By boat around Komodo Islands in Indonesia: Dragons, beaches and scuba diving

A complete guide with everything you need to know to travel through the fantastic islands of the Komodo region in Indonesia!

Komodo Island is a lot more than only dragons

I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of Komodo dragons.

Am I right?

But did you know that they only inhabit two Indonesian islands?

Besides, do you know what else you can do while traveling through Komodo?

If you are planning your trip through Indonesia and still do not know exactly what your itinerary will be, you may be wondering whether or not it is worth including this destination on your trip. You may also have a look in our post on how to organize your travel itinerary through Indonesia.

I’m a little anxious and I’ll tell you the answer already: It is very worthwhile to include Komodo in your itinerary through Indonesia. This region has a lot more to offer than only dragons. You don’t even have to go see them if you don’t want to.

But you must want to know the reasons, right?

So rest assured, that in this post we will show you everything that this region has to offer. And more (click on each item if you want to be directed:

• Komodo National Park in Indonesia and the city of Labuan Bajo
• The Komodo Dragon
• How to get to Komodo/Labuan Bajo
• Where to stay at Labuan Bajo
• What to do in Komodo
• How is the boat trip exploring the Komodo Islands
• Costs
• Additional Tips

Komodo National Park in Indonesia and the city of Labuan Bajo

Islands in the region of Komodo

The fierce Komodo dragons inhabit two islands in Indonesia, the Komodo Island, and Rinca Island. But these islands, as well as several others, form a national park. It is not possible to stay within the park, including on the island of Komodo.

Therefore, when you think about visiting this region, the city you will use as a base it is Labuan Bajo, which is actually on the huge island of Flores.

The city itself is very small and still with little tourist structure. Some hostels, B&Bs and guest houses form the hotel structure of the small town that has a single main avenue. On this avenue, you will find dozens of diving agencies, tours and so on, to take you to your destinations in the region.

In my opinion, the city itself does not offer much and was full of constructions when we went, so it was a little dirty. But we could see that it’s growing and evolving. Tourism there is still relatively new. Then I advise you to go while it is still small!

The Komodo Dragon

This rare lizard, which can only be found in this region, reaches 3m long and 160kg!

They are carnivorous and in addition to having very sharp claws, they still have lethal bacteria in their saliva. Therefore, their prey will usually die of infection before serving as food for the Dragons. Very large animals, like buffaloes, for example, can take a whole month to die after the Komodo attack.

Their breeding season is from May to August and the eggs are placed in September. July to August and September to November, are therefore the worst times to try to spot the animals. Since they’ll be less active, worrying about mating.

Although they are very dangerous, the Rangers of the park are very careful and overall, the hunt for Dragons is very safe. I didn’t feel scared at all.

How to get to Komodo/Labuan Bajo

Most tourists opt for the easiest and most practical way: the plane. And to be honest, I thought it was worth it. The flight is fantastic and we can already see all the beauties of the region through the window of the plane.

We traveled from Ende (to visit Mount Kelimutu) to Labuan Bajo, also on the island of Flores. But you can make this route from Lombok or Bali. Airfare prices are not very expensive and the flight lasts about 1-2hrs (costs are listed at the end of the post).

Another interesting option is the boat trip with several stops along the way. You can leave Lombok and arrive at Labuan Bajo or travel in the opposite direction. That’s what we did, we left Labuan Bajo towards Lombok!

The boat trip lasts 4 days and the boat stops on several islands and some points for snorkeling, swimming, hiking or just relaxing a little on the beaches.

Where to stay at Labuan Bajo

As I mentioned before, the best city to stay is in Labuan Bajo.

In our case, we were also staying 4 days on the boat to arrive in Lombok.

At Labuan Bajo, you can find excellent B&B and we have seen some guesthouses. There are two hostels in the city and I found them quite expensive for being a hostel in Asia (around U$12,00 to U$15,00).

Search your accommodation by Booking and Hostelworld and access to the best offers from Labuan Bajo.

