A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ise vs. Te Anau for Families, Couples, Food, and Backpackers

Should you visit Ise or Te Anau?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Ise and Te Anau 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.

Ise

Ise is a overlooked, authentic, and off-the-beaten-path city. Visitors also love the beaches, shopping, and museums. See Ise travel costs.

Te Anau

Te Anau is a breathtaking, stunning, and pristine town. It also offers plenty of small town charm and also has plenty of sights and activities. The famous beauty of Te Anau is one of the main draws. And you can't forget about the food and hiking. See Te Anau travel costs.

Ise and Te Anau: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Ise or Te Anau?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Te Anau than Ise, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Te Anau is better known for its hiking, small town charm, and impressive beauty, while Ise is more popular for its museums and attractions, beaches, and shopping. Te Anau is more touristy than Ise and is popular for being the gateway to Fiordland National Park. Also, Te Anau is famous for Te Anau Glowworm Caves. Ise is well known for its important Shinto shrines and its coastal setting.

How is Ise different from Te Anau?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Te Anau and Ise. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Ise or Te Anau?

Ise is a city with good options for its museums and history. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

Ise offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. While this is an often overlooked part of Japan for tourists, those who venture here will enjoy strolling through the forest and visiting the shrine complex of Ise Jingu.

Te Anau offers a handful of options for museums and historical sights. The town is about the surrounding outdoor activities but you will find the Te Anau Vintage Machinery Museum and the Te Anau Trout Observatory in town.

Is the Food Better in Ise or Te Anau? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Both Ise and Te Anau offer a number of great restaurants to choose from.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Ise. You'll find some of Japan's best seafood around town and there are many local delicacies. Head to the downtown area around Iseshi Station to find a high concentration of places. One local specialty is the Japanese spiny lobster (also known as the Ise lobster).

Te Anau has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The town makes a great spot to refuel after all of your hiking and outdoor adventures. There are plenty of cafes and food trucks around town where you can enjoy local dishes and a friendly atmosphere.

Is Ise or Te Anau Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in Ise and Te Anau.

Ise is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. Most visitors don't stay long enough to take in the nightlife, which is limited.

Te Anau doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. This is a small town that's focused on outdoor activities, but it does receive a number of tourists, so you'll find a few bars around town where you can hang out.

Is Ise or Te Anau Better for Beaches?

Ise is a city with good options for the beach. However, Te Anau is not a beach destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Ise. There are several nice and sandy beaches in the area that make for a nice break from the sightseeing.

Te Anau is not a beach destination.

Is Ise or Te Anau Better for Hiking?

Te Anau is a must-visit destination for its hiking experiences. However, Ise is not a hiking destination.

Around Te Anau visitors will find world-class hiking trails. The town serves as basecamp for Fiordland National Park so there are many amazing hikes and walks in the area. Many of the hikes begin at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre and range in length and the required skill level.

Ise is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Ise or Te Anau?

Ise is a city with good options for its shopping opportunities. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its shopping areas.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Ise. There's a shopping street in town with many of the shops housed in traditional buildings, giving the area a nice character.

Te Anau has some good spots for those that want to go shopping. There are shops where you can pick up any outdoor supplies and food items that you may need.

Is Ise or Te Anau More Beautiful?

Te Anau is a must-visit destination for its scenery and beauty. However, Ise is not a destination known for its beauty.

The famous beauty of Te Anau is one of the main draws. The town is surrounded by stunning natural beauty, world class national parks, and spectacular views.

Ise is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Ise or Te Anau Better for Families?

Te Anau is a must-visit destination for its family-friendly activities. Also, Ise is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Te Anau is an extremely popular town to visit for families. The town's proximity to the Milford Sound make it a nice base for families who enjoy spending time outdoors. Kayaking or exploring the Te Anau Glowworm Caves are favorite activities in the area. There's also the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary and many hikes nearby.

Ise offers lots of family activities. The Ise Jingu Shrine complex is large and sprawling, and has the feel of a park. The kids will likely find visiting all of the temples tedious, but the forest is peaceful and the setting is beautiful.

Is Ise or Te Anau Better for Couples?

Te Anau is a must-visit destination for its romantic activities. Also, Ise is still popular, but not quite as popular for couples.

Te Anau is a great town for couples, as it has plenty to offer. The stunning scenery in the area, combined with small town charm, make this is a top couple's destination and a wonderful honeymoon spot. Couples who appreciate nature and outdoor adventure will fall in love with this amazing area.

Ise is a good city for couples to visit. This is an off-the-beaten path destination that is far more than a shrine - it's a complex of shrines. It's spread out over a large space and filled with forest and peaceful walks that couples will enjoy.

Is Ise or Te Anau Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Te Anau is well known for backpackers. Also, Ise is still popular, but not quite as popular for backpackers and budget travelers.

Te Anau is a great town to visit for backpackers. For such a small town, there are a decent number of hostels and budget accommodation options in the area. The town makes a good base for exploring the region's stunning scenery.

Plenty of backpackers visit Ise. It's off the radar for many backpackers, but those that make it here will find a couple of hostels and affordable accommodation options.

Is Ise or Te Anau Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Ise is a city with good options for times when you don't have a car. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its public transit.

Ise has some public transit options. The CAN Bus is a tourist bus that connects the train stations to the main attractions and runs every half hour.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Te Anau. Public transit in the area is limited and most visitors have their own car or join one of the many tours in the area.

Is Ise or Te Anau a more walkable city?

Ise is a city with good options for its high level of walkability. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its ease of walking around.

Ise is a somewhat walkable place. There are walking paths through the complex that connect the shrines, but some of the distances can be significant.

Te Anau is generally not very walkable. Exploring the area requires a vehicle and, while there are many hikes in the area, it's not easy to walk to many places. There are tours available for those that don't have a vehicle.

For even more information, also check out Is Ise Worth Visiting? and Is Te Anau Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Te Anau or Ise?

How long in Ise or Te Anau?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Ise and Te Anau. You can spend similar amounts of time exploring each one. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Families should spend more time in Te Anau than Ise. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Te Anau, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

One day in Ise or Te Anau?

In Ise, you'll find museums and food. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Te Anau is a small town with plenty to do. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. One of the main draws to the area is the hiking. So, one day is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A weekend in Ise or Te Anau?

In Ise, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Ise has to offer.

Many people visit Te Anau for a weekend. Te Anau might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. One of the main draws to the area is the hiking. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.

Five days in Ise or Te Anau?

Ise is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Because Te Anau is a small town, it's easy to explore in a short amount of time. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. It offers something for everyone. One of the main draws to the area is the hiking. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

A week in Ise or Te Anau?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Ise. Many people enjoy the museums and food when visiting Ise. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Te Anau, a popular town, is full of activities for travelers. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Your budget might influence how long you stay. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Japan, The Best Cultural Tours in Japan, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.

When comparing the travel costs between Ise and Te Anau, we can see that Te Anau is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Ise is in Asia and Te Anau is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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

Which is Bigger, Ise or Te Anau?

Ise has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Ise and Te Anau, 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.