Which place is cheaper, Halong Bay or Koh Samet?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Koh Samet or Halong Bay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Samet or Halong Bay, 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 Halong Bay?
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?
Halong Bay
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi.
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Koh Samet Prices
Thailand PricesHalong Bay Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Samet $130Halong Bay $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samet is $130, while the average daily cost in Halong Bay is $66. 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 Halong Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Samet $36Halong Bay $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Samet $72Halong Bay $54
Compare Hotels in Koh Samet and Halong Bay
Looking for a hotel in Koh Samet or Halong Bay? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Samet $77Halong Bay $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- Bus Transfer From Cat Ba Island To Ninh Binh/Ninh binh To Cat Ba: $19
- Transfer from Cat Ba Island to Ninh Binh with D-Class Limousine: $20
- Transfer Ha Long to Ha Noi Super Limousine Morning Bus: $33
- Halong Bay Full Day Cruise from Hanoi by Transfer Expressway: $42
- Halong Day Tour: Islands, Cave, Kayak. Lunch. Transfers: $45
- Best Seller Halong Full Day Tour All Included Expressway Transfer: $48
- Halong Bay Full Day With Cave, Kayaking,Swimming,Highway Transfer: $49
- Alova Premium Cruise to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip by Highway Transfer: $50
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $56
- Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $56
- Halong Bay 06 Hours Dragon King Cruise From Halong with Transfer: $60
- Arcady Premium Cruise Halong Bay Day Tour with Optional Transfer: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samet or Halong Bay?
Prices for flights to both Halong Bay 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 $53Halong Bay $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
- Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour in Lan Ha Bay with Dinner: $37
- Catherine Horizon - Top Luxury - The Best Day & Dinner Cruise: $70
- Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador: $79
- Cooking class on floating village: $100
- Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $210
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Samet $10Halong Bay $16
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Halong Bay UNESCO Cruise Tour: Sung Sot & Luon Cave, Titov Island: $1.79
- LiLy Cruise - Luxury 5 Star Overnight Cruise - 2D1N & 3D2N: $10
- Cat Ba: Lan Ha Bay - Viet Hai Village - Kayaking Tours: $13
- Ha Long Bay Cruise Day Tour - best selling: Kayaking, Swimming, hiking & Lunch: $23
- Đón ở Cát Bà - Tour 3 tiếng ngắm Hoàng Hôn: $23
- Cat Ba Sunset Jeep Tour Trek And Cave Exploration: $24
- Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise with Lunch, Cave & Kayaking: $25
- Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Cruise: Cave Exploration - Swim and Kayak: $27
- From Cat Ba Island: Majestic Sunset Boat Tour Explore Lan Ha Bay: $27
- From Cat Ba Island: Amazing Sunset Tour in Lan Ha Bay, Kayaking: $28
- Majestic Sunset Boat Tour: Explore Lan Ha Bay’s Stunning Scenery: $28
- From Cat Ba: Amazing Sunset Boat Tour in Lan Ha Bay: $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Samet $5.26Halong Bay $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samet and Halong Bay, we can see that Koh Samet is more expensive. And not only is Halong Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Halong Bay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halong Bay 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 Halong Bay.
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 Halong Bay Expensive?.
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.