We chose to stay in a delightful B&B, the Komodo Lodge. We found the best option because they offered a shuttle from the airport and the place was only 200m distant from the main street and to the harbor. So we were able to do everything on foot and peacefully.

The hostels were farther away, and we’d have to get a motorbike.

The Komodo Lodge

Amazing breakfast in the Komodo Lodge

The Komodo Lodge offers private rooms, very comfortable with air conditioning and Wi-Fi that works super well.

It is just 200m distant from the main street and the harbor. Then it is possible to do everything on foot! There are several restaurants and a very close street market. The location is simply sensational.

For me, one of the highlights was the hot water in the shower. This is not very common in Asia (it is very hot so everyone is used to cold showers). But to be honest, I love a hot bath. The bathroom is very comfortable and with clean, fragrant towels.

The lodge also offers water bottles in the room, which are refilled every day. And you can have as much tea and coffee as you like near the reception!

On the top floor, they are building a nice space to watch the sunset and it’s so pleasant to stay and enjoy the view from there.

You will have your breakfast in the room at any time you want. And is delicious!

They offer some Indonesian options such as Mie Goren (fried noodles), Nasi Goren (fried rice), banana pancake, eggs, toast, fruits, orange juice, and coffee.

The staff is so great. If there’s one thing I really value in one place, it’s hospitality. We were treated very well by Herma and staff! They also provide airport transfers with a very affordable price!

The Komodo Lodge is offering 5% discount for any reader of our blog!

The valid period is 01-Sep-2018 to 30-Jun-2019 (not valid from 25-Dec-2018 to 05-Jan-2019)

To book, just send an email directly to komodolodge@gmail.com saying you read about them through the Mochilão a Dois Travel Blog and your discount will be given!

What to do in Komodo

We even encountered Nemo during the scuba diving!

There are countless activities to do in the Komodo region and I will list some of them here for you! You can easily spend a week there.

Important information: For almost all activities you will need a tour operator to take you by boat to the places! I read that some agencies have packages for more than one day. They are all on the same street, take a walk around there and search for the best prices and alternatives. You don’t need to book anything in advance.

Trekking to see the Komodo dragons – Komodo Island and Rinca Island

The dragons are the cherry on top of the cake for those who visit the region, so it needed to be our first suggestion.

The Dragons inhabit the islands of Komodo and Rinca. You can easily visit the two islands on the same boat ride. I only visited the Komodo Island and the trekking lasted about 1 hour.

As it is a national park and a protected area, it is necessary to pay a park entrance fee of 250,000 rupiahs (about U$18.00). And for security reasons, everyone has to stay on the trail and guided by a duly registered ranger from the park.

We were fortunate enough to see 3 dragons right in the beginning. But then, that was it lol. We didn’t see any other after that.

Although July is an excellent time to visit Indonesia, it is not the best time to see the lizards. They’re chasing the females during July and August.

Remember, the place is not a zoo. The animals are in their natural habitat, so it will never be certain that you’ll actually be able to see them. The ranger explains a lot about the behavior of the lizards and about other animals and trees of the island! It’s a very interesting ride.

This is the advantage of visiting the two islands because if you do not see the dragon in one, you will have chances to see them in the other.

Remember to pack sunscreen, closed shoes, repellent, a hat and enjoy your ride!

Don’t forget your Travel Insurance. Use our discount coupon MOCHILAOADOIS5 and get 5% discount!

Pink Beach

Pink Beach and its pinkish sand

This paradise beach is named after it’s lightly rosy sand. The color of the sand is due to the red algae that inhabit there.

If you pay attention, you’ll see little pink spots in the sand. It is practically deserted and with a super crystalline water. Usually, the boats that go to the Komodo Island also stop there a little bit.

Enjoy it, because the beach is beautiful and really worth your visit to relax in its pink sand.

Padar Island

Watching the sunset in Padar Island

This was one of the places I most wanted to visit in the region because I had seen amazing pictures of the view.

