A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Chumphon vs. Airlie Beach for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Chumphon or Airlie Beach?

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

Should I visit Chumphon or Airlie Beach? 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: Chumphon or Airlie Beach?

Chumphon

Sometimes tourism has a tendency to spoil the natural beauty of a place. This is not the case in the magical city of Chumphon, Thailand. As the gateway to the Chumphon Archipelago, this city has maintained natural, untouched beauty. Its miles of coastline are full of fine beaches with fishing, swimming and a number of other activities.

Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach, in Queensland, offers the closest port to the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It's a small town of only 25,000 and has grown out of the area's popularity as a tourist destination. It's main industry remains tourism and, as such, there are many venues set up to accommodate travelers hoping to make trips to the Whitsunday Islands and the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The town has the feel of a vacation destination. While in the past Airlie Beach appealed specifically to the backpacker crowd, it's popularity has spread and now there are facilities catering to all travel types. The area has become more commercialized and there are plenty of large resorts to choose from. Even so, you'll still find no shortage of affordable accommodation around town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Chiang Mai, The Best 10-Day Tours from Bangkok, The Best Adventure Tours to Australia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Chumphon or Airlie Beach?

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

Should I visit Chumphon or Airlie Beach in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Chumphon as well as Airlie Beach. Chumphon attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Airlie Beach because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

Chumphon is around the same temperature as Airlie Beach in the summer. The daily temperature in Chumphon averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Airlie Beach. In the summer, Chumphon often gets less sunshine than Airlie Beachin January. Chumphon gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Airlie Beach receives 285 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Airlie Beach. Chumphon receives a lot of rain in the summer. Chumphon usually gets less rain in July than Airlie Beachin January. Chumphon gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Chumphon or Airlie Beach in the Autumn?

Both Airlie Beach and Chumphon are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Chumphon throughout the year. Also, the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Airlie Beach this time of year.

In the autumn, Chumphon is a little warmer than Airlie Beach. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Chumphon in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Airlie Beach averages at about 23°C (73°F)in April.

It's quite sunny in Airlie Beach. Chumphon usually receives less sunshine than Airlie Beach during autumn. Chumphon gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Airlie Beach receives 207 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Airlie Beach. It's quite rainy in Chumphon. In October, Chumphon usually receives more rain than Airlie Beachin April. Chumphon gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Chumphon or Airlie Beach in the Winter?

Both Airlie Beach and Chumphon during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Chumphon because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Airlie Beach for the shopping scene and the cuisine.

In January, Chumphon is generally much warmer than Airlie Beachin July. Daily temperatures in Chumphon average around 25°C (77°F), and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 16°C (62°F).

In Airlie Beach, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Chumphon. In the winter, Chumphon often gets more sunshine than Airlie Beachin July. Chumphon gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Airlie Beach receives 226 hours of full sun.

Chumphon usually gets more rain in January than Airlie Beachin July. Chumphon gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Chumphon or Airlie Beach in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Chumphon and Airlie Beach. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Chumphon year-round. Furthermore, many visitors come to Airlie Beach in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty.

Chumphon is a little warmer than Airlie Beach in the spring. The daily temperature in Chumphon averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Airlie Beach this time of the year. In Chumphon, it's very sunny this time of the year. Chumphon usually receives less sunshine than Airlie Beach during spring. Chumphon gets 239 hours of sunny skies, while Airlie Beach receives 298 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Chumphon usually receives more rain than Airlie Beachin October. Chumphon gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Airlie Beach and Chumphon