A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Luang Prabang vs. Mount Aspiring National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Luang Prabang or Mount Aspiring National Park ?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Luang Prabang or Mount Aspiring National Park, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Luang Prabang or Mount Aspiring National Park ?

Luang Prabang

Southeast Asia is a region full of mystical wonders and cultural charm, but nowhere is as charming as the city of Luang Prabang. As the former capital of Laos, Luang Prabang was reopened to tourism in 1989. With that move the city experienced an upswing in revenue and was able to restore and rebuild the beautiful colonial mansions to serve as guesthouses and hotels for the new swarm of tourists.

Mount Aspiring National Park

Mount Aspiring National Park is located within the Southern Alps on the South Island of New Zealand in the Otago region. The park is named after one of New Zealand's highest peaks, Mt Aspiring, and is one of the best places to hike in the country. It is part of the Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area and one of the many locations of filming for the Lord of the Rings movies. The closest towns to this park are Haast, Makarora, Wanaka, and Glenorchy. One of New Zealand's great walks is located in this park, the Routeburn track, and is very popular among travelers heading to New Zealand for long hikes through the beautiful scenery.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Mount Aspiring National Park or Luang Prabang?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Luang Prabang Prices
    Laos Prices
    Mount Aspiring National Park Prices
    New Zealand Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Luang Prabang $18
    Mount Aspiring National Park $122

The average daily cost (per person) in Luang Prabang is $18, while the average daily cost in Mount Aspiring National Park is $122. 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 Luang Prabang and Mount Aspiring National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Luang Prabang $5.60
    Mount Aspiring National Park $58
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Luang Prabang $11
    Mount Aspiring National Park $116
Compare Hotels in Luang Prabang and Mount Aspiring National Park

Looking for a hotel in Luang Prabang or Mount Aspiring National Park ? 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 Luang Prabang


Hotels in Mount Aspiring National Park


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Luang Prabang Hotel Prices and Mount Aspiring National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Luang Prabang $2.07
    Mount Aspiring National Park $49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Luang Prabang

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Luang Prabang are as follows:


  • Tuk Tuk Ride
    $2.31

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luang Prabang

Also for Luang Prabang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Luang Prabang Private Airport transfers: $9.00
  • LPQ Airport: Private Transfer to/from Luang Prabang City: $20
  • 2D Transfer to Huay Xai by Slow Boat: $61
  • 2-Day Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $165
  • From 3-Day Oudomxay Town Trip with Transfers: $580

Is it cheaper to fly into Luang Prabang or Mount Aspiring National Park ?

Prices for flights to both Mount Aspiring National Park and Luang Prabang 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
    Luang Prabang $9.25
    Mount Aspiring National Park $32

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luang Prabang

For Luang Prabang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Luang Prabang Local Market and Morning Food Tour with Drinks: $39
  • Bamboo Weaving Workshop & Cooking Class: $44
  • Day-time Bamboo weaving & Cooking Classes join-in: $44
  • Luangprabang: Dinner with Lao Traditional Dance Performance: $45
  • Mekong Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $45
  • Cooking Class at the Former Royal Palace: $45
  • Prabang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $45
  • Mekong Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $46
  • Laos: Prabang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $46
  • Evening Bamboo weaving & Cooking classes join-in: $47
  • Mekong River Sunset & Lao Tasting Dinner: $49
  • Evening Cooking Class & Local Baci Ceremony: $51

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Luang Prabang $2.66
    Mount Aspiring National Park $29

Tours and Activities in Luang Prabang

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Luang Prabang.

  • Shuttle Bus ticket to Kuang Si Waterfalls: $8.00
  • Farm Tour and Buffalo Buffet Adventure: $9.00
  • Audio-Guided City Tour in Electric Car: $14
  • Laos Railway: Train Tickets Easily - Skip the Lines - No worries : $30
  • Kuang Si Waterfalls and Hmong Village Half-Day Tour: $30
  • Small Group Half Day Luang Prabang city tour: $30
  • Sunset Cruise Luang Prabang: $35
  • Unwind with a Sunset Cruise on the Mekong River: $35
  • UNESCO World Heritage City Highlights Tour: $35
  • Full day / Half Day Kayaking and Pak Ou Caves with optional sunset cruise: $41
  • From Guided Mountain Bike Tour with Lunch: $42
  • Kayak Tour to Pak Ou Caves: $43

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Luang Prabang $1.78
    Mount Aspiring National Park $5.07


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Luang Prabang and Mount Aspiring National Park , we can see that Mount Aspiring National Park is more expensive. And not only is Luang Prabang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Luang Prabang is in Asia and Mount Aspiring National Park is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Luang Prabang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Luang Prabang 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 Mount Aspiring National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mount Aspiring National Park than you might in Luang Prabang.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Luang Prabang Expensive? and Is Mount Aspiring National Park Expensive?.