If you want to visit the Komodo Islands, this article is for you! Komodo National Park off the coast of Flores, Indonesia, is certainly a bucket-list destination that belongs on your Indonesia itinerary. However, navigating how to get there, when to go, where to stay, and how long to stay can be tricky.
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of everything you need to know to visit Komodo National Park! After reading this, you’ll be fully equipped to plan the trip of your dreams to these special islands.
Where Is Komodo National Park?
Komodo National Park is located off the western coast of Flores Island in Indonesia. The Komodo Islands are located between the East and West Nusa Tenggara regions and are made up of 29 islands.
Komodo National Park facts
| National Park | Komodo National park |
| Established | 1980 |
| UNESCO status | Yes |
| Number of islands | 29 |
| Area | 1,733 km2 |
| Komodo National Park entrance fee | 150,000 IDR, $10 USD (working days) 255,000 IDR, $18 USD (Sundays & holidays) |
How To Visit Komodo National Park
The only way to visit Komodo National Park is with an organized tour since the islands are all at least an hour from the port. The tours start from the port of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores, Indonesia.
There are TONS of options and operators you can use depending on your schedule and budget. You can book anything from a day trip to a 9-day sailing trip through the islands, from a private tour to a party boat of 25, so it really depends on what you’re going for!
Read: Komodo National Park Tour – how to choose the best tour for you!
The Best Things To Do In Komodo Island
With some of the most unique landscapes in the world, there are so many incredible things to do in Komodo National Park! During your trip, you can hike to gorgeous viewpoints, swim with manta rays, and even see a Komodo Dragon in the wild.
1. Hike Padar Island
Hiking to the top of Padar Island was our favorite thing to do in Komodo National Park. While the hike has a nice trail, it is a solid 25-30 minute hot uphill trek to the top. Don’t worry, though, because the views are certainly worth every step!
From the top of Padar Island, you can see some of the most incredible landscapes in the world. You can also see three of the island’s beaches in distinct inlets. These beaches are the most unique part of the view since one has black sand, one has pink, and one has white!
Pro tip: watch the sunset here! The sunset at Padar Island is definitely in our top 5 sunsets in the world.
2. Visit the Pink Beach
Pink Beach in the Komodo Islands is what dreams are made of! The mountain backdrop looks like it is out of a Jurassic Park movie, and the pink sand looks like cotton candy.
The Pink Beach gets its unique color from the corals, but unfortunately, it’s getting less pink over time as the corals are dying. Make sure to pack reef-safe sunscreen to help do your part to save the corals!
3. Trek Kelor Island
The 10-15 minute trek up Kelor Island is one of the best things to do in Komodo National Park because of the views. From the top, you can see the mountainous landscape of the surrounding islands, the bright blue water, and the small white beach peninsula.
On Kelor Island, you can also take a quick swim or snorkel and relax on this completely uninhabited island!
4. Chill on Taka Makassar Sand Bank
Taka Makassar is a sand bank in the middle of Komodo National Park that is pink and teardrop-shaped. This spot is completely surrounded by water and also changes shape with the tides. Its unique topography is definitely worth seeing!
Here you can snorkel, swim, build sandcastles, and just enjoy this slice of paradise. Do note, though, that there is no shade, so you should limit your time in the intense Komodo sun.
Tip: Drones are allowed and provide the best vantage for photographing this place.
5. Swim with Manta Rays
Swimming with Manta Rays in the wild is easily one of the best things to do in Komodo National Park. At certain times of day, you can go to “Manta Point” and try to spot one of these magnificent creatures.
While seeing them is not guaranteed, the chase is half the fun. The act of spotting them, chasing them in a small boat, and swimming after them is an absolute thrill!
It goes without saying, though, that you should keep an appropriate distance and respect these beautiful animals in their natural habitat.
6. See The Komodo Dragons on Rinca or Komodo Island
We couldn’t make a list of the top things to do in Komodo National Park and leave off seeing Komodo dragons! Komodo Dragons live on both Rinca and Komodo Islands and are protected under UNESCO and the national park.
These dragons are native to these islands and are insane animals to learn about. They’re technically lizards, but their giant size, cannibalism, and venomous bite put them into a league of their own.
They are a must-see in Komodo National Park; however, you should have a guide and be smart when you’re on Rinca or Komodo Island.
How To Get To The Komodo Islands
The easiest way to access the Komodo Islands is by flying into Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores and taking a boat tour from there. Because of flight schedules, though, you MUST arrive a day before your tour and stay a night in Labuan Bajo. After your tour is complete, you can take a flight out the same day as your tour ends.
