Which place is cheaper, Zhangye or Halong Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Halong Bay or Zhangye?
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 Zhangye 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 Zhangye?
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.
Zhangye
Zhangye, China is a city in the Gansu Province in the central north part of the country, close to Mongolia. This ancient city has often been used as a military strong hold, having been the headquarters of General Huo among many others. Zhangye is a fabulous day trip city to visit when staying in larger nearby cities.
Zhangye is privy to beautiful summer weather, with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the high 70's Fahrenheit. The best times to visit are between July and September, when temperatures and sunshine are at their highest. Autumn, Winter, and Spring tend to be a little chillier and rainier.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Vietnam, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Vietnam, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHalong Bay $59Zhangye $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Halong Bay is $59, while the average daily cost in Zhangye is $87. 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 Zhangye in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHalong Bay $29Zhangye $39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHalong Bay $58Zhangye $78
Compare Hotels in Halong Bay and Zhangye
Looking for a hotel in Halong Bay or Zhangye? 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 $14Zhangye $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- Bus/Private Transfer 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
- Halong Bay 1 Day Tour Included Limousine Bus Transfer from Hanoi: $41
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip: $42
- Halong Bay Day Tour Roundtrip Transfer by Expressway 2024 - 2025: $43
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Hanoi Airport (HAN): $43
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi city hotels: $43
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $48
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Hanoi Airport: $48
- 6 Hours Sailing on Dragon King Cruise From Halong with Transfer: $50
- Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $53
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangye
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zhangye:
- Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Airport (YZY) to Zhangye Hotel: $59
- Private Airport Transfer: Zhangye Hotel to Zhangye Airport (YZY): $59
Is it cheaper to fly into Halong Bay or Zhangye?
Prices for flights to both Zhangye 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 $16Zhangye $26
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Halong Bay $17Zhangye $11
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Shared 6 Hours boat Tour With Cave Kayak Beach From Halong City: $18
- 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
- From Cat Ba Island: Amazing Sunset Tour in Lan Ha Bay, Kayaking: $27
- Experience the Best Lan Ha Bay Sunset Tour from Cat Ba Island: $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
- 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 Zhangye
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zhangye are as follows:
- Zhangye One Day City Tour: $77
- Private day tour to Zhangye Danxia Landform the Rainbow Mountain: $150
- Private day tour to Zhangye Mati temple & Giant Buddha Temple start from Zhangye: $155
- Zhangye Danxia Half Day tour: $195
- Zhangye Rainbow Danxia Private Day Tour: $214
- Private Hiking Tour: Pingshanhu Grand Canyon and the Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes: $235
- Private Day Tour: Horse Hoof Temple Grottoes and Zhangye Danxia Landform: $299
- Private Hiking Tour: Binggou Danxia and Zhangye Danxia Geopark from Zhangye: $299
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHalong Bay $13Zhangye $7.05
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Halong Bay and Zhangye, we can see that Zhangye 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 Zhangye would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zhangye 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 Zhangye 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.