A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Haifa vs. Similan Islands for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Haifa or Similan Islands?

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 Similan Islands. 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 Similan Islands?

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.

Similan Islands

There are places divers like, and there are places divers love. One of the most popular spots to visit the underwater world is at the national park of the Similan Islands in southern Thailand. With 140 square kilometers of land and nine islands, this area is a paradise for those ready to get their feet wet.

The park is made up of nine islands: Ko Bon, Ko Bayu, Ko Similan, Ko Payu, Ko Miang, Ko Payan, Ko Paying and Ko Huyong. If these names are a bit too similar for you to easily differentiate, don't worry. Most refer to each island with a number from 1 to 9. Two more islands were added to the park – Koh Bon and Koh Tachai – in 1998.

Even though the park was only established in 1982, the islands have been around for approximately 65 million years. They are the product of swells of hot magma during the Cretaceous period and smoothed over by glacial ice and water erosion. The reefs beneath the surface are approximately 5,000 years and therefor the oldest in Thailand. Luckily, because of its deep waters, the islands' underwater landscapes were essentially unharmed during the 2004 tsunami.

Each island is covered in lush, tropical jungle and white, sandy coastlines. There is fish of every shape, color and size – including the famous "Nemo" clownfish, batfish, barracudas, whale sharks and manta rays.

You'll want to plan your visit around monsoon season. So book a trip sometime between December and April. March is a particularly good time to visit as the winds have died down and the water is crystal clear. The park is closed from May to November.

There are a few tents and bungalows on some of the islands. They are government run, and you'll need to reserve them in advance. Many divers will simply take day trips, or sleep on board boats. There are several organized tour and boat options available out of Phuket, Khao Lak and Ranong. Both areas will likely offer day trips and live-aboard cruises. These cruises typically start at four days and 4 nights, but shorter trips are available. There is an entry fee to the park, along with a daily usage fee for those spending multiple days in the park. This fee is paid to your driver before the trip.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Israel, The Best Cultural Tours in Israel, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bangkok, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phuket.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Haifa or Similan Islands?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.

Should I visit Haifa or Similan Islands in the Summer?

Both Similan Islands and Haifa are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Haifa throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Similan Islands because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

The rainy season in Similan Islands is June to September. It rains a lot this time of the year in Similan Islands. In July, Haifa usually receives less rain than Similan Islands. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Similan Islands receives 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

It's quite sunny in Similan Islands. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Haifa. Haifa usually receives more sunshine than Similan Islands during summer. Haifa gets 364 hours of sunny skies, while Similan Islands receives 206 hours of full sun in the summer.

In the summer, Haifa is around the same temperature as Similan Islands. Typically, the summer temperatures in Haifa in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Similan Islands averages at about 28°C (82°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Similan Islands in the Autumn?

Both Similan Islands and Haifa during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Haifa because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Similan Islands year-round.

October to May is the dry season in Similan Islands. Similan Islands gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Haifa usually gets less rain in October than Similan Islands. Haifa gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Similan Islands receives 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

It's quite sunny in Haifa. In the autumn, Haifa often gets more sunshine than Similan Islands. Haifa gets 274 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Similan Islands receives 181 hours of full sun.

In October, Haifa is generally cooler than Similan Islands. Daily temperatures in Haifa average around 24°C (75°F), and Similan Islands fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Similan Islands in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Haifa and Similan Islands. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Haifa year-round. Similan Islands attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Haifa gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Haifa usually receives more rain than Similan Islands. Haifa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Similan Islands receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Similan Islands this time of the year. Haifa usually receives less sunshine than Similan Islands during winter. Haifa gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Similan Islands receives 287 hours of full sun in the winter.

Haifa is much colder than Similan Islands in the winter. The daily temperature in Haifa averages around 14°C (57°F) in January, and Similan Islands fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

Should I visit Haifa or Similan Islands in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Haifa as well as Similan Islands. Haifa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Similan Islands throughout the year.

Also, October to May in Similan Islands is the dry season. June to September in Similan Islands is the rainy season. It's quite rainy in Similan Islands. Haifa usually gets less rain in April than Similan Islands. Haifa gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Similan Islands receives 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Similan Islands. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Haifa this time of the year. In the spring, Haifa often gets more sunshine than Similan Islands. Haifa gets 269 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Similan Islands receives 249 hours of full sun.

In the spring, Haifa is cooler than Similan Islands. Typically, the spring temperatures in Haifa in April average around 19°C (66°F), and Similan Islands averages at about 29°C (83°F).

Typical Weather for Similan Islands and Haifa