KOMODO NATIONAL PARK

for komodo dragons & diving

Komodo National Park is a protected area which covers a huge part between Flores and Sumbawa and since 1991 a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site. The national park is famous for the komodo dragons, which is a prehistorical animal, it can become 3 meters long..... Komodo dragons can be seen on the islands Komodo and Rinca. Keep in my mind that the islands are not a zoo. You will see the dragons in their natural habitat. At the entrance you can hire a ranger which is usually a local resident. Don't even think about to wander around without one! Although accidents not happen that often, remember that the dragons are carnivores. So listen to your guide! Besides the islands Komodo and Rinca there are dragons on other smaller, unhabited islands like Padar islands, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami, however exact information is still a bit unsure. Except in Komodo National Park there is also a somewhat smaller specie of komodo living in the north of Flores in the area between Riung and Pota.

The islands of the National Park are dry with little rainfall. Depending on the time of the year the mountains are yellow, green or brown. Some people find Rinca more appealing than Komodo island as there is more variety in landscape and animals.

For the most superb view: leave early morning from the harbour in Labuan Bajo, between 5.30 and 6.00 am. Enjoy the sunrise on your left side while heading for Padar island. Climb the hill and you have an overview of Padar itself and Komodo island.

Magnificent!
The official website of Komodo National Park

Pink Beach is on the bucketlist of many people. Pink Beach usually refers to the pink beach on Komodo island, however there are more pink beaches in Komodo NP, and actually also on other islands in Indonesia.

Check also on Wiki for Komodo National Park and komodo dragon

Many people choose for Komodo National Park as a diving destination. In town there are many agents to arrange dives and snorkelingtrips for you. A good source to read about diving is Flores Diving Around Komodo (2011) ISBN 978-3-9523834-1-4. This is a diving special with detailed descriptions of divingspots between Labuan Bajo and Sumbawa. The books are available at Periplus shops and the airports of Denpasar and Jakarta.

The website of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry provides good info about Komodo National Park.

http://ksdae.menlhk.go.id/tn/field/komodo/

Map of Komodo Natonial Park

Source https://www.indonesia-tourism.com/

Boat trips to Komodo National Park

In Labuan Bajo there are numerous boattrips available. From one day trips with a simple boat up to multi daytrips on luxury phinisi's.
One of the most popular daytrips is Padar-Komodo-Pink Beach-Manta Point. But there are also combinations wit Rinca, Kelor and Menjerite island.

Prices

With the increasing tourism in the last decade prices have gone up but even more since the pandemic and the increase of fuel prices in September 2022.
There are 1-day trips and multiday trips and even halfday trips.
1-day trips

For the cheapest trip Padar-Komodo-Pink Beach-Manta Point, expect to pay a minimum of 800k per person (often more) on seat-in base for a slow boat or 1,2 million for a speedboat which means a boat you will share with other travelers.
Usually this includes a shuttle service hotel-harbour vv, lunch and water and a snorklingset but excludes the entrancefee for Komodo National Park (between 400k and 600k depending on the visitingpoints). The full daytrips starts between at 5:30 and 7:00 am and you will be back in Labuan Bajo around 17:00 pm. There are also halfday trips with a speedboat.

Multiday trips

There are many other boats and trips in shapes and sizes private or shared. Differences in price and quality can be huge. This can be anything between 2,5 and 40 million.

Prices depend on the luxury of the boat; well often, as this isn't always that clear. You also can join a 2, 3 or 4 day trip on seat-in base.
Most visitors do a 2-day or 3-daytrip. I recommend a 2-day trip rather than a 3-daytrip because of the following reasons. The weather forecast for 2 days is more reliable than for 3 days, the 3 day-trips are all back in Labuan Bajo around noon, so this is actually 2,5 day, the 2-day trips are indeed two whole days and I think two days is a good amount of time to see the area.

To book: how, when & what?
That is the biggest challenge. There are hundreds of agents (2022 more than 300) and boats (2024 more than 700) in Labuan Bajo. Many of them have a website, but not all of them, plus a lot of subagents.

