Author: Matt and Danielle
25 May 2023
Komodo Island National Park, located in Indonesia, is a UNESCO world heritage site made up of 29 breathtaking islands. It's one of the new seven wonders of the world and within moments of visiting, you will see exactly why. It was a dream to spend 4 magical days sailing around these incredible islands and by far the most amazing tour we have ever experienced. Dolphins would jump out of the water while we sat and sipped our morning coffee. We snorkelled with more manta rays than we could ever count and saw one of the rarest and one of the most dangerous animals in the world, the Komodo dragon.
Komodo Island is part of the Coral Triangle, which boasts the highest marine biodiversity in the world. With crystal-clear water, colourful coral reefs, and over 1,000 species of fish, the underwater world is truly mesmerizing. Not only is the wildlife here unbelievable, but so are the scenery and views as well. Places like Padar Island will stick with us for the rest of our life.
Our Komodo Island tour was fun, adventurous, beautiful and had us rubbing our eyes in disbelief every 5 minutes. Here is our Komodo Island travel guide, full of everything you need to know for your Indonesia travel itinerary.
Of the 29 islands in Komodo National Park Padar, Rinca and Komodo Islands are the largest. You can visit these islands on the same day, but you wouldn't do the area justice with a single-day trip. To immerse yourself deeper into one of the most unique places in the world you need to book a multi-day tour.
This way you can see all the unique wildlife, rare pink-sand beaches, world-class scuba diving and adventure at every turn. If you're looking to plan your visit to Komodo and want to ensure you see the best of the best then we have you covered.
Here are all the best things to do in Komodo National Park.
This viewpoint is the winner if we're talking best of the best. The small island of Padar is located between Komodo and Rinca Islands. It is by far one of the most epic and beautiful places we have ever seen! The main thing people visit this island for is the ultimate panoramic view from the top, which is best seen at sunrise. You can't spend the night on Padar so you will have to stay on a boat nearby and then hike the 700+ steps before the first light.
This volcanic island has pink sand beaches, beautiful bays and towering green cliffs. It's one of the best places you can see in the area, and a must for anyone planning a trip around the Komodo Islands.
That's right, there are many pink sand beaches around Komodo. The pink sand comes from red coral that erodes over time, which results in a beautiful pink shade of sand. Seeing the pink sand next to the bright blue ocean and luscious greenery is amazing!
Pantai Merah, The Pink Beach, is the most popular but there are several pink sand beaches throughout Komodo. There are only a handful of pink sand beaches in the world, so make the most of being here while you travel around the Komodo Islands.
Manta Point is a cleaning station for manta rays, and not just one or two of them. When we visited there must have been 15 or so manta rays all swimming in different circles, and we couldn't believe our eyes. We would see 3 or 4 swimming in a circle, and then look to our left and they were be another 4 or 5 in one direction, a few more in the other. It was an out-of-this-world experience.
Make sure your tour to Komodo includes a stop here!
Watch as a million bats fill the sky at sunset as they set off to hunt and explore throughout the night. The mangrove forest on Kalong Island is the home of these bats and at sunset, they make their way to neighbouring islands to feed. We managed to spend a night on our boat right outside these mangroves. This meant we could watch the bats leaving at sunset, and returning at sunrise. It's a brilliant experience!
When we say world-class scuba diving and snorkelling, we truly mean it. The Komodo National Park is one of the best dive sites in the world due to its high marine biodiversity. The only other place that can rival Komodo Islands when it comes to scuba diving is Raja Amphat, Indonesia. These two locations are considered the best for divers from all around the world. You would be able to dive on a day trip from Labuan Bajo or book onto a liveaboard boat. either way, getting beneath the surface is essential for anyone looking to travel around Komodo National Park.
