A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kamakura vs. Arrowtown for Hiking, Attractions, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Kamakura or Arrowtown?

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

Should I visit Kamakura or Arrowtown? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Kamakura

Kamakura is a quaint, charming, and laid back coastal city. Other reasons to visit include hiking, shopping, and museums.

Arrowtown

Arrowtown is a historic, charming, and quaint town. This is also a fantastic small town with plenty of charm and local activities. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. It's also known for skiing, nightlife, and food.

Kamakura and Arrowtown: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Kamakura or Arrowtown?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Arrowtown. Although Kamakura and Arrowtown are both popular with visitors, Arrowtown has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Arrowtown is more popular for its skiing, historical sights, hiking, shopping, small town charm, and quaint atmosphere, while Kamakura is known for its museums, nightlife, and beaches. Kamakura is popular for its historic temples and shrines as well as its popular beaches. Arrowtown is popular for its gold rush history, impressive ski slopes, and famous hikes. It is also home to the Chinese Settlement.

How is Kamakura different from Arrowtown?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for Skiing?

Arrowtown is a well-known place for snow skiing. However, Kamakura is not a skiing destination.

Arrowtown is an extremely popular place for snow skiing and other winter sports. In the area you'll find amazing skiing that ranges from professional level to family-friendly.

Kamakura is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Kamakura or Arrowtown?

Kamakura is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. Also, Arrowtown is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Many visitors head to Kamakura specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. This ancient city is filled with historic landmarks such as the Great Buddha, Hokokuji Temple, Hasedera Temple, and Hachimangu Shrine, among many others.

Arrowtown offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. The town feels likes a living museum with its historic sights. There's also the Lakes District Museum in town that you can visit.

Is the Food Better in Kamakura or Arrowtown? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Dining out at restaurants in both Kamakura and Arrowtown can be an enjoyable experience.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Kamakura makes for a great culinary experience. Dining is part of the fun in this beautiful town. There are many great restaurants where you can sample luxury dishes, but there are also street food stalls with egg pancakes or noodle dishes.

Arrowtown has a huge number of terrific restaurants. For such a small town, there's a surprising number of great restaurants with award winning chefs. You'll find quaint cafes, traditional eateries, and casual restaurants where you can sample the local dishes.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for Nightlife?

Kamakura is an excellent place to visit for nightlife. Also, Arrowtown is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Kamakura has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. There's a diverse mix of bars and music venues. The nightlife scene is particularly active during the summer months when visitors head to the beach, but throughout the year you'll find tachinomiya standing bars, international style pubs, and jazz clubs where locals like to hang out.

Arrowtown has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. For such a small town, there's a surprisingly bustling nightlife scene with casual pubs and waterfront bars.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for Beaches?

Kamakura is very good for its beaches. However, Arrowtown is not a beach destination.

Many people head to Kamakura to enjoy the beach. Many locals from Tokyo or Yokohama head here during July and August to cool off at the beach, relax in the sun, and go surfing. The beaches can get crowded, but they're long and sandy and can make for a nice escape.

Arrowtown is not a beach destination.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for its Old Town?

Arrowtown is a well-known place for its historic old town. Also, Kamakura is not as famous, but is still a good coastal city to visit for its old town.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting Arrowtown. This is a quirky and charming historic mining town that has many cottages and historic buildings. Many places have been restored to maintain their original character.

Plenty of visitors enjoy exploring the old town in Kamakura. It's a quaint historic town with many shrines, temples, and historic landmarks that reflect its long running political past.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for Hiking?

Arrowtown is an unbeatable place for the nearby hiking options. Also, Kamakura is not as famous, but is still a good coastal city to visit for its hiking trails.

People visit Arrowtown specifically for its hiking, as the natural beauty is well-known. Many people use this town as a jumping off point for some of the world's most iconic hikes. You can explore Lord of the Rings country or do one of fifteen different listed walks in the area.

Many people include a hike when visiting Kamakura. Just outside of town there are many hiking trails that crisscross through the wooded hills and connect the many temples. Many of the trails are relatively short and take just an hour or two to complete.

