing is very popular for its museums, food, big city activities, and impressive beauty, while Gold Coast attracts visitors for its nightlife, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, and hiking. Beijing is famous for its rich culture, many historical landmarks, its long running history, and its world class cuisine. It is also well known for The Forbidden City. Gold Coast is famous for its colorful theme parks, thrilling water sports, and nearby rainforests.

How is Beijing different from Gold Coast?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Beijing or Gold Coast?

Beijing is a world-class destination for its historical sights. Also, Gold Coast is not as popular, but is still a nice coastline for its sights and museums.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Beijing has many famous sights for visitors. The city is filled with iconic landmarks including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and The Temple of Heaven. It's also essential that you plan a trip outside of town to the world renowned Great Wall of China. The trip takes about an hour and you can organize a tour through almost any hotel or tour company.

Many visitors head to Gold Coast specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. The views from the observation deck at the Q1 Resort and Spa are a not-to-be-missed experience. You'll also find many amusement parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the area.

Is the Food Better in Beijing or Gold Coast? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Beijing is a world-class destination for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Gold Coast is not as popular, but is still a nice coastline for its local cuisine and restaurants.

For foodies, Beijing is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. The city has a number of iconic dishes that have put it on the culinary map. The most notable dish is Peking Duck, which is a delectable crispy roast duck that is usually served with cucumber, scallions, sweet bean sauce and pancakes or other steamed buns. Hot pots are another must-try experience in the city, and, of course, you have to experience the dumplings. A huge part of a visit to Beijing is experiencing its long running culinary history.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Gold Coast makes for a great culinary experience. The coastline is filled with modern Australian restaurants that serve locally caught seafood and modern twists on traditional dishes. There are wine bars, fine dining restaurants, and more casual options. You'll also find plenty of international eateries as well.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Nightlife?

Gold Coast is an unbeatable place for its evening party scene. Also, Beijing is still popular, but not quite as popular for nightlife.

The nightlife in Gold Coast is well established with world renowned clubs and venues. The nightlife scene is filled with ritz and glam, but you'll also find wild beach parties and lively nightclubs. There are backpackers and students that keep the parties going until the morning hours.

The nightlife in Beijing has something for everybody. Live performances are popular in the city, and range from concerts to magic shows and acrobatics. There is also an active bar scene around town. Some of the most popular nightlife areas include Sanlitun and Houhai.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Resorts?

Gold Coast is an unbeatable place for its resorts. However, Beijing is not a resort destination.

Gold Coast is a world class resort vacation destination. Resorts range from family-friendly to backpacker-focused with everything in between. There are many high rise resorts that have luxury pools and beachfront views.

Beijing is not a resort destination.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Gold Coast is a great destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Beijing is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Gold Coast is an extremely popular place to visit for scuba diving and snorkeling. There are many dive shops and snorkeling excursions. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced diver, there are excursions that will not disappoint. There are also many places that offer certification courses.

Beijing is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Beaches?

Gold Coast is an unbeatable place for the beach. However, Beijing is not a beach destination.

Gold Coast is considered to be a world-class beach destination. This stretch of beachline is perfect for surfing, swimming, and sunbathing. There are miles of coastline that are sandy and beautiful and some of the most popular beaches include the Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, and Broadbeach.

Beijing is not a beach destination.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Hiking?

Gold Coast is a great destination for its hiking experiences. However, Beijing is not a hiking destination.

You'll find a nice variety of hiking trails around Gold Coast. The Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk connects the area's diverse and lush rainforests through the Numinbah Valley. It's a World Heritage Area with subtropical rainforest as well as warm temperate rainforest, and Antarctic beech cool temperate rainforest.

Beijing is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Beijing or Gold Coast?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Gold Coast and Beijing.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Beijing. There are many unique handicrafts that you can purchase around town. Popular souvenirs include silk, pearls, and snuff bottles with pictures inside. The city has many shopping streets as well as markets and shopping malls that are worth visiting.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Gold Coast. There are large outlet malls, outdoor markets, and designer shopping centers. You'll find trendy fashion designers as well as the typical souvenir shops.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Families?

Gold Coast is an unbeatable place for its family-friendly activities. Also, Beijing is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Gold Coast is an extremely popular coastline to visit for families. It's filled with popular theme parks and other adrenaline-filled activities. There are surfing lessons, wildlife sanctuaries, ropes courses, and water sports. Kids of all ages will appreciate this fun-filled setting with its many family-friendly resorts and restaurants.

Beijing offers lots of family activities. The city offers a unique cultural immersion that kids and adults can enjoy. Wander through the Forbidden City or watch your kids be mesmerized by a Chinese acrobatics show. It's also fun to get lost in the Hutongs or test their culinary palates by visiting a snack street.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Couples?

Gold Coast is an unbeatable place for couples. Also, Beijing is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Gold Coast is a great coastline for couples, as it has plenty to offer. Couples that energy high energy activities, water sports, theme parks, and parties that last into the morning, will love a stay at this vibrant coast. There's no shortage of great restaurants, entertaining shows, and fun activities that you can experience.

Beijing is a nice destination for couples. The culture, history, and food all make this a stunning place to visit. While romance doesn't immediately spring to mind when you think of Beijing, there are shows and fine dining restaurants that couples will enjoy. There are also many luxury hotels with spas and other amenities.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Gold Coast is an unbeatable place for backpackers. Also, Beijing is still popular, but not quite as popular for backpackers and budget travelers.

