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

Should you visit Similan Islands or Whitsundays?

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 Whitsundays 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 Whitsundays?

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.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bangkok, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phuket, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Similan Islands and Whitsundays, we can see that Similan Islands is more expensive. And not only is Whitsundays much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Similan Islands 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 Whitsundays would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Whitsundays 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 Whitsundays.

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 Whitsundays Expensive?.

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

Whitsundays 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 Whitsundays in the Summer?

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

In July, Similan Islands is generally around the same temperature as Whitsundaysin January. Daily temperatures in Similan Islands average around 28°C (82°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Whitsundays this time of the year. In Similan Islands, it's very sunny this time of the year. Similan Islands usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during summer. Similan Islands gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 285 hours of full sun in the summer.

Whitsundays receives a lot of rain in the summer. Similan Islands gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Similan Islands usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin January. Similan Islands gets 284 mm (11.2 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer. Also, June to September is the rainy season in Similan Islands.

Should I visit Similan Islands or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

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

Similan Islands is a little warmer than Whitsundays in the autumn. The daily temperature in Similan Islands averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. In the autumn, Similan Islands often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin April. Similan Islands gets 181 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 207 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Similan Islands receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Similan Islands usually gets more rain in October than Whitsundaysin April. Similan Islands gets 351 mm (13.8 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, October to May in Similan Islands is the dry season.

Should I visit Similan Islands or Whitsundays in the Winter?

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

In the winter, Similan Islands is much warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the winter temperatures in Similan Islands in January average around 27°C (80°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 16°C (62°F)in July.

It's quite sunny in Whitsundays. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Similan Islands. Similan Islands usually receives more sunshine than Whitsundays during winter. Similan Islands gets 287 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Similan Islands usually receives around the same amount of rain as Whitsundaysin July. Similan Islands gets 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Similan Islands or Whitsundays in the Spring?

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

In April, Similan Islands is generally a little warmer than Whitsundaysin October. Daily temperatures in Similan Islands average around 29°C (83°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

In Whitsundays, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Similan Islands. In the spring, Similan Islands often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin October. Similan Islands gets 249 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 298 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Similan Islands. Similan Islands usually gets more rain in April than Whitsundaysin October. Similan Islands gets 157 mm (6.2 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year. October to May is the dry season in Similan Islands. June to September is the rainy season in Similan Islands.

Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Similan Islands