Is the Shopping Better in Kamakura or Arrowtown?

Arrowtown is a well-known place for shopping. Also, Kamakura is not as famous, but is still a good coastal city to visit for its shopping opportunities.

Arrowtown is an extremely popular place for shoppers. Shopping is an experience in town. Head to Buckingham Street, which is the main street in town. You can wander through a wild west setting with local vendors and quirky galleries.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Kamakura. While the city itself is ancient, you can head to Kamakura Komachi-dori Street to find trendy boutiques and modern shopping. This is a popular place to pick up a souvenir or check out the current fashions.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for Families?

Arrowtown is a well-known place for its family-friendly activities. Also, Kamakura is not as famous, but is still a good coastal city to visit for its kid-friendly activities.

Arrowtown is a very family-friendly place to visit. Kids will enjoy the old world charm as much as adults. There's gold panning, bike trails, and even a historic Chinese village. During the winter there are snow sports and during the summer there are outdoor activities that take advantage of the nice weather.

Kamakura is a family-friendly coastal city. It's a town that's filled with history and character, which isn't every kids cup of tea. If you're traveling with young kids you might want to head to beach for a bit. There are also ice cream and donut shops that you can use as well to break up the sightseeing.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Kamakura and Arrowtown make for a great place to visit.

Kamakura is a very popular place to visit for couples. Many couples enjoy visiting this quaint town as a day trip from Tokyo. There are impressive temples as well as restaurants and gardens.

Arrowtown makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The charming atmosphere and beautiful walks make this a great weekend destination for couples. You can take a stroll on the Arrow River Walkway or grab a meal at a quaint cafe followed by ice cream at a classic ice cream parlor.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Arrowtown is a well-known place for backpackers. Also, Kamakura is not as famous, but is still a good coastal city to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Backpackers come from all over to visit Arrowtown. There are a couple of hostels in town and backpackers love the frequent festivals and activities that the town hosts.

Kamakura is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. It's an easy day trip from Tokyo, but there are also some affordable hostels that make it an easy place to spend the night.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Kamakura and Arrowtown offer good public transit options.

Kamakura has a few public transit options. There's a city bus system, but for the more remote places you'll want to take a taxi.

Arrowtown has some public transit options. There are public buses throughout the region.

Is Kamakura or Arrowtown a more walkable city?

Kamakura and Arrowtown both are good when exploring on foot.

Kamakura is somewhat walkable. It's a small city, and most of the sights can be reached on foot.

Arrowtown is a somewhat walkable place. Parts of the town are fun to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Kamakura Worth Visiting? and Is Arrowtown Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Arrowtown or Kamakura?

How long in Kamakura or Arrowtown?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Kamakura or Arrowtown to fill your time. In our opinion, Arrowtown has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Arrowtown than Kamakura. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

Couples should spend more time in Arrowtown than Kamakura. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Arrowtown that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Arrowtown than Kamakura if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Arrowtown.

One day in Kamakura or Arrowtown?

You'll find shopping and museums around the coastal city of Kamakura. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Kamakura has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Arrowtown is a small town where visitors enjoy the museums and skiing. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Kamakura or Arrowtown?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the quaint destination of Kamakura. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this coastal city has to offer. This coastal city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Arrowtown is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Arrowtown, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Kamakura or Arrowtown?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the quaint coastal city of Kamakura. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Arrowtown is a popular choice for travelers. It's no surprise that hiking is why people visit. 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. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Kamakura or Arrowtown?

Kamakura is a popular choice for travelers. One week 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Arrowtown is a great place to explore. It's no surprise that hiking is why people visit. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Japan, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Japan, The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Budget Tours to New Zealand.

When comparing the travel costs between Kamakura and Arrowtown, we can see that Arrowtown 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 Kamakura is in Asia and Arrowtown 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 Kamakura Expensive? and Is Arrowtown Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Kamakura or Arrowtown?

Kamakura has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Arrowtown. When comparing the sizes of Kamakura and Arrowtown, 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.