I‘ve always been fascinated with reptiles, most likely because as a child I took regular trips to the Natural History Museum in London and fell in love with dinosaurs. So when I came across a picture of a Komodo dragon (which I thought was an old image of dinosaur) and found out I could actually watch them up close, I just had to go and see them for myself!
Best time to go:
April-Early December, the dry season
How long to spend here:
3-4 days if you’re including other stop offs within the region
Where to stay
Labuan Bajo is the main hub for visiting the dragons. There are frequent flights from Bali and Lombok and both only take about an hour to get there. Labuan Bajo is a small fisherman’s town and is known for it’s beautiful sunsets and sites. It’s slowly getting more and more built up due to the tourism for the national park and the world famous scuba diving sites. Because of it’s hilly terrain, there are many hotels perched right at the top so you can enjoy the view. We stayed at 3 different places while we were here so we could get different experiences. The first was Selini on the Hill Villas, which had a lovely bohemian feel to the decor and an amazing view out to the port and the rest of the city. The second was at Le Pirate Island eco resort, a private island with only 6 other people. Finally, we heard about a place called Sunset Hill Hotel, which you might guess, has one of the best spots to see the sunset so we had to stay here too!
“The best education you will ever get is travelling. Nothing teaches you more than exploring the world and accumulating experiences”
GETTING TO THE NATIONAL PARK
As you walk down the main road in Labuan Bajo you will see an abundance of scuba diving shops and tour companies. Most of the time you can book the tours a day in advance, but try to book them a few days ahead just to be on the safe side. You can go and visit a few shops to get ideas on prices and don’t forget to haggle! We were on the boat and heard so many different prices that people paid for the same tour, so if you try and get the price as low as possible from the beginning then you will avoid getting scammed.
The boat ride from Labuan Bajo takes around 2 hours, with a few stop offs on the way including the famous pink beach and Padar Island. There are 2 islands to see the dragons, Komodo and Rinca which are both part of the national park. Komodo is much bigger and more well known, whereas Rinca Island is smaller and easier to spot dragons. It’s also closer to Labuan Bajo so if you don’t fancy spending extra long on the boat, head to Rinca. There are different trekking routes you can take depending on how much time you have. If you’re feeling brave, there is also the option to camp in the national park
Costs to consider:
Entrance Ticket: 150.000 rp on working days
Entrance Ticket: 225.000 rp on Sundays and National Holiday
Tourism Tax: 50.000 rp
Ranger Fee: 80.000 rp per group up to 5 people
Entrance Ticket Boat: 100.000 rp per boat (you’ll usually pay this to the tour guide in advance)
Find out more information on the Komodo National Park website.
Learn more in related article: Staying on a Private Island in Indonesia
Couldn't Be Happier To See A Real Life Dragon!
Mr. Komodo In Deep Thoughts
OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN THE REGION
Padar Island Viewpoint – One of the most stunning views in Komodo, it’s the third largest island in the national park and will take between 15-40 minutes to reach the top depending on your fitness levels.
Scuba Diving – This is world renown scuba diving site and the best conditions are from March to October. However, if you want to see manta rays, then the best time to go is between December to February which is the rainy season.
Pink Beach – Thousands of micro organisms, shells and coral all make up the pink sand!
Gili Lawa Viewpoint – Similar to Padar Island, this is a relatively easy hike up to the top (apart from the heat) and you get beautiful landscape views
