Which place is cheaper, Da Nang or Koh Samet?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Koh Samet or Da Nang?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Samet or Da Nang, 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 Da Nang?
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?
Da Nang
Halfway between Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the North is the easy-going beach city of Da Nang (or Danang, for some). The third most populated city in Vietnam, Da Nang draws in crowds with its beautiful and calm beaches as well as its history as a French colonial port.
With beaches, mountains, and cityscape, there's bound to be a point of interest for all travelers. Da Nang is also a transit hub to get to the four Vietnamese UNESCO World heritage sites: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.
Da Nang experiences wet season from September through March and dry season from April through August with average temperatures of around 80℉.
Da Nang is also known to have some of the friendliest locals, probably due to the peace and quiet and lack of heavy traffic, even in the city.
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 Vietnam, and The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Samet $96Da Nang $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samet is $96, while the average daily cost in Da Nang is $46. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Koh Samet and Da Nang in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Samet $32Da Nang $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Samet $64Da Nang $38
Compare Hotels in Koh Samet and Da Nang
Looking for a hotel in Koh Samet or Da Nang? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Koh Samet Hotel Prices and Da Nang Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Samet $68Da Nang $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Da Nang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Da Nang:
- Airport Transfer to Hotel Da Nang city center: $6.15
- Da Nang International Airport Private Transfer: $6.52
- Private transfer from Airport Da Nang/ Hoi An hotel: $6.57
- Private and Shuttle Transfers: Da Nang Airport - Hoi An City: $6.57
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $7.39
- Da Nang Airport transfer to Hoi An/ Hue/ Chu Lai or Quang Ngai: $8.00
- Transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An: $8.00
- From Ba Na Hills Round Trip Shuttle Bus Transfer: $9.03
- Da Nang Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $10
- DA NANG AIRPORT To Da Nang Hotel by PRIVATE TRANSFER: $10
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Da Nang HTL-APT (DAD): $10
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Da Nang APT-HTL (DAD): $10
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samet or Da Nang?
Prices for flights to both Da Nang and Koh Samet change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayKoh Samet $27Da Nang $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Da Nang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Da Nang.
- Dragon bridge show and Da Nang local food tour: $4.10
- Home Cooking Class: $22
- Vegetarian Cooking class and Basket Boat Riding: $25
- Happy Cooking Class in Danang : $26
- Cooking Class and tasting Pho with Local Girl: $29
- Vegetarian Home Cooking Class Da Nang: $29
- Eco Cooking Class and Basket boat tour from Da Nang city: $29
- Da Nang Home Cooking Class: $29
- Da Nang Street Walking Food Tour : $29
- Basket Boat Riding and Cooking Class from Da Nang City : $29
- Da Nang Vegetarian Cooking Class: $29
- Making Lantern & Basket Boat & Happy Cooking Class: $30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Samet $8.96Da Nang $13
Tours and Activities in Da Nang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Da Nang are as follows:
- The private tour to Golden Bridge and Marble mountain: $2.05
- Vietnamese Tradition Combo Ao dai Coffee and Banh mi Private Tour: $2.83
- From Monkey Mountain Hidden Gems Full-Day Tour: $4.10
- Local Food Private Walking Tour: $4.10
- Han River by night on boat cruise in Da Nang: $5.50
- Han River Cruise & Cham Dancing by Phu Quy Cruise: $6.15
- Scenic Han River Night Cruise On My Xuan Cruise.: $6.15
- Han River Local Cruise by Night: $6.15
- Super cheap and distinguished Ao Dai Experience in 2 hours - Ao dai retal: $6.16
- Han River Cruise Evening Ticket in Danang City: $7.50
- Da Nang Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Da Nang Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.78
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Samet $4.68Da Nang $9.39
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samet and Da Nang, we can see that Koh Samet is more expensive. And not only is Da Nang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Da Nang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Da Nang 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 Koh Samet would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Samet than you might in Da Nang.
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 Da Nang Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Koh Samet or Da Nang?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Koh Samet or Da Nang in the Summer?
Both Da Nang 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. Plenty of visitors come to Da Nang because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in Da Nang is January to July. The rainy season in Da Nang is August to December. It's quite rainy in Koh Samet. In July, Koh Samet usually receives more rain than Da Nang. Koh Samet gets 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while Da Nang receives 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the summer.
It's quite sunny in Da Nang. Koh Samet usually receives less sunshine than Da Nang during summer. Koh Samet gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Da Nang receives 242 hours of full sun in the summer.
Koh Samet is around the same temperature as Da Nang in the summer. The daily temperature in Koh Samet averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Da Nang fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyKoh Samet 28°C (82°F)Da Nang 29°C (85°F)
Should I visit Koh Samet or Da Nang in the Autumn?
Both Da Nang 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. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Da Nang year-round.
August to December is the rainy season in Da Nang. Da Nang 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 less rain in October than Da Nang. Koh Samet gets 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain, while Da Nang receives 613 mm (24.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the autumn, Koh Samet often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Da Nang. Koh Samet gets 167 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Da Nang receives 158 hours of full sun.
In the autumn, Koh Samet is around the same temperature as Da Nang. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Koh Samet in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Da Nang averages at about 25°C (78°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberKoh Samet 27°C (81°F)Da Nang 25°C (78°F)
Should I visit Koh Samet or Da Nang in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Samet and Da Nang. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Samet year-round. Da Nang attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
January to July in Da Nang is the dry season. Da Nang receives a lot of rain in the winter. In January, Koh Samet usually receives less rain than Da Nang. Koh Samet gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Da Nang receives 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
In Koh Samet, it's very sunny this time of the year. Koh Samet usually receives more sunshine than Da Nang during winter. Koh Samet gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Da Nang receives 136 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Koh Samet is generally a little warmer than Da Nang. Daily temperatures in Koh Samet average around 25°C (77°F), and Da Nang fluctuates around 22°C (71°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryKoh Samet 25°C (77°F)Da Nang 22°C (71°F)
Should I visit Koh Samet or Da Nang in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Koh Samet as well as Da Nang. Koh Samet attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Da Nang throughout the year.
Koh Samet usually gets more rain in April than Da Nang. Koh Samet gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Da Nang receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Da Nang. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Koh Samet this time of the year. In the spring, Koh Samet often gets more sunshine than Da Nang. Koh Samet gets 239 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Da Nang receives 210 hours of full sun.
Koh Samet is around the same temperature as Da Nang in the spring. The daily temperature in Koh Samet averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Da Nang fluctuates around 26°C (80°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilKoh Samet 29°C (84°F)Da Nang 26°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Da Nang and Koh Samet
| Koh Samet | Da Nang | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (80°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| May | 28°C (83°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 30°C (85°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 331 mm (13 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 613 mm (24.1 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 380 mm (15 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 376 mm (14.8 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 223 mm (8.8 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.