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

Should you visit Hat Yai or Yichang?

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 Yichang 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 Yichang?

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.

Yichang

Yichang, China is an ancient city situated on the northern bank of the Yangtze River in central China. The city is located just below the famed Three Gorges Dam and is a popular ending point for many Yangtze River cruises. Yichang offers beautiful natural scenery and ancient relics from the Three Kingdom Period.

Yichang experiences cool, rainy, winters and hot, humid, summers. Temperatures tend to stay in the 40's Fahrenheit during winter and the 80's in the summer. Spring, Summer, and Autumn are fantastic times to visit, although if you prefer to beat the heat, stay away during late summer!

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand, The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.

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

Which is Bigger, Hat Yai or Yichang?

Yichang has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Hat Yai. When comparing the sizes of Hat Yai and Yichang, 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 Yichang?

Yichang 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 Yichang in the Summer?

Both Yichang 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 the summer, Hat Yai is around the same temperature as Yichang. Typically, the summer temperatures in Hat Yai in July average around 29°C (83°F), and Yichang averages at about 29°C (85°F).

It's quite sunny in Yichang. 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 Yichang during summer. Hat Yai gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Yichang receives 206 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Yichang. It's quite rainy in Hat Yai. In July, Hat Yai usually receives less rain than Yichang. Hat Yai gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Hat Yai or Yichang in the Autumn?

Both Yichang 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.

In October, Hat Yai is generally a little warmer than Yichang. Daily temperatures in Hat Yai average around 28°C (82°F), and Yichang fluctuates around 20°C (67°F).

In the autumn, Hat Yai often gets more sunshine than Yichang. Hat Yai gets 182 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Yichang receives 134 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 Yichang. Hat Yai gets 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year. May to December is the rainy season in Hat Yai.

Should I visit Hat Yai or Yichang in the Winter?

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

Hat Yai is much warmer than Yichang in the winter. The daily temperature in Hat Yai averages around 28°C (82°F) in January, and Yichang fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).

In Hat Yai, it's very sunny this time of the year. Hat Yai usually receives more sunshine than Yichang during winter. Hat Yai gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Yichang receives 92 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 Yichang. Hat Yai gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the winter. January to April in Hat Yai is the dry season.

Should I visit Hat Yai or Yichang in the Spring?

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

In the spring, Hat Yai is much warmer than Yichang. Typically, the spring temperatures in Hat Yai in April average around 30°C (85°F), and Yichang averages at about 18°C (65°F).

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 Yichang. Hat Yai gets 265 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Yichang receives 129 hours of full sun.

Hat Yai usually gets less rain in April than Yichang. Hat Yai gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 95 mm (3.7 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 Yichang and Hat Yai