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

Should you visit Hongcun 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 Hongcun 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: Hongcun or Whitsundays?

Hongcun

When you picture ancient China, you likely picture old cobblestone streets, white homes with pointed black roofs and a slight air of mysticism in the surroundings. This is Hongcun.

The backdrop for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is not usually on the top of many traveler's lists. This isn't a bustling tourist town with guides offering to show you the sights or carts peddling the latest tacky souvenir. It's a quiet village where you'll see the real Chinese culture. The homes along the complex water canals air their fish in their windows to preserve it for their family dinners. There is no bowing to tourism here.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in China, The Best Adventure Tours to China, 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 Hongcun and Whitsundays, we can see that Whitsundays is more expensive. And not only is Hongcun much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Hongcun 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 Hongcun would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hongcun 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 Hongcun.

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

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

Should I visit Hongcun or Whitsundays in the Summer?

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

In the summer, Hongcun is a little warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the summer temperatures in Hongcun in July average around 29°C (85°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.

It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Hongcun receives a lot of rain in the summer. Hongcun usually gets less rain in July than Whitsundaysin January. Hongcun gets 185 mm (7.3 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Hongcun or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

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

In October, Hongcun is generally cooler than Whitsundaysin April. Daily temperatures in Hongcun average around 19°C (65°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. In October, Hongcun usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin April. Hongcun gets 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Hongcun or Whitsundays in the Winter?

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

Hongcun can be very cold during winter. Hongcun is much colder than Whitsundays in the winter. The daily temperature in Hongcun averages around 4°C (40°F) in January, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F)in July.

Hongcun usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Whitsundaysin July. Hongcun gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Hongcun or Whitsundays in the Spring?

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

In the spring, Hongcun is cooler than Whitsundays. Typically, the spring temperatures in Hongcun in April average around 17°C (62°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.

Hongcun gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Hongcun usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin October. Hongcun gets 170 mm (6.7 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Hongcun