Should you visit Beirut or Halong Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Beirut and Halong Bay. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Beirut or Halong Bay?
Beirut
Some travelers are seeking the hustle, bustle and posh atmosphere that only comes from a big city. Those travelers should have Beirut, Lebanon at the top of their list. The capital city is jam packed with 2.1 million people that are constantly on the go. As the commercial and financial hub of Lebanon, this city is fast-paced, fashion conscious and always ready for a night on the town.
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.
Which place is cheaper, Halong Bay or Beirut?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
The average daily cost (per person) in Beirut is $2.77, 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 Beirut and Halong Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Beirut 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here:
Beirut Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beirut
Also for Beirut, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Departure Transfer From Your Beirut Hotel:
$10
-
Beirut Airport Transfer in a Limousine:
$200
-
Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer Pickup:
$9.99
-
Departure Transfer:From Hotel To Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY):
$10
-
Paragliding in Lebanon with Hotel Transfer From Beirut:
$192
-
Private Arrival Transfer | Beirut Airport to Your Hotel:
$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
-
Transfer from Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh with D-Class Limousine:
$20
-
Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus:
$33
-
Private Transfer: From Ha Long Bay to Ninh Binh:
$110
-
Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport:
$55
-
Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Hanoi Airport (HAN):
$75
-
Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH):
$55
-
Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels:
$143
-
Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi city hotels:
$75
-
Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Haiphong Hotels:
$62
-
Private Transfer from Cat Ba Island to Cat Bi Airport:
$75
-
Oasis Bay Party Cruise for Young Travelers with Transfer Included:
$185
-
Hanoi Private Transfer from Tuan Chau Island to Hanoi (HAN) airport:
$102
Is it cheaper to fly into Beirut or Halong Bay?
Prices for flights to both Halong Bay and Beirut 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
-
Food
Meals for one day
Beirut $1.23
Halong Bay $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beirut
For Beirut, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Authentic Lebanese Virtual Cooking Class Live from Lebanon:
$35
-
Private Lebanese Home Cooking Class in Byblos with a Local Family:
$86
-
Authentic Lebanese Cooking Lesson and Meal with Tania's Family in Beirut:
$100
-
Beirut Street Food Tour | Hummus, Knefeh & Manoushe:
$135
-
Beirut Street Food Tour | 4 Neighbourhoods · All Inclusive:
$150
-
Private Beirut Street Food Tour with Lunch | Max 6 People:
$150
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
-
Catherine Horizon - Top Luxury - The Best Day & Dinner Cruise:
$70
-
Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador:
$79
-
Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village:
$200
Entertainment
Tours and Activities in Beirut
For Beirut, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Jeita Grotto, Harisa & Byblos: Small Group Tour with Hotel pickup:
$30
-
New Cost Saver Small-Group Tour to Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos:
$30
-
Beirut Private Walking Tour with a Local:
$35
-
Beirut : Private Custom Walking Tour With A Guide (Private tour):
$36
-
Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included:
$45
-
Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included:
$45
-
Guided Small-Group Tour to Jeita, Harissa, Byblos with Lunch:
$45
-
Small-Group Tour to Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos with Lunch:
$45
-
Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included:
$45
-
Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included:
$45
-
Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included:
$45
-
Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche | Budget Small-Group Tour From Beirut:
$45
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
07 Hours Explore Halong Bay on La Casta Cruises:
$62
-
1 Day Ha Long & Ti Top Island on 3* Cruise:
$39
-
1 Day Ha Long & Ti Top Island on 5* Cruise:
$51
-
2 Day Aphrodite Cruise Experience Halong Bay from Hanoi:
$249
-
2 Days 1 Night Aqua Luxury Cruise in Lan Ha Bay:
$148
-
2 Days 1 Night Halong Bay Classic Wooden Cruise:
$199
-
2 Days 1 Night Lan Ha Bay Adventure:
$139
-
2 Days 1 Night Lan Ha Bay Adventure on Cruise from Halong:
$245
-
2 Days 1 Night Lan Ha, Ha Long Bay Tour With Licensed Guide:
$129
-
2 Days 1 Night Luxury Cruise in Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi:
$219
-
2 Days 1 Night on Lan Ha Bay at Daiichi Boutique Cruise:
$131
-
2 Days Bai Tu Long bay luxury cruise with kayaking and swimming:
$210
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Beirut
Also in Beirut, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Private Wine Tasting Day Tour from Beirut:
$75
-
Private Wine Tour | Chateau Musar, Ixsir & Batroun Day Trip:
$75
-
Lebanon Wine Tasting Tour From Beirut (Entrance Fee Included):
$91
-
Private Baalbek Temples & Ksara Wine Tour | From Beirut:
$100
-
Private Bekaa Wine Tour | Saint Thomas, Kefraya & Ksara · Beirut:
$100
-
Private Wine Tour | Chateau Musar, Ixsir & Batroun from Beirut:
$100
-
Private Bekaa Valley Wine Tour | Ksara, Kefraya & Saint Thomas:
$100
-
Private Bekaa Valley Wine Tour | 3 Wineries from Beirut:
$100
-
Private Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour from Beirut:
$100
-
Private tour to Jeita Grotto with Wine Tasting in Faqra Ruins:
$110
-
PRIVATE Wine Tour in Central Bekaa Valley:
$113
-
Private Cedar Hike & Bekaa Wine Tour | Kefraya & Ksara:
$150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beirut and Halong Bay, we can see that Halong Bay is more expensive. And not only is Beirut much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beirut is in Middle East and Halong Bay is in Asia, 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 Beirut would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beirut 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 Beirut.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beirut Expensive? and Is Halong Bay Expensive?.
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