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

Should you visit Vang Vieng or Whitsundays?

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

Should I visit Vang Vieng or Whitsundays? 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: Vang Vieng or Whitsundays?

Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is a town in the Vientiane province of Laos that sits along the banks of the Nam Song River. With its beautifully carved karst topography cliffs towering over the winding river, the area has become very tourist-oriented for those seeking to explore the outdoor wonders. People from all over come to engage in the unique landscape-mountain biking, trekking, kayaking, caving, swimming, and rock climbing, amongst others.

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 Adventure Tours to Laos, The Best Budget Tours to Laos, 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 Vang Vieng and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Vang Vieng much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vang Vieng 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 Vang Vieng would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vang Vieng 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 Vang Vieng.

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

When is the best time to visit Vang Vieng or Whitsundays?

Whitsundays has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Vang Vieng experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Vang Vieng or Whitsundays in the Summer?

Both Whitsundays and Vang Vieng are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Vang Vieng throughout the year.

In the summer, Vang Vieng is cooler than Whitsundays. Typically, the summer temperatures in Vang Vieng in July average around 22°C (72°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.

It's quite sunny in Whitsundays. Vang Vieng usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during summer. Vang Vieng gets 141 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 285 hours of full sun in the summer.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. In July, Vang Vieng usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin January. Vang Vieng gets 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Vang Vieng or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

Both Whitsundays and Vang Vieng during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Vang Vieng because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In October, Vang Vieng is generally around the same temperature as Whitsundaysin April. Daily temperatures in Vang Vieng average around 23°C (73°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 Vang Vieng. In the autumn, Vang Vieng often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Whitsundaysin April. Vang Vieng gets 222 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 207 hours of full sun.

Whitsundays gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Vang Vieng usually gets less rain in October than Whitsundaysin April. Vang Vieng gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Vang Vieng or Whitsundays in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Vang Vieng and Whitsundays. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Vang Vieng year-round.

Vang Vieng is a little warmer than Whitsundays in the winter. The daily temperature in Vang Vieng averages around 24°C (75°F) in January, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F)in July.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Whitsundays this time of the year. In Vang Vieng, it's very sunny this time of the year. Vang Vieng usually receives more sunshine than Whitsundays during winter. Vang Vieng gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Vang Vieng usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin July. Vang Vieng gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Vang Vieng or Whitsundays in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Vang Vieng as well as Whitsundays. Vang Vieng attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the spring, Vang Vieng is around the same temperature as Whitsundays. Typically, the spring temperatures in Vang Vieng in April average around 23°C (73°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Vang Vieng this time of the year. In the spring, Vang Vieng often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin October. Vang Vieng gets 230 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 298 hours of full sun.

Vang Vieng receives a lot of rain in the spring. Vang Vieng usually gets more rain in April than Whitsundaysin October. Vang Vieng gets 188 mm (7.4 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Vang Vieng