Komodo National Park is a group of islands located in the East Nusa Tenggara Province in Indonesia within the Lesser Sunda Islands. The three main islands include Komodo, Padar and Rinca, as well as 26 smaller islands. The area is most famous for being the home to the Komodo Dragon, the largest living lizard on earth!
During your visit to the Komodo Islands you will experience unique landscapes, pink sandy beaches, the Komodo dragon and some of the most biodiverse marine life in the world!
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Day 1 on the Komodo Islands by Boat Tour
In the morning you will either be collected from your hotel or will walk down to the meeting point by the harbour. There you will meet your guides and the rest of the group that will be joining you for the 3 day journey around the Komodo Islands.
The boat will depart around 11AM and you will begin our adventures and exploration around one of Indonesias most beautiful places!
1. Kelor Island
After departing from the harbor in Labuan Bajo the first stop of the day is to Kelor Island. This small, uninhabited island is surrounded by turquoise water and has a prominent grass covered hill.
To get to the island you will take a small speedboat and arrive on the beach. From here you can hike about 20 minutes up to the top of the hill.
2. Rinca Island to see the Komodo Dragon
The second stop is to Rinca Island to get up close with the dinosaur-like Komodo dragon. This ancient lizard, whose scientific name is Varanus komodoensis, can only be found on a few islands including Komodo, Rinca and a few others.
They are the world’s largest lizard reaching up to 300 pounds with an extremely venomous bite! Their saliva contains about 54 different species of bacteria and just ONE of those strains can kill you!
The Rangers will carry a long stick in the rare case that a dragon will get too close and they need to provide protection for the guests.
3. Kalong Rinca to see the bats at sunset
Your last stop of day one will be to Kalong Rinca where you will get to witness thousands of bats flying out of their cave at sunset. This lasts for about one hour and is an incredible spectacle to watch from your boat.
Day 2 on the Komodo Islands by Boat Tour
Day two is a busy day and you will set your alarm to get an early start!
1. Padar Island for Sunrise
Your boat crew will wake you up early around 4:30 AM once you dock at Padar Island. The small speedboat will take you to shore and you will begin the 30-45 minute climb to the top for sunrise. Here there are stairs for the majority of the trek until you get near the top when you will have to do a bit of rock climbing again.
2. Pink Beach
It really is pink! We were truly blown away by the color of this beach as we honestly didn’t expect it to be this pink in reality! The color of the sand is formed from the combination of the white sand mixed with the red coral that gets broken up from the crashing waves.
Once you’ve finished admiring the beach, grab your snorkel and mask and take to the water for some snorkeling. The marine life in the Komodo islands is flourishing and spectacular!
3. Manta Point
After enjoying a few hours at the pink beach you will head to the spot where Manta Rays are known to be swimming and feeding. Within minutes of arriving to the area we spotted 2 giant mantas gracefully circling in the water.
The manta rays are filter feeders meaning they only eat plankton or small jellyfish that they can filter through their wide mouths. They are completely harmless and safes to swim with but please do not try to touch them.
4. Takka Makassar Sand Bank
Your fourth stop of the day will be to the super popular Takka Makassar sand bank. This tiny, pink sandy island is surrounded by crystal clear water and is another great snorkeling spot.
5. Siaba Island for Snorkeling and Turtles
After the sand bank you will head to your final spot of the day! Siaba Island is known for having a large population of sea turtles and some of the best reefs in the area. Your sail boat will park a safe distance from the reef and you will be taken closer by the small speedboat.
After the snorkeling you will head back on the boat for the evening and enjoy another sunset out at sea!
Day 3 on the Komodo Islands by Boat Tour
1. Kanawa Island for snorkeling and relaxing
Your last morning in on the Komodo Islands tour is all about relaxation! You will arrive at Kanawa Island early in the morning with the option of sun bathing or snorkeling. We chose to relax in the shade and take a short walk along the white sandy beach.
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National Park Entry Fees
In order to enter the Komodo Island National Park you have to pay an additional 550K IDR ($40 USD) per person. The fee is less expensive for locals at a price of 150K IDR ($11 USD) per person.
There is also a new fee that was implemented as a snorkeling retribution fee of 100K IDR ($7.15 USD) per person if you want to swim and snorkel. The fee for locals is 50K IDR ($3.60 USD).
Ultimately, we chose not to spend the money to fly the drone here. It would be best to discuss this fee with your tour company should you choose to fly your drone at this particular spot.
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How to choose the right boat company
With so many tour companies to choose from it can be a bit overwhelming to select the right trip. There will be a few factors that will affect your decision with the majority being time and money.
Additionally, some of the different options that you can choose between will be a private tour or shared accommodation, single day or multi-day and diving or snorkeling.
On average many of the tour companies were quoting around 3.5 to 4 million IDR (~$285 USD) per person for a private tour which did not include the additional park entry fees.
The trip cost 2.3 million IDR ($165 USD) per person and included all meals, unlimited water, the crew, shared accommodations and pick up/drop off to our hotel.
One of the first questions I get about this trip is about the shared accommodation. In all honesty we were a bit concerned as well. However, as soon as we boarded the boat and met the other passengers all our worries completely subsided.
Now this could be completely different depending on who you end up on the boat with so I can only speak for our experience.
We were placed in the shared room with one other couple. We chose the bottom bunk and they had the top. The sleeping arrangements were actually very comfortable and each room had enough space for your belongings.
