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

Should you visit Yakushima or Whitsundays?

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

Should I visit Yakushima 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: Yakushima or Whitsundays?

Yakushima

Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Japan, The Best Luxury Tours to Japan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Australia.

When comparing the travel costs between Yakushima and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Yakushima is in Asia and Whitsundays is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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

When is the best time to visit Yakushima 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 Yakushima has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Yakushima or Whitsundays in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Yakushima as well as Whitsundays.

In July, Yakushima is generally around the same temperature as Whitsundaysin January. Daily temperatures in Yakushima average around 27°C (81°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).

It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Yakushima receives a lot of rain in the summer. Yakushima usually gets less rain in July than Whitsundaysin January. Yakushima gets 189 mm (7.4 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Yakushima or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

Both Whitsundays and Yakushima are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.

Yakushima is around the same temperature as Whitsundays in the autumn. The daily temperature in Yakushima averages around 22°C (71°F) in October, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in April.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. It's quite rainy in Yakushima. In October, Yakushima usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin April. Yakushima gets 161 mm (6.3 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Yakushima or Whitsundays in the Winter?

Both Whitsundays and Yakushima during the winter are popular places to visit.

In the winter, Yakushima is much colder than Whitsundays. Typically, the winter temperatures in Yakushima in January average around 11°C (52°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 16°C (62°F)in July.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Yakushima. Yakushima usually gets more rain in January than Whitsundaysin July. Yakushima gets 106 mm (4.2 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Yakushima or Whitsundays in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Yakushima and Whitsundays.

In April, Yakushima is generally cooler than Whitsundaysin October. Daily temperatures in Yakushima average around 18°C (64°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

Yakushima gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Yakushima usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin October. Yakushima gets 207 mm (8.1 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Yakushima