If a trip to the Komodo islands wasn’t on your bucketlist before, it really needs to be now! We feel like we have had many travel experience’s over the years but this one has been up there with one of the best of our lives!
If you love clear water, snorkelling, marine life and meeting new people, this is the trip for you!
The trip that we booked was with travass life on their papiton duo boat. This boat sleeps 10 people with 5 double en suite bedrooms. There was a chef on board as well as the captains a photographer and a tour guide. The boat had a dining area and a social area on the top deck, as well as a couple of hammocks at the front of the ship.
We towed along a small boat that we used to reach all of the beaches and snorkel spots on the trip.
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Planning a Komodo Islands Tour – Everything you need to know for a Komodo Islands Tour with Travass Life
- How to get to the Komodo Islands?
- Where to stay in Labuan Bajo
- What to expect on a Komodo Islands Tour
- When to Visit the Komodo Islands
- Optional Day Tours
- Snorkelling with turtles and manta rays
- Taka Makassar
- Padar Island
- Komodo Island
- Strawberry Rock
- Flying Fox Island
- Pink Beach
- Our Komodo Islands Itinerary
- Before you leave for the Komodo Islands
How to get to the Komodo Islands
The Komodo Islands are located off the coast of the Indonesian island of Flores and the easiest way to get to Flores is by flying. We flew from Bali with Air Asia although there are other airlines such as Wings Air and Lion Air that also fly to Flores from Bali and also from Java.
You will arrive into Labuan Bajo airport which is only a short drive from the port where the boat leaves. Due to the boat and flight times, you will need to spend a night on either side of your trip in Labuan Bajo, we will share some recommendations for where to stay below.
Where to Stay in Labuan Bajo
There is a wide range of accommodations available in Labuan Bajo, so you will not be short on options. Here are our top suggestions for the best places to stay in Labuan Bajo for any budget.
Luxury –AYANA Komodo Waecicu Beach is a luxurious place to stay on the beachfront in Labuan Bajo. The accommodation has a restaurant, gym, and bar 0nsite and all of the rooms are airconditioned with free wifi.
Each morning a continental breakfast is offered at the resort.
Book your stay at AYANA Komodo Waecicu Beach here.
Mid-Range – If you are looking for luxury at a cheaper price point, how about checking out Sudamala Resort, Komodo, Labuan Bajo. This resort is nearby the beach and has a restaurant, gym and bar onsite. All rooms are fitted with a terrace and air conditioning and some of the rooms have pool views.
Book your stay at Sudamala Resort, Komodo, Labuan Bajo here.
Budget – We stayed at Hotel Bonne Nuit which we really couldn’t fault. It was cheap and was a short walk from the airport which made it really easy when we arrived. The rooms are small but have air-conditioning, a desk as well as a mosquito net over the bed which we were very grateful for as we were so covered in bites!
This was most likely a complete one-off but I would hate if it happened to anyone else and we hadn’t mentioned it. Bring all your belongings into your room at night. Unfortunately, our shoes were eaten by dogs as we had left them outside our bedroom. We work up in the night to hear what sounded like dogs fighting outside our room, turns our if was over our shoes so take our advice and don’t leave anything outside!
What to Expect on a Komodo Islands Tour
On a Komodo Islands trip you can expect clear blue water matched with the most perfect scenery. It’s really hard to describe how incredible this place is, it almost feels as though you have entered Jurassic World paired with real life Finding Nemo. It was truly one of the best weekends of our lives and some of the best snorkelling we have ever done. There were 10 guests in total on our trip which felt really nice and intimate, yet there was plenty of room for us all to have our own space. There is a chef onboard who cooks up the most delicious meals to cater to your dietary requirements and you won’t ever be too hungry. We had brought some snacks along just in case as being vegetarian, and sometimes there might not be enough food for us, however, we ate none of them and there was plenty of good food for us to have. Some of the most delicious we have had in Indonesia.
Everything is flexible, if there is something you don’t want to do, you don’t need to do it. There is plenty of space to relax on the boat if you would choose to do that instead.
When to Visit the Komodo Islands
We visited the Komodo Islands at the end of November and we had great weather for our trip. We didn’t get the banging pink or orange sunsets that we know Indonesia can pull off but we did manage to have dry weather during the day when we were out exploring.
