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

Should you visit Halong Bay or Tainan City?

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 Tainan City 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 Tainan City?

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.

Tainan City

The oldest city in Taiwan, Tainan was once the nation's capital during imperial times and is today famous for its temples and historic buildings which speak to this distant past. Additionally Tainan has become known for its lively night markets and fantastic snack foods available from a large concentrate of street vendors located throughout the 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 Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Taiwan.


Which place is cheaper, Tainan City 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.

  • Halong Bay Prices
    Vietnam Prices
    Tainan City Prices
    Taiwan Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Halong Bay $66
    Tainan City $149

The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $66, while the average daily cost in Tainan City is $149. 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 Tainan City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Halong Bay $27
    Tainan City $64
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Halong Bay $54
    Tainan City $128
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Tainan City

Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Tainan City? 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 Tainan City


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: Tainan City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Halong Bay $13
    Tainan City $20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:

  • Transfer Ha Long and Ninh Binh by Limousine Bus: $18
  • Bus Transfer From Cat Ba Island To Ninh Binh/Ninh binh To Cat Ba: $19
  • Transfer from Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh with D-Class Limousine: $20
  • 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
  • Halong Bay Day Tour Roundtrip Transfer by Expressway 2024 - 2025: $43
  • Halong Bay 1 Day Tour Included Limousine Bus Transfer from Hanoi: $48
  • Full-Day Halong Bay Islands and Cave Tour by Transfer Expressway: $48
  • Best Seller Halong Full Day Tour All Included Expressway Transfer: $48
  • Halong Bay Full Day With Cave, Kayaking,Swimming,Highway Transfer: $49

Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Tainan City?

Prices for flights to both Tainan City 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 $26
    Tainan City $72

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay

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

  • Cat Ba Paradise Cave Experience with Dinner and Live Music: $41
  • Paradise Cave Dinner with Live Music and Tasting in Cat Ba: $42
  • Halong's Hidden Gem: Dragon Pearl Cave Tour with Dinner: $47
  • Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador: $51
  • Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $210

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Halong Bay $16
    Tainan City $11

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
  • Sun World Halong Admission Ticket: $20
  • JADESAILS CRUISE-The Most Luxurious Day Tour in Ha Long Bay & Lan Ha Bay: $20
  • Ha Long Bay Cruise Day Tour - best selling: Kayaking, Swimming, hiking & Lunch: $25
  • Lan Ha Bay Cruise Day Tour : Kayaking, Swimming, Hiking & Lunch: $25
  • Eco Day Cruise & Kayak Adventure Lan Ha Bay, Ha Long Bay Southern: $26
  • Majestic Sunset Boat Tour: Explore Lan Ha Bay’s Stunning Scenery: $27
  • From Cat Ba: Explore Lan Ha Bay with Amazing Sunset Boat Tour: $27
  • From Cat Ba Island: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore Lan Ha Bay : $27
  • Half-Day Lan Ha Bay Adventure: Boat Jumping, Kayaking, Sunset : $28
  • From Cat Ba Island: Amazing Sunset Tour in Lan Ha Bay, Kayaking: $28
  • Magical Sunset Tour: Kayaking & Swimming in Lan Ha Bay: $28

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Halong Bay $12
    Tainan City $6.14


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Tainan City, we can see that Tainan City 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 Tainan City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tainan City 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 Tainan City Expensive?.