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

Should you visit Pai or Whitsundays?

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 Pai and Whitsundays. 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: Pai or Whitsundays?

Pai

As the lush green mountains adorn the blue horizon amidst its creamy clouds, Pai, in northern Thailand, works as one of the many hubs for some of the world's most exciting cultural adventures and natural wonders. Within this small town just north of the Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, Pai lays on the Pai River and holds a population of no more than 2,500. Despite its geographical insignificance, this town attracts a wide array of tourists. From breathtaking waterfalls to relaxing hot springs, you will find yourself astonished at how much this little city holds within its borders.

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 G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Pai or Whitsundays?

Whitsundays has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Pai experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Whitsundays in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Pai and Whitsundays. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Pai year-round.

Pai is a little warmer than Whitsundays in the summer. The daily temperature in Pai averages around 29°C (85°F) in July, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Whitsundays this time of the year. Pai usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during summer. Pai gets 146 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 285 hours of full sun in the summer.

Whitsundays receives a lot of rain in the summer. Pai gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Pai usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin January. Pai gets 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Pai or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Pai as well as Whitsundays. Pai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the autumn, Pai is a little warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Pai in October average around 29°C (84°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Pai this time of the year. In the autumn, Pai often gets more sunshine than Whitsundaysin April. Pai gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 207 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Pai receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Pai usually gets less rain in October than Whitsundaysin April. Pai gets 115 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Whitsundays in the Winter?

Both Whitsundays and Pai are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Pai throughout the year.

In January, Pai is generally a little warmer than Whitsundaysin July. Daily temperatures in Pai average around 24°C (74°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F).

It's quite sunny in Whitsundays. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Pai. Pai usually receives more sunshine than Whitsundays during winter. Pai gets 283 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Pai usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin July. Pai gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Pai or Whitsundays in the Spring?

Both Whitsundays and Pai during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Pai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

It's very hot in Pai this time of the year. Pai is a little warmer than Whitsundays in the spring. The daily temperature in Pai averages around 32°C (89°F) in April, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.

In Whitsundays, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Pai. In the spring, Pai often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin October. Pai gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 298 hours of full sun.

Pai usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Whitsundaysin October. Pai gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Pai