Plan Your Tour to Komodo National Park Indonesia
Hello travellers, are you going to plan your vacation to Komodo Island Indonesia? If so, you can take flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo. Labuan Bajo is a small fishing village as a gate way to Komodo Island-Komodo National Park. You can also take a direct flight from Malaysia and Singapura to Labuan Bajo.
Indonesian consists of thousands of islands. Some island in Indonesia is uninhabited. Even though uninhabited island, there are many people come to visit. This is due to its uniqueness such as amazing nature, spectacular culture, and wonderful of people’s life style.
Komodo National Park comprises of 29 islands. Some islands are uninhabited by humans. Due to its exotic as home of Komodo Dragon, then attract a lot of people to visit.
There are some offerings for visitors during vacation to Komodo National Park like unforgettable experience to see Komodo Dragon in their natural habitat. Apart from that, you will trek to see fantastic landscape of Padar Island, snorkel with manta rays and turtles. Other activities are Sun bathing in well-known Pink beach in Komodo Island. Take a holiday to Komodo National Park is the best option to spend your holiday. Absolutely, you will not regret.
There are several highlight destinations you can choose during tour to Komodo National Park as follows:
Komodo Island
Komodo Island is one of the islands in Komodo National Park. It is well-known for the habitat of Komodo Dragon. Besides Komodo Dragon, there are also others animal spotted in the island such as deer, wild board, buffaloes, etc. The area of the island is 291 square kilometres. Administratively it is situated between Flores, East Nusa Tenggara Province and West Nusa Tenggara Province.
Lieutenant Steyn Van Hensbroek from Dutch first found Komodo Dragon in Komodo Island. He and his soldiers team did an investigating by killing one Komodo Dragon. The findings are that Komodo Dragon is dangerous animal and no elsewhere found on earth
In Komodo Island There is a village called Komodo Village. It is a Muslim village that originally came from South Sulawesi and Bima. By the time, the population grow increasingly. When they first arrived in 1928 only 26 people and in 2024 approximately 2000 habitats. Of course, the people existence in Komodo Island became hot issue for Komodo Dragon as they are dangerous animals. Indonesian Government approach them to move from Komodo Island since it is considered as conservation park. Local people in Komodo village did not want to move because They have lived there before the park established. They have settled in 1928, while Komodo Island declared as conservation area in 1980.
It is not just to do land activities in Komodo Island to see Komodo Dragon, but must be combined with marine activities such as diving and snorkel.
Komodo Island in Komodo National Park is home of a lot of species including marine life such as coral reefs, sharks, and sea turtles, etc. while terrestrial life like Komodo Dragon as unique living in the island, some other animals are deer, wild board, buffaloes, etc. few animals living in the park were introduced by the local people, while the other migrated from other part of the world during the island connected one another.
For visitors who come to Komodo Island, trekking is the main activity to discover the island. Basically, there are 3 options for trekking such as; long trek, medium, and short walk. Visitors who wanted to do adventure trek and doing snake trip, you should book one day prior.
To fulfil you dream to see Komodo Dragon in Komodo Island, the best time is in dry season starting from March to June. On July to August is peak season. You will see a lot people in every destination. If you desire to witness the beautiful green island, you might visit on November as it is the beginning of wet season. December to February is the summit of rainy season and it is difficult to do the activity during your tour; big wave and strong current, so boats are difficult to cross among the island.
There are some choices to reach the island. You can stay at hotel in Labuan Bajo; take a wooden or fast daily boat trip from Labuan Bajo. You might also choose to stay overnight on private or sharing boat tour.
Before visiting Komodo Island, you need to bring something from Labuan Bajo town such as sun lotion, mosquito repellent, hat, cash IDR (no money changer in the island), if you want to fly drone in Komodo Island, you must organize it 3 days proceed your trip at the office of Komodo National Park in Labuan Bajo (you cannot organize it on the spot).
Stunning Pink Beach in Komodo Island
Pink beach or Pantai Merah in local language is natural wonder of nature in the world. It is formed from tiny broken red coral mixed with white sands. Pink beach is located in Komodo Island and especially outstanding as a natural habitat of the Komodo Dragon.
Pink Beach offer spectacular marine beauty for snorkelers and swimmers. It is truly fantastic time for exploring underwater gardens, with a lot species of coral reefs, and thousand species of fish.
Remember the place included in Komodo Island in which Komodo Dragon’s home. Keep distance when you spot Komodo Dragons walking in shore or swimming in the water. Komodo Dragons are good swimmer and even be able to swim from one island to other. Therefore, it is recommended to visit the place with a professional guide.
The Spectacular View of Padar Island
Padar Island topography is volcanic mountains and hilly area. It boasts with bushes and grassland that make the island more beautiful during two different seasons. You admire all are green during wet season, while it looked grey during dry season. The island comprises of three bays with its own colours; pink sand, white and black one.
Padar Island is a small island situated between Komodo and Rinca Island. Administratively it is located in West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province.
Padar Island is also one of the islands in Komodo National Park where you can find Komodo Dragons. Therefore, be sure a guide or ranger accompany you during visit the island.
You must save energy to do trek in the island. The trek path is 2 kilometres go and back. You will pass approximately 700 stairs to reach the summit. During pig season from July to September, the place is really annoying as a lot people visit the island. It likes snake from starting point until the top.
Padar Island open from 05 – 12.00 am and again in the afternoon from 15.00 – 18.00. while from 12.00 – 15.00 is closed. This time close because it is too hot as it is open area. Some accident happened before several visitors who visit the island during this time get impatient. Therefore, for those who are suffer from such kind of diseases such asthma is not allowed to trek.
