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

Should you visit Mount Kailash or Whitsundays?

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

Should I visit Mount Kailash or Whitsundays? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Mount Kailash or Whitsundays?

Mount Kailash

The main point of entry to Mount Kailash is a small village called Darchen. Once an important sheep station for nomads and their flocks, the village has now grown to provide for the pilgrims wishing to embark towards Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. It contains a number of guest houses and restaurants as well as a hotel where pilgrims must get permission from the Public Security Bureau to make the trek around the mountain. Also in the village are a handful of small stores and kiosks, as well as some grounds for camping. It is about 330 km (a one-day bus drive) from the town of Shiquanhe to the northeast, where Gunsa Airport is located, offering flights twice a week to Lhasa and Chengdu.

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 Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Melbourne, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Whitsundays or Mount Kailash?

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

  • Mount Kailash Prices
    China Prices
    Whitsundays Prices
    Australia Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Mount Kailash $90
    Whitsundays $155

The average daily cost (per person) in Mount Kailash is $90, while the average daily cost in Whitsundays is $155. 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 Mount Kailash and Whitsundays in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mount Kailash $27
    Whitsundays $69
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mount Kailash $54
    Whitsundays $138
Compare Hotels in Mount Kailash and Whitsundays

Looking for a hotel in Mount Kailash or Whitsundays? 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 Mount Kailash


Hotels in Whitsundays


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mount Kailash $32
    Whitsundays $55

Is it cheaper to fly into Mount Kailash or Whitsundays?

Prices for flights to both Whitsundays and Mount Kailash 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
    Mount Kailash $43
    Whitsundays $52

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Whitsundays

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

  • Hamilton Island: Whitsundays Sunset Dinner Cruise: $99

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mount Kailash $16
    Whitsundays $25

Tours and Activities in Whitsundays

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

  • Airlie Beach: Whitsundays Full-Day Camira Sailing Adventure: $164
  • MILADY Whitsundays 2-Night Private Yacht Sailing Cruise: $4,953

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mount Kailash $2.80
    Whitsundays $12


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mount Kailash and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Mount Kailash much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mount Kailash is in Asia and Whitsundays 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 Mount Kailash would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mount Kailash 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 Whitsundays would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Whitsundays than you might in Mount Kailash.

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


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