A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sihanoukville vs. Flores for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sihanoukville or Flores?

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

Should I visit Sihanoukville or Flores? 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: Sihanoukville or Flores?

Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville, also known by locals as Kompong Som, was named after King Sihanouk. Also Cambodia's youngest city, construction started in 1955 to build Cambodia's first and only deep water port so that ships would no longer have to go through the Mekong Delta in order to trade with Cambodia. Today, many visit Sihanoukville as a hub to visit Cambodia's islands.

Flores

The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Flores or Sihanoukville?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $65, while the average daily cost in Flores is $43. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Sihanoukville and Flores in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sihanoukville $23
    Flores $8.73
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sihanoukville $46
    Flores $17
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Flores

Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Flores? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Sihanoukville


Hotels in Flores


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Flores Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sihanoukville $14
    Flores $7.97

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Transfer: Between Airport and Shihanouk ville: $20
  • Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
  • Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
  • Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
  • Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
  • Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
  • Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
  • Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
  • Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
  • Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores

Also for Flores, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20
  • Private transfer Mundo Maya Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10
  • Same day Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores : $133
  • Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $90

Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Flores?

Prices for flights to both Flores and Sihanoukville change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Sihanoukville $32
    Flores $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sihanoukville

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sihanoukville.

  • Cooking class in Kampot: $20
  • Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sihanoukville $5.37
    Flores $20

Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville

Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Small Group Sihanoukville City Tour: $59
  • Best Sihanoukville Day Tours from Cruise Port : $79
  • Best of Kep, Kampot from Sihanoukville Cruise Port: $259
  • Best of Sihanoukville City Tour from Cruise Port: $75
  • Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
  • Day trip from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh for Cruise Ship: $180
  • Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
  • Exploring Bokor National Park Full-Day Tour from Sihanoukville: $99
  • Exploring Kampot: A Memorable Tour from Sihanoukville: $63
  • Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
  • Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
  • From Phnom Penh Day Trip for Cruise Ship Guests: $189

Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Tikal Entrance (for 2)
    $39
  • Map of Tikal
    $3.26

Tours and Activities in Flores

For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
  • From Flowers Sunset Tour in Tikal: $25
  • Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
  • Tikal Ruins Day Tour from Flores: $31
  • Full Day Tikal Sunrise Tour from Flores and Archaeological Tour: $48
  • Tikal National Park Full-Day Guided Tour from Flores: $65
  • From Flowers Eco Tour to Blue Crater All Inclusive: $70
  • All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores or Mayan World Airport: $78
  • Tour to Tikal (Awesome): $85
  • Yaxha Day Tour from Flores: $100
  • All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores and Airport: $105
  • Full-Day Shared Tour to Tikal from Flores Peten with Lunch: $110

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sihanoukville $4.42
    Flores $21

Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:


  • Two Margaritas
    $2.61


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

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


Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or Flores?

Sihanoukville has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Flores. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and Flores, 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.