Tips for Visiting Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Update April 2019: If you are wondering if Komodo National Park will be closing shortly, the government is planning on closing the National Park in January 2020 for one year. You can read more about it here.

Known to be one of the best places to visit in Indonesia, Komodo National Park was pretty high on my Indonesian bucket list. Whether you’re planning on seeing the Komodo dragons, try some of the best dives in the world or simply admire the sea life while snorkeling, there are many great reasons to visit Komodo National Park.

When I decided to take a week off to explore Flores and Komodo National Park, I had no idea how amazed I would be.

Imagine waking up with dolphins and sea turtles, eating delicious meals (in fact – I had some of the best Indonesian food I ever had during this boat trip), meeting the famous manta rays as well as the intimidating dragons. It was such an incredible experience and if I had to describe it in one word, I’d use “WOW”.

How to Visit Komodo National Park

Padar Island

To get to Komodo National Park, you have to book a boat trip. Whether you’re going on a short day trip, on a 2-day trip or a 3-day trip, you’re going to love your experience. There are many beautiful islands and snorkeling spots to discover, so I’d recommend a longer trip. I personally went on a 2-nights-3-days trip with Flores XP which I would highly recommend. My tour was called Padar Island Tour, but it wasn’t all about Padar! In fact, the wide variety of destinations covered was impressive!

So, normally, people will fly to Labuan Bajo, where they will start their journey and visit Komodo National Park. You should also keep in mind that you’ll have to pay National Park fees as well as ranger fees during your visit. These fees are normally not included in the tours.

Visiting Komodo National Park & Komodo Boat Trip Highlights

Seeing the Komodo Dragons

Komodo Island

We saw the dragons on the first and second day in two different islands which provided two completely different experiences. You can read more about it here. Seeing these big lizards was surely intimidating, but also very impressive!

In fact, it’s also one of the main reasons why people decide to visit Komodo National Park.

Komodo Snorkeling/Diving Spots

Manta Point, Komodo

Firstly, I’d like to say that I’m not a scuba diver, but two people in my group were and they said two of the dives they did were the best they ever did – so, I’m guessing that’s a huge bonus! To be fair – diving in Indonesia is quite popular and is known to be one of the best spots to do so!

But – I do love to snorkel. I always tend to compare everything with the Philippines, and of course, when it comes to fish, the Philippines wins easily!

Although – Komodo National Park wins for other things – I’ve seen my first sea turtle (and many more in these three days), I saw two sharks and the majestic manta rays. One of the advantages of going on a trip with Flores XP was the fact that we would always be alone in every spot.

Snorkeling in Komodo, Indonesia

Locations for snorkeling/diving:

Batu Bolong
Penggah Island
Manta Point
Siaba / Mawan Island

Hiking & Trekking Opportunities

Padar Island

One of the biggest highlights from my trip to Komodo was Padar Island, which is well known as it’s pretty iconic (and super popular on Instagram). I thought I could actually be disappointed, but it was the opposite. Padar Island is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen – combining beautiful mountains and beaches.

We were there for the sunset and there were only a few people there with us.

Otherwise, we had two more trekking opportunities which were done on Rinca and Komodo islands while trying to find the famous Komodo dragons.

Beach Bumming

Pink Beach, Komodo

While on the boat, you’ll see a lot of islands including some cute secluded beaches which are surely tempting. Thankfully, you’re going to stop to enjoy the beaches too.

Locations:

Pink Beach
Siaba Island / Mawan Island

Meeting the Cutest Kids Ever

Rinca Island

We made a stop to Rinca Island to visit the village. It seemed like a great occasion to play with the kids (one of my favorite things to do while I’m abroad). We walked around the village, interacted with the locals and we all appreciated our time with the kids.

Watching Hundreds and Hundreds of Flying Foxes

Kalong Island (This photo seems like nothing, but reality is BETTER!)

We watched the sunset with a sky full of flying foxes. It was pretty impressive and lasted for a while. I was actually surprised (I normally have no expectations when it comes to things like this to avoid disappointment) by the quantity.

Location:

Kalong Island

Why You Should Book Your Boat Tour With Flores XP

It was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on – I’m not a big fan of tours, but this one was surely incredible. If you want to see some of the highlights of this trip, you can check them out on Instagram.
They have excellent reviews on TripAdvisor.
The crew members were lovely, helpful and the cook was INCREDIBLE. I’ll say it again – I had some of the best Indonesian food I’ve ever had during this trip.
You can enjoy a more intimate experience as the groups are pretty small during the rainy season – going on a longer trip means you can avoid the crowds too. We saw other boats which seem absolutely packed – our boat was quite nice and chilled!
You can also dive (expect to pay around $35) and possibly experience some of the best dives of your life.

Note: My itinerary was changed because of the weather and conditions. Normally, the second night is supposed to be at a camping spot on Sebayur Island, but the camp was destroyed a week before my trip following a big storm.

What’s included in the price?

Travel to Komodo Island

Here’s what to expect from the tour in terms of inclusions:

Hotel transfers
Meals and snacks
English speaking guide
Towel
Snorkeling equipment

And here’s a list of other expenses that aren’t included in the price:

Dives
National Park fees
Beverages
Tips

Are there any other Komodo tours?

Boat Trip Komodo

Flores XP offers a lot of alternatives when it comes to touring Komodo. They organize day trips to Komodo as well as private tours and photography tours. You can find various options from 1 to 4 days here.

What to Pack for Your Komodo Boat Trip

Underwater camera gear: you might want to be able to capture some epic moments underwater!
Swimsuit: you must be able to dive in the crystal clear water.
Quick-dry towel: a towel is included with the tour, but I preferred using my own towel for these fun beach bumming moments.
Motion sickness prevention tablets: if you feel seasick easily, having tablets with you could be a great idea! I get motion sickness quite easily normally, but during this boat tour, I only felt bad for about half an hour and I didn’t need any tablets.
Sunscreen & aloe vera: being on the boat and in the water will expose you to the sun, so make sure you don’t turn into a crab.
Charcoal tablets: you don’t want to get an upset stomach on a boat, do you?
Travel insurance: better be safe than sorry!

BEFORE YOU GO TO INDONESIA

☑ Book your flight: If your flight isn’t booked yet – check out the flights on Skyscanner or via Google Flights. My top saving tip is flexibility. If you’re flexible, you should be able to find a cheaper flight.

☑ Book your accommodation: I always use Airbnb and Booking.com. If you’d rather stay in a hostel, you should take a look at the options on Hostelworld. If you click on the Airbnb link and you don’t have an account yet – you’ll get a $30 discount on your first booking.

☑ Protect your cute face: Oh, you may want to protect your cute face with a travel medical insurance. I would suggest SafetyWing as they offer the best rates, especially for long-term travelers. Otherwise, you can also take a look at World Nomads.

☑ Pack the essentials: You can consult this list when it’s time to pack your bag! Do not leave without a universal charger, a power bank and your passport!

☑ Do you need a visa? If you aren’t sure if you need a visa, it would be a smart idea to take a quick look before you go. You can use iVisa – it’s super useful and easy to use.

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Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a cute commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you. My boat experience with Flores XP was complimentary. As always, all opinions are my own – I truly enjoyed the experience and highly recommend it! Happy travels!

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