A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Krabi vs. Malang for Food, Attractions, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Krabi or Malang?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Krabi and Malang can help you decide which place is right for you.

Krabi

Krabi is a colorful, stunning, and local town. Don't miss this spot, as it's a charming small town with plenty of activities. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Krabi travel costs.

Malang

Malang is a under-rated, authentic, and cultural city. Other reasons to visit include shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Malang travel costs.

Krabi and Malang: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Krabi or Malang?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Malang. Although Krabi and Malang are both popular with visitors, Malang has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Malang is more popular for its food and hiking, while Krabi is known for its museums and attractions, resorts, beaches, shopping, and small town charm. Krabi is popular for its easy access to inland adventures and nearby island hopping as well as its lively night market. Malang is popular for its many nearby natural attractions. It is also home to the Rainbow Village.

How is Krabi different from Malang?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Malang and Krabi. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Krabi or Malang?

Krabi is well known for its museums and landmarks. Also, Malang is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

Krabi offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. In the area you'll find mountain top temples such as Wat Tham Suea and natural spots such as Khao Khanap Nam Cave. In town there's the stunning Wat Kaew Korawaram temple as well.

Malang offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. There are a handful of museums around town that provide information on the city's culture and history. There are also mosques, temples, and the famous Rainbow Village.

Is the Food Better in Krabi or Malang? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Malang is an amazing city to visit for its restaurants. Also, Krabi is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Malang has long been recognized as a culinary destination with great restaurants. This is a top foodie destination and you'll find plenty of amazing street food. It's also the credited with being the birthplace of bakso (meatballs). Many of the dishes around town are sweet, spicy, and served with peanut sauce. It's been influenced by many different cuisines such as Chinese, Javanese, Madurese, Arabic, Dutch, and Indian.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Krabi. It's not particularly known for its culinary scene, but Krabi Town does have great street food and a lively night market. For some of the best restaurants, head to Chao Fah Road.

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Nightlife?

The good nightlife scene is relatively similar in Krabi and Malang.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Krabi. There's a decent live music scene, but in general the town is quiet at night. There's also a good night market.

Malang has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. The universities around town mean that there's a youthful vibe to the nightlife scene. You'll also find a mix of cultural activities as well as modern and trendy venues. There are dance clubs, upscale lounges, and everything in between.

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Resorts?

Krabi is a town with a few options for its resorts. However, Malang is not a resort destination.

Krabi has a few resort options worth checking out. There's no real beach in town, so the better resorts are found at nearby beach towns.

Malang is not a resort destination.

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Beaches?

Krabi is a town with a few options for its beaches. However, Malang is not a beach destination.

Krabi is a good spot to see the beach. The town itself has no beach, so you'll need to take a day trip to nearby Railay Beach or Ao Nang.

Malang is not a beach destination.

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Hiking?

Malang is very good for its hiking trails. However, Krabi is not a hiking destination.

Many people include a hike when visiting Malang. Many visitors use this city as a base for hiking Mount Bromo. It's popular to hire a jeep tour from town, or you can hire a private driver or motorbike. Near town you'll also find one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Indonesia - Tumpak Sewu Waterfall. It's possible to hike to the base of the waterfall, but it's a very challenging route.

Krabi is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Krabi or Malang?

Krabi is well known for shopping. Also, Malang is still popular, but not quite as popular for its shopping opportunities.

Krabi is an extremely popular place for shoppers. The town's night market is fun to explore. There's also the popular Krabi Town Walking Street (where you'll find the night market) as well as some larger stores and small malls near town.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Malang. You'll find places to pick up many local items. The region is known for its ceramics, wood, and rattan (palms).

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Families?

Krabi is well known for its family-friendly activities. Also, Malang is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Krabi is a very family-friendly place to visit. The town makes a great base for island hopping and exploring the province of Krabi. Nearby you'll find Krabi Fun Park, which includes a ropes course. There are also caves nearby to explore and plenty of stunning natural beauty.

Malang offers lots of family activities. If you're willing to head just outside of town, you'll find theme parks and waterparks. Some of the favorites are Batu Secret Zoo, Jatim Park, Selecta Park, and Batu Night Spectacular.

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Couples?

Krabi is well known for romance. Also, Malang is still popular, but not quite as popular for its romantic activities.

Couples visit Krabi frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. There's easy access to many beautiful areas with caves, viewpoints, and beaches. Krabi Walking Street also has great restaurants and a lively night market.

Malang makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples who enjoy culture, museums, temples, and great food will have a good time visiting this city. It is also a bit cooler than much of Indonesia, which can make a nice escape from the heat.

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Krabi and Malang are both good destinations for backpackers.

Krabi is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. The town has a more local vibe, as many backpackers head on to Ao Nang or Railay Beach. You'll find affordable accommodation here though, as well as easy access to some great excursions.

It's common for backpackers to visit Malang. Most backpackers pass through town when they're headed to climb Mount Bromo. There are plenty of hostels and cheap places to stay as well as some sights that are worth checking out.

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Students?

Malang is very good for its student-friendly activities. However, Krabi is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Malang. The university means that there's a large student population in town.

Krabi is not popular with students.

Is Krabi or Malang Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find decent public transit in both Krabi and Malang.

Public transit is mostly limited in Krabi. There's no real public transit so you'll need to get around by rental car, motorbike, or songthaew truck (pickup trucks with seats in back).

Public transit is generally limited in Malang. Angkot or mikrolet are small buses or modified cars that carry passengers around town. Many visitors also hire a motor scooter or driver to get around.

Is Krabi or Malang a more walkable city?

Krabi and Malang are good when it comes to walkability.

Krabi is somewhat walkable. There's a walking street and a few parts of town that are relatively walkable.

Malang is a somewhat walkable place. The city center is relatively walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Krabi Worth Visiting? and Is Malang Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Malang or Krabi?

How long in Krabi or Malang?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Krabi and Malang. In our opinion, Krabi has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Krabi than Malang. In general, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Krabi, and 1-3 days is enough time in Malang.

Families should spend more time in Krabi than Malang. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Krabi, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Krabi than Malang. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Krabi that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

One day in Krabi or Malang?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Krabi. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

In Malang, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this under-rated destination offers. Lots of people come for the food. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

A weekend in Krabi or Malang?

Krabi is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Malang. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Five days in Krabi or Malang?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Krabi. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Malang is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Malang. Lots of people come for the food. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Krabi or Malang?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the colorful destination of Krabi. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

You'll find food and shopping around the cultural destination of Malang. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Lots of people come for the food. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Thailand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia.

When comparing the travel costs between Krabi and Malang, we can see that Malang is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

Which is Bigger, Krabi or Malang?

Malang has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Krabi. When comparing the sizes of Krabi and Malang, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.