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

Should you visit Chumphon or Matsue?

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

Should I visit Chumphon or Matsue? 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 Matsue?

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.

Matsue

Matsue, Japan is located on the scenic shores of Lake Shinji in the Shimane Prefecture. Matsue is the capital city of the prefecture and is known as the water city due to being located between Lake Shinji, Lake Nakaumi, and the Sea of Japan. This historically rich city is famous for being a laid back samurai village with stunning sunsets and traditional confectioneries.

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 Contiki Tours to Japan, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Japan.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chumphon and Matsue, we can see that Matsue is more expensive. And not only is Chumphon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Matsue would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Matsue 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 Matsue Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Chumphon or Matsue?

Matsue has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Chumphon. When comparing the sizes of Chumphon and Matsue, 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 Chumphon or Matsue?

Matsue 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 Matsue in the Summer?

Both Matsue and Chumphon during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Chumphon because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Matsue for the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In the summer, Chumphon is around the same temperature as Matsue. Typically, the summer temperatures in Chumphon in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Matsue averages at about 25°C (78°F).

In Matsue, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Chumphon often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Matsue. Chumphon gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Matsue receives 201 hours of full sun.

Matsue gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Chumphon. Chumphon usually gets less rain in July than Matsue. Chumphon gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Matsue receives 268 mm (10.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Chumphon or Matsue in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Chumphon and Matsue. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Chumphon year-round. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Matsue because of the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.

In October, Chumphon is generally much warmer than Matsue. Daily temperatures in Chumphon average around 27°C (81°F), and Matsue fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).

Chumphon usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Matsue during autumn. Chumphon gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Matsue receives 173 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Matsue receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Chumphon gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Chumphon usually receives more rain than Matsue. Chumphon gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Matsue receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Chumphon or Matsue in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Chumphon as well as Matsue. Chumphon attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Matsue this time of year.

It's quite cold in Matsue in the winter. Chumphon is much warmer than Matsue in the winter. The daily temperature in Chumphon averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Matsue fluctuates around 4°C (39°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Chumphon this time of the year. In the winter, Chumphon often gets more sunshine than Matsue. Chumphon gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Matsue receives 84 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Matsue. Chumphon usually gets less rain in January than Matsue. Chumphon gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Matsue receives 151 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Chumphon or Matsue in the Spring?

Both Matsue and Chumphon are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Chumphon throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Matsue for the natural beauty.

In the spring, Chumphon is much warmer than Matsue. Typically, the spring temperatures in Chumphon in April average around 29°C (84°F), and Matsue averages at about 13°C (55°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Chumphon. Chumphon usually receives more sunshine than Matsue during spring. Chumphon gets 239 hours of sunny skies, while Matsue receives 194 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Matsue. In April, Chumphon usually receives less rain than Matsue. Chumphon gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Matsue receives 124 mm (4.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Matsue and Chumphon