Transparancy, good information and conditions is the keyword!
If you are not visiting Komodo NP during the high season I suggest to do some research before on the internet, then come to Labuan Bajo and shop around so you really can see what you get and from whom. All trips for Komodo NP need to be booked via an agent who needs to report and register you with a copy of your passport with the harbourmaster. This needs to be arranged around 6 pm at the latest. Note that regulations change from time to time.
Don't go to the harbour to find a boat yourself!

However, apart from booking and price the most important is
Safety!
The sea between Flores and Sumbawa, eg around Komodo National Park is unpredictable, can be very rough and is prone to whirlpools and currents, in particular near the islands Padar and Komodo. In combination with strong winds and heavy rain this can become a critical situation. Also the moonphases of new moon and full moon can negatively affect the currents and waves.
A seaworthy boat and a captain who knows the area very well is a must plus many other things. Too much risk is often taken and even sometimes illegal sailing (=without a permit from the harbour master).
To come to the point: Labuan Bajo hasn't a good reputation when it comes to safety on water (actually the whole country hasn't).
Despite stricter measures in the last few years it seems they are unable to get this under control. In concrete terms: there are too many incidents, too many accidents; in the last two years from January 2023 untill now in total at least 18 (sometimes fatal) accidents.

Horror stories? Is this to frighten you? Absolutely not but actually to protect you and be critical.

Boats for Komodo NP get a lot of attention on social media but this is usually about prices and facilities and less about safety.
Komodo National Park is a wonderful place, one of the most beautiful areas of Indonesia. However liked mentioned before booking a boattrip can be a challenge as business is often not transparant regarding prices, information about the boat and safety.

So again:
Safety first!
Check all details before taking off.

BASARNAS > since 2017 BNPP (Badan Nasional Pencarian dan Pertolongan)

in English and short SAR (Search & Rescue), emergency call 115

http://basarnas.go.id/

Do:

check weather the day before (remember the currents and whirlpools which are strongest during new moon and full moon - and one day plus/minus)

- check here the moon phases
- weather forecast Labuan Bajo

shop around to compare boats and prices
ask what is included and what isn't
check safety =
-at least 2 engines for smaller boats
-registration and configuration of the boat
-registration of the agent
-permit from the officials to leave the harbour
-lifevests
-lifeboat
-radio on board
-crew of at least 3 people or more who speak English

Be careful with

booking via the internet (good communication and transparancy is the key)
descriptions and pictures (as often these are not as claimed)

Useful links

http://indonesian-liveaboard-association.com/

There used to be information about boat- and agent registrations in Labuan Bajo, however these aren't usable anymore.

Tour ism Author i ty Labuan Bajo

If you need a reliable agent, please contact me and let me know what kind of boattrip you want, facilities, budget etc.

DRONES

Check out the link below for law in Indonesia for using a drone. Drones in Komodo National Park and Kelimutu National Park are only allowed with a special permit.

https://drone-laws.com/drone-laws-in-indonesia/

Happy dronetravels on Flores.
To use a drone in Komodo NP you need to register first via https://siora.id

Requirements are:

-application letter for Komodo NP

-copy of passport

-copy of drone license from your country

-statement letter which can be downloaded from the previous website

In case you need help you can contact them via tel. +62 81138290000 (WhatsApp) but probably best to call them since they are very slow with responding.
For parkrules you can check this website however in Bahasa Indonesia only

Boat trips from Lombok to Labuan Bajo

Before the pandemic boattrips from Lombok to Labuan Bajo including visiting Komodo National Park were very popular.
In March 2020 all of the companies suspended these trips and since the summer of 2022 they have been operational again. However not yet all of them.
These trips are usually 4 days/3 nights. Bear in mind that 4 days can be a long time regarding weather forecast!
Actually this is the same story as with trips from Labuan Bajo when it comes to safety.
There have been accidents reported with the most tragic one in August 2014 when a touristboat on the way to Labuan Bajo ran into a reef and sank near Sangeang island north of Sumbawa and lives were lost.
So for safety I refer to the chapter here above.