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

Should you visit Halong Bay or Nakhon Ratchasima?

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 Nakhon Ratchasima 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 Nakhon Ratchasima?

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.

Nakhon Ratchasima

If you're planning on traveling from Bangkok to Isaan, you'll likely make Nakhon Ratchasima your pit stop or home base. However, there is so much more to this sprawling metropolis than just a layover. Underneath the chaos of it all, is a charming and traditional Thai city.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Vietnam, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Vietnam, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Thailand, and The Best Tours Under $1000 in Thailand.


Which place is cheaper, Nakhon Ratchasima or Halong Bay?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $59, while the average daily cost in Nakhon Ratchasima is $45. 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 Nakhon Ratchasima in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Halong Bay $29
    Nakhon Ratchasima $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Halong Bay $58
    Nakhon Ratchasima $44
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Nakhon Ratchasima

Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Nakhon Ratchasima? 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 Nakhon Ratchasima


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: Nakhon Ratchasima Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Halong Bay $14
    Nakhon Ratchasima $5.10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:

  • Transfer from Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh with D-Class Limousine: $20
  • Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $53
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Hanoi Airport (HAN): $43
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Hanoi Airport: $48
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $53
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $48
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi city hotels: $43
  • Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Haiphong Hotels: $53
  • JADE SAILS - 1 Day Cruise in Halong & Lan Ha Bay with TRANSFER: $110
  • Halong Wonder Bay Cruise 1 Day Tour from Hanoi with Limo Transfer: $68
  • Halong Deluxe Day Tour Small Group on Boat Transfer by Limousine: $66
  • Halong Bay transfer to Hai Phong airport with private car 7 seats from HalongBay: $100

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nakhon Ratchasima

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Nakhon Ratchasima:


  • Tuk Tuk
    $1.54
  • Bus to Vientiane
    $1.54

Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Nakhon Ratchasima?

Prices for flights to both Nakhon Ratchasima 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 $16
    Nakhon Ratchasima $17

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay

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

  • 1-day private Hanoi city tour with fun and night street walking food tour: $101
  • Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $175

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Halong Bay $17
    Nakhon Ratchasima $6.58

Tours and Activities in Halong Bay

Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Alisa Premier Luxury 5-Star Cruise in Halong Bay 2 Days 1 Night: $175
  • Explore Halong Bay on a Luxury Cruise from 3 to 6-star Options: $130
  • (Official) Athena Royal Cruise - 02 days 01 night program: $170
  • (Official) Signature Halong Cruise - 02 days 01 night program: $160
  • (Official) Signature Royal Cruise - 02 days 01 night program: $164
  • 1 Day Boat Tour Lan Ha Bay & Viet Hai Ancient Village from Cat Ba: $53
  • 1 Day Boat Tour: HaLong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, Natural Beach and Full Moon Party: $29
  • 1 Day Halong Bay Deluxe Cruise with Wego Halong: $40
  • 1 Day Halong Bay Exploration with Luxury Cruise and Seaplane: $250
  • 1 Day Small Group Luxury Cruise in Halong with Better Care : $60
  • 1 night Halong Bay Cruise-Titov Island,Surprise Cave,kayak,meals: $135
  • 1 night cruise selection over Halong, Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha Bay: $75

Tours and Activities in Nakhon Ratchasima

For Nakhon Ratchasima, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • From Bangkok: Khao Yai National Park 2-Day Tour highlight: $526

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Halong Bay $13
    Nakhon Ratchasima $12


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

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 Nakhon Ratchasima Expensive?.


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