Which place is cheaper, Benxi or Halong Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Halong Bay or Benxi?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Halong Bay and Benxi can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Halong Bay or Benxi?
Halong Bay
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.
Benxi
Benxi, China is a city in the south east of the Liaoning Province in northeast China. The city itself is a major industrial hub, but is best known for the Benxi Shuidong National Park where you'll find the famous five million year old water cave. Benxi experiences cold winters, with weather being less enjoyable for touring from November through March. May through August see much warmer weather, getting up to the high 80's Fahrenheit in late summer. September and October are also good times to visit as temperatures cool to 60-70 degrees.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHalong Bay $58Benxi $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $58, while the average daily cost in Benxi is $94. 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 Halong Bay and Benxi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHalong Bay $28Benxi $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHalong Bay $56Benxi $94
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Benxi
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Benxi? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Halong Bay $14Benxi $31
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- Bus Transfer from Cat Ba island to Ninh Binh: $13
- Bus/Private Transfer Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh/ Ninh binh to Cat Ba: $19
- Transfer From Halong to Ninh Binh: $25
- Rosa Eco Bus Luxury Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi: $27
- Sunworld Halong theme park ticket with roundtrip transfer: $32
- Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
- Halong Bay Day Tour Roundtrip Transfer by Expressway 2024 - 2025: $43
- Small Group Halong Day Tour: Islands, Cave, Kayak. Lunch. Expressway Transfers: $45
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $46
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong city hotels: $46
- 6 Hours Sailing on Dragon King Cruise From Halong with Transfer: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Benxi?
Prices for flights to both Benxi and Halong Bay 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 dayHalong Bay $16Benxi $30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
- Ambassador Luxury Dinner Cruise in Halong Bay: $46
- 1-day private Hanoi city tour with fun and night street walking food tour: $101
- Luxury Aspira Cruise from Halong with kayaking,cave,cooking class: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Halong Bay $16Benxi $7.29
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- City Sightseeing Ha Long Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour : $19
- Full Day Boat Tour in Halong Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago & Lan Ha Bay: $24
- Best love - Full Day Boat Tour to Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay: $26
- Most favorite full day boat tour with kayaking in Lan Ha bay, Ha Long bay: $26
- Ha Long Bay Day Tour with Lunch, Cave Explore & Titop Island: $29
- From Cat Ba island: full day boat tour to Lan Ha bay - Ha Long bay: $32
- Cruise and kayak on Lan Ha bay Ha Long bay with local experts: $32
- Full Day Trip to Lan Ha Bay with Kayaking in less tourist Areas: $34
- Lan Ha Bay Full Day Boat tour from Cat Ba island: $35
- Lan Ha Bay day tour from Cat Ba Town - Serenity Premium Cruise: $35
- Lan Ha Bay Full-Day Cruise From Cat Ba Town - Serenity Cruises: $36
- One Day Lan Ha Bay with Cat Ba Expedition Tour: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHalong Bay $12Benxi $7.69
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Benxi, we can see that Benxi is more expensive. And not only is Halong Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Halong Bay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halong Bay 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 Benxi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Benxi than you might in Halong Bay.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Halong Bay Expensive? and Is Benxi 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.