The rainy season in the Komodo Islands is typically between December and March and the dry season is between April and November. The benefits of visiting during the dry season are obviously the drier weather and the cracking colours during sunrise and sunset. However, what we loved about visiting the Komodo Islands during rainy season was the luscious green colours of the islands matched with the crystal clear blue waters. Personally, we would really recommend visiting during November for this reason, however, you do need to be more prepared for potential rain.
Optional Day Tours
Labuan Bajo Swim and snorkelling tour
For less than £200 you can head out for the day and visit some of the most iconic spots in the Komodo Islands. Lunch and snorkelling equipment are included as you will visit some of the most incredible snorkel spots, including Manta Point
On the trip, you will travel to Long Beach, Pink Beach, Kanawa Island, and more, with plenty of stops for swimming and photos.
You will also visit one of our favourite spots, Padar Island to take in the breathtaking views.
Read more about what this trip includes and book your trip here.
Full Day Komodo National Park Tour
A full day tour around the Komodo National Park visiting some of the most incredible snorkelling spots and visiting the mighty komodo dragon.
Lunch and snorkelling gear is included in the price of the trip and the speedboat will take you to places such as Pink Beach and Komodo Island, as well as some of the clearest blue water to go snorkelling in!
Read more about what this trip includes and book your trip here.
For all other multi-day cruises around the Komodo Islands, check them out here.
Our Tour with Travass Life
Our tour started off bright and early with an 8am pick up from our hotel to the harbour where we met with the other guests that would be joining us on the tour. We arrived at our boat and had a welcome drink and chat with our tour guide and new friends.
The first activity was snorkeling with turtles which was a truly magical way to start the trip. There were a few turtles floating around and we even saw a small black-tip reef shark floating around down below.
We jumped back into the small boat and went to another snorkel spot where it was time to look for manta rays. We didn’t need to look very hard as we were so lucky to see 10 of them swimming beneath us. This was one of the most special moments of our lives and one that we will never forget.
We were back on the boat for a short trip before getting off again at Taka Makassar, a small sand bar in the Komodo Islands. This sandbar is surrounded by the clearest water and the sand has a slight tinge of pink to it. It was a really beautiful spot.
Our sunset spot was Padar Island, one of the most well-known spots in the Komodo Islands. We absolutely fell in love with this place and although it was busy, it was easy to find a little spot for ourselves to watch the stunning sunset.
Back on the boat, we had another one of the most delicious meals. Being vegetarian we felt very well catered for and there is a selection of beers and soft drinks in the fridge that can be purchased on the trip. There is unlimited fresh water available too.
Day 2 started with an early rise and a boat ride over to Pink Beach. We were the first boat over there, even before the locals’ boat arrived which was lovely to have the beach to ourselves for a little bit before it started to get busy.
After a great breakfast aboard the boat, we sailed to Komodo Island where we were met by tour guides to take us on a walk around the island to look for the Komodo dragons. We saw a young komodo dragon walking along the beach and another one sleeping by the sea.
In the afternoon we went snorkelling at an incredible reef which felt like we were floating around in a real-life Finding Nemo.
The night ended at Flying fox island where we saw thousands of large fruit bats wake up and leave the island at sunset. Another incredible experience to round off the day.
The final day was a lot more chilled between jumping off the boat into the water, snorkelling with more turtles, and spending some time lying on the beach on one of the small islands.
Snorkelling with Turtles and Mantarays
Turtle spot
Seeing animals in their natural habitat isn’t always a guarantee, especially when there is a whole ocean out there for the animals to swim in. However, at our first stop of the tour … we were lucky enough to see 3 turtles chilling and swimming in the water. Other boat tours arrived and everyone was wanting to get a sight of the turtles but thankfully there was a lot of room for everyone and it didn’t feel too crowded.
Manta point
This was one of the most magical experiences of our entire lives! We have swam with manta rays in Fiji and in Nusa Penida but this time topped them off by a mile. At one point we were surrounded by 10 massive manta rays circling in the water beneath us. It was really quite surreal as they didn’t even seem phased by us and continued to swim around. We didn’t want to get out of the water, what an incredible experience!
Reefs
Taka Makassar
Taka Makassar is a small sand bar in the Komodo Islands, which is literally smaller than a football pitch. This sandbar is known as the longest reef in the Komodo Islands. It has a pink tinge to the sand surrounded by clear blue shallow water.
Padar Island
You may well have seen this spot all over Instagram and it’s not hard to see why. I think this has to have been one of the most photogenic places we have ever been. Where towering mountains meets crystal clear water and white sand beaches. The landscape of this island and the surrounding islands really is quite something.
