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

Should you visit Similan Islands or Benxi?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Similan Islands and Benxi can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Similan Islands or Benxi?

Similan Islands

There are places divers like, and there are places divers love. One of the most popular spots to visit the underwater world is at the national park of the Similan Islands in southern Thailand. With 140 square kilometers of land and nine islands, this area is a paradise for those ready to get their feet wet.

The park is made up of nine islands: Ko Bon, Ko Bayu, Ko Similan, Ko Payu, Ko Miang, Ko Payan, Ko Paying and Ko Huyong. If these names are a bit too similar for you to easily differentiate, don't worry. Most refer to each island with a number from 1 to 9. Two more islands were added to the park – Koh Bon and Koh Tachai – in 1998.

Even though the park was only established in 1982, the islands have been around for approximately 65 million years. They are the product of swells of hot magma during the Cretaceous period and smoothed over by glacial ice and water erosion. The reefs beneath the surface are approximately 5,000 years and therefor the oldest in Thailand. Luckily, because of its deep waters, the islands' underwater landscapes were essentially unharmed during the 2004 tsunami.

Each island is covered in lush, tropical jungle and white, sandy coastlines. There is fish of every shape, color and size – including the famous "Nemo" clownfish, batfish, barracudas, whale sharks and manta rays.

You'll want to plan your visit around monsoon season. So book a trip sometime between December and April. March is a particularly good time to visit as the winds have died down and the water is crystal clear. The park is closed from May to November.

There are a few tents and bungalows on some of the islands. They are government run, and you'll need to reserve them in advance. Many divers will simply take day trips, or sleep on board boats. There are several organized tour and boat options available out of Phuket, Khao Lak and Ranong. Both areas will likely offer day trips and live-aboard cruises. These cruises typically start at four days and 4 nights, but shorter trips are available. There is an entry fee to the park, along with a daily usage fee for those spending multiple days in the park. This fee is paid to your driver before the trip.

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 The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bangkok, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phuket, 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 Similan Islands and Benxi, we can see that Similan Islands is more expensive. And not only is Benxi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Benxi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Benxi 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 Similan Islands would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Similan Islands than you might in Benxi.

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

When is the best time to visit Similan Islands or Benxi?

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

Should I visit Similan Islands or Benxi in the Summer?

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

Similan Islands is around the same temperature as Benxi in the summer. The daily temperature in Similan Islands averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Benxi fluctuates around 25°C (78°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Benxi. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Similan Islands this time of the year. In the summer, Similan Islands often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Benxi. Similan Islands gets 206 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Benxi receives 214 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Benxi. Similan Islands receives a lot of rain in the summer. Similan Islands usually gets more rain in July than Benxi. Similan Islands gets 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain this time of the year. June to September in Similan Islands is the rainy season.

Should I visit Similan Islands or Benxi in the Autumn?

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

In the autumn, Similan Islands is much warmer than Benxi. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Similan Islands in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Benxi averages at about 11°C (52°F).

It's quite sunny in Benxi. Similan Islands usually receives less sunshine than Benxi during autumn. Similan Islands gets 181 hours of sunny skies, while Benxi receives 216 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It's quite rainy in Similan Islands. In October, Similan Islands usually receives more rain than Benxi. Similan Islands gets 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in Similan Islands is October to May.

Should I visit Similan Islands or Benxi in the Winter?

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

Benxi can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Similan Islands is generally much warmer than Benxi. Daily temperatures in Similan Islands average around 27°C (80°F), and Benxi fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).

It's quite sunny in Similan Islands. In the winter, Similan Islands often gets more sunshine than Benxi. Similan Islands gets 287 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Benxi receives 167 hours of full sun.

Similan Islands usually gets more rain in January than Benxi. Similan Islands gets 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Similan Islands or Benxi in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Similan Islands and Benxi. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Similan Islands year-round.

Similan Islands is much warmer than Benxi in the spring. The daily temperature in Similan Islands averages around 29°C (83°F) in April, and Benxi fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Benxi this time of the year. In Similan Islands, it's very sunny this time of the year. Similan Islands usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Benxi during spring. Similan Islands gets 249 hours of sunny skies, while Benxi receives 241 hours of full sun in the spring.

Similan Islands gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Similan Islands usually receives more rain than Benxi. Similan Islands gets 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the spring. October to May in Similan Islands is the dry season. Also, June to September is the rainy season in Similan Islands.

Typical Weather for Benxi and Similan Islands