Which place is cheaper, Shangri-La or Halong Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Halong Bay or Shangri-La?
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 Shangri-La 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 Shangri-La?
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.
Shangri-La
The original Shangri-La existed in the fictional world of James Hilton's novel "The Lost Horizon." It was a hidden paradise, a place so beautiful that it couldn't possibly exist on earth. The Shangri-La that exists in Yunnan, China today was renamed from its former title Zhongdian in 2001 in order to associate the place with the mystical allure created in Hilton's novel. Visitors come to admire the traditional monasteries and temples set against a backdrop of mountain preserves and pristine lakes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Vietnam, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Vietnam, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHalong Bay $59Shangri-La $47
The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $59, while the average daily cost in Shangri-La is $47. 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 Shangri-La in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHalong Bay $29Shangri-La $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHalong Bay $58Shangri-La $38
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Shangri-La
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Shangri-La? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Halong Bay $14Shangri-La $11
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
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Hanoi Airport (HAN): $43
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi city hotels: $43
- Halong Bay Day Tour Roundtrip Transfer by Expressway 2024 - 2025: $43
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $47
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $47
- 6 Hours Sailing on Dragon King Cruise From Halong with Transfer: $50
- Alova Premium Cruise to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip by Highway Transfer: $50
- Private Transfer from Ha Long to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $53
- Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shangri-La
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shangri-La:
- Private Transfer from Shangri-La to Lijiang and Stops at Tiger Leaping Gorge: $160
- Private Transfer from Shangri-la(Diqing) hotel to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel : $149
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Shangri-La?
Prices for flights to both Shangri-La 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 $16Shangri-La $19
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Halong Bay $17Shangri-La $16
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
- Most favorite full day boat tour with kayaking in Lan Ha bay, Ha Long bay: $27
- From Cat Ba Island: Amazing Sunset Tour in Lan Ha Bay, Kayaking: $27
- Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore the Stunning Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba: $27
- From Cat Ba: Explore Lan Ha Bay with Amazing Sunset Boat Tour: $28
- 1 Day Boat Tour: HaLong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, Natural Beach and Full Moon Party: $29
- 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
- Unforgettable Lan Ha - Halong Bay Sunset Tours from Cat Ba Island: $30
- From Cat Ba island: full day boat tour to Lan Ha bay - Ha Long bay: $32
- Cruise and kayak on Lan Ha bay Ha Long bay with local experts: $32
- Lan Ha Bay-Ha Long Bay 1 Day Boat trip from Cat Ba, less touristy: $32
Tours and Activities in Shangri-La
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shangri-La are as follows:
- 1-Day Shangri-La Private Tour: Potatso National Park and Baiji Temple: $169
- 1-Day Shangri-La Tour to Ganden Monastery, Nixi Pottery Village and Tibetan Town: $185
- 1-Day Shangri-La tour with Ganden Monastery, Napahai Lake and Tibetan Town: $190
- Private tour Songzanlin Monastry & Tibetan lunch from Zhongdian: $199
- 1 Day Shangri-la City Tour with Pudacuo National Park: $209
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHalong Bay $13Shangri-La $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Shangri-La, we can see that Halong Bay is more expensive. And not only is Shangri-La much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Shangri-La would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shangri-La 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 Shangri-La.
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 Shangri-La 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.