There are about 6,000 dragons around Komodo Island. They are one the deadliest animals in the world, and also one of the rarest so keep an eye out to see if you can see the Komodo dragons roaming around. When visiting the Island of Komodo itself we managed to see one adult, and then we saw a baby Komodo on Pink Beach! These creatures are remarkable to see in person. They are one of the largest lizards on the planet, and you can sense the danger when they are nearby. Komodo Dragons can smell blood in the air from 6 miles away! If you've picked up any bumps and scrapes on your travels then make sure to be careful.
Kelor island is a small island. It's like a smaller version of Padar...much smaller! It's a tiny island with a 360-degree viewpoint from the top where you can see the beautiful water and islands dotted all around you. This was the final stop on our Komodo Islands boat tour and the last thing we did on our visit in Indonesia. The island has crystal clear water all around it, a nice beach and a cool shack you can make your way out to for some great pictures.
Before you can begin experiencing the wonder of the Komodo National Park you need to know how to get there. You have to get to Labuan Bajo, a small town in the western part of the island of Flores. You can fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo or fly from Jakarta and many other places in the world easily. This is the gateway to the national park and the best launching point for the ultimate trip to Komodo. Flores Island has a bunch of boat tours that will take you to the Komodo area, and our recommendation is to book a 3 or 4-day tour. This way you can immerse yourself in all that beauty for as long as possible!
We suggest staying in Labuan Bajo for at least one night so that you then catch your boat in the morning, and do the same thing after your trip is finished. Book your flight out of Labuan Bajo for the next day, and spend the night in Labuan Bajo. Not only will you be tired and need the rest, but the time you get back to the city doesn't link up well with the flight times.
You want your trip to the Komodo Islands to be as smooth as possible, so that means arriving at the right time. The best time to visit Komodo is ideally between April and June. This is when the temperature will be the best, and the price should be a little cheaper. You can also visit during the high season, which is July to August when it will be hotter and more expensive.
The best way to see this extraordinary part of the world is by booking a boat trip. There's nothing that comes close to cruising around the Komodo Islands in style. You can book a day trip to Komodo, but for the most incredible experience, you need to book a longer trip with a tour company.
Click here to book one of the best Komodo tours with incredible reviews
We often get asked about our tour to Komodo Island. It can be complicated finding out certain pieces of information, so here are some of the popular questions we get asked, with answers of course.
What is the Entry fee to Komodo National Park? Currently, the fee for Komodo National Park is 150,000 IDR per person. There are plans to increase this significantly to 3,750,000, which is a huge 26x increase. This wasn't received well by business operators and travellers alike so the increase is likely going to be lower than this. The main thing we can suggest is to visit ASAP while it's lower.
Can you fly your drone in Komodo National Park?
The simple answer is yes, but you need a permit. Flying your drone around places like Padar, Komodo or Rinca islands can provide you with some amazing footage. If you're looking to experience the wonder of Komodo from the sky then you will have to pay a fee. When you book a boat tour to Komodo you can likely add this fee on to the cost of your trip. It's 1 Million IDR for the permit, which lasts 2 weeks. It is really only worth the cost if you're going to be spending at least a few days around the national park.
Can you stay in Komodo?
The options for staying on land in the national park are very limited. The best place to stay would be on a boat, as you get to sleep in various locations throughout the park, and can get to places bright and early. Staying off the coast at Padar meant we easily got to the summit for sunrise. Also staying where the bat migration takes place meant we were able to see it from our boat at sunrise and sunset. This is the best, and most affordable option by far.
We hope you enjoyed our Komodo travel guide for 2023, and it helps you to have the most amazing trip of a lifetime. This is the best experience we have had on our travels. Not only was it filled with raw natural beauty, but also so much fun and constant adventure. We cannot wait to go back and let you know about even more incredible must-see places all around the Komodo Islands.
If you're travelling to Komodo and looking at other things you can do on your trip to Indonesia then make sure to check out our other Bali blogs too. If you're looking to travel to Bali then we have put together a bunch of amazing blogs to help guide you. They are full of travel tips, guides and itineraries for everywhere you would want to visit. You can easily travel from Bali to Komodo Island, so they are great to couple together for one epic trip.
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