Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Shangri-La?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Shangri-La? 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: Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Shangri-La?
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Spanning the Japanese prefectures of Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Kanagawa and Tokyo, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is a natural area with beautiful scenery as well as a number of popular tourist spots. Some of its highlights include Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands, offering a geographic range of natural hot springs, coastlines, mountainous areas, lakes, and more than 1,000 volcanic islands.
Shangri-La
The original Shangri-La existed in the fictional world of James Hilton's novel "The Lost Horizon." It was a hidden paradise, a place so beautiful that it couldn't possibly exist on earth. The Shangri-La that exists in Yunnan, China today was renamed from its former title Zhongdian in 2001 in order to associate the place with the mystical allure created in Hilton's novel. Visitors come to admire the traditional monasteries and temples set against a backdrop of mountain preserves and pristine lakes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $88Shangri-La $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is $88, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $46. 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 Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $52Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $104Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Shangri-La? 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: Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $26Shangri-La $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Also for Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Hakone to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) - Private Departure Transfer: $155
- Hakone Resorts to Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) - Departure Transfer: $242
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
- Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
- Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149
Is it cheaper to fly into Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park 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
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Food Meals for one dayFuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $20Shangri-La $19
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $11Shangri-La $16
Tours and Activities in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
- Easygoing Nature Walk in Hakone Tour: $26
- Supreme Sencha: Tea Ceremony & Making Experience in Hakone: $129
- Private Shopping Tour from Hakone hotels to Grandberry Park: $134
- Private Shopping Tour from Hakone to Gotemba Premium Outlets: $134
- Traverse Outer Rim of Hakone Caldera and Enjoy Onsen Hiking Tour: $142
- Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide: $155
- Private Shopping Tour from Hakone to Mitsui Outlet Park Yokohama: $156
- Hakone for Children to Enjoy! Japanese Crafts Experience: $174
- Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide: $181
- Tour around Mount Fuji group from 2 people ¥32,000: $209
- Hakone Onsen Experience, Lake Ashi, Open-Air Museum Tour: $226
- Hakone Full-Day Private Tour : $245
Tours and Activities in Shangri-La
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shangri-La are as follows:
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
- 1 day Shangri-La Highlights Mini Private Tour: $117
- 1-Day Shangri-La Private Tour: Potatso National Park and Baiji Temple: $169
- 1-Day Shangri-La Tour to Ganden Monastery, Nixi Pottery Village and Tibetan Town: $185
- 1-Day Shangri-La tour with Ganden Monastery, Napahai Lake and Tibetan Town: $190
- Private tour Songzanlin Monastry & Tibetan lunch from Zhongdian: $199
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFuji-Hakone-Izu National Park $8.39Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and Shangri-La, we can see that Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Shangri-La would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shangri-La 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 Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park than you might in Shangri-La.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Expensive? and Is Shangri-La Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.