A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pai vs. Mount Bromo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pai or Mount Bromo?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pai and Mount Bromo. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Pai or Mount Bromo?

Pai

As the lush green mountains adorn the blue horizon amidst its creamy clouds, Pai, in northern Thailand, works as one of the many hubs for some of the world's most exciting cultural adventures and natural wonders. Within this small town just north of the Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, Pai lays on the Pai River and holds a population of no more than 2,500. Despite its geographical insignificance, this town attracts a wide array of tourists. From breathtaking waterfalls to relaxing hot springs, you will find yourself astonished at how much this little city holds within its borders.

Mount Bromo

Mt. Bromo is the most famous active volcano in East Java at 2,329 meters high. Most visit Mt. Bromo to see the spectacular sunrise over the Tenggar-Caldera. Cemoro Lawang is the most popular town where tourists stay while visiting. Be prepared with cash ahead of time, as you'll have a hard time finding an ATM in town.

While you may be accustomed to warmer weather in other cities on the island, the highlands of Mt. Bromo will require that you dress warmly, if only for the night and early morning that you're there to see the sunrise, as temperatures may drop to freezing. There are many vendors selling hats and gloves if you need them.

Daytime temperatures, on the other hand, are much warmer in high 60s. Note that wet season takes place from November to March, and the months of January and February experience the heaviest rains and even flooding.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia.

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

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