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

Should you visit Koh Chang or Whitsundays?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Koh Chang or Whitsundays, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Koh Chang or Whitsundays?

Koh Chang

Most people pick Thailand for their destination because they're anxious to collapse on a breathtaking beach. If that is you, Ko Chang does not disappoint. As one the country's most beautiful islands, Ko Chang is full of white beaches and incredible wildlife. Beware, though, you're not the only one with Ko Chang in mind. During the high season, the island can become quite crowded with tourists.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Koh Chang or Whitsundays?

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

Should I visit Koh Chang or Whitsundays in the Summer?

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

Koh Chang is around the same temperature as Whitsundays in the summer. The daily temperature in Koh Chang averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Whitsundays this time of the year. Koh Chang usually receives less sunshine than Whitsundays during summer. Koh Chang gets 143 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 285 hours of full sun in the summer.

Whitsundays receives a lot of rain in the summer. Koh Chang gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Koh Chang usually receives more rain than Whitsundaysin January. Koh Chang gets 440 mm (17.3 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 331 mm (13 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Koh Chang or Whitsundays in the Autumn?

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

In the autumn, Koh Chang is a little warmer than Whitsundays. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Koh Chang in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Whitsundays averages at about 23°C (73°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Whitsundays. In the autumn, Koh Chang often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Whitsundaysin April. Koh Chang gets 193 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Whitsundays receives 207 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Whitsundays. Koh Chang receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Koh Chang usually gets more rain in October than Whitsundaysin April. Koh Chang gets 280 mm (11 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, November to February in Koh Chang is the dry season. June to October in Koh Chang is the rainy season.

Should I visit Koh Chang or Whitsundays in the Winter?

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

In January, Koh Chang is generally much warmer than Whitsundaysin July. Daily temperatures in Koh Chang average around 26°C (79°F), and Whitsundays fluctuates around 16°C (62°F).

It's quite sunny in Whitsundays. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Koh Chang. Koh Chang usually receives more sunshine than Whitsundays during winter. Koh Chang gets 282 hours of sunny skies, while Whitsundays receives 226 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Koh Chang usually receives less rain than Whitsundaysin July. Koh Chang gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the winter. The dry season in Koh Chang is November to February.

Should I visit Koh Chang or Whitsundays in the Spring?

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

Koh Chang is a little warmer than Whitsundays in the spring. The daily temperature in Koh Chang averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Whitsundays fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.

In Whitsundays, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Koh Chang. In the spring, Koh Chang often gets less sunshine than Whitsundaysin October. Koh Chang gets 247 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 Koh Chang. Koh Chang usually gets more rain in April than Whitsundaysin October. Koh Chang gets 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Whitsundays receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year. June to October is the rainy season in Koh Chang.

Typical Weather for Whitsundays and Koh Chang