18. Februar 2024
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Are you planning your first trip to Bali? Congratulations! This island has something to offer for everyone: waterfalls, beaches, volcanoes, rich culture, good food. The
Komodo National Park: 9 Highlights for an Unforgettable Trip
Komodo National Park is one of Indonesia’s hidden gems and its pristine beaches will leave you speechless. It is home to the Komodo dragon, as well as manta rays, whales, dolphins, and sea turtles. Join us for an amazing adventure off the beaten track and discover the 9 highlights you must see!
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What is Komodo National Park?
Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, located next to Flores in Indonesia is a place of breathtaking beauty, where rugged hills meet crystal clear waters and pristine beaches. It consists of 29 islands and on them you can find the famous Komodo dragon. But also the under water world will leave you speechless. Komodo National Park has one of the most biodiverse marine wildlife and dive sites in the world.
Since Komodo is not too far from Bali, the best time to travel is similar to it. So the dry season is from May to October. Especially in January and February, there are heavy rains. If we had to choose one month, we would recommend going in May as it’s the end of the rainy season. That means everything is still lush green but you have also good chances for nice and calm weather.
Preparations
A visit to Komodo should be well-planned. If you travel from Bali, it is better to book flights early, because then you can land real bargains. The flight goes from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo. Most of the flights go around midday and the boat trip starts in the morning so you have to spend a night in town. But there is plenty of accommodation to choose from for all budgets. We can recommend the Komodo Harbor Hotel and the Seaesta Labuan Bajo Hostel & Hotel.
There are 3 different ways to explore the Komodo National Park: you can directly hop on a boat from Lombok, do a day trip, or do a multi-day boat trip. For us, the best way to explore the national park is by a 3-day boat trip starting in Labuan Bajo as you will have enough time to explore all of the sights in the National Park and won’t be in a hurry.
You can book the day trips spontaneously but for the multi-day trips, you should take care of it in advance. There are different offers and prices for all budgets. In some boats you have a double room with a private bathroom, in others, you sleep together with the whole group on the open deck under the sky. The price depends on how comfortable you like it. We did our trip with Travass (Sail with Papiton). It’s a more luxurious one and we can totally recommend it.
You can also decide between a shared tour and a private boat for you and your friends (normally up to 10 people). The costs depend on the amount of people, the more you are, the cheaper it gets. For a shared tour in a private cabin, it will cost you around 170€/180$. In addition to that, the entrance fee for the Komodo National Park is 550.000 IDR (34€/37$).
Sometimes you can get a bargain last minute in Labuan Bajo. But if you’d rather have security and are not flexible on time, be sure to book ahead. We recommend booking at least 2 nights / 3 days as there are to many highlights for a day trip. The 3 nights / 4-day tour will conquer the same route, but you will have more time in total.
1. Visit the Komodo Dragons
Why make the long journey to Komodo National Park in the first place? Probably to see the Komodo dragons. The park is known for its variety of wildlife but it is famous for the largest lizards in the world. Komodo waranes can weigh up to 70kg and reach a length of 3 meters.
We could only go to the main island, but on Rinca, the population of dragons and therefore you’re chance to see some of them is even higher. We saw 4 different dragons, if you are lucky you see more, and it was definitely a dream come true.
We were allowed to get very close with our guide. But be careful: the Komodo dragons can be very dangerous. They have a very strong bite and their saliva contains an extremely high number of bacteria. If you are bitten and the antidote is not administered within a few minutes, the corresponding body part must be amputated or you die in extreme cases!
2. Float at the Pink Beach
Another highlight is the famous pink beach. We were at Elafonissi beach on Crete in Greece a few years ago, so we knew roughly what it was like. It still far exceeded our expectations though. These beaches are two of very few in the whole world that have that unique pinkish color.
You won’t believe how pink it is until you see it yourself. The color comes from tiny red coral fragments mixed with the white sand of the beach. Of course, it is not as exaggeratedly pink as in some Instagram pictures, but we still a natural wonder. Also, the water was deep blue and crystal clear.
