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

Should you visit Koh Samet or Coffs Harbour?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Samet or Coffs Harbour, 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 Coffs Harbour?

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?

Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour is in New South Wales between Brisbane and Sydney. Historically, Coffs Harbour has been a popular vacation destination among families, particularly Australian families. Most visitors today are families that are carrying on a longstanding tradition and bringing their children to the holiday destination of their childhood. You'll also find backpackers who spend up to a week here, dividing the trip between Sydney and Brisbane. The area has a well established tourist infrastructure that is not as trendy as that in Byron Bay, but it remains a wonderful community to visit if you're not looking for the party atmosphere.

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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Australia, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia.

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

When is the best time to visit Koh Samet or Coffs Harbour?

Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour in the Summer?

Both Coffs Harbour and Koh Samet during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Samet because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Coffs Harbour for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Koh Samet is generally a little warmer than Coffs Harbourin January. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 28°C (82°F), and Coffs Harbour fluctuates around 23°C (74°F).

In Coffs Harbour, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Koh Samet often gets less sunshine than Coffs Harbourin January. Koh Samet gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Coffs Harbour receives 237 hours of full sun.

Coffs Harbour 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 around the same amount of rain in July as Coffs Harbourin January. Koh Samet gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Coffs Harbour receives 187 mm (7.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Coffs Harbour in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Samet and Coffs Harbour. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Samet year-round. Also, many visitors come to Coffs Harbour in the autumn for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

Koh Samet is a little warmer than Coffs Harbour in the autumn. The daily temperature in Koh Samet averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Coffs Harbour fluctuates around 20°C (67°F)in April.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Coffs Harbour this time of the year. Koh Samet usually receives less sunshine than Coffs Harbour during autumn. Koh Samet gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Coffs Harbour receives 203 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Coffs Harbour receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Samet gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Koh Samet usually receives more rain than Coffs Harbourin April. Koh Samet gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Coffs Harbour receives 215 mm (8.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Coffs Harbour in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Koh Samet as well as Coffs Harbour. Koh Samet attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, most visitors come to Coffs Harbour for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

In the winter, Koh Samet is much warmer than Coffs Harbour. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Samet in January average around 25°C (77°F), and Coffs Harbour averages at about 13°C (55°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Coffs Harbour. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Koh Samet this time of the year. In the winter, Koh Samet often gets more sunshine than Coffs Harbourin July. Koh Samet gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Coffs Harbour receives 219 hours of full sun.

Koh Samet usually gets more rain in January than Coffs Harbourin July. Koh Samet gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Coffs Harbour receives 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Samet or Coffs Harbour in the Spring?

Both Coffs Harbour and Koh Samet are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Samet throughout the year. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Coffs Harbour because of the beaches and the natural beauty.

In April, Koh Samet is generally much warmer than Coffs Harbourin October. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 29°C (84°F), and Coffs Harbour fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

It's quite sunny in Coffs Harbour. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Koh Samet. Koh Samet usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Coffs Harbour during spring. Koh Samet gets 239 hours of sunny skies, while Coffs Harbour receives 257 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Coffs Harbour. In April, Koh Samet usually receives less rain than Coffs Harbourin October. Koh Samet gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Coffs Harbour receives 103 mm (4.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Coffs Harbour and Koh Samet