A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Koh Samet vs. Airlie Beach for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Koh Samet or Airlie Beach?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Samet or Airlie Beach, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Koh Samet or Airlie Beach?

Koh Samet

The country of Thailand is full of some of the world's most stunning beauty and peaceful settings. So it begs the question, where the Thai people go to get away from it all? They go to Ko Samet on the eastern gulf coast. Located just outside of Bangkok, Ko Samet provides visitors an easily accessible and desirable weekend getaway spot. With white beaches and coral of every other color, this island has steadily developed over the last few years without an intense construction increase like many other Thai beaches. Once thought to be the home of pirates, this island provides plenty to wonder about including, are there hidden treasures under that gorgeous white sand?

Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach, in Queensland, offers the closest port to the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It's a small town of only 25,000 and has grown out of the area's popularity as a tourist destination. It's main industry remains tourism and, as such, there are many venues set up to accommodate travelers hoping to make trips to the Whitsunday Islands and the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The town has the feel of a vacation destination. While in the past Airlie Beach appealed specifically to the backpacker crowd, it's popularity has spread and now there are facilities catering to all travel types. The area has become more commercialized and there are plenty of large resorts to choose from. Even so, you'll still find no shortage of affordable accommodation around town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, The Best Adventure Tours to Australia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Koh Samet or Airlie Beach?

Airlie Beach has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Koh Samet experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Airlie Beach in the Summer?

Both Airlie Beach and Koh Samet are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Samet throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Airlie Beach in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Koh Samet is generally around the same temperature as Airlie Beachin January. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 28°C (82°F), and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).

It's quite sunny in Airlie Beach. Koh Samet usually receives less sunshine than Airlie Beach during summer. Koh Samet gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Airlie Beach receives 285 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Airlie Beach. It's quite rainy in Koh Samet. In July, Koh Samet usually receives less rain than Airlie Beachin January. Koh Samet gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Airlie Beach in the Autumn?

Both Airlie Beach and Koh Samet during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Samet because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, most visitors come to Airlie Beach for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

Koh Samet is a little warmer than Airlie Beach in the autumn. The daily temperature in Koh Samet averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in April.

In Airlie Beach, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Koh Samet often gets less sunshine than Airlie Beachin April. Koh Samet gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Airlie Beach receives 207 hours of full sun.

Airlie Beach gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Samet. Koh Samet usually gets more rain in October than Airlie Beachin April. Koh Samet gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Airlie Beach in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Samet and Airlie Beach. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Samet year-round. Furthermore, the winter months attract visitors to Airlie Beach because of the shopping scene and the cuisine.

In the winter, Koh Samet is much warmer than Airlie Beach. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Samet in January average around 25°C (77°F), and Airlie Beach averages at about 16°C (62°F)in July.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Airlie Beach this time of the year. In Koh Samet, it's very sunny this time of the year. Koh Samet usually receives more sunshine than Airlie Beach during winter. Koh Samet gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Airlie Beach receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Koh Samet usually receives more rain than Airlie Beachin July. Koh Samet gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Airlie Beach in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Koh Samet as well as Airlie Beach. Koh Samet attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the beaches and the natural beauty are the main draw to Airlie Beach this time of year.

In April, Koh Samet is generally a little warmer than Airlie Beachin October. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 29°C (84°F), and Airlie Beach fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Airlie Beach. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Koh Samet this time of the year. In the spring, Koh Samet often gets less sunshine than Airlie Beachin October. Koh Samet gets 239 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Airlie Beach receives 298 hours of full sun.

Koh Samet usually gets more rain in April than Airlie Beachin October. Koh Samet gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Airlie Beach receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Airlie Beach and Koh Samet