Komodo National Park is one of the most amazing and exotic parts of the world that you can visit.
Komodo and Rinca are known for their stunning natural beauty and home of the famous Komodo dragon, the world’s largest lizard. How to visit Komodo and Rinca for a unique experiences – Komodo National Park is composed of three major islands, but there are more than 20 exotic paradise islands and the surrounding waters, where you can swim, snorkel, dive and trek.
How to visit Komodo and Rinca Islands - the land of the dragons.
Visiting Komodo & Rinca is only possible by boat. I would highly recommend visiting the neighboring islands like Rinca and Padar. I’ve visited Komodo Island, Rinca, Bats Island and went for an independent boat trip to Kanawa Island and thw whole region is a truly wonder of the world.
GETTING THERE: The nearest major airport is in Labuan Bajo on Flores Island. I flew to Labuan Bajo from Bali, but the flights are available from other major Indonesian cities.
It is very easy to access Komodo Island by boat fom Labuan Bajo. Majority of visitors to Flores island would be aiming to explore Komodo National Park.
TOUR TO KOMODO ISLAND: You can book a tour package from Labuan Bajo that includes transport to Komodo Island, guide services, and sometimes accommodation and meals.
If you prefer a more independent experience, you can arrange your own transportation to Komodo Island by hiring a boat. I was so impressed by the islands nature that I did both and this was unreal!
Komodo National Park.
- Komodo Island – the main island in the Komodo National Park and the namesake of the Komodo dragon. You can see and get close to these fascinating creatures in their natural habitat, as well as enjoy activities such as trekking, snorkeling, and diving in crystal waters surrounding the island.
- Rinca Island – is another island within the park, Rinca is home to a large population of Komodo dragons and offers trekking opportunities to see these reptiles up close. The island also boasts beautiful landscapes and excellent diving spots.
- Padar Island, best known for its breathtaking panoramic views and treking trails.
Best place to stay near Komodo Island.
Best place to stay is Flores Island and famous – Labuan Bajo, famous old port-city. The accommodation prices are really cheap, exceptional hotels start from 10USD/per night on agoda.com.
One of the most extraordinary places to stay around is Le Pirate Island, located 1 hour by boat from Labuan Bajo harbor, a destination only for adults.
Boat trip to Komodo and Rinca.
Komodo and Rinca Islands tour is highly exciting way to explore the beauty and wildlife of Indonesian wilderness. Planning your boat trip to Komodo and Rinca Islands you have few options on how to visit Komodo and Rinca Islands:
BOAT TOUR – Viator is highly popular with this tour: One day Komodo trip with Bintang Komodo Tours. Klook offers very pleasant All-Day Speed Boat Tour from Labuan Bajo to Komodo National Park.
LIVEABOARD – you have the option of either chartering a private boat or joining a liveaboard tour, which takes you to number of destinations across the islands. Full Day Trip to Explore 6 Destinations in Labuan Bajo and Komodo is one of the options for such tour – we did something similar and it was adventure of a lifetime (check below), because Liveaboards offer the opportunity to stay on the water for multiple days, exploring various islands within the Komodo National Park.
Ensure that the tour includes stops at both Komodo and Rinca Islands, as well as other highlights within the national park. We spend a night at the shores of Bats Island, the next day we spent on Kawana Island snorkeling and relaxing – simply paradise.
Entrance fee to Komodo National Park.
In 2024 the entrance fee to Komodo national Park is IDR 1355000 per person ~ 91 USD. This includes one trip to the island by boat, entrance fee and trekking fee on Komodo Island and Padar.
How to visit Komodo Island.
You need to know strict rules apply while visiting Komod National Park.
BEFORE VISITING: all visitors are required to register online by submitting identity details.
From the moment you board the island strict rules and regulations apply. Walking alone on the island is prohibited.
Taking anything from the island is against Indonesian law!
Remember you are entering dragons’ island – pure, wild area. Of course Rangers are with you all the time, guiding along the trekking. They will also provide safety tips ahead of the adventure. There’s one Ranger walking in front of the group and one at the end. Rangers are well trained and they know exactly what to do in case of any emergency. However, you also need to know the dragons are used to humans presence at this stage, they rarely act aggresively.
Komodo National Park trekking routes.
KOMODO ISLAND – the trail leads to a viewpoint overlooking the surrounding islands.
PADAR ISLAND – Loh Liang trek combines a visit to Komodo Island with a boat trip to Padar Island, known for its iconic three-colored beaches. The trek takes you up a steep hill for panoramic views of the island.
RINCA ISLAND – a popular Loh Buaya Trek trekking route in Rinca Island starts at Loh Buaya, the main ranger station. The trail meanders through savannahs and forests, where you can encounter Komodo dragons, wild boars, and monkeys.
Komodo Dragons - the biggest lizards on earth.
Komodo and Rinca Islands boast diverse landscapes tincluding hillsides, savannahs, crystal-clear waters and a pink beach. Seeing these ancient and impressive creatures – Komodo Dragons in the wild is a remarkable experience. The views from the hills spread over surrounding islands.
Rangers will tell you everything about life habits of Komodo Dragons. Dragons’ saliva teems with over 50 strains of bacteria. Even if the bite is not heavy the wound is unlikely to recover and you will probably get blood poisoning. Any bite needs to be treated immediately. Dragon’s toxins lower blood pressure and cause massive bleeding. Dragons are hunting buffalos – the animal that is much bigger than the predator. Dragons usually bite the leg of the buffalo and wait for days for the toxins to kill the animal.
Once the buffalo is bitten the dragons track it for days until it’s too exhausted to move because of the bacteria infection. However this hunting technique is not recognized any more among the predators. Komodo Dragons tackle more often medium sized mammals like pigs or deers, which die much quicker from blood loss.
We almost bumped into one dragon passing our trail. It’s scary to know the predators are twice faster than human.
Kalong Island- bats island in Komodo National Park.
On a day 2 of the boat tour we slept on the top deck near the shores of Bats Island. This was one of the most incredible nights in my life!
Kalong Island (also known as Pulau Kalong) is a small island located within Komodo National Park. The island is famous for being the habitat of large colonies of flying foxes, also known as fruit bats.
Kalong Island is situated in Komodo National Park, between the islands of Rinca and Flores in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia. It is close to Komodo Island and it’s a popular stop for boat tours in the area, so don not miss it!
Kalong Island is home to a massive population of large flying foxes – known as Pteropus. These bats are fruit-eating mammals that play a crucial role in pollination and seed dispersal in the ecosystem.
SUNSET BATS WATCHING – Every evening at sunset, thousands of bats emerge from the mangrove forests of Kalong Island in search of food, creating a spectacular sight as they fill the whole sky – it’s pure magic! You can book a tour with Klook on the surrounding islands: Boat Trip Stengah Hari ke Rinca Island, Kelor Island dan Kalong Island dari Labuan Bajo, or a beautiful Sunset Komodo Island Tour on Tripadvisor, including all activities: watching flying foxes and mangroves in Kalong Island, trekking to see Komodo dragons on Rinca Island.
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