3. Climb on Top of Padar Island
The viewpoint of Padar Island is probably on a lot of pictures you have already seen from Komodo National Park. You get up very early, already around 5:30 am. Then you are driven by a small motorboat to the jetty and make the sweaty way up. It takes 30-60 minutes, depending on your walking speed. We did it in 35 minutes and were extremely sweaty when we reached the top. In any case, take enough water and sunscreen with you to the top.
Once at the top, you can see a beautiful sunrise. We walked up a bit further after sunrise (above the brick lookout) and had a few minutes to ourselves. We even saw a deer. From there, you have a breathtaking view of the landscape. Among other things, you can see three different beaches, one golden/white, one black, and one pink. No wonder everyone travels here because of that view!
4. Go Snorkeling with Mantas and Turtles
During the multi-day boat tour, you can go snorkeling 3-4 times at different locations. Our highlight was swimming with the manta rays. It is simply impressive how light-footed they glide through the water. You have to be lucky to see them, but your best chances are during the rainy season when there is a lot of plankton in the water which they eat. The place you need to go to is Manta Point. But it is more like a manta alley. You can float with them with the current and it was a lot of fun. We got picked up by a boat and did it three times. But we would have loved to go way more times!
Otherwise, you can see many colorful fish, corals, and also turtles. You will either just jump off the big boat or the small boat will take you out. Don’t be afraid if you have never snorkeled before. It’s easy and there are also life jackets if you get exhausted.
5. Enjoy Kelor Island
Kelor Island is a small island where locals fish and sell different products. You walk up some steps to the top of a small hill and have a wonderful view of the surrounding islands and crystal-clear water. For this, it’s better if you have sneakers with you, otherwise, it’s easy to slip away. Also, don’t forget to put some sunscreen on, because the sun is very strong. And bring your bikini, cause you can jump into the water to cool down afterward.
6. End your Day at Kalong Island
You will end one of your days with a drink on the deck or roof of your boat next to Kalong Island. You first see the sunset and can exchange with fellow travelers. During the following dusk, thousands of bats rise from the trees of Kalong Island and make their way to neighboring islands to find food. It’s a real natural spectacle that perfectly rounds off your day.
7. Experience Taka Makasar sandbar
Unfortunately, we had only cloudy weather at the Taka Makasar sandbank. But you could already guess how beautiful it is here. There is not much to do, except relax, drink something, and take photos. The water here is dreamlike, like in the rest of the Komodo National Park. Unfortunately, it is also very crowded with tourists at busy times.
8. Strawberry Hill
Another beautiful sight you’ll find inside the Komodo National Park is Strawberry Hill, also known as Strawberry Rock. The hill’s distinct pink color gives it its name, as it resembles that of a strawberry. Although the terrain is steep, the track to the top is short and takes only five minutes.
Once at the summit, you are greeted with stunning views of the surrounding cluster of hills and the sea. The best time to experience this beauty is during sunset. Additionally, the hill is surrounded by a mangrove forest, which only adds to its unique charm.
9. Secret tip: Le Pirate Island
Have you ever dreamed of being alone on a desert island? Then we have a real insider tip for you. Well, you won’t be alone, but it comes very close. Le Pirate Island is a private island with only one hotel on it. You can choose between treehouses with shared bathrooms and a few glamping tents. We stayed in one of the treehouses and only 2 of them treehouses were occupied, so it was very relaxed.
We paid only $34 per person per night including all meals. You even get snorkeling gear and can rent a kayak for free. They also have delicious cocktails that are extremely affordable during happy hour. And there’s a bonfire or movie night alternately.
It’s best to ask your tour provider if they can let you out on the island on the way back to Labuan Bajo. Le Pirate offers a free shuttle boat every day in the afternoon from the island to the town. For us, it was the perfect end to our National Park adventure.
Conclusion
Our 3 days/2 nights tour was filled with much laughter and memories for a lifetime. We could have easily spent one night more on the boat, but of course, that depends on your time and budget. We enjoyed every second of our trip and so did everyone else we talked to, that has done a boat tour in Komodo National Park. If Komodo is too far for you but you still want to enjoy an island getaway, check out our article about the Gili Islands.
We needed 3 visits to Bali/Indonesia to do this trip, but looking back it was one of the best adventures of our life. So don’t follow our example and learn from our mistakes – book that trip as soon as you can! And if you do, tell us. Maybe we book a spot as well because we would immediately do it again!
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