We stopped at Padar Island for sunset where our tour guide collected 550k rupiah each (£27) for National park entrance fees. There are 800 stairs to climb over a 525m distance and other boats will also arrive to experience sunset at Padar Island so it’s a bit of a convoy getting up there! There is plenty of space with great views that it isn’t necessary to hang around in groups, you’ll be able to find a wee spot for yourself!
Komodo Island
After breakfast, we arrived to Komodo Island, where you will be most likely to see a Komodo dragon on your trip. Two rangers will accompany the group on a 2km walk around the forestry area, looking out for a sighting of these unique animals. There are 5000 Komodo dragons across the islands in this area, although they only live on 5 of them. Komodo island is home to 3000 Komodo dragons but being wild animals, you will need to be lucky to see one.
The rangers carry sticks and will warn you of the dangers of these cold blooded animals. They kill their prey by poisoning them with the bacteria in their saliva until they are paralyzed and slowly eat them as they are ready to, avoiding ruining the meat by killing them straight off.
We didn’t see any Komodo dragons during our walk through the forest but we did see a smaller one running on the beach and a larger one further along the beach resting.
Strawberry Rock
Another unique spot in this beautiful part of the world is strawberry rock, where the rock formations are pink with rare yellow and purple patterns and swirls on it. It’s a really pretty place to stop off and take some photos.
Flying Fox Island
As the sunsets, the flying fox fruit bats wake up and emerge from the island. For around 10 minutes you can watch thousands of bats flying overhead above the boats as they travel to another boat for their breakfast. It’s a pretty cool sight to see!
Pink Beach
We started off day 2 by heading to pink beach nice and early before any other boats arrived (including the locals boat). I have to say, we were sceptical with how pink this beach would actually be as from a distance is just looked like a white sand beach. However, we were proved wrong as we pulled up closer to the beach we could see the beautiful pink hue shining through and when the sunshine’s, the pink really does shine through. Paired with the clearest blue water, this was a beautiful place to relax before breakfast.
Our Komodo Islands Itinerary
Our tour started off bright and early with an 8am pick up from our hotel to the harbour where we met with the other guests that would be joining us on the tour. We arrived at our boat and had a welcome drink and chat with our tour guide and new friends whilst we sailed to our first snorkelling spot.
Snorkelling at Siaba Island – Sea turtle island
Snorkelling manta-rays
Taka Massakar
Lunch
Padar Island
Dinner
Day 2
Light breakfast
Pink Beach sunrise
Breakfast
Komodo Island
Lunch
Snorkelling
Strawberry Rock
Kalong Island – Flying Fox Island
Dinner
Day 3
Kelor Island – hike to the view point
Breakfast
Manjarite Island
Kelor Island to relax on the beach
Lunch
Before You Leave for the Komodo Islands
Before you set off on your way to the Komodo Islands, there are a number of things you will need to get organised to ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey. These include what to pack, where to stay and what is the best insurance for your trip to the Komodo Islands. All of this is discussed in detail below.
How to Get an Indonesian Visa
As for the Indonesian visa itself, getting a visa for Bali is relatively straight forward if you come from one of the listed Visa on Arrival countries. If your country is on this list, all you have to do is turn up at the airport with a valid passport and you will automatically be granted 30 days in the country.
If you wish to stay longer than 30 days, you will need to buy a Visa on Arrival Extension before you pass through immigration. This costs around $35USD and can be done right before you pass through immigration. Once you are in the country, you will then need to extend your visa a further 30 days either by yourself, or by paying a visa agent to do so for you.
You can read our full guide to extending your Indonesian visa right here.
How to Get to the Komodo Islands
The Komodo Islands are located off the coast of the Indonesian island of Flores and the easiest way to get to Flores is by flying. We flew from Bali with Air Asia although there are other airlines such as Wings Air and Lion Air that also fly to Flores from Bali and also from Java.
You will arrive at Labuan Bajo airport which is only a short drive from the port where the boat leaves. Due to the boat and flight times, you will need to spend a night on either side of your trip in Labuan Bajo, we will share some recommendations for where to stay below.
Where to Stay in Labuan Bajo
There is a wide range of accommodations available in Labuan Bajo, so you will not be short on options. Here are our top suggestions for the best places to stay in Labuan Bajo for any budget.
