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

Should you visit Longsheng or Yaeyama Islands?

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 Longsheng and Yaeyama Islands. 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: Longsheng or Yaeyama Islands?

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.

Yaeyama Islands

The Yaeyama Islands is a cluster of islands located in the southwestern part of Japan, close to Taiwan. There are nine different islands, varying from small islets to large holiday resort islands. The Yaeyama Islands are one of the most popular destination in Japan due to their beautiful beaches and underwater ruins. Yaeyama is also known for having their own language and writing system. For the most part, everyone on the Islands speak Japanese, but you'll often find the Yaeyama writing on T-shirts in souvenir shops or scattered around Yaeyama.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Tokyo, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo.

When comparing the travel costs between Longsheng and Yaeyama Islands, we can see that Yaeyama Islands 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. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

When is the best time to visit Longsheng or Yaeyama Islands?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Longsheng or Yaeyama Islands in the Summer?

Both Yaeyama Islands and Longsheng during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Yaeyama Islands this time of year.

In July, Longsheng is generally around the same temperature as Yaeyama Islands. Daily temperatures in Longsheng average around 30°C (86°F), and Yaeyama Islands fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).

Yaeyama Islands gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Longsheng. Longsheng usually gets more rain in July than Yaeyama Islands. Longsheng gets 206 mm (8.1 in) of rain, while Yaeyama Islands receives 179 mm (7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Longsheng or Yaeyama Islands in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Longsheng and Yaeyama Islands. Also, many travelers come to Yaeyama Islands for the hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area.

Longsheng is cooler than Yaeyama Islands in the autumn. The daily temperature in Longsheng averages around 23°C (73°F) in October, and Yaeyama Islands fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).

Yaeyama Islands receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Longsheng usually receives less rain than Yaeyama Islands. Longsheng gets 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Yaeyama Islands receives 173 mm (6.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Longsheng or Yaeyama Islands in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Longsheng as well as Yaeyama Islands. Also, many visitors come to Yaeyama Islands in the winter for the museums and the cuisine.

In the winter, Longsheng is much colder than Yaeyama Islands. Typically, the winter temperatures in Longsheng in January average around 10°C (49°F), and Yaeyama Islands averages at about 18°C (64°F).

It's quite rainy in Yaeyama Islands. Longsheng usually gets less rain in January than Yaeyama Islands. Longsheng gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Yaeyama Islands receives 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Longsheng or Yaeyama Islands in the Spring?

Both Yaeyama Islands and Longsheng are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Yaeyama Islands for the beaches and the natural beauty during these months.

In April, Longsheng is generally cooler than Yaeyama Islands. Daily temperatures in Longsheng average around 20°C (68°F), and Yaeyama Islands fluctuates around 23°C (74°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Yaeyama Islands. It's quite rainy in Longsheng. In April, Longsheng usually receives more rain than Yaeyama Islands. Longsheng gets 263 mm (10.3 in) of rain, while Yaeyama Islands receives 147 mm (5.8 in) of rain each month for the spring. The rainy season in Yaeyama Islands is May to June.

Typical Weather for Yaeyama Islands and Longsheng