Airport near Komodo National Park
The closest airport to Komodo National Park is Labuan Bajo Komodo Airport (LBJ). The airport is only a 10-minute drive from the main port of Labuan Bajo, so it’s really convenient.
Make sure to note that it’s a small airport and only a handful of airlines fly here. Often flights in and out of Labuan Bajo get delayed, rescheduled, or cancelled, so you need flexible travel plans.
Also, if you are planning to visit Komodo National Park as the last stop of your Indonesia trip, you should account for buffer time. It’s important to leave yourself ample time between your flight out of Labuan Bajo and your international flight since your flight from Labuan Bajo may get cancelled or rescheduled, which has caused many people to miss their international connection.
Visiting Komodo National Park from Bali
It is easy to visit Komodo National Park from Bali since it’s a short 1-hour flight. A handful of airlines fly from Denpasar (DPS) to Labuan Bajo (LBJ), so you can shop around for the best price. We currently use Kayak to do so, but tons of folks swear by Skyscanner.
Read: Visit the world’s largest Buddhist Temple in Indonesia
Where To Stay In Labuan Bajo
As we covered above, you need to stay your first night in Labuan Bajo so that you can start your tour early the next morning. We stayed at the Theodor Hotel for $50 USD per night, which included airport transfer. The hotel was beautiful, and the pool was gorgeous. It was also just a short drive into the town center, and they provided round-trip transportation there for $7 USD. Our tour picked us up from the hotel in the morning and took us to the port.
Best Time To Visit Komodo National Park
Certainly, the best time to visit Komodo National Park is in the dry season from April to early December. April to June is a gorgeous time since it’s the beginning of the dry season, and the islands are lush. July and August are mating season for the Komodo dragons, so they are harder to spot. September to November is nesting season, which can also cause you to see fewer dragons, but in October, we saw plenty! We were also able to see the Manta Rays in October.
How Many Days In The Komodo Islands?
Two to three days is the perfect amount of time to visit Komodo National Park. We did a 2-day, 1-night tour, which was the perfect amount of time to hit all the best things to do in Komodo.
While 2 days and 1 night were ample for us, if you want to see the famous bats fly at sunset, spend more time diving or snorkeling, or see both islands of Komodo Dragons (instead of just 1), the 3-day 2-night tour would be perfect for you.
Komodo National Park Entrance Fee
The entrance fee for Komodo National Park is 150,000 IDR (~$10 USD) on all working days, which are Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and holidays, it is 255,000 IDR ($18 USD), so it’s worthwhile to try and plan for a working day to save some money!
There are also entrance fees and ranger fees for the different islands and activities. While you’re looking into tours, make sure to ask if the tour is all-inclusive or if you have to pay the national park and island fees yourself.
Is Komodo Island safe?
We felt very safe on Komodo Island, BUT you need to be smart, take precautions, and have a good guide. The Komodo Dragons are SAVAGE animals – they’re cannibals and will eat anything and everything in sight.
In order to stay safe, you absolutely MUST hire a park ranger to find the dragons. Also, it should go without saying, but KEEP YOUR DISTANCE. We saw people getting way too cuddly with these beasts for photos. We took ours quite a few meters back per our guide’s instructions, and he took the photo from a safe distance.
Also, one more thing is that Komodo Dragons have a crazy sense of smell. They can smell things a few kilometers away, and bug spray is apparently a trigger. So for your safety, DON’T WEAR BUG SPRAY when you visit Komodo or Rinca Island.
What To Pack When You Visit Komodo National Park
You definitely want to pack light to visit Komodo National Park. Since you’ll likely be staying on a boat, space is tight. Above all, don’t forget your swimsuit, reef-safe sunscreen, and camera!
Read: What to Pack for the Komodo Islands
Komodo National Park Video
Things Not To Do In Komodo National Park
- Don’t spend much time at Kanawa Island – Kanawa Island isn’t worth spending much, if any, time at. The entrance fee is $7 USD per person, and they have one “restaurant” (shack) that was out of stock of everything. They do, however, have a beach swing and a few chairs to lie out on, as well as calm water for snorkeling. We would have cut this from our tour itinerary and spent more time elsewhere.
- Don’t feed the animals! This should go without saying, but it’s important not to feed the wildlife you encounter in Komodo National Park.
- Don’t litter! It is so sad how much trash we saw floating in different areas. One of the pink beaches is also now completely covered in litter, which is incredibly disappointing. We all need to do our part to keep our world clean and beautiful.
