Torn between two places? Our destination comparisons give you a clear verdict in a few lines, then the detail criterion by criterion: best time to go, climate, budget on the ground, entry requirements, type of trip, crowds and safety.
Each comparison relies only on data already published in our country guides and “when to go” pages: official climate normals, budget ranges and checked entry requirements. We add no unsourced figures, and we do not claim to have “tested” the destinations: our advice is factual.
How to read our comparisons
- The verdict first: “Choose A if…, B if…”, in two or three sentences.
- A criterion-by-criterion table, with a winner per row (or a tie when that is the case).
- Advice by traveller type: couples, families, tight budgets, first trips, beaches and diving, culture.
- Combining both when it is realistic, and an FAQ covering the most common questions.
Our destination comparisons
The English edition is new and its comparisons are still being written. In the meantime, two of our existing comparisons are relevant to Asia travellers; they are only available in French for now:
- Thailand or Vietnam (in French): two Southeast Asian classics. Thailand is simpler for a first trip and more focused on islands; Vietnam is travelled north to south, with three different climates to plan for.
- Maldives or Seychelles (in French): two Indian Ocean archipelagos with two different approaches to a beach holiday.
How we choose the pairs
We only compare destinations we already cover in detail, and only pairs that people actually search for. More comparisons will follow as the English edition grows. Meanwhile, our complete guides are a good starting point: Japan, Thailand and Portugal.
Our data and how we check it are explained in our methodology. Updated October 2026.