A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Halong Bay vs. Hefei for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Halong Bay or Hefei?

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 Hefei 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 Hefei?

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.

Hefei

While most would consider the city of Hefei a pass-through destination, there are plenty of things to see in the capital city of China's Anhui province.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Vietnam, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Vietnam, The Best Adventure Tours to China, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Hefei or Halong Bay?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $66, while the average daily cost in Hefei is $78. 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 Hefei in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Halong Bay $27
    Hefei $29
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Halong Bay $54
    Hefei $58
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Hefei

Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Hefei? 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 Halong Bay


Hotels in Hefei


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Halong Bay $13
    Hefei $17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:

  • 2D/1N at 5 STAR CRUISES: Transfer,Meals, Cave, Island & Beach: $185
  • Alova Premium Cruise Halong Deluxe Day Tour with Transfer & Meal: $55
  • Best Seller Halong Full Day Tour All Included Expressway Transfer: $48
  • Bus Transfer From Cat Ba Island To Ninh Binh/Ninh binh To Cat Ba: $19
  • Dragon 5Star HaLong Cruise 2D1N Included Transfer from Hanoi : $176
  • From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
  • Hai Phong airport transfer to Halong Bay with private car 4 seat from Hai Phong: $87
  • Halong Bay 06 Hours Dragon King Cruise From Halong with Transfer: $60
  • Halong Bay 1 Day Tour Included Limousine Bus Transfer from Hanoi: $48
  • Halong Bay 2 Days Cruise from Hanoi with Transfer and Meals: $149
  • Halong Bay Full Day With Cave, Kayaking,Swimming,Highway Transfer: $49
  • Halong Bay Luxury Day Tour From Hanoi With Limousine Transfer : $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Hefei?

Prices for flights to both Hefei 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Halong Bay $26
    Hefei $36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay

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

  • Cat Ba Paradise Cave Experience with Dinner and Live Music: $41
  • Paradise Cave Dinner with Live Music and Tasting in Cat Ba: $42
  • Halong's Hidden Gem: Dragon Pearl Cave Tour with Dinner: $47
  • Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador: $51
  • Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $210

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Halong Bay $16
    Hefei $19

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
  • JADESAILS CRUISE-The Most Luxurious Day Tour in Ha Long Bay & Lan Ha Bay: $20
  • Sun World Halong Admission Ticket: $20
  • Majestic Sunset Boat Tour: Explore Lan Ha Bay’s Stunning Scenery: $27
  • Breathtaking Sunset Boat Tours to Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba Island : $27
  • From Cat Ba Island: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore Lan Ha Bay : $27
  • Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore the Stunning Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba: $27
  • From Cat Ba Island: Amazing Sunset Tour in Lan Ha Bay, Kayaking: $28
  • Half-Day Lan Ha Bay Adventure: Boat Jumping, Kayaking, Sunset : $28
  • Magical Sunset Tour: Kayaking & Swimming in Lan Ha Bay: $28
  • From Cat Ba: Amazing Sunset Boat Tour in Lan Ha Bay: $28
  • From Cat Ba: Explore Lan Ha Bay with Amazing Sunset Boat Tour: $28

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Halong Bay $12
    Hefei $11


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Hefei, we can see that Hefei 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 Hefei would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hefei 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 Hefei Expensive?.


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