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

Should you visit Koh Tarutao or Sihanoukville?

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 Sihanoukville. 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 Sihanoukville?

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.

Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville, also known by locals as Kompong Som, was named after King Sihanouk. Also Cambodia's youngest city, construction started in 1955 to build Cambodia's first and only deep water port so that ships would no longer have to go through the Mekong Delta in order to trade with Cambodia. Today, many visit Sihanoukville as a hub to visit Cambodia's islands.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Thailand, The Best Cultural Tours in Thailand, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.


Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Koh Tarutao?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Tarutao is $99, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $51. 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 Tarutao and Sihanoukville in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Koh Tarutao $50
    Sihanoukville $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Koh Tarutao $100
    Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Koh Tarutao and Sihanoukville

Looking for a hotel in Koh Tarutao or Sihanoukville? 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.

Hotels in Koh Tarutao


Hotels in Sihanoukville


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Koh Tarutao $34
    Sihanoukville $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Private Transfer in South Cambodia: $60
  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
  • Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57

Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Tarutao or Sihanoukville?

Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Koh Tarutao 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Koh Tarutao $29
    Sihanoukville $18

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sihanoukville

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sihanoukville.

  • Cooking class in Kampot: $20
  • Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Koh Tarutao $15
    Sihanoukville $5.37

Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville

Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 4 hours guided tour: Pepper farm, Secret Lake, Salt fields : $17
  • Best Sihanoukville Day Tours from Cruise Port or Hotel: $79
  • Best of Sihanoukville City Tour from Cruise Port: $79
  • Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
  • Bokor Mountain Hill Station Tour: $75
  • Bokor Mountain Hill Station Tour Inclusive Lunch: $78
  • Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $45
  • Explore Sihanoukville Dirt Bike Tour: $140
  • Exploring Bokor National Park Full-Day Tour from Sihanoukville: $99
  • Exploring Kampot: A Memorable Tour from Sihanoukville: $63
  • Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
  • Full Day Pepper Farm Adventure by Scooter: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Koh Tarutao $7.09
    Sihanoukville $4.42


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Tarutao and Sihanoukville, we can see that Koh Tarutao is more expensive. And not only is Sihanoukville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sihanoukville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sihanoukville 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 Sihanoukville.

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 Sihanoukville Expensive?.