A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sendai vs. Te Anau for Families, Couples, Attractions, and Food

Should you visit Sendai or Te Anau?

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

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

Sendai

Sendai is a lively, high energy, and vibrant city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the nightlife, food, and beaches.

Te Anau

Te Anau is a breathtaking, stunning, and pristine town. You'll find plenty of local activities in this small town. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the food and hiking.

Sendai and Te Anau: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Sendai or Te Anau?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Sendai than Te Anau, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Sendai is better known for its museums, nightlife, beaches, shopping, and big city activities, while Te Anau is more popular for its food, hiking, small town charm, and impressive beauty. 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. Te Anau is well known for being the gateway to Fiordland National Park.

How is Sendai different from Te Anau?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Sendai or Te Anau?

Sendai is a very popular place for its museums and history. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Sendai. 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.

Te Anau offers a handful of options for museums and historical sights. The town is about the surrounding outdoor activities but you will find the Te Anau Vintage Machinery Museum and the Te Anau Trout Observatory in town.

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

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

Te Anau has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The town makes a great spot to refuel after all of your hiking and outdoor adventures. There are plenty of cafes and food trucks around town where you can enjoy local dishes and a friendly atmosphere.

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 Sendai or Te Anau Better for Nightlife?

Sendai is a very popular place for nightlife and partying. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its evening party scene.

Sendai has a large number of nightlife venues. 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.

Te Anau is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. This is a small town that's focused on outdoor activities, but it does receive a number of tourists, so you'll find a few bars around town where you can hang out.

Is Sendai or Te Anau Better for Beaches?

Sendai is a city with good options for the beache. However, Te Anau is not a beach destination.

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.

Te Anau is not a beach destination.

Is Sendai or Te Anau Better for Hiking?

Te Anau is renowned for its hiking trails. However, Sendai is not a hiking destination.

Known for its hiking, Te Anau draws a crowd to experience the nature and the trails. The town serves as basecamp for Fiordland National Park so there are many amazing hikes and walks in the area. Many of the hikes begin at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre and range in length and the required skill level.

Sendai is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Sendai or Te Anau?

Sendai is a very popular place for its shopping opportunities. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its shopping areas.

Sendai is well-known for its shopping. 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.

Te Anau has some good spots for those that want to go shopping. There are shops where you can pick up any outdoor supplies and food items that you may need.

Is Sendai or Te Anau Better for Families?

Te Anau is renowned for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Sendai is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

Te Anau is an amazing family-friendly town to visit. The town's proximity to the Milford Sound make it a nice base for families who enjoy spending time outdoors. Kayaking or exploring the Te Anau Glowworm Caves are favorite activities in the area. There's also the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary and many hikes nearby.

Sendai is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. 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.

Is Sendai or Te Anau Better for Couples?

Te Anau is renowned for its romantic activities. Also, Sendai is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for couples.

Te Anau has so much to offer for a romantic couple's vacation. The stunning scenery in the area, combined with small town charm, make this is a top couple's destination and a wonderful honeymoon spot. Couples who appreciate nature and outdoor adventure will fall in love with this amazing area.

Sendai is a good city 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 Sendai or Te Anau Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Te Anau is an excellent place to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Sendai is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Many backpackers visit Te Anau. For such a small town, there are a decent number of hostels and budget accommodation options in the area. The town makes a good base for exploring the region's stunning scenery.

Sendai is a good city 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 Sendai or Te Anau Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Sendai is a very popular place for times when you don't have a car. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options for its public transit.

Sendai has some very good public transit options. There are two subway lines the north-south Namboku Line and the east-west Tozai Line. These lines cross at Sendai Station.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Te Anau. Public transit in the area is limited and most visitors have their own car or join one of the many tours in the area.

Is Sendai or Te Anau a more walkable city?

Sendai is a very popular place for its high level of walkability. However, Te Anau is lacking in good options 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.

Te Anau is generally not very walkable. Exploring the area requires a vehicle and, while there are many hikes in the area, it's not easy to walk to many places. There are tours available for those that don't have a vehicle.

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

Should I spend more time in Te Anau or Sendai?

How long in Sendai or Te Anau?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Sendai and Te Anau. In our opinion, Sendai has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Sendai than Te Anau. In general, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Sendai, and 1-3 days is enough time in Te Anau.

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

One day in Sendai or Te Anau?

In Sendai, you'll find nightlife and food. This city offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

Te Anau might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. Hikers are also drawn to this area. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Sendai or Te Anau?

In Sendai, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Sendai has to offer.

Te Anau is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Don't miss the hiking, as that's what most people do. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Sendai or Te Anau?

Sendai is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Te Anau. Don't miss the hiking, as that's what most people do. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. 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 Sendai or Te Anau?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Sendai. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Sendai. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Te Anau is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo, The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland.

When comparing the travel costs between Sendai and Te Anau, we can see that Sendai 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. Even though Sendai is in Asia and Te Anau is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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

Which is Bigger, Sendai or Te Anau?

Sendai has a larger population, and is about 500 times larger than the population of Te Anau. When comparing the sizes of Sendai and Te Anau, 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.