Unfortunately, our boat was a little late and we arrived just in time sunset. It was already dark, so I didn’t get the view I was expecting.

I highly recommend you try to go during the day! The sunset there was fantastic, but I still wish I had seen the place with the sunshine! If you arrive around 17:00, you will be able to see the blue sea and still wait for the sun to set! Full experience!

All the island has to offer is actually the viewpoint. And it’s super easy to climb. At the beginning there are steps and at the end is beat ground. But nothing too tiring!

The cool thing is just to stay up there in the viewpoint enjoying this wonderful view.

Relaxing in Labuan Bajo

Relaxing in the crystal clear waters of Komodo

Labuan Bajo is a very small and pleasant city!

You can enjoy its bucolic vibe to relax, read a book or even have a massage in the various spa centers you have there! After all, we also deserve a rest, right? Sometimes, we need even some rest from the trip itself.

Diving and Snorkeling

Manta ray during our scuba diving in Komodo Island

Scuba diving in Komodo was one of my biggest goals on this trip through Indonesia.

We did incredible dives in Wakatobi, where we saw many colorful corals, huge fish schools, and some sharks. But it is in Komodo that the giant mantas and many turtles inhabit.

There are hundreds of diving spots in Komodo and we have been in the places where the current is not so strong and that is more suited to our level!

It was just surreal.

We did three dives with extremely colorful corals, eight mantas and dozens of turtles! The best dives ever of my long life as a diver (only 13 dives lol).

For those who do scuba diving, Komodo it’s just mandatory on your list! For those who do not dive, the snorkel is very good there.

On our boat, there were plenty of people snorkeling and they saw even more turtles than us and many mantas too! Also, the boat trip is super nice and we can enjoy the fantastic landscapes during the journey!

Divers Paradise

Scuba Diving in Komodo Island

There are many options for diving agencies in Labuan Bajo. We chose the Divers Paradise and it was the best choice for a few reasons:

1. They were extremely professional. They took into consideration our experience and our level, suggesting us safe locations for less experienced divers. This is very important because the region is known for very strong currents and depending on the place, it can be dangerous if you do not have enough experience.
2. The boat is extremely comfortable and pleasant and you can have as much tea and biscuits as you wish;
3. The lunch was nice and well served. They also offer breakfast in the shop before leaving for the boat and popcorn on the way back. We always got hungry, right? So it was providential;
4. You try on the wetsuit and equipment before you leave. This is very good because it has happened to me before to been given a tight wetsuit and I spent the whole diving uncomfortable;
5. All the equipment is first class. The wetsuits and fins were of excellent quality and they provide diving boots. Almost no place offers diving boots and you may end up hurting the foot on the fin (already happened to me);
6. The staff is super considerate and before each dive or snorkeling, they did a briefing explaining exactly how it was going to work and what we should expect to see, and the signs so we were able to identify what the dive master was showing us.
   

   Super colorful coral during scuba diving in Komodo Island

In addition to all these advantages, it was the cheapest agency we found there! We searched a lot in several agencies before choosing and I believe we made the best deal.

You can go the day before to decide your journey or even on the same day before the departure of the boats, which is around 7:30. The boats come back around 4:30.

How is the boat trip exploring the islands of Komodo – From Labuan Bajo to Lombok

Wanua Adventure Boat

If you are coming from or going to Lombok, you can take a boat instead of a plane and spend 4 days at sea enjoying the trip. We did exactly it!

At first, we were going to do the trip in the opposite direction, but the boat’s own team recommended us from Labuan Bajo because from Lombok we would not going to stop in Padar Island. We managed to change the itinerary and decided to travel from Labuan Bajo to Lombok!

The advantage of this boat trip is that the activities we would do in Labuan Bajo (Komodo Island, Padar and Pink Beach for example) we did during the boat trip, and we ended up saving a good money.

