Trying to squeeze in all of the amazing sights in Komodo National Park into your holiday can be tricky. We ended up spending four nights in Labuan Bajo and saw everything we set out to see.
We usually try and book everything in advance, however we read innumerable warnings online about the discrepancy between what’s advertised on the net and the reality of what you get. There are many stories of unseaworthy boats, boats capsizing, extremely slow boats that leave you no time to enjoy the sights, boats that catch fire and boats with no safety equipment.
After speaking to fellow travellers in Labuan Bajo and seeing the boats ourselves, we can confirm this is entirely true. Two British girls we met on our last day told us they how they abandoned their pre-booked tour after the company tried to cram 15 people onto a speed boat.
Day 1 – Arrive and book your tours
A taxi from the airport to the centre of Labuan Bajo will set you back 50,000 IDR. After reaching our accomodation, we spent our first afternoon scouring the main street in the scorching heat, looking for a safe and legitimate day trip in a boat that won’t sink. It is overwhelming and confusing to be approached every two metres by someone soliciting a trip to Komodo, and they can definitely tell that you’re the new kids in town.
We also spent a great deal of time walking around trying to find the offices of well reviewed companies on Trip Advisor, only to find that half the time they weren’t in the location stated, or were called something else entirely. Tour operators are generally open until 5-8pm, so even if your plane arrives in the afternoon like ours, you should still have enough time to book a trip.
Days 2 & 3 – Enjoy your tours
We suggest at least 2 days spent exploring Komodo National Park and the surrounding islands.
Day 4 – Contingency day
If, like us, you are serious about seeing Komodo Dragons, you need Day 4 as an emergency backup day in case poor weather or rough seas or a sinking boat ruins your day trip plans. Remarkably, everything went to plan for us so after arriving back in Labuan Bajo at 4.30pm on Day 3, we packed an overnight bag and headed straight to Le Pirate Boatel, where we spent our last day waking up to the sound of the ocean, relaxing on bean bags and visiting a private beach (for free!). The Boatel has kayaks and stand up paddle boards for rent, and snorkelling gear is free for guests.
An alternative to day trips is to book a multi-day cruise. We didn’t choose this option as most of the itenaries seemed to visit the same number of places, but took longer to reach them as the boats are very slow. Also keep in mind that the multi-day tours only leave on certain dates, so you’ll need to contact your preferred company in advance or otherwise be willing to hang around in Labuan Bajo until your boat leaves.
A trip to Labuan Bajo wouldn’t be complete without viewing a spectacular sunset. Luckily, there are a number of places you can do this to suit all budgets. There is a short boardwalk at the harbour where you can do this for free, or you could hike to one of the viewpoints just outside of town. Otherwise, Le Pirate Hotel has a rooftop bar with a plunge pool where you can bathe whilst watching the sunset with a Happy Hour drink in hand. La Cucina’s deck serves wood fired pizza and has unobstructed views of the ocean. The luxury resort Ayana has a rooftop bar and can be reached in 15 minutes by taxi.
What boat tour company did you use?