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

Should you visit Kamakura or Kaikoura?

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

Should I visit Kamakura or Kaikoura? 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 ancient, quaint, and charming coastal city. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Kaikoura

Kaikoura is a biologically diverse, unique, and nature-oriented town. It's also known for beaches, hiking, and shopping.

Kamakura and Kaikoura: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Kamakura or Kaikoura?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Kamakura. Although Kamakura and Kaikoura are popular destinations, Kamakura has more sights and attractions for tourists. Kamakura is very popular for its museums, nightlife, and historical sights, while Kaikoura attracts visitors for its beaches and hiking. Kamakura is famous for its historic temples and shrines as well as its popular beaches. It is also well known for the Great Buddha. Kaikoura is famous for its local Sperm Whale population, abundance of marine life, and local crayfish (lobster) recipes.

How is Kamakura different from Kaikoura?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Kamakura is a well-known place for its sights and museums. However, Kaikoura is not a good town for its museums and history.

Kamakura offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. This ancient city is filled with historic landmarks such as the Great Buddha, Hokokuji Temple, Hasedera Temple, and Hachimangu Shrine, among many others.

While most people don't head to Kaikoura specifically for the museums and attractions, it does offer a few options. There aren't many museums in the area, but it's worth learning more about the region's history with a visit to Kaikoura Museum.

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

Dining out at restaurants in both Kamakura and Kaikoura 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.

Kaikoura has a huge number of terrific restaurants. Seafood lovers will be in heaven in this town! There are many local, freshly caught favorites such as cod, mussels, and crayfish (which is actually lobster). You'll find plenty of casual eateries, including an authentic American diner.

Is Kamakura or Kaikoura Better for Nightlife?

Kamakura is a well-known place for nightlife and partying. Also, Kaikoura is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for its evening party scene.

Kamakura offers plenty to do in the evening. 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.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Kaikoura. This is a small town so the nightlife scene is limited, but there are a few restaurants with bars around town.

Is Kamakura or Kaikoura Better for Beaches?

Kaikoura is a well-known place for its beaches. Also, Kamakura is not as famous, but is still a good coastal city to visit for the beache.

Kaikoura is considered a top beach destination. There are many black pebble beaches in the area, which are great for wildlife spotting, but not so good for swimming. Gooch's Beach is one of the most popular, and it's sandier than many of the other beaches. South Bay is another popular area to visit.

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.

Is Kamakura or Kaikoura Better for its Old Town?

Kamakura is a popular place for its old town. However, Kaikoura does not have a historic old town.

Many people head to Kamakura to see the old town. It's a quaint historic town with many shrines, temples, and historic landmarks that reflect its long running political past.

Kaikoura does not have a historic old town.

Is Kamakura or Kaikoura Better for Hiking?

Kaikoura is a well-known 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.

Kaikoura is a popular spot for hiking. There are many coastal walks in the area that will take you through a variety of landscapes. This is also a great way to see the many diverse types of wildlife throughout the peninsula.

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 Kaikoura?

Both Kamakura and Kaikoura are nice shopping destinations.

Kamakura is a great destination for shopping. 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.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Kaikoura. There are local shops where you can pick up some interesting products that are unique to the area.

Is Kamakura or Kaikoura Better for Families?

Kaikoura is an unbeatable 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.

As it has a large number of activities for kids, Kaikoura is a very family-friendly destination. Kids who love animals will appreciate all of the wildlife in the area. This is one of the best places in the country to see dolphins, whales, and seals. There are world class whale watching trips as well as opportunities to swim with the dolphins and get close to the seals. There is also kayaking, a coastal train, and even sheep shearing. Minigolf is also a fun activity in the area.

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 Kaikoura Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Kamakura and Kaikoura make for a high quality 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.

Kaikoura makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The town is all about wildlife, so if whale watching trips, dolphin spotting, and experiencing amazing local wildlife is your thing, then this is your spot! There are also beautiful coastal sights with a dramatic mountain backdrop.

Is Kamakura or Kaikoura Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Kaikoura 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 Kaikoura. There are a decent number of hostels in the area and plenty of fun activities that backpackers will enjoy.

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 Kaikoura Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Kamakura is a popular place for its public transit. However, Kaikoura is not a good town for times when you don't have a car.

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.

Public transit is quite limited in Kaikoura. The town is very small and there is no real public transit in the area.

Is Kamakura or Kaikoura a more walkable city?

Kamakura and Kaikoura both are nice when exploring on foot.

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

Kaikoura is a somewhat walkable place. There are many coastal walks in the area, which is a great way to soak up the beauty and see the wildlife. The town itself is small and most of the accommodation is along Beach Road, so it's relatively easy to reach places on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Kaikoura or Kamakura?

How long in Kamakura or Kaikoura?

It's fun to spend time in either Kamakura or Kaikoura. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Kaikoura due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Kamakura, and 2-4 days is enough time in Kaikoura.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Kaikoura 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 Kaikoura.

One day in Kamakura or Kaikoura?

The coastal city of Kamakura offers food and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

The town of Kaikoura offers nightlife and food. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Kamakura or Kaikoura?

Kamakura is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this coastal city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Kamakura, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Kaikoura 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. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Kaikoura, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Kamakura or Kaikoura?

Kamakura is a popular choice for travelers. 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.

Kaikoura is a popular choice for travelers. 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 Kaikoura?

Kamakura is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This coastal city offers something for everyone.

Kaikoura is a great place to explore. 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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kamakura and Kaikoura, we can see that Kaikoura is more expensive. And not only is Kamakura much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kamakura is in Asia and Kaikoura is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Kamakura would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kamakura 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 Kaikoura would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kaikoura than you might in Kamakura.

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

Which is Bigger, Kamakura or Kaikoura?

Kamakura has a larger population, and is about 240 times larger than the population of Kaikoura. When comparing the sizes of Kamakura and Kaikoura, 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.