Also, we slept and ate on the boat, therefore more economy with hotel and food!

I particularly loved it! The stops were cool and many of them were completely remote. We traveled with Wanua Adventure and recommend their service!

I just point it out that it’s not a luxury cruise. If you seek comfort, this journey is not for you.

I’m going to list the activities and how our day-to-day work worked:

Day 1 – Boat trip around Komodo islands:

Pink Beach – Day 1 of the boat trip

The departure from the Labuan Bajo harbor is at 7:00. And from there we proceed to Kelor Island for a trail and snorkeling, Pink Beach and Padar Island for sunset.

I already mentioned Pink Beach and the Padar Island. In the other place, we swam a bit in an incredibly blue sea, but there was not much to see on the snorkeling. In fact, no snorkeling is very amazing on this trip (I think I have seen such incredible things in the day before, that I just didn’t enjoy other snorkeling as much).

That day we stopped a lot and we didn’t spend much time sailing. At night, the boat is anchored in a region of a calm sea. So we can have a quiet sleep.

Day 2 – Boat trip around Komodo islands:

Snorkeling at Manta Point – Day 2 of the boat trip

We started the day with the visit to the Komodo Island (which I also mentioned above how it works).

From there we proceeded to Manta Point. If you have not done snorkeling or diving in Komodo before this boat trip, this will be one of the highlights – only behind of the Komodo dragons, which is the most anticipated part of the trip.

There’s a lot of manta rays out there. But the current is very strong, so be careful when you swim back to the boat. Some people get tired a lot. The boat offers life jackets for those who need it.

I was unlucky and couldn’t see any manta because the snorkeling goggles I was wearing broke and I had to get back on the boat. But I saw beautiful videos of the people who were with us!

From there, we moved on to Gili Laba. It’s nothing less than the picture down there. This was the best snorkeling, the sea there is quiet and the corals are very beautiful! It is also possible to swim to the beach and relax a little.

Snorkeling in Gili Laba – Day 2 of the boat trip

From there, we then went sailing for 16 hours. So in the afternoon we just stayed on the boat chatting. The boat sailed all night.

As the current is very strong, the boat rocks a lot. Think about that before you go on this trip. They provide seasickness and I confess that I needed it. The night was hard, with a lot of rocking (“Don’t rock the boat, baby”).

Day 3 – Boat trip around Komodo islands:

Waterfall in the Moyo Island – Day 3 of the boat trip

In the morning we arrived on Moyo Island. The island was completely empty!

It is possible to swim to enjoy the beach a little and visit a waterfall. The waterfall itself is not very pretty, but it is possible to climb up to a deep well and it is quite fun! I liked it. And, let’s be honest, having a freshwater bath after a few days with the body covered in salt water was pretty good!

We then followed to Gili Bola, the beach is simply beautiful and the sea is more like a swimming pool. As it is surrounded by islands, it looks like a lake.

Again we were late and we ended up watching the sunset from there. The cool thing is that just after the sun went down we watched hundreds of bats heading towards the islands to feed. It was beautiful to watch them all snuggle up in the orange sky! This is a phenomenon that you can see from several islands in the region.

Sunset in Gili Bola – Day 3 of the boat trip

In the evening we arrived on Kanana Island, where we stopped for a bonfire, chat, and beer. This was another quiet night, the sea was very calm and no boat rocking ;).

Day 4 – Boat trip around Komodo islands:

One of the beautiful volcanos we’ve seen during this journey

We woke up very early to watch the sunrise from Kanana Island. The boat spent the night docked around the island.

From the little hill we hiked up for sunrise, it was already possible to have a glance of Mount Rinjani, the volcano that we were going to climb in two days (scary!!!)

After sunrise, we continued sailing towards Lombok, where we arrived around 9:00.

During the whole journey, we could see some volcanoes, like Mount Tambora!

Wanua Adventure also provides transportation to any part of Lombok Island and the ferry ticket to the Gili islands in case this is your next destination.

