A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Koh Tarutao vs. Longsheng for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Koh Tarutao or Longsheng?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Koh Tarutao and Longsheng. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Koh Tarutao or Longsheng?

Koh Tarutao

While much of Thailand has been built up into a tourist destination of hotels and resorts, there are spots that are still untouched and covered in the beauty of this part of the world. The unspoiled regions of the Ko Tarutao Marine National Park is 51 islands of rainforest ready for visitors. Established in 1974, the park is the second oldest in the country, and was the setting for the 2002 season of the reality television show Survivor. The park includes stunning coral reefs, pristine white beaches and wildlife of all shapes and sizes. Trek through and keep your eyes out for mouse deer, wild pigs, sea otters, tree pythons, sea eagles, hornbills, reef egrets and so much more.

Longsheng

A county of the city, Guilin, Longsheng is a hub of several ethnic cultures that thrive on farming and tourism. It is located about 50 or so miles north of the Guilin city center. The region is perhaps most known for the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces located in Heping Township. These, along with many other natural features like hot springs, waterfalls, and meadows are a few of the main attractions that draw visitors to Longsheng.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Thailand, The Best Cultural Tours in Thailand, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, and The Best Adventure Tours to China.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Koh Tarutao or Longsheng?

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

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Longsheng in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Koh Tarutao and Longsheng. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Tarutao year-round.

In July, Koh Tarutao is generally around the same temperature as Longsheng. Daily temperatures in Koh Tarutao average around 27°C (81°F), and Longsheng fluctuates around 30°C (86°F).

Longsheng receives a lot of rain in the summer. Koh Tarutao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Koh Tarutao usually receives more rain than Longsheng. Koh Tarutao gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Longsheng receives 206 mm (8.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Longsheng in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Koh Tarutao as well as Longsheng. Koh Tarutao attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

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

Koh Tarutao receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Tarutao usually gets more rain in October than Longsheng. Koh Tarutao gets 281 mm (11.1 in) of rain, while Longsheng receives 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, November to April in Koh Tarutao is the dry season. May and October in Koh Tarutao is the rainy season.

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Longsheng in the Winter?

Both Longsheng and Koh Tarutao are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Tarutao throughout the year.

In the winter, Koh Tarutao is much warmer than Longsheng. Typically, the winter temperatures in Koh Tarutao in January average around 27°C (80°F), and Longsheng averages at about 10°C (49°F).

In January, Koh Tarutao usually receives less rain than Longsheng. Koh Tarutao gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Longsheng receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Longsheng in the Spring?

Both Longsheng and Koh Tarutao during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Tarutao because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In April, Koh Tarutao is generally a little warmer than Longsheng. Daily temperatures in Koh Tarutao average around 29°C (85°F), and Longsheng fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).

Longsheng gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Tarutao. Koh Tarutao usually gets less rain in April than Longsheng. Koh Tarutao gets 124 mm (4.9 in) of rain, while Longsheng receives 263 mm (10.3 in) of rain this time of the year. November to April is the dry season in Koh Tarutao. May and October is the rainy season in Koh Tarutao.

Typical Weather for Longsheng and Koh Tarutao