A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Grande-Terre vs. Salento for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Grande-Terre or Salento?

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

Should I visit Grande-Terre or Salento? 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: Grande-Terre or Salento?

Grande-Terre

Grande Terre is an island that makes up the eastern half of the Guadeloupe 'mainland.' It is divided from the other half of the main Guadeloupe island, Basse Terre, by a narrow channel called Rivière Salee (or the Salt River). The island itself is characterized by rolling hills, white sand beaches, and cliffs, and its indented coastline is surrounded by coral reefs. It is home to most of Guadeloupe's farmlands and tourist resorts.

Salento

Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Salento or Grande-Terre?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Grande-Terre is €145, while the average daily cost in Salento is €30. 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 Grande-Terre and Salento in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Grande-Terre 82
    Salento 10
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Grande-Terre 164
    Salento 20
Compare Hotels in Grande-Terre and Salento

Looking for a hotel in Grande-Terre or Salento? 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.

Hotels in Grande-Terre


Hotels in Salento


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: Grande-Terre Hotel Prices and Salento Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Grande-Terre 9.00
    Salento 13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grande-Terre

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Grande-Terre:

  • Pointe-a-Pitre to Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
  • Pointe-a-Pitre Airport to Pointe-a-Pitre Hotels Arrival Transfer: $23
  • PrivateTransfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Cruise Port to Airport (PTP) : $26
  • Private Transfer from Pointe-à-Pitre City Hotels to Cruise Port: $26
  • Private Transfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Cruise Port to City Hotels: $26
  • PrivateTransfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Cruise Port : $26
  • Transfer Guadeloupe Airport to Cruise Port: $38
  • Arrival Private Transfer Pointe a Pitre Airport PTP to Pointe a Pitre by SUV: $41
  • Departure Private Transfer from Pointe a Pitre to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $41
  • Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Pointe-a-Pitre - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Pointe a Pitre Airport PTP to Le Gosier by SUV: $50
  • Departure Private Transfer from Le Gosier to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $51

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:

  • Pereira Airport Private Transfer Service: $55

Is it cheaper to fly into Grande-Terre or Salento?

Prices for flights to both Salento and Grande-Terre 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
    Grande-Terre 48
    Salento 8.80

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salento.

  • Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Grande-Terre 45
    Salento 11

Tours and Activities in Grande-Terre

Here are a few actual costs in Grande-Terre for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Cruise stopover - Plage du Gosier Round trip: $15
  • Cruise Stopover at Village Sainte Anne and its Beach: $31
  • Guided tour by electric tuk-tuk: $49
  • Stand Up Paddle Adventure in Guadeloupe: $49
  • Stopover Cruise - Valombreuse Botanical Garden + Sainte-Anne Beach: $49
  • *Cruise Stopover* - Tropical Forest - Sainte-Anne Beach: $60
  • Private Surf Lessons Tour in Guadeloupe: $97
  • Photoshoot + Drone on a Caribbean paradise beach or day tour : $100
  • Full Day Tour of Guadeloupe: $157
  • Private Ultralight Seaplane Experience in Guadeloupe: $169
  • Full Day Private Boat Tour to the Lagoon of Guadeloupe: $232

Tours and Activities in Salento

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Salento are as follows:

  • City tour + Nature: $25
  • Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $28
  • Santa Rita Waterfall and Salento Hike Tour: $49
  • Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $62
  • Private Colombian Coffee Farm Tour with Tastings in Armenia: $78
  • Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour: $79
  • Coffee Tour at Finca El Ocaso: $84
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $87
  • Coffe Experience: Daily departure from Salento: $89
  • Pereira: Cocora Valley and Salento Guided Hiking Tour: $89
  • Private birding tour for beginners and intermediate: $90
  • Coffee Tour and Salento Walking Tour with lunch: $94

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Grande-Terre 12
    Salento 11


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Grande-Terre Expensive? and Is Salento Expensive?.