A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Shiretoko National Park vs. Whitsundays for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Shiretoko National Park or Whitsundays?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Shiretoko National Park or Whitsundays, 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.

Where Should I go: Shiretoko National Park or Whitsundays?

Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko National Park, Japan is comprises the entire Shiretoko Penninusla in the northeast island of Hokkaido. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered to be one of the most remote areas in Japan with very few and very small settlements. This makes Shiretoko the perfect place for a fun hiking and camping adventure.

While the park is open year round, the weather in the area tends to greatly affect the enjoyment of your trip due to harsh winters and heavy rain at the end of summer. There is a short period from May to early July that is considered the best time to visit due to slightly less rain and comfortable temperatures around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whitsundays

Just off the coast of Queensland, Australia is a cluster of 74 different islands. These islands, the Whitsunday Islands, welcome over a half a million visitors every year to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Barrier Reef.

As one of the most famous destinations in the world, it's not uncommon to see expensive yachts sailing around among the private ferries. Most of the islands are designated as national parks with access to snorkeling and diving in the coral reefs, or just to lay in the sand on the famous Whitehaven Beach.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Coach Bus Tours in Japan, The Best Adventure Tours to Japan, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Melbourne, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shiretoko National Park and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Shiretoko National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Shiretoko National Park is in Asia and Whitsundays is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Shiretoko National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Shiretoko National Park 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 Whitsundays would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Whitsundays than you might in Shiretoko National Park.

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

When is the best time to visit Shiretoko National Park or Whitsundays?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Whitsundays is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Shiretoko National Park has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Shiretoko National Park or Whitsundays in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Shiretoko National Park as well as Whitsundays. Many visitors come to Shiretoko National Park in the summer for the hiking and the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Shiretoko National Park is cooler than Whitsundays. Typically, the summer temperatures in Shiretoko National Park in July average around 18°C (64°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. In the summer, Shiretoko National Park often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin January. Shiretoko National Park gets 178 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 285 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Shiretoko National Park usually gets less rain in July than Whitsundaysin January. Shiretoko National Park gets 77 mm (3 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Shiretoko National Park or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

Both Whitsundays and Shiretoko National Park are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Shiretoko National Park for the hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

In October, Shiretoko National Park is generally much colder than Whitsundaysin April. Daily temperatures in Shiretoko National Park average around 10°C (51°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

It's quite sunny in Whitsundays. Shiretoko National Park usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during autumn. Shiretoko National Park gets 158 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 207 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. In October, Shiretoko National Park usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin April. Shiretoko National Park gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Shiretoko National Park or Whitsundays in the Winter?

Both Whitsundays and Shiretoko National Park during the winter are popular places to visit.

The weather in Shiretoko National Park can be very cold. Shiretoko National Park is much colder than Whitsundays in the winter. The daily temperature in Shiretoko National Park averages around -6°C (20°F) in January, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F)in July.

In Whitsundays, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Shiretoko National Park often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin July. Shiretoko National Park gets 108 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 226 hours of full sun.

Shiretoko National Park usually gets more rain in January than Whitsundaysin July. Shiretoko National Park gets 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Shiretoko National Park or Whitsundays in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Shiretoko National Park and Whitsundays. The natural beauty are the main draw to Shiretoko National Park this time of year.

It's quite cold in Shiretoko National Park in the spring. In the spring, Shiretoko National Park is much colder than Whitsundays. Typically, the spring temperatures in Shiretoko National Park in April average around 5°C (40°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Whitsundays this time of the year. Shiretoko National Park usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during spring. Shiretoko National Park gets 178 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 298 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Shiretoko National Park usually receives around the same amount of rain as Whitsundaysin October. Shiretoko National Park gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Shiretoko National Park