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

Should you visit Pai or Yichang?

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 Yichang. 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 Yichang?

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.

Yichang

Yichang, China is an ancient city situated on the northern bank of the Yangtze River in central China. The city is located just below the famed Three Gorges Dam and is a popular ending point for many Yangtze River cruises. Yichang offers beautiful natural scenery and ancient relics from the Three Kingdom Period.

Yichang experiences cool, rainy, winters and hot, humid, summers. Temperatures tend to stay in the 40's Fahrenheit during winter and the 80's in the summer. Spring, Summer, and Autumn are fantastic times to visit, although if you prefer to beat the heat, stay away during late summer!

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 from Beijing, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lhasa.

When comparing the travel costs between Pai and Yichang, we can see that Pai 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 Pai Expensive? and Is Yichang Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Pai or Yichang?

Yichang 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 Yichang in the Summer?

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

Pai is around the same temperature as Yichang in the summer. The daily temperature in Pai averages around 29°C (85°F) in July, and Yichang fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Yichang. In the summer, Pai often gets less sunshine than Yichang. Pai gets 146 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Yichang receives 206 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Yichang. Pai receives a lot of rain in the summer. Pai usually gets less rain in July than Yichang. Pai gets 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Yichang in the Autumn?

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

In the autumn, Pai is a little warmer than Yichang. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Pai in October average around 29°C (84°F), and Yichang averages at about 20°C (67°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Pai. Pai usually receives more sunshine than Yichang during autumn. Pai gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while Yichang receives 134 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It's quite rainy in Pai. In October, Pai usually receives more rain than Yichang. Pai gets 115 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Pai or Yichang in the Winter?

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

In January, Pai is generally much warmer than Yichang. Daily temperatures in Pai average around 24°C (74°F), and Yichang fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).

It's quite sunny in Pai. In the winter, Pai often gets more sunshine than Yichang. Pai gets 283 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Yichang receives 92 hours of full sun.

Pai usually gets less rain in January than Yichang. Pai gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Yichang in the Spring?

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

It's very hot in Pai this time of the year. Pai is much warmer than Yichang in the spring. The daily temperature in Pai averages around 32°C (89°F) in April, and Yichang fluctuates around 18°C (65°F).

In Pai, it's very sunny this time of the year. Pai usually receives more sunshine than Yichang during spring. Pai gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Yichang receives 129 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Pai usually receives less rain than Yichang. Pai gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Yichang receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Yichang and Pai