A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Phuket vs. Sendai for Nightlife, Beaches, Food, and Families

Should you visit Phuket or Sendai?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Phuket or Sendai, 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.

Phuket

Phuket is a stunning, activity-filled, and energetic resort island. Phuket is a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the shopping, nightlife, and food. See Phuket travel costs.

Sendai

Sendai is a high energy, vibrant, and cosmopolitan city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. And you can't forget about the museums, nightlife, and food. See Sendai travel costs.

Phuket and Sendai: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Phuket or Sendai?

You'll generally find more things to do in Sendai than Phuket. Sendai is bigger than Phuket, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Sendai is better known for its museums and attractions, shopping, and big city activities, while Phuket is more popular for its food, nightlife, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, and impressive beauty. Phuket is more touristy than Sendai and is popular for its long sandy beaches, wild nightlife, colorful resorts, and easy access to day tours. Sendai is well known for the Tanabata Festival, which is the largest of its kind and held every August. Also, Sendai is famous for the statue of Lord Masamune.

How is Phuket different from Sendai?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Sendai and Phuket. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Phuket or Sendai?

Sendai is a great destination for its museums and landmarks. However, Phuket does not have museums and landmarks.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Sendai can be an interesting and educational experience. The city grew up as a castle town, and today the castle ruins are a popular tourist destination. A park surrounds the area, Aobayama Park, and while only the stonewalls remain, you can visit the Sendai City Museum in the park as well. Zuihoden Temple is another landmark worth visiting, as is the AER observation terrace.

Phuket does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Phuket or Sendai? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Phuket is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. Also, Sendai is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Phuket has a huge number of terrific restaurants. Because it served as an international port for so long, food around the island has many international influences. For the most authentic local food, head into Phuket Town. Many dishes include seafood, but there are also chicken curries and noodle soup. Like elsewhere in Thailand, the food can be quite spicy but because the island is so touristy, they're accustomed to people asking for "no spice."

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Sendai area. There are a number of local specialties in the area and if you're an adventurous eater, then this is your place. Many of the dishes are influenced by the city's proximity to the ocean. Make sure you try the harako-meshi (rice with fish eggs), sea squirts, and sashimi. Another local favorite is beef tongue.

Is Phuket or Sendai Better for Nightlife?

Phuket is renowned for nightlife and partying. Also, Sendai is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its evening party scene.

Phuket is a destination that you simply have to visit at least once for nightlife. The island has a long running reputation as a party destination and it lives up to expectations. The biggest party area is Patong, particularly around Bangla Road, but even in Kata and Karon, it's hard to escape the party atmosphere.

The people in Sendai know how to have a good time. Head to Kokubuncho for the best nightlife scene in the area. This downtown neighborhood is filled with bars, clubs, and karaoke that come alive in the evening. For live music, check out Rensa, which is one of the city's largest live music venues.

Is Phuket or Sendai Better for Resorts?

Phuket is renowned for its luxury resorts. However, Sendai is not a resort destination.

Phuket offers an unforgettable resort vacation. It's easy accessibility and larger size make this the premiere resort destination in Thailand. There are five star resorts, family-friendly resorts, and everything in between. Many people use the island as a base for exploring other nearby islands. Any resort or tour company can arrange excursions or activities for guests.

Sendai is not a resort destination.

Is Phuket or Sendai Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Phuket is an excellent place to visit for its diving and snorkeling. However, Sendai is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Many visitors go to Phuket to enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling. You can dive and snorkel year round, but the visibility is usually best between November and May. There are countless boat tours available and the easy accessibility make this a good base for snorkeling and diving. Many areas are overrun with tourists though, so it'll be hard to find a quiet, undisturbed location.

Sendai is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Phuket or Sendai Better for Beaches?

Phuket is renowned for the beach. Also, Sendai is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for the beach.

The beaches in Phuket are among the best in the world. The island has more than 30 beaches to choose from, ranging from party hard areas to a few quieter gems in more remote locations. The area became a world-famous destination because of its white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, and the beaches will not disappoint, even if development has taken over the island.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Sendai. There are a number of beaches in the area, but for the best options you'll want to head a bit out of town.

Is the Shopping Better in Phuket or Sendai?

Sendai is a great destination for its shopping opportunities. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for its shopping areas.

Sendai is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. You'll find shopping arcades in the downtown area like Ichibancho, which is one of the most popular shopping districts in the city. If you head out of town towards the suburbs, you'll find malls and other outlet stores.

Phuket has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Shopping malls offer a range of stores, air conditioning, and fixed prices while markets have more local items and unique souvenirs. There are also galleries and other souvenir shops all over the island.

Is Phuket or Sendai More Beautiful?

Phuket is a nice place to visit for its scenery and beauty. However, Sendai is not a destination known for its beauty.

Phuket is a beautiful place to visit, too. It is a mix of beautiful beaches and tourist crowds. The island is very developed with a combination of 5 star hotels, souvenir shops, and tour companies. Because of the many excursions leaving from the island, many visitors find it a makes a good base for exploring the area.

Sendai is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Phuket or Sendai Better for Families?

Sendai is a great destination for its family-friendly activities. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Sendai is a very kid-friendly city. The city has a number of green spaces that kids will enjoy including parks and playgrounds. There are also kid-focused museums like the Anpanman Children's Museum and the 3M Sendai City Science Museum. If the young ones really need a break from the history, you can check out Yagiyama Beny Land.

