A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sandakan vs. Mount Aspiring National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sandakan or Mount Aspiring National Park ?

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

Should I visit Sandakan or Mount Aspiring National Park? 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: Sandakan or Mount Aspiring National Park ?

Sandakan

Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.

Mount Aspiring National Park

Mount Aspiring National Park is located within the Southern Alps on the South Island of New Zealand in the Otago region. The park is named after one of New Zealand's highest peaks, Mt Aspiring, and is one of the best places to hike in the country. It is part of the Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area and one of the many locations of filming for the Lord of the Rings movies. The closest towns to this park are Haast, Makarora, Wanaka, and Glenorchy. One of New Zealand's great walks is located in this park, the Routeburn track, and is very popular among travelers heading to New Zealand for long hikes through the beautiful scenery.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Mount Aspiring National Park or Sandakan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Sandakan Prices
    Malaysia Prices
    Mount Aspiring National Park Prices
    New Zealand Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Sandakan $81
    Mount Aspiring National Park $122

The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $81, while the average daily cost in Mount Aspiring National Park is $122. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Sandakan and Mount Aspiring National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sandakan $23
    Mount Aspiring National Park $58
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sandakan $46
    Mount Aspiring National Park $116
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Mount Aspiring National Park

Looking for a hotel in Sandakan or Mount Aspiring National Park ? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Sandakan


Hotels in Mount Aspiring National Park


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Sandakan Hotel Prices and Mount Aspiring National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sandakan $37
    Mount Aspiring National Park $49

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sandakan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sandakan:

  • Private 1Way Transfer to/from Sandakan Airport, City or Sepilok: $38

Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Mount Aspiring National Park ?

Prices for flights to both Mount Aspiring National Park and Sandakan change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Sandakan $36
    Mount Aspiring National Park $32

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.

  • Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
  • Sandakan : Fireflies and Mangrove Cruise with Dinner: $193

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sandakan $8.15
    Mount Aspiring National Park $29

Tours and Activities in Sandakan

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:

  • Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $60
  • Private Sandakan City Must See 6 Highlights Tour with Guide & Car: $63
  • From 7 Unmissable Local Stops Private Tour: $75
  • Sukau Rainforest Wildlife and Dawn Cruises Tour in Sandakan: $83
  • Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $88
  • Sandakan Private City Tour Orangutan Sun Bears and Rainforest: $89
  • Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
  • Sukau Rainforest Wildlife Journey & Dawn Cruises: $90
  • Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $112
  • Day Trip Sepilok Orang-utan And City Tour (Flight Excluded): $119
  • Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
  • Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $147

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sandakan $7.47
    Mount Aspiring National Park $5.07


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Mount Aspiring National Park , we can see that Mount Aspiring National Park is more expensive. And not only is Sandakan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sandakan is in Asia and Mount Aspiring National Park 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 Sandakan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sandakan 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 Mount Aspiring National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mount Aspiring National Park than you might in Sandakan.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sandakan Expensive? and Is Mount Aspiring National Park Expensive?.