Should you visit Halong Bay or Lima?
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 Lima 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 Lima?
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.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
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, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
Which place is cheaper, Lima 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 $67, while the average daily cost in Lima is $96. 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 Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Lima? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here:
Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
-
Ha Long Bay Day Cruise with Transfers from Ha Long City:
$5.00
-
Bus Transfer From Cat Ba Island To Ninh Binh/Ninh binh To Cat Ba:
$19
-
Transfer From Halong to Ninh Binh:
$26
-
From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip:
$42
-
Halong Bay Full Day Cruise from Hanoi by Transfer Expressway:
$42
-
Full-Day Halong Bay Islands and Cave Tour by Transfer Expressway:
$48
-
Halong Bay Full Day With Cave, Kayaking,Swimming,Highway Transfer:
$49
-
Alova Premium Cruise to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip by Highway Transfer:
$50
-
Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong city hotels:
$54
-
Private Transfer from Ha Long to Haiphong (HPH) Airport:
$54
-
Amethyst Luxury 5 Star Cruise From Halong Bay with Transfer:
$68
-
Halong Wonder Bay Cruise 1 Day Tour from Hanoi with Limo Transfer:
$68
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
-
Taxi Ride
$5.83
-
Taxi Ride
$5.83
-
Short Taxi Ride
$4.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
-
Airport Transfer: Jorge Chavez Airport LIM to Lima by Sedan:
$48
-
Enjoy a Football Game in Lima with local guide and Transfers:
$99
-
Guided Assistance -Hassle-free service -Airport -Hotel transfers:
$40
-
Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima - Arrival Private Transfer:
$21
-
Larco Museum Complete Guided Tour with Transfers (Small Group):
$55
-
Larco Museum Tour & Gastronomic Experience with rountrip transfer:
$160
-
Lima Airport (LIM) to Miraflores - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$46
-
Lima Airport (LIM) to Miraflores city - Arrival Private Transfer:
$23
-
Lima Airport Arrival Transfer:
$23
-
Lima Airport Departure Transfer:
$22
-
Lima Airport Private Transfer to Miraflores & Barranco:
$35
-
Lima Airport Transfers by SUV/Van:
$43
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima 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 $27
Lima $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
-
Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador:
$37
-
Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour in Lan Ha Bay with Dinner:
$37
-
Catherine Horizon - Top Luxury - The Best Day & Dinner Cruise:
$70
-
From Halong Harbor: Luxury Dinner Yacht Cruise, Halong City Views:
$70
-
From Halong Port: Luxury Dinner Yacht & Spectacular Night Views:
$82
-
From Ha Long City: Ha Long Bay Luxury Dinner Yacht Experience:
$95
-
Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village:
$210
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
-
Lunch for Two
$4.66
-
Ice cream
$3.79
-
Coffee
$3.21
-
Donut
$1.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
-
Off the Radar Lima Food Tour Hidden Spots Pisco and Local Vibes:
$5.00
-
Andean Breads Cooking Class in Lima:
$44
-
Lima Market Tour & Ceviche Cooking Class with Pisco Sour:
$47
-
Dinner at Mangos Larcomar Restaurant:
$48
-
#1 Rated Lima Cooking Class: Make Ceviche, Causa & Pisco Sours!:
$49
-
Lima Street Food Tour : Try the best Peruvian street food:
$49
-
Lima Food Tour: 9 Peruvian Experiences:
$50
-
Lima Food Tour with Ceviche, Pisco, and Grilled Chicken:
$55
-
Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks:
$55
-
Dinner at the Cala Restaurant in Lima:
$63
-
Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant:
$64
-
Criollo Nights Lima Food Tour with 14+ Tastings:
$69
Entertainment
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Halong Bay UNESCO Cruise Tour: Sung Sot & Luon Cave, Titov Island:
$1.83
-
From Cat Ba: Small Group, Lan Ha, Ha Long Bay- Kayaking Tours:
$19
-
Shared 6 Hours boat Tour With Cave Kayak Beach From Halong City:
$20
-
Sun World Ha Long Queen Cable Car Ticket:
$22
-
Ha Long Bay Cruise Day Tour - best selling: Kayaking, Swimming, hiking & Lunch:
$23
-
Cat Ba Kayak Tour in Mangrove Forests and Explore Thien Long Cave:
$24
-
Sky Tour - Entertainment:
$25
-
Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise with Lunch, Cave & Kayaking:
$26
-
The Best 5 Star Halong Bay Cruise with Buffet,pool, Sunset Party:
$26
-
Half-Day Lan Ha Bay Adventure: Boat Jumping, Kayaking, Sunset:
$26
-
Most favorite full day boat tour with kayaking in Lan Ha bay, Ha Long bay:
$27
-
From Cat Ba Island: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore Lan Ha Bay:
$27
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
-
Barranco Walking Tour with Sunset Option:
$5.00
-
Night Lima Tour: Pisco and Metropolitano and water show:
$5.00
-
Economic Tour with Pisco Tasting in Lima:
$5.00
-
Street Art Walking Tour in Barranco:
$5.00
-
Dark Side of Lima Evening Walking Tour:
$5.00
-
Historical Walking Tour: Legends of Lima:
$5.00
-
Lima Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$6.00
-
Lima Cathedral Museum Entrance Ticket:
$10
-
Beach tour and surfboards for rent in Lima, Peru:
$14
-
Miraflores Guided Walking Tour and Surquillo Market Experience:
$15
-
Walking Tour to Miraflores and Barranco with a beer:
$15
-
Historical Tour through Barranco Art and History:
$16
Alcohol
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
-
Bottle of Wine
$7.84
-
Beer
$4.37
-
Cocktail
$3.50
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
-
Free Pub Crawl:
$5.00
-
Barranco Bohemian Bar Crawl: 4 Bars & Live Music:
$24
-
Bar Crawl Night Tour in Miraflores:
$38
-
Local Wine Tour:
$77
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Lima, we can see that Lima is more expensive. And not only is Halong Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Halong Bay is in Asia and Lima 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 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima 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 Lima Expensive?.
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