Gold Coast is a very popular coastline to visit for backpackers. Backpackers flock to this vibrant coastline. There are hostels and budget-friendly places to stay, and there's a huge nightlife scene. The many activities and long sandy beaches make this a well established stop on Australia's backpacker circuit.

Beijing is very popular with the backpacker crowd. The city has many hostels and budget-friendly options. There isn't the backpacker community vibe that you may get in other Asian cities, but if you organize an excursion through your hostel, you're sure to make a few friends along the way.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Students?

Beijing is a great city for its student-friendly activities. However, Gold Coast is not popular with students.

Beijing is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. Students will enjoy the culture, food, and academic opportunities that the universities offer. There is also a decent nightlife scene and affordable places where students can live.

Gold Coast is not popular with students.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Beijing and Gold Coast.

Beijing offers a very effecient public transportation network. The system can be crowded and confusing at first, but it's one of the most convenient and affordable ways to get around town. There's a subway system as well as buses, trolleybuses, and suburban rail.

Many visitors rely on the effecient and affordable public transportation in Gold Coast. There's a bus, train, and tram network that's operated by TransLink and runs along the coast.

Is Beijing or Gold Coast a more walkable city?

Gold Coast is a coastline with good options for its ease of walking around. However, Beijing is a city with minimal options for its walkability.

Gold Coast is a somewhat walkable coastline. There are parts of the area that can be explored on foot.

Beijing is generally not a very walkable city. While parts of the city are fun to explore on foot, the city itself is very large with long blocks that aren't pedestrian-friendly.

For even more information, also check out Is Beijing Worth Visiting? and Is Gold Coast Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Gold Coast or Beijing?

How long in Beijing or Gold Coast?

Both Beijing and Gold Coast have a number of activities to choose from. In our opinion, Gold Coast has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Gold Coast than Beijing. However, 3-7 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

Couples should spend more time in Gold Coast than Beijing. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Gold Coast that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Gold Coast than Beijing if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Gold Coast.

One day in Beijing or Gold Coast?

When visiting Beijing, people usually allow for lots of time. Anyone can find something fun to do here. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

In Gold Coast, you'll find shopping and museums. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. This coastline offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

A weekend in Beijing or Gold Coast?

When visiting Beijing, people usually allow for lots of time. It offers something for everyone. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything.

In Gold Coast, you'll find museums and nightlife. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.

Five days in Beijing or Gold Coast?

Beijing, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. This is a popular place to visit for five days. In five days, you should have a good grasp of this city. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Gold Coast is a great place to explore. It is common to spend five days here. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. Five days is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Gold Coast has to offer. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Beijing or Gold Coast?

Beijing is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have one week, this city makes for a great vacation. One week should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Gold Coast. In Gold Coast, you'll find food and scuba diving and snorkeling. It's also a relaxing resort destination. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one week here.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Australia, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Australia.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Beijing or Gold Coast?

Beijing has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Gold Coast. When comparing the sizes of Beijing and Gold Coast, 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 Beijing or Gold Coast?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Gold Coast is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Beijing has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Beijing or Gold Coast in the Summer?

Both Gold Coast and Beijing during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Beijing for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. Also, many visitors come to Gold Coast in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.

Beijing is around the same temperature as Gold Coast in the summer. The daily temperature in Beijing averages around 27°C (80°F) in July, and Gold Coast fluctuates around 25°C (77°F)in January.

In Gold Coast, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Beijing. In the summer, Beijing often gets less sunshine than Gold Coastin January. Beijing gets 224 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Gold Coast receives 256 hours of full sun.

Gold Coast gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Beijing. Beijing usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Gold Coastin January. Beijing gets 176 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Gold Coast receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Beijing or Gold Coast in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Beijing and Gold Coast. Many visitors come to Beijing in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Also, most visitors come to Gold Coast for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, and the shopping scene during these months.

In the autumn, Beijing is much colder than Gold Coast. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Beijing in October average around 14°C (56°F), and Gold Coast averages at about 22°C (71°F)in April.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Gold Coast this time of the year. In Beijing, it's very sunny this time of the year. Beijing usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Gold Coast during autumn. Beijing gets 227 hours of sunny skies, while Gold Coast receives 214 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Gold Coast receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Beijing usually receives less rain than Gold Coastin April. Beijing gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Gold Coast receives 101 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Beijing or Gold Coast in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Beijing as well as Gold Coast. Most visitors come to Beijing for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Gold Coast because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Beijing can be very cold during winter. In January, Beijing is generally much colder than Gold Coastin July. Daily temperatures in Beijing average around -4°C (26°F), and Gold Coast fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Gold Coast. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Beijing this time of the year. In the winter, Beijing often gets less sunshine than Gold Coastin July. Beijing gets 201 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Gold Coast receives 226 hours of full sun.

Beijing usually gets less rain in January than Gold Coastin July. Beijing gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Gold Coast receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Beijing or Gold Coast in the Spring?

Both Gold Coast and Beijing are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Beijing because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Also, the beaches and the activities around the city are the main draw to Gold Coast this time of year.

Beijing is cooler than Gold Coast in the spring. The daily temperature in Beijing averages around 14°C (57°F) in April, and Gold Coast fluctuates around 21°C (69°F)in October.

It's quite sunny in Gold Coast. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Beijing. Beijing usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Gold Coast during spring. Beijing gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Gold Coast receives 259 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Gold Coast. In April, Beijing usually receives less rain than Gold Coastin October. Beijing gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Gold Coast receives 103 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Gold Coast and Beijing