A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sandakan vs. Benxi for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sandakan or Benxi?

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

Should I visit Sandakan or Benxi? 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: Sandakan or Benxi?

Sandakan

Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.

Benxi

Benxi, China is a city in the south east of the Liaoning Province in northeast China. The city itself is a major industrial hub, but is best known for the Benxi Shuidong National Park where you'll find the famous five million year old water cave. Benxi experiences cold winters, with weather being less enjoyable for touring from November through March. May through August see much warmer weather, getting up to the high 80's Fahrenheit in late summer. September and October are also good times to visit as temperatures cool to 60-70 degrees.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Sandakan or Benxi?

Benxi has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Sandakan. When comparing the sizes of Sandakan and Benxi, 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 Sandakan or Benxi?

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

Should I visit Sandakan or Benxi in the Summer?

Both Benxi and Sandakan are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Sandakan throughout the year.

Sandakan is around the same temperature as Benxi in the summer. The daily temperature in Sandakan averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Benxi fluctuates around 25°C (78°F).

It's quite sunny in Benxi. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Benxi during summer. Sandakan gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Benxi receives 214 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Benxi. It's quite rainy in Sandakan. In July, Sandakan usually receives less rain than Benxi. Sandakan gets 195 mm (7.7 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Sandakan or Benxi in the Autumn?

Both Benxi and Sandakan during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Sandakan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the autumn, Sandakan is much warmer than Benxi. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Sandakan in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Benxi averages at about 11°C (52°F).

In Benxi, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Sandakan often gets less sunshine than Benxi. Sandakan gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Benxi receives 216 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually gets more rain in October than Benxi. Sandakan gets 253 mm (10 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Sandakan or Benxi in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Sandakan and Benxi. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Sandakan year-round.

It's quite cold in Benxi in the winter. In January, Sandakan is generally much warmer than Benxi. Daily temperatures in Sandakan average around 26°C (80°F), and Benxi fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).

Sandakan usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Benxi during winter. Sandakan gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Benxi receives 167 hours of full sun in the winter.

Sandakan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Sandakan usually receives more rain than Benxi. Sandakan gets 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Sandakan or Benxi in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Sandakan as well as Benxi. Sandakan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Sandakan is much warmer than Benxi in the spring. The daily temperature in Sandakan averages around 28°C (82°F) in April, and Benxi fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Benxi. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sandakan this time of the year. In the spring, Sandakan often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Benxi. Sandakan gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Benxi receives 241 hours of full sun.

Sandakan receives a lot of rain in the spring. Sandakan usually gets more rain in April than Benxi. Sandakan gets 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Benxi and Sandakan