Luxury –AYANA Komodo Waecicu Beach is a luxurious place to stay on the beachfront in Labuan Bajo. The accommodation has a restaurant, gym, and bar 0nsite and all of the rooms are airconditioned with free wifi.
Each morning a continental breakfast is offered at the resort.
Book your stay at AYANA Komodo Waecicu Beach here.
Mid-Range – If you are looking for luxury at a cheaper price point, how about checking out Sudamala Resort, Komodo, Labuan Bajo. This resort is nearby the beach and has a restaurant, gym and bar onsite. All rooms are fitted with a terrace and air conditioning and some of the rooms have pool views.
Book your stay at Sudamala Resort, Komodo, Labuan Bajo. here.
Budget – We stayed at Hotel Bonne Nuit which we really couldn’t fault. It was cheap and was a short walk from the airport which made it really easy when we arrived. The rooms are small but have air-conditioning, a desk as well as a mosquito net over the bed which we were very grateful for as we were so covered in bites!
This was most likely a complete one-off but I would hate if it happened to anyone else and we hadn’t mentioned it. Bring all your belongings into your room at night. Unfortunately, our shoes were eaten by dogs as we had left them outside our bedroom. We work up in the night to hear what sounded like dogs fighting outside our room, turns our if was over our shoes so take our advice and don’t leave anything outside!
What to Pack for Your Trip to the Komodo Islands
Given the climate of Indonesia in general, packing for this trip is relatively straightforward. Swimwear is the most important piece of clothing you will need if you are wanting to go swimming in the sea. You will also need to pack suncream as being out in the fresh air on the boat and in the sea all day, your skin will be at risk of burning.
When it comes to the weather, Indonesia is a tropical country meaning it has two seasons: wet season and dry season. We would recommend packing a waterproof, just in case it rains on your trip.
As a general rule for packing for Indonesia, it is best to think “layers”. Pack a few light layers of clothing, including a jumper and a waterproof, and wear as many layers as you want according to the weather.
For our full list of items that we pack no matter where we go in the world, check out our full packing guides over here.
Given the beautiful sights and scenery that you are no doubt going to see around the Komodo Islands, we highly recommend packing a good camera for your trip. If you want to read more about the cameras we use and why we love them, check out the link below.
You can read what else we keep in our camera bag over here.
Photography Equipment
Main Photography Camera – Sony A7v Mirrorless Camera and Sony A7iii Mirrorless Camera
Microphone – Shure VP83 Condenser Shotgun Microphone
Main Lens – Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8
Zoom Lens – Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8
Camera Tripod – ZOMEI Z669C Camera Tripod
Gorilla Pod – JOBY JB01507-BWW GorillaPod
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 9 Black and Insta 360 One RS
Drone Camera – DJI Mavic Pro 2
Camera Bag – Lowepro Flipside 300 AW and The Nest by Tropicfeel
Phone Tripod – Manfrotto MKPIXICLAMP-BK, Mini Tripod with Universal Smartphone Clamp
Hard Drives – LaCie Rugged Mini, 5TB, 2.5″, Portable External Hard Drive
SSD – SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable NVMe SSD
Travel Adapter –Worldwide Travel Adapter Universal Travel Plug with 4 USB Ports+Universal AC Socket
What is the Best Travel Insurance for the Komodo Islands
I know travel insurance is the least enjoyable thing to purchase and look at when you’re planning a trip, however, you wouldn’t want to be without it in the event that something happened. Accidents can happen anywhere and the extortionate medical bills will ruin your trip if you are not covered.
To ensure you have a stress-free trip with no worries about potential medical bills, make sure you cover yourself when you travel. We can recommend using SafetyWing, a backpacker-friendly and cheap insurance company that provides good coverage and support. It is also nomad-friendly, unlike most other insurance companies, meaning you do not need to worry about being out of your home country for too long.
Get a quote for your travel insurance right here and get covered!
So there you have it, our guide to visiting the Komodo Islands with Sail with Papiton. If you are visiting this incredible city and have any other questions on what to expect, leave us a comment down below. We love to chat about this stuff! Let us know in the comments below!
Also, remember to share this with your friends and family that you are going to share this amazing experience with. Sharing is caring and we want to ensure that everyone is fully prepared to maximise their experience.
If you are planning the Komodo Islands trip soon then check out our other Indonesia content right here. Come and find us on social media to see where we are currently exploring. Tag us in your photos from your stay and we will share them with the rest of our community of explorers and backpackers.
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