Komodo Island is a small island in East Nusa Tenggara province. It is found within the Lesser Sunda Islands and is famous for being home to the endemic Komodo dragon as well as to a number of incredible wildlife species, both on land and in the water.
This fascinating island falls within the Pacific Ring of Fire and is therefore of volcanic origins. Gazing at the giant brown and green volcanic mountains, emerging from where the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean meet, is an awesome and awe-inspiring experience of a lifetime. Traveling around Komodo Island can be relatively easy, but to get to Komodo, you first need to travel to Bali and then to Labuan Bajo by either plane or boat, and finally to Komodo Island by boat.
Labuan Bajo is the best and closest base point foreembarking to Komodo Island. Ferries serving this route usually take around 36 hours — though that does mean saving on accommodation for one night. Another thing to be aware of is that the trip can be treacherous. It is a long, long journey through shallow and rocky waters. On a positive note, it is much cheaper than flying and it can all be part of the adventure. It is also important to remember that these ferries leave Bali every two weeks for Komodo National Park, so make sure to plan your arrival to Bali well in time for your departure.
Read also: Important facts you need to know about Komodo dragons. The only way of getting to Komodo Island from Labuan Bajo is by boat, unless you can afford a helicopter. The boat ride usually takes around 2 hours. Another option is to charter a boat in Labuan Bajo and have your own private cruise around Komodo Island.
This is an ideal way of making sure you get to see exactly what you want, discover the archipelago and also have a chance to snorkel in the stunningly crystal clear waters surrounding the island. Komodo's climate is most certainly tropical. The rest of the year is usually dry and arid.
During the rainy season, the air temperature varies between degrees Celsius. Throughout the dry months, the temperatures range from 25 to 34 degrees Celsius. Water temperatures fluctuate between 27 to 30 degrees Celsius, providing the perfect environment for swimming, snorkeling and diving all year round. The sea here is warm and perfect for hours upon hours of snorkeling or diving. Diving is the second most popular reason people visit Komodo Island. The island is known for being one of the most beautiful and diverse dive sites not only in Indonesia but the entire world.
It has more than 30 dive sites fit for all levels! This is in large part thanks to the island being a protected area, meaning the waters off its coast are well-preserved. Some of the dive sites even allow you to dive through caves like Batu Sabun or float above pinnacles like Tanjung Loh Sera. The waters surrounding Komodo Island are home to over a thousand species of fish and about species of coral.
You'll have a chance to see manta rays, reef sharks, seahorses and even dolphins! If you are into underwater photography, try Sabolon Island as it has clear waters and a great starting point for your diving adventures. There isn't much to offer in terms of hiking on Komodo Island itself, but there are plenty of hiking options if you visit its neighboring islands. You can hop over to Padar Island, the third largest island in the national park, and hike to its summit — Padar Lookout.
This hike can take you anywhere from 20 — 30 minutes depending on your pace. From there you'll have one of the best views in all of Indonesia and you should even be able to see all of Komodo National Park.
The best time to arrange a hike would be either during sunrise or sunset in the months of April to November. This is a tough climb, but it is well marked and offers amazing views of the area and is popular as a sunrise hike. You will usually have to begin very early, around 3 am, to start this hike that runs through a short but steep climb.
This hike or walk can be completed in 20 minutes. No matter where you may be in Indonesia , it is relatively easy to reach Komodo Island. From there, you can either walk to the town of Labuan Bajo about 20 to 30 minutes downhill or take a minute taxi ride.
Once you reach Labuan Bajo, it is fairly easy to find a boat that will take you over to Komodo Island. The ride takes about two hours, so you can even visit it in a single day though we recommend taking your time to really enjoy all the Komodo National Park has to offer. The only accommodation on Komodo Island itself is a collection of bungalows that are owned and operated by the National Park. They are usually reserved for special guests and film crews.
As such, most visitors to the area spend the night on nearby Flores usually in Labuan Bajo. Allowing them to stalk and then kill the weak prey.
Flores Island, and Labuan Bajo, like much of Indonesia, is safe to travel in, for solo-female travelers too. However, be aware that poverty is rife, and petty theft can occur. To visit the Komodo Dragons, you have to take a tour.
These tours generally originate in Labuan Bajo, take 1 full day, and include a few other stops in addition to the dragons. When you book a Komodo Tour, the operator will pick you up from your hotel in the morning, and take you to:.
I thought it would be Instagram-filtered lies, but nope, it really is pink! Getting here is possible as a tour from Labuan Bajo, but far and away the best way to do it so to book a long full-day tour to Komodo Island that includes a trip to Kanawa Island most of them do, anyway. When people book a tour to Komodo Island, they think only about the Komodo Dragons. Fair enough, I was the same! But Flores, and Komodo as a region, are both absolutely spectacular.
If you spend 3 or 4 nights in Flores, you can check out the other things to do too:. I was in Bali with my family. Being based in Bangkok, sometimes my sister and mum come to visit, and often we travel further afield. After spending a week or 2 in Bali , my sister and her family flew home, leaving just my mum and I.
I organised 3 nights in a hotel, and from there we set about organising our tour to see the Komodo Dragons. We met at the pier at 5. You get on a little speed boat and make your way towards the dragons. You hop off the boat amongst quite a few other boas, truth be told!
Here, the older or less unfit people can relax. Most people push on up the steep mountain to get the epic viewpoint that you see in the pic above. My mum managed it with a walking stick at a slower pace, and it was all good.
So try your best, you can make it! After a few photos, you slowly make your way down and back onto the boat. You enter the zone, get a briefing and begin your walk around Komodo Island.
Luckily, within 10 minutes or so, we spotted one. Then another, then another. Our guide gives us a walking tour of about an hour or so. Then you can mingle and walk around a little bit yourself. Just be careful, these things can bite. Time forgot these beasts, and they own the island.
You can also choose how many nights you spend on board — perfect for customizing your own trip. Full sized pins available by clicking the share bar on the left Happy Travels! Hi There! I just wanted to let you know that this post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something after clicking a link, I may get a small commission — which is at absolutely no cost to you. I loved your site. I just found it. I wish we could have met when you were here.
Flores is my home island and Have a tour company here to support locals. I hope we can meet next time! Please help support locals here after covid hurt us so bad Thank you! We are planning to stay in Labuan bajo for 5 days and we want to explore as much possible around, can you guide us where to start and how to include scuba and all the trip within that time with the minimum budget.
Thank you for your enquiry, but I don't think I can provide any more information than is in my post. Hi, I am heading to Bali in a few months, and plan to go through the Komodo Islands.
I'm looking for shorter, day trips, is there a company that you would reccomend? My main goal is to see the Komodo Dragons, but I would love to snorkel, hike, and see the pink beach as well. Thanks again for the amazing post! As I'm sure you can understand, there are lots of tour operators out there and companies come and go, but I have just updated the top with my top recommendations for 1, 2 and 3 day tour options.
I hope one of them is perfect for you!
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