Boat structure

Wanua Adventure Boat in Moyo Island – Day 3 of the boat trip

The boat itself is simple and has no luxury. There is the option of the deck, where everyone sleeps on mattresses on the floor. They even offer a small blanket and pillow (I had my own because I usually feel very cold, so I used theirs as a sheet and my blanket on top).

During the day is, of course, very hot, but at night is cool and fresh. I even slept in my jumper (Did I say already that I always feel very cold? Don’t use me as a reference).

There is also a cabin option with a double bed. But it’s also very small. It has more privacy and a little more comfort. There were two bathrooms for everybody and they were incredibly clean throughout the trip. There is no shower, but there is a freshwater reservoir that we use to bathe with swimsuits and washing our hair at least!

There’s no restaurant, either. The food is all prepared on the boat and served in a common room. We then sat on the benches or on the ground to eat. I found the food good, but there was not much. There were always some people who wanted to had a second share and there was no more food! Water, coffee, and tea were free at all times! The cool thing is that we got a bottle of water when we arrived. So, there is no need to spend plastic cups. Just fill up your bottle every time you need! And it’s a cute little souvenir I use a lot.

In total, we were around 20 passengers. All the staff was very cool and fun and we had excellent moments.

I loved the trip as a whole, but no doubt having such a super cool and chilled gang with us, and I include the Wanua Adventure staff here, certainly made a difference for the boat trip to be so good.

Costs of a trip to Komodo

Beach in Gili Bola – Day 3 of the boat trip

We made available the spreadsheet with all the expenses of our trip through Indonesia in the post on travel costs by Indonesia. You can even download the spreadsheet and adapt it to your use.

There, you find exactly the detailed cost of everything in our Komodo trip.

But in the chart below, the costs only for the Komodo trip is described per category. The costs there are per person.* In the full spreadsheet, you can convert to your own currency with the exact updated rate of the day you are reading this post.

You can see that where we spent the most was in transport, which would be the boat to Lombok. But in fact, in this price, there is also accommodation, food, and all activities for 4 days included!

Extra Tips

Moyo Island and its crystal clear waters – Day 3 of the boat trip

Some latest tips for you:

• There are only two Money Exchanges on Labuan Bajo and they have similar prices. They are quite correct, with a computer system and money conference. But the prices in Bali are better. If you are coming from there, it’s worth it to change the money you’ll need in Komodo while you are in Bali.
• However, watch out! Bali is full of scams with Money Exchanges. Be careful when exchange money in Bali.
• In this region, the main religion is Islam. Then expect to be woken up at 4:00 with the mosques calling for the first prayer of the day.
• Although they were Muslims, we had no problem wearing shorts or bathing suits on the boats. Labuan Bajo lives mainly in tourism and they are used to it.
• You will be able to do everything on foot, but if you need to move around and need a taxi (from the airport for example), download the apps GoJek (motorbike) and Grab (similar to Uber). They work super well.

Do you know of any other important tips that aren’t listed here? Help other readers by listing them in the comments!

Pink Beach

That was our trip around the Komodo region. Tell us if you were convinced to go to this region during your trip to Indonesia too!

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Notes

* The “Mochilão a Dois” had a complimentary stay at the Komodo Lodge and discount with the Wanua Adventure and Divers Paradise. However, we cherish the sincerity to our readers, not being our opinion influenced when writing this post!

 * * There are some links in this post of affiliate programs. We inform you that you will not pay anything more for using these links, but, we from “Mochilão a Dois will receive a small commission. If you like our work, please use our links and collaborate so that our blog continues to grow. We’ll be very happy:)

Posted by Liany Garves

Liany is a pharmacist that worked for years in a big company. She left her safe job and comfortable life in Brazil to live an adventure in the remote Kingdom of Bhutan and, nowadays, lives in Thailand. The passion for traveling runs to her veins and she loves spending time in the travel blog, helping other travelers with her experiences or planning her next trip.