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

Should you visit Koh Tarutao or Whitsundays?

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 Whitsundays. 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 Whitsundays?

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.

Whitsundays

Just off the coast of Queensland, Australia is a cluster of 74 different islands. These islands, the Whitsunday Islands, welcome over a half a million visitors every year to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Barrier Reef.

As one of the most famous destinations in the world, it's not uncommon to see expensive yachts sailing around among the private ferries. Most of the islands are designated as national parks with access to snorkeling and diving in the coral reefs, or just to lay in the sand on the famous Whitehaven Beach.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Thailand, The Best Cultural Tours in Thailand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Melbourne, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia.

When comparing the travel costs between Koh Tarutao and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Koh Tarutao is in Asia and Whitsundays is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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 Whitsundays Expensive?.

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

Whitsundays 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 Whitsundays in the Summer?

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

In the summer, Koh Tarutao is around the same temperature as Whitsundays. Typically, the summer temperatures in Koh Tarutao in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.

Whitsundays 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 less rain than Whitsundaysin January. Koh Tarutao gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

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

In October, Koh Tarutao is generally a little warmer than Whitsundaysin April. Daily temperatures in Koh Tarutao average around 27°C (81°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Koh Tarutao receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Tarutao usually gets more rain in October than Whitsundaysin April. Koh Tarutao gets 281 mm (11.1 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 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 Whitsundays in the Winter?

Both Whitsundays 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.

Koh Tarutao is much warmer than Whitsundays in the winter. The daily temperature in Koh Tarutao averages around 27°C (80°F) in January, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F)in July.

In January, Koh Tarutao usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin July. Koh Tarutao gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Whitsundays in the Spring?

Both Whitsundays 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 the spring, Koh Tarutao is a little warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the spring temperatures in Koh Tarutao in April average around 29°C (85°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Tarutao. Koh Tarutao usually gets more rain in April than Whitsundaysin October. Koh Tarutao gets 124 mm (4.9 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 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 Whitsundays and Koh Tarutao