A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hat Yai vs. Benxi for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hat Yai or Benxi?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hat Yai and Benxi 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: Hat Yai or Benxi?

Hat Yai

The fourth largest city of Thailand, Hat Yai is a popular tourist destination, especially on weekends and holidays for people in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. It is best known as a commercial hub and shopping destination, and for its floating market and Buddhist temple.

Benxi

Benxi, China is a city in the south east of the Liaoning Province in northeast China. The city itself is a major industrial hub, but is best known for the Benxi Shuidong National Park where you'll find the famous five million year old water cave. Benxi experiences cold winters, with weather being less enjoyable for touring from November through March. May through August see much warmer weather, getting up to the high 80's Fahrenheit in late summer. September and October are also good times to visit as temperatures cool to 60-70 degrees.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand, The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hat Yai and Benxi, we can see that Benxi is more expensive. And not only is Hat Yai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hat Yai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hat Yai 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 Benxi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Benxi than you might in Hat Yai.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hat Yai Expensive? and Is Benxi Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Hat Yai or Benxi?

Benxi has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Hat Yai. When comparing the sizes of Hat Yai and Benxi, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Hat Yai or Benxi?

Benxi has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Hat Yai experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Hat Yai or Benxi in the Summer?

Both Benxi and Hat Yai are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Hat Yai throughout the year.

In July, Hat Yai is generally a little warmer than Benxi. Daily temperatures in Hat Yai average around 29°C (83°F), and Benxi fluctuates around 25°C (78°F).

It's quite sunny in Benxi. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Hat Yai. Hat Yai usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Benxi during summer. Hat Yai gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Benxi receives 214 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Benxi. It's quite rainy in Hat Yai. In July, Hat Yai usually receives less rain than Benxi. Hat Yai gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Hat Yai or Benxi in the Autumn?

Both Benxi and Hat Yai during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Hat Yai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

Hat Yai is much warmer than Benxi in the autumn. The daily temperature in Hat Yai averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and Benxi fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

In Benxi, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Hat Yai often gets less sunshine than Benxi. Hat Yai gets 182 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Benxi receives 216 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Hat Yai. Hat Yai usually gets more rain in October than Benxi. Hat Yai gets 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year. May to December is the rainy season in Hat Yai.

Should I visit Hat Yai or Benxi in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Hat Yai and Benxi. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Hat Yai year-round.

Benxi can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Hat Yai is much warmer than Benxi. Typically, the winter temperatures in Hat Yai in January average around 28°C (82°F), and Benxi averages at about -10°C (14°F).

In Hat Yai, it's very sunny this time of the year. Hat Yai usually receives more sunshine than Benxi during winter. Hat Yai gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Benxi receives 167 hours of full sun in the winter.

Hat Yai gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Hat Yai usually receives more rain than Benxi. Hat Yai gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the winter. January to April in Hat Yai is the dry season.

Should I visit Hat Yai or Benxi in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Hat Yai as well as Benxi. Hat Yai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In April, Hat Yai is generally much warmer than Benxi. Daily temperatures in Hat Yai average around 30°C (85°F), and Benxi fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Benxi. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Hat Yai this time of the year. In the spring, Hat Yai often gets more sunshine than Benxi. Hat Yai gets 265 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Benxi receives 241 hours of full sun.

Hat Yai usually gets more rain in April than Benxi. Hat Yai gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, January to April in Hat Yai is the dry season. May to December in Hat Yai is the rainy season.

Typical Weather for Benxi and Hat Yai