A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Haifa vs. Shiretoko National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Haifa or Shiretoko National Park?

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 Haifa and Shiretoko National Park. 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: Haifa or Shiretoko National Park?

Haifa

Located on the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel, Haifa is Israel's third largest city. It is also a beautiful and strategically located city near the border with Lebanon. The population of Haifa, which is approximately 300,000, is surprisingly diverse. There are Jews, Muslim, and Christian Arabs throughout the city. While Haifa is an industrial city with a strong work ethic and a good job base, it is also a beautiful city with many gardens and a stunning coastline. Today the job base has increasingly become technology based with some large companies such as Google and Microsoft offering employment in the area. Haifa University is also the country's top technology university.

Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko National Park, Japan is comprises the entire Shiretoko Penninusla in the northeast island of Hokkaido. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered to be one of the most remote areas in Japan with very few and very small settlements. This makes Shiretoko the perfect place for a fun hiking and camping adventure.

While the park is open year round, the weather in the area tends to greatly affect the enjoyment of your trip due to harsh winters and heavy rain at the end of summer. There is a short period from May to early July that is considered the best time to visit due to slightly less rain and comfortable temperatures around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Israel, The Best Cultural Tours in Israel, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Japan, and The Best Adventure Tours to Japan.

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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Haifa Expensive? and Is Shiretoko National Park Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Haifa or Shiretoko National Park?

Shiretoko National Park has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Haifa experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Haifa or Shiretoko National Park in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Haifa as well as Shiretoko National Park. Haifa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, most visitors come to Shiretoko National Park for the hiking and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In July, Haifa is generally much warmer than Shiretoko National Park. Daily temperatures in Haifa average around 27°C (81°F), and Shiretoko National Park fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Haifa this time of the year. In the summer, Haifa often gets more sunshine than Shiretoko National Park. Haifa gets 364 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Shiretoko National Park receives 178 hours of full sun.

Haifa usually gets less rain in July than Shiretoko National Park. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Shiretoko National Park receives 77 mm (3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Haifa or Shiretoko National Park in the Autumn?

Both Shiretoko National Park and Haifa are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Haifa throughout the year. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Shiretoko National Park because of the hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area.

Haifa is much warmer than Shiretoko National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in Haifa averages around 24°C (75°F) in October, and Shiretoko National Park fluctuates around 10°C (51°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Haifa. Haifa usually receives more sunshine than Shiretoko National Park during autumn. Haifa gets 274 hours of sunny skies, while Shiretoko National Park receives 158 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Haifa usually receives less rain than Shiretoko National Park. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Shiretoko National Park receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Haifa or Shiretoko National Park in the Winter?

Both Shiretoko National Park and Haifa during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Haifa because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

It's quite cold in Shiretoko National Park in the winter. In the winter, Haifa is much warmer than Shiretoko National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in Haifa in January average around 14°C (57°F), and Shiretoko National Park averages at about -6°C (20°F).

In the winter, Haifa often gets more sunshine than Shiretoko National Park. Haifa gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Shiretoko National Park receives 108 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Haifa. Haifa usually gets more rain in January than Shiretoko National Park. Haifa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Shiretoko National Park receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Haifa or Shiretoko National Park in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Haifa and Shiretoko National Park. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Haifa year-round. Also, many travelers come to Shiretoko National Park for the natural beauty.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Shiretoko National Park. In April, Haifa is generally much warmer than Shiretoko National Park. Daily temperatures in Haifa average around 19°C (66°F), and Shiretoko National Park fluctuates around 5°C (40°F).

In Haifa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Haifa usually receives more sunshine than Shiretoko National Park during spring. Haifa gets 269 hours of sunny skies, while Shiretoko National Park receives 178 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Haifa usually receives less rain than Shiretoko National Park. Haifa gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Shiretoko National Park receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Shiretoko National Park and Haifa