Phuket offers lots of family activities. Many people visit this island with kids because it has beautiful beaches and tons of activities including water sports, water parks, and amusement areas. The island is filled with a diversity of tourists, so you'll encounter a number of areas with party-hard atmospheres, but there are also tons of family-friendly resorts to choose from as well.

Is Phuket or Sendai Better for Couples?

Phuket is an excellent place to visit for its romantic activities. Also, Sendai is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for couples.

Phuket makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The island is filled with beautiful beaches and plenty of activities for all travel styles. It's a tourist and party mecca in Thailand with many resorts and restaurants to choose from.

Sendai is a good resort island for couples to visit. The city boasts beautiful temples as well as nice natural areas, parks, and gardens. If you have time to get out of town, Okama is a volcanic lake that is one of the most beautiful spots in the region, and well worth the excursion.

Is Phuket or Sendai Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Phuket and Sendai are notable places to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

It's common for backpackers to visit Phuket. It has a long history as a party island with expensive prices and hordes of tourists. While it gets its share of backpackers, many visitors complain about the lack of authenticity and prefer to spend their time elsewhere.

Sendai is a good resort island to visit for backpackers. There are a couple of hostels around the town and many of the activities are free as they involve strolling through parks or wandering down shopping streets.

Is Phuket or Sendai Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Sendai is a great destination for its public transit. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for times when you don't have a car.

The public transit in Sendai can get you around easily. There are two subway lines the north-south Namboku Line and the east-west Tozai Line. These lines cross at Sendai Station.

While Phuket offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. Tuk tuks, buses, and motorbike taxis are all available on the island. The buses are usually Songtaew, which have open air seating areas.

Is Phuket or Sendai a more walkable city?

Sendai is a great destination for its high level of walkability. Also, Phuket is still popular, but not quite as popular for its ease of walking around.

Sendai is a very walkable city. There are many parts of the city that are walkable, especially around Sendai Station as well as in the Chuo-dori arcade and the the Kokubuncho neighborhood.

Phuket is a somewhat walkable resort island. Most of the hotels and resorts are walking distance to the beach and many resort areas are small enough to be explored on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Phuket Worth Visiting? and Is Sendai Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Sendai or Phuket?

How long in Phuket or Sendai?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Phuket and Sendai. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Phuket than in Sendai. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Phuket, and 2-3 days is enough time in Sendai.

Families should spend more time in Sendai than Phuket. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Sendai, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Phuket than Sendai. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Phuket that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

One day in Phuket or Sendai?

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the destination of Phuket. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Sendai. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Phuket or Sendai?

Phuket is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Sendai is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Phuket or Sendai?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Phuket. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Most people come for the beaches. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Sendai. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Phuket or Sendai?

Many travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the party-hard destination of Phuket. This resort island offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. If you have one week, this is a great place to go. This would be the perfect place to spend one week, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the cosmopolitan destination of Sendai. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo.

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

Which is Bigger, Phuket or Sendai?

Sendai has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Phuket. When comparing the sizes of Phuket and Sendai, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Phuket or Sendai?

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

Should I visit Phuket or Sendai in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Phuket as well as Sendai. Phuket attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Sendai this time of year.

Phuket is a little warmer than Sendai in the summer. The daily temperature in Phuket averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Sendai fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Phuket this time of the year. In the summer, Phuket often gets more sunshine than Sendai. Phuket gets 206 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sendai receives 124 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Sendai. Phuket receives a lot of rain in the summer. Phuket usually gets more rain in July than Sendai. Phuket gets 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain, while Sendai receives 151 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Phuket or Sendai in the Autumn?

Both Sendai and Phuket are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Phuket throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Sendai for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.

In the autumn, Phuket is much warmer than Sendai. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Phuket in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Sendai averages at about 15°C (59°F).

Phuket usually receives more sunshine than Sendai during autumn. Phuket gets 181 hours of sunny skies, while Sendai receives 149 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Sendai. It's quite rainy in Phuket. In October, Phuket usually receives more rain than Sendai. Phuket gets 304 mm (12 in) of rain, while Sendai receives 103 mm (4.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in Phuket is December to March. The rainy season in Phuket is June to October.

Should I visit Phuket or Sendai in the Winter?

Both Sendai and Phuket during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Phuket because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Sendai in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Sendai can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Phuket is generally much warmer than Sendai. Daily temperatures in Phuket average around 28°C (82°F), and Sendai fluctuates around 2°C (35°F).

It's quite sunny in Phuket. In the winter, Phuket often gets more sunshine than Sendai. Phuket gets 287 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sendai receives 149 hours of full sun.

Phuket usually gets less rain in January than Sendai. Phuket gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Sendai receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year. December to March is the dry season in Phuket.

Should I visit Phuket or Sendai in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Phuket and Sendai. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Phuket year-round. Also, most visitors come to Sendai for the beaches and the activities around the city during these months.

Phuket is much warmer than Sendai in the spring. The daily temperature in Phuket averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Sendai fluctuates around 10°C (51°F).

In Phuket, it's very sunny this time of the year. Phuket usually receives more sunshine than Sendai during spring. Phuket gets 249 hours of sunny skies, while Sendai receives 188 hours of full sun in the spring.

Phuket gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Phuket usually receives more rain than Sendai. Phuket gets 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain, while Sendai receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the spring. Also, June to October is the rainy season in Phuket.

Typical Weather for Sendai and Phuket