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

Should you visit Sandakan or Pyeongchang?

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

Should I visit Sandakan or Pyeongchang? 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 Pyeongchang?

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.

Pyeongchang

Pyeongchang is a county of South Korea situated in the Taebaek Mountains in Gangwon Province. A popular location for winter sports, it was chosen as the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Other attractions include Buddhist temples, parks, villages, and natural scenery.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Seoul, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Seoul.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Pyeongchang, we can see that Pyeongchang 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 Pyeongchang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pyeongchang 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 Pyeongchang Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Sandakan or Pyeongchang?

Pyeongchang 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 Pyeongchang in the Summer?

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

In July, Sandakan is generally a little warmer than Pyeongchang. Daily temperatures in Sandakan average around 27°C (81°F), and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 24°C (76°F).

It's quite sunny in Sandakan. In the summer, Sandakan often gets more sunshine than Pyeongchang. Sandakan gets 221 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pyeongchang receives 144 hours of full sun.

Pyeongchang gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually gets less rain in July than Pyeongchang. Sandakan gets 195 mm (7.7 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 217 mm (8.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Sandakan or Pyeongchang in the Autumn?

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

Sandakan is much warmer than Pyeongchang in the autumn. The daily temperature in Sandakan averages around 28°C (82°F) in October, and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 15°C (60°F).

Sandakan usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Pyeongchang during autumn. Sandakan gets 191 hours of sunny skies, while Pyeongchang receives 185 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Pyeongchang receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Sandakan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Sandakan usually receives more rain than Pyeongchang. Sandakan gets 253 mm (10 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Sandakan or Pyeongchang in the Winter?

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

The weather in Pyeongchang can be very cold. In the winter, Sandakan is much warmer than Pyeongchang. Typically, the winter temperatures in Sandakan in January average around 26°C (80°F), and Pyeongchang averages at about 0°C (33°F).

In the winter, Sandakan often gets less sunshine than Pyeongchang. Sandakan gets 156 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pyeongchang receives 190 hours of full sun.

Sandakan receives a lot of rain in the winter. Sandakan usually gets more rain in January than Pyeongchang. Sandakan gets 437 mm (17.2 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Sandakan or Pyeongchang in the Spring?

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

In April, Sandakan is generally much warmer than Pyeongchang. Daily temperatures in Sandakan average around 28°C (82°F), and Pyeongchang fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

It's quite sunny in Pyeongchang. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sandakan. Sandakan usually receives more sunshine than Pyeongchang during spring. Sandakan gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Pyeongchang receives 204 hours of full sun in the spring.

It's quite rainy in Sandakan. In April, Sandakan usually receives more rain than Pyeongchang. Sandakan gets 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain, while Pyeongchang receives 77 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Pyeongchang and Sandakan