Which place is cheaper, Saint Croix 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.
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Should you visit Halong Bay or Saint Croix?
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 Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix?
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.
Saint Croix
Sometimes all you want out of a vacation is the warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves and the taste of a cold drink. No more. No less. That's exactly what you can expect in St. Croix.
The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix is a place of our leisure and relaxation. It's a bit of an expensive lifestyle for its 50,000 residents and daily visitors, but when you're living on island time, money is never a worry. There are no worries on island time.
This once volcanic island is covered in incredible beaches, stunning mountains, palm tress in the wind and historic colonial towns. While they may be a bit old and rundown, the Danish architecture still stands as a unique part of this island's legacy. Don't expect much window-shopping, though. That was not a feature incorporated in this style of architecture. If you want to know if a store is open, just step on in, but remember, shop hours are also running on island time.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi.
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Halong Bay Prices
Vietnam PricesSaint Croix Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHalong Bay $66Saint Croix $277
The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $66, while the average daily cost in Saint Croix is $277. 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 Saint Croix in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHalong Bay $27Saint Croix $149
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHalong Bay $54Saint Croix $298
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Saint Croix
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Saint Croix? 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: Saint Croix Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Halong Bay $13Saint Croix $35
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/Ninh binh To Cat Ba: $19
- Transfer Ha Long and Ninh Binh by Limousine Bus: $23
- Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- Halong Bay Full Day Cruise from Hanoi by Transfer Expressway: $42
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $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
- Alova Premium Cruise Halong Deluxe Day Tour with Transfer & Meal: $55
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $55
- Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $55
- Private Transfer from Ha Long to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Croix
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Croix:
- Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Round-Trip Transfer: $165
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Airport to St. Croix Cruise Port: $86
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St. Croix: $178
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Port to St. Croix Airport (STX): $86
- Private Transfer from St.Croix Cruise Port to St.Croix hotels: $174
- Private Transfer from St.Croix hotels to St. Croix Cruise Port: $174
- St. Croix to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) - Departure Transfer: $83
- St. Croix to St. Croix Airport (STX) - Departure Private Transfer: $90
- St.Croix Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Arrival Private Transfer: $90
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Saint Croix?
Prices for flights to both Saint Croix 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 $27Saint Croix $97
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
- Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $210
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Croix
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Croix.
- A Morning Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- A Evening Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $100
- C'sted Sip & Savor Mixology Class with VI Food Tours: $131
- Taste of Twin City Food Tour with VI Food Tours: $155
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Halong Bay $16Saint Croix $58
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: $1.81
- 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
- From Cat Ba – Lan Ha, Ha Long Bay – Viet Hai Village Bike Tours: $21
- 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
- Cat Ba Sunset Jeep Tour Trek And Cave Exploration: $24
- The Best 5 Star Halong Bay Cruise with Buffet,pool, Sunset Party: $25
- Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise with Lunch, Cave & Kayaking: $26
- Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise: Cave Exploration - Swim and Kayak: $27
- Cat Ba: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore the Stunning Lan Ha Bay: $27
- From Cat Ba: Amazing Sunset Boat Tour in Lan Ha Bay: $28
Tours and Activities in Saint Croix
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Croix are as follows:
- St. Croix’s Forts, Freedom, and Beaches: A Self-Drive Audio Tour: $25
- Christiansted's Artisan Shopping Tour: $33
- St. Croix Ghost Tour of Historic Christiansted: $45
- Sea Turtle Snorkel Tour: $59
- Island Chocolate Experience with Tasting: $62
- St. Croix African Heritage Walking Tour: $65
- St Croix Tiki Tours Frederiksted’s Tiki Boat Experience: $80
- Parasail Experience in St Croix: $85
- The Frederiksted St. Croix Sea Turtles Snorkeling Tour: $89
- St Croix Island Tour: $118
- Horseback Riding Experience: $160
- Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks: $175
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHalong Bay $12Saint Croix $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Croix
Also in Saint Croix, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Farm to Bottle Tour at Prosperity Farm Distillery: $35
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Saint Croix, we can see that Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Saint Croix would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix 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.