Which place is cheaper, Vang Vieng or Masai Mara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Masai Mara or Vang Vieng?
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 Masai Mara and Vang Vieng. 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: Masai Mara or Vang Vieng?
Masai Mara
Masai Mara National Reserve is a beautiful, scenic, nature reserve in southwest Kenya, just west of the capital city, Nairobi. The reserve belongs to the Masai people and was created in order to protect the land and the people and animals living on it. Masai Mara is considered to be one of the best reserves in all of Africa, offering the quintessential African safari experience.
Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is a town in the Vientiane province of Laos that sits along the banks of the Nam Song River. With its beautifully carved karst topography cliffs towering over the winding river, the area has become very tourist-oriented for those seeking to explore the outdoor wonders. People from all over come to engage in the unique landscape-mountain biking, trekking, kayaking, caving, swimming, and rock climbing, amongst others.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Adventure Tours to Laos, and The Best Budget Tours to Laos.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesVang Vieng Prices
Laos Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $132Vang Vieng $19
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Vang Vieng is $19. 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 Masai Mara and Vang Vieng in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Vang Vieng $4.25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Vang Vieng $8.50
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Vang Vieng
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Vang Vieng? 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.
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: Masai Mara Hotel Prices and Vang Vieng Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Vang Vieng $3.11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Nairobi Airport (NBO) Private Transfer to Nairobi City/Hotels: $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vang Vieng
Also for Vang Vieng, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared transfer from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang city: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Vang Vieng?
Prices for flights to both Vang Vieng and Masai Mara 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
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Food Meals for one dayMasai Mara $57Vang Vieng $11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.
- Carnivore experience Lunch Or Dinner (Optional Bomas of kenya ): $40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Vang Vieng $4.76
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- Airport Layover Tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $225
- Amboseli national park full day tour: $160
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Day Tour To Mt. Kenya : $285
- Fairview Coffee Farm Day Tour in Nairobi: $120
- Full Day Tour Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Center: $275
- Giraffe Center Half-Day Guided Tour from Nairobi: $75
- Half Day Giraffe Center,Baby Elephant&Karen Blixxen Guided Tour: $38
- Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
- Nairobi African Shopping Tour: $55
- Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
- Nairobi Museum KICC Tower Kobe and Bomas of Kenya Day Tour: $115
Tours and Activities in Vang Vieng
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vang Vieng.
- Get Your Laos–China Train Ticket Fast – No Waiting, No Worries: $30
- Vangrong Full Day Tour: $45
- Vang Vieng Shared Tour with Kayaking in Nam Song River: $48
- Vang Vieng Bike Tour: $49
- One Day Guided Tour: Kayaking, Zipline & Tubing In The Cave from Vang Vieng : $50
- Vangrong One Day Shared Tour: $52
- Vang Vieng Tour B - Nam Xay Viewpoint Hike & Blue Lagoon 1 Tour: $55
- Vang Vieng Jungle Day Tour: $58
- Vang Vieng Kayaking Fun Rapid and Float Tour: $65
- Vang Vieng Kayaking Fun Rapid and Float Tour: $65
- Vang Vieng River Kayaking Rapid and Float Tour: $65
- Nam Xay Viewpoint Hike and Blue Lagoon Tour: $79
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Vang Vieng $1.11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Vang Vieng, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Vang Vieng much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Vang Vieng is in Asia, 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 Vang Vieng would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vang Vieng 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 Masai Mara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Masai Mara than you might in Vang Vieng.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Masai Mara Expensive? and Is Vang Vieng Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.