Huge Manta Rays
Manta ray is the biggest ray in the world. This fish only found in several place in the world, including in Komodo National Park. To see them you can do by snorkel. They are not dangerous even we snorkel closer with them. Sometimes, we could spot manta rays in shallow water from a boat.
Manta rays usually feed on plankton and small fish. Manta rays’ population currently declining because of threating overfishing, water pollution, and climate change. Other reason also due to slow reproduction, they could reproduce once in 2-5 years.
To prevent this problem Indonesian government prohibited to fish them. It is also done by Komodo National Park authority to protect manta rays. Forestry police from the park always control fishermen activity to illegal fishing.
Long time ago, before the park established, local people used to catch them. They even used destructive fishing by using dynamite.
Taka Makassar is the primary site to see manta rays within Komodo National Park. The best time to see manta rays during rainy season starting from November until the last of March. In this time plankton blooms. The blooms attracting manta rays and as a place for feeding ground.
In this area is open ocean. It is really strong current. If you are not a good swimmer, you need to consider yourself before jumping off from the boat.
Siaba Turtle Island
Siaba Island located in north part of Komodo Island in Komodo National Park. Siaba Island is famous as home of turtle. Besides turtle, you might see any kind fish such as cuttlefish, mandarin fish, and various types of coral reefs.
The sea water deep is approximately 16-18 meters make easily for snorkelers and divers spot clearly underwater marine life during dive and snorkel. Be careful during snorkel in this site, you need to know exactly the current flows, otherwise you will be flown by the current and whirlpool.
The Best Island for Snorkel in Kanawa Island
Kanawa Island is located nearby Labuan Bajo town. It spends about an hour by wooden boat. Kanawa Island is an excellent place for snorkel and diving. The island has amazing beach and crystal-clear water.
The island is surrounded by turquoise waters and beautiful marine life such as colourful of fish and any kind of coral reefs.
The island is a perfect place for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkelling. It is also a perfect beach for taking sunset
For visitors who want to stay in the island, Kanawa Island offer some bungalows. But nowadays these bungalows are being repaired.
To get there, you can take a speed boat or wooden boat from Labuan Bajo. Visitors also can take a share boat trip that included Kanawa Island as one destination in tour itinerary.
Photo Hunting in Gili Laba Darat Island
Gili Laba Darat is situated in northern part of Komodo Island in Komodo National Park. Gili Lawa Darat Island is a wonderful place for trekking to see the stunning view of the bay and small isles surrounding.
Great time to explore the island either in the morning for hunt sunrise or in the afternoon to hunt sunset.
Gili Laba Island could be translated Land Laba. The atmosphere is calm and suitable place for trekking. Apart from trekking, you can also enjoy snorkel and swimming in shallow clear water.
Make sure that you are in good condition to reach the summit. You will spend 30-40 minutes trekking. Some creatures live in the island is deer and several types of birds. You are not in danger as no Komodo Dragon live in the island.
Gili Laba island can be reached from Labuan Bajo by speed boat or wooden boat. It takes approximately 5 hours to the island. There is no accommodation on the island, therefore you can choose to stay in hotel in Labuan Bajo or stay overnight on a bout tour.
Spectacular Rinca Island
Rinca Island is the second biggest island within Komodo National Park. The island is famous for home of Komodo Dragon, the largest living lizard on earth which grow up to 3 meters in length.
Rinca island populated by animals like buffaloes, deer, wild board, etc. there are 2 villages in Rinca Island namely Rinca itself and Kerora village. Living condition is quite difficult for local people especially since the island declared as a conservation area by government. As most of local people are fishermen and government limited them site for catching fish. As a kind of empowerment government teach them for making sculpture of statue of Komodo Dragon to be sold to the visitors. While their children recruit to be ranger working in Komodo National Park.
To fulfil their necessities of life, several times in a week they go to Labuan Bajo to buy it. Local people must avoid themselves from Komodo Dragon, because sometimes dragons come to the village to hunt pets like chicken and goats.
The villages face difficulty in getting pure water. They effort to make well, but the water from it salty taste. Due to drinking the water, some inhabitant suffers from diarrhea and fever.
The two villages are Muslim village. Most of the people will get among people in the village.
To support their children education, government build school from primary school until high school. While after graduating from high school, they choose universities in Flores Island or in java Island to continue their studying.
Witness Fruit Bats in Rinca Island
Kalong Island included in Komodo National Park precisely in north part of Rinca Island. Fruit bats in local language called Kalong. During day time these animals hang on mangrove tree.
Kalong is a tiny isle. The land predominantly covered by mangrove trees. This isle is a home of thousands of fruit bats. The best time to see bats in the afternoon. Bats starting flying out in a group when the sunset. It is amazing, it looked like the sky covered by the long range of flying foxes. They will fly surrounding for feeding. They usually feed on fruits such as bananas, coffee beans, mangoes, etc. impressive time also to see them in the morning when they come back to their nest.
You will see bats flying just from the boat as it is no land for walking and no harbour for boat anchoring getting to the island.
To reach Kalong Island, you should start from Labuan Bajo. From here, you can rent a wooden boat or speed boat. It spends an hour by wooden boat and 20 minutes by fast boat.
You can choose accommodation in Labuan Bajo, if you don’t want to spend overnight onboard.
During this tour, you must bring mosquitoes repellent, sun scream, hat, snorkel gears, money in cash. If you want to use drone during this tour, you must organize the ticket at Komodo National Park office in Labuan Bajo 3 days prior tour started.