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

Should you visit Koh Tarutao or Yichang?

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 Yichang. 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 Yichang?

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.

Yichang

Yichang, China is an ancient city situated on the northern bank of the Yangtze River in central China. The city is located just below the famed Three Gorges Dam and is a popular ending point for many Yangtze River cruises. Yichang offers beautiful natural scenery and ancient relics from the Three Kingdom Period.

Yichang experiences cool, rainy, winters and hot, humid, summers. Temperatures tend to stay in the 40's Fahrenheit during winter and the 80's in the summer. Spring, Summer, and Autumn are fantastic times to visit, although if you prefer to beat the heat, stay away during late summer!

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 Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.

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

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 Yichang Expensive?.

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

Yichang 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 Yichang in the Summer?

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

In the summer, Koh Tarutao is around the same temperature as Yichang. Typically, the summer temperatures in Koh Tarutao in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Yichang averages at about 29°C (85°F).

It's quite rainy in Yichang. Koh Tarutao receives a lot of rain in the summer. Koh Tarutao usually gets more rain in July than Yichang. Koh Tarutao gets 269 mm (10.6 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Yichang in the Autumn?

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

In October, Koh Tarutao is generally a little warmer than Yichang. Daily temperatures in Koh Tarutao average around 27°C (81°F), and Yichang fluctuates around 20°C (67°F).

It's quite rainy in Koh Tarutao. In October, Koh Tarutao usually receives more rain than Yichang. Koh Tarutao gets 281 mm (11.1 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in Koh Tarutao is November to April. The rainy season in Koh Tarutao is May and October.

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Yichang in the Winter?

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

Koh Tarutao is much warmer than Yichang in the winter. The daily temperature in Koh Tarutao averages around 27°C (80°F) in January, and Yichang fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).

Koh Tarutao usually gets more rain in January than Yichang. Koh Tarutao gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Koh Tarutao or Yichang in the Spring?

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

In the spring, Koh Tarutao is much warmer than Yichang. Typically, the spring temperatures in Koh Tarutao in April average around 29°C (85°F), and Yichang averages at about 18°C (65°F).

Koh Tarutao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Koh Tarutao usually receives more rain than Yichang. Koh Tarutao gets 124 mm (4.9 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the spring. November to April in Koh Tarutao is the dry season. Also, May and October is the rainy season in Koh Tarutao.

Typical Weather for Yichang and Koh Tarutao