Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Halong Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Halong Bay or Puerto Princesa?
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 Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa?
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.
Puerto Princesa
The island of Palawan is known the Philippines' last frontier and its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the greenest city in the Philippines. With plenty of land that has yet to be explored and inundated with tourists, Puerto Princesa, also known as "The City of the Living God," is a nature buff's dream. Whether you want to swim with starfish, walk among the mangrove treetops, or visit the world's largest saltwater crocodile at the Palawan Nature Conservation Center, Puerto Princesa and its surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities to get into the great wide open.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Vietnam, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Vietnam, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHalong Bay $59Puerto Princesa $74
The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $59, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa is $74. 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 Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHalong Bay $29Puerto Princesa $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHalong Bay $58Puerto Princesa $50
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Puerto Princesa
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Puerto Princesa? 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: Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Halong Bay $14Puerto Princesa $52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- 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 Haiphong Airport (HPH): $53
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $47
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $47
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi city hotels: $43
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Haiphong Hotels: $53
- Private Transfer from Ha Long to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $53
- PRIVATE LIMOUSINE TRANSFER +Join Premium Day Cruise in Halong Bay: $55
- 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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- El Nido to Port Baron Private Van Transfer: $163
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa Private Van Transfer: $158
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa van transfer: $15
- Palawan: Private San Vicente Airport Transfers: $167
- Palawan: Underground River Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $71
- Private Transfer to El Nido: $177
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido Private Van Transfer: $158
- Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Puerto Princesa?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa 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 $16Puerto Princesa $20
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $27
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $28
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $33
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $35
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $61
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $83
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $84
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $121
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Halong Bay $17Puerto Princesa $6.92
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: HaLong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, Natural Beach and Full Moon Party: $29
- 1 Day Cruise in Halong Bay - Top Luxury & Small Cruise Tour 2024: $50
- 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 Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Puerto Princesa; Half day City tour: $14
- Guided City Walking Tour with Snacks: $14
- PPS CITY TOUR: $14
- Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $15
- Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $15
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $22
- Joiners Puerto Princesa City Tour: $27
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- firefly watching tour : $35
- Underground River Tour on a Budget: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHalong Bay $13Puerto Princesa $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa 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.