Which place is cheaper, Sandakan or Halong Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Halong Bay or Sandakan?
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 Sandakan 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 Sandakan?
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.
Sandakan
Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Vietnam, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Vietnam, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Malaysia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHalong Bay $59Sandakan $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $59, while the average daily cost in Sandakan is $64. 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 Sandakan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHalong Bay $29Sandakan $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHalong Bay $58Sandakan $44
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Sandakan
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Sandakan? 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: Sandakan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Halong Bay $14Sandakan $36
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: $13
- Bus/Private Transfer Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh/ Ninh binh to Cat Ba: $19
- Transfer From Halong to Ninh Binh: $25
- 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
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi city hotels: $43
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Hanoi Airport (HAN): $43
- Halong Bay Day Tour Roundtrip Transfer by Expressway 2024 - 2025: $43
- Halong Day Tour: Islands, Cave, Kayak. Lunch. Transfers: $45
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $47
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong city hotels: $47
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Sandakan?
Prices for flights to both Sandakan 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 $16Sandakan $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.
- Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Halong Bay $17Sandakan $7.92
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
- Sky Tour - Entertainment: $25
- Most favorite full day boat tour with kayaking in Lan Ha bay, Ha Long bay: $27
- Half-Day Lan Ha Bay Adventure: Boat Jumping, Kayaking, Sunset : $27
- Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore the Stunning Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba: $27
- Best Lan Ha Bay Sunset Tours 2024 with Swimming & Kayaking: $28
- Experience the Best Lan Ha Bay Sunset Tour from Cat Ba Island: $28
- From Cat Ba: Explore Lan Ha Bay with Amazing Sunset Boat Tour: $28
- Ha Long Bay Day Tour with Lunch, Cave Explore & Titop Island: $29
- Best love - Full Day Boat Tour to Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay: $29
- 1 Day Boat Tour: HaLong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, Natural Beach and Full Moon Party: $29
- Experience Lan Ha Bay: Half-Day Boat Trip, Kayaking, and Sunset : $30
Tours and Activities in Sandakan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:
- Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $51
- Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $78
- Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $112
- Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
- Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $147
- Kinabatangan River Wildlife Cruise with Lunch: $187
- Sepilok Orang Utan & Bornean Sun Bear Centre with Sandakan City Tour with Lunch: $191
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 2 Days 1 Night At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $200
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 3 Days 2 Nights At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $250
- Sepilok Orang Utan, Sun Bear & Sandakan Nature City Tour + Lunch: $272
- 2D1N Sandakan Private Tour with Kinabatangan River Cruise: $290
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHalong Bay $13Sandakan $7.26
When comparing the travel costs between Halong Bay and Sandakan, we can see that Sandakan is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 Sandakan 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.