How to get to Komodo Islands
There are a few different ways to reach the Komodo Islands but the easiest and quickest would be to fly to Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores. Here there is a small airport located right in the center of town making it easy to move around and reach the harbor where you will leave on your boat trip.
If you also want to visit the Gili Islands before or after your trip you can easily do so. To get to from the Gili’s to Flores you can take a public ferry to Lombok and then fly out of the Lombok Airport.
You can also do it in reverse by flying from Labuan Bajo to Lombok and then taking the ferry from the Bangsal harbor in Lombok to the Gili Islands.
» Also Read: A Complete Guide to Nusa Penida’s East Coast
How to get around Labuan Bajo and the Island of Flores
If you are staying in a hotel nearby the harbor it is very easy to walk around the city center of Labuan Bajo. However, if you want to explore or head to the surrounding areas for sunset viewpoints then you will need to either rent a motorbike or use a tour company.
Some of the most popular sights to see during the overland trips would be the Wae Rabo Village, the Cunca Wulang waterfall and the Kelimutu twin lakes. We ended up finding a relatively unknown waterfall and were the only ones there!
How to get around the Komodo Islands
The only option to visit the Komodo Islands is to take a boat tour. You can choose a single day tour or a multi-day tour. The most popular trip is the 3 day & 2 night tour which is the one that we did.
Many companies offer longer tours that usually go up to 5 nights. If you have the time and extra money I would highly recommend the longer tour!
What to Pack for Your Komodo Island Trip
A bathing suit is essential for your trip to the Komodo Islands. You’ll definitely want to swim in those turquoise waters, experience the underwater world and get close to the manta rays!
The boat company that we used did not provide towels so we ended up purchasing one for cheap at the local supermarket in Labuan Bajo.
Most likely your boat will provide you with enough food that you’ll actually never be hungry. However, it is wise to pack a few snacks just in case. Be sure to stop into the local supermarket in Labuan Bajo before your boat trip to pick up a few things. Your boat will most likely have water so you shouldn’t have to bring a bunch of bottles. However, it’s best to double check before you leave.
As always, pack your camera gear and all corresponding chargers. They have plenty of outlets on the boat so you’ll be sure to have fully charged batteries!!
Bring me there!!! Wow, the Komodo Islands look absolutely gorgeous! Everywhere you guys went looked amazing. Also I love how informative this article is. Totally adding this to my bucket list.
You would love it here Taylor! Definitely try to make it out this way when you plan your trip to Indonesia! There are rumors of Rinca Island with the Komodo Dragons being closed next year but if that doesn’t happen there is so much beauty on the other islands that it wouldn’t even matter!
Komodo islands look really great! I’m dying to go there to see the “dragons” in real! 😍
Yes! Komodo National Park is so amazing! And the Komodo Dragons are seriously cool!
Reading your post makes me want to go back! I did a similar tour in August but I chose the 4 days and 3 nights tour starting from Lombok. This was definitely one of the highlights of my 2 month trip. You’re photos are a dream too!
Thank you so much Maria! That sounds amazing! Honestly, I wish we had more time there and would love to go back to do a diving liveaboard! Sounds like your experience was just as magical!
I’ve always wanted to go to the Komodo Islands and now I want to go even more!! A boat trip definitely seems like the way to do it. Thanks for such a helpful guide.
Thanks Sophie!! I think the only way to see the Komodo Island is by boat and it is definitely worth it! So many beautiful spots and sights along the way!
The Komodo Islands look so stunning! I would love to visit one day and a boat tour looks like the perfect way to do it. Super informative and the photos are beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you Pauline! The boat trips are so fun and it is amazing waking up on the ocean with views of magnificent islands and turquoise waters!
The views, the wildlife, the fun activities. Everything about this place looks incredible. I’d love to visit and see the komodo dragons too
Thanks Emma! It was such a spectacular place to visit and totally took us by surprise! We loved it so much and it should definitely be added to your bucket list!
This sounds like a great way to see the Komodo Islands. I love a good boat trip and definitely don’t need it to be super fancy.
Then this definitely sounds like your kind of trip! You would love this boat trip and all the places you visit along the way!
I haven’t heard about this place before, but it looks very beautiful. Your guide is very complex, so thank you for sharing it, those tips really helps!
It is such a gorgeous place to visit and I hope you make it there one day! Hopefully it will help you plan your trip!
The Komodo Islands look like a gorgeous place to visit! I would love to visit Rinca Island to see the Komodo Dragons. The Cunca Wulang waterfall looks gorgeous as well!
Oooo I really wanted to visit Komodo when I was in Indonesia a couple years ago, but I didn’t have time. It’s at the top of my list to go back for. Gorgeous photos!
You would love it there Carrie! I hope you can make it back one day and take the boat trip around the islands!
How fascinating about the saliva containing so many different types of deadly bacteria! I had no idea that they were sooooo poisonous haha. The islands look beautiful though, definitely added to my bucket list!
We didn’t know either!! So crazy and makes you a tiny bit nervous being around them because they are so fast! But the entire Komodo Islands are gorgeous so you should definitely try to make it out there one day!
Indonesia is a dream come true for those (like me!) who love the outdoors and meeting wildlife. I literally have seeing Komodo dragons on my bucket list ❤️
Loved your photos, and the info is super useful! Pinned for future references!
Thank you Coni! If you are an outdoor enthusiast than you will absolutely love it there!! Let me know if you ever have any additional questions!
What a wonderful collection of photos! The pink beach is just stunning. I’d love to check out the many islands in Indonesia!
Thank you so much Katy! We were so impressed that the color of the sand was actually that pink!