Guide to Komodo National Park, Indonesia

All sorts of wild and wonderful creatures thrive in the dense rainforests and dry island ecosystems of Indonesia, from mighty orangutans and proboscis monkeys to clattering hornbills, but one creature grips the imagination more than any other – the Komodo dragon. 

Thousands of visitors arrive on the island of Flores in Nusa Tenggara every year, setting off by boat from the town of Labuan Bajo for encounters with Komodo dragons on the scattered islands of Komodo National Park. 

The main islands of Pulau Komodo and Pulau Rinca are the best places on the planet to see the fearsome creature known as the ora in the wild. Komodo dragons are the world’s largest monitor lizards, and the closest thing the world has to a living dinosaur, though they are actually more closely related to ancient marine reptiles known as mosasaurs.

Seeing a Komodo dragon in the flesh is one of Indonesia’s top experiences. Sightings are common on Komodo, and very common on smaller Rinca Island, though the experience here has been tamed for cruise-ship visitors, making it less popular with independent travelers.

To start you on your dragon journey, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Komodo National Park. 

When should I go to Komodo National Park?

The Komodo dragons set the schedule for most visitors. Sightings are frequent for most of the year, but they are less common during June and July, when the dragons disappear into the dense vegetation beyond the coast to mate. The dry season months from April to June are good for sightings as the vegetation dies back, making the dragons easier to spot. Avoid the January to March rainy season as some boat operators stop running trips. 

The best times of day for Komodo dragon sightings are early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Chances are lower in the middle of the day, when the heat drives the giant lizards to seek shelter. Day trips are usually timed to coincide with periods when dragons are active, or at least easily spotted.

How much time should I spend at Komodo National Park?

Most people visit on a day trip, but it’s possible to take longer trips visiting more than one island. Labuan Bajo operators usually follow a standard itinerary for day trips in Komodo National Park. Whether you come by speedboat or slow boat, trips typically stop in the same locations – including the main dragon-spotting site on Pulau Komodo, the viewpoint on Pulau Padar and the pink-sand beach at Pantai Merah. 

Afternoons are set aside for snorkeling stops at Taka Makassar, a good place for turtle sightings, and Karang Makassar, where manta rays frequently put in an appearance. Going by speedboat is pricier, but it gives you more time in each spot; on a slow boat, the stops can feel slightly rushed. 

For a deeper immersion, consider a three-day, two-night liveaboard boat trip, also visiting the small, uninhabited islands of Siaba, Kalong and Bidadari. Scuba diving agencies also run multiday liveaboard trips inside Komodo National Park – the focus is on diving but a dragon-spotting side trip is usually included. 

How do I get to Komodo National Park? 

The islands of Komodo National Park are accessed from the town of Labuan Bajo on Flores, either on day trips or multiday liveaboard boat expeditions. The crossing to Komodo takes around 2 hours. Ferries and buses can get you to Labuan Bajo from other parts of Indonesia, but you can also fly here from Jakarta, Bali, Lombok and the Malaysian city of Kuala Lumpur. 

How much does it cost to visit Komodo National Park? 

Prices are similar at most of the boat operators in Labuan Bajo. Group day trips start from 750,000Rp per person but it’s worth paying more for a faster speedboat. Rinca Island is only accessible on more expensive tours costing from 1,500,000Rp per person. 

If you prefer not to go with a group, chartering your own boat for a Komodo day trip costs from 2,500,000Rp. Multiday liveaboard trips for divers and private multiday tours for those wishing to explore in more depth tend to be much more expensive – expect to pay around US$300 per person per day.

On top of the tour cost, you’ll also need to pay entry fees for the national park (which vary depending on the islands visited), along with additional park taxes and fees for activities and ranger-led walks. Bring cash to pay the park fees on arrival – boat operators can tell you how much you need to pay. Note that the fees apply for each day you spend in the park.

What should I eat and drink at Komodo National Park? 

If you come on an organized tour, operators will provide lunch, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. On overnight trips, you’ll also get breakfast and supper, served on board. Food is usually Indonesian fare such as nasi goreng (fried rice) and grilled fish or chicken, and fresh fruit is provided for snacks.

Bring a reusable water bottle to fill up during the day rather than buying water in disposable plastic bottles. Most boats have a supply of drinking water you can top up from. If you want alcoholic drinks on a liveaboard trip, these usually cost extra.

Are Komodo dragons dangerous?

In a word, yes, but the risk is low. Komodo dragons are capable predators, with toxic saliva full of venom and bacteria that they use to incapacitate their prey, but attacks on humans are rare. You’ll visit with a ranger guide who will keep the dragons at a safe distance, but take care not to get too close as a precaution. 

What are the top things to see and do?

To get the best from a trip to Komodo National Park, we recommend either a speedboat day trip or a multiday liveaboard expedition.

Join a Komodo day trip from Labuan Bajo

If you opt for the standard day tour, the first stop will be the compact, vertiginous island of Pulau Padar. Here, a steep 15-minute hike will bring you to the highest of a series of viewpoints, from where you can admire scalloped bays fringed with white sand, the island’s mountainous spine, and the surrounding marine panorama. 

Next up is a swimming and sunbathing stop on one of the national park’s pink-sand beaches, Pantai Merah, on the far side of Pulau Padar. The pink color comes from the shells of tiny sea creatures called Foraminifera.

A short boat ride away, Pulau Komodo awaits. Its steep hillsides are lush with greenery in the short wet season (December to March) and frazzled by the sun to a rusty tan that makes its crystal waters pop at other times of year. Once you get ashore, you’ll be paired with a ranger armed with a forked pole for keeping dragons at bay. 

The park entry fee covers one of three different guided walks. The short walk (1.5km) includes a stop at an artificial waterhole that attracts diminutive local deer, wild boar and of course Komodo dragons. The medium walk (2km) also climbs to a hilltop with sweeping views, offering a chance to see colorful cockatoos. The long walk (4km) includes all these elements and takes you further away from the crowds. 

After lunch, the boat makes a snorkeling stop at the spectacular sandbar island of Taka Makassar with its diversity of healthy coral, vast shoals of reef fish and sea turtles. Next, you’ll head to Karang Makassar (Manta Point) in search of manta rays. The final stop is another snorkeling break, often near Pulau Kanawa. 

Visit Komodo on a multiday tour

If you have more time, a highly rewarding way of experiencing Komodo National Park is on a three-day, two-night liveaboard trip, offered by multiple operators at Labuan Bajo. A three-day trip takes in all the highlights visited on the day tours, plus less-visited spots such as the uninhabited islands of Siaba, Kalong and Bidadari – all excellent for snorkeling. 

Staying overnight within the national park also means beating the crowds to Pulau Padar’s viewpoint in the morning, and visiting Pulau Komodo earlier in the day, when the dragons are most active. You’ll also get to enjoy the mystical light that washes over the islands at dusk, and the atmospheric sunrise. 

See Komodo dragons on Pulau Rinca

Pulau Rinca was once Komodo’s best-kept secret, but this arid island was opened up to cruise ship visitors, and the experience has been rather sanitized. Nevertheless, sightings of Komodo dragons are highly likely. The island is easily visited on a day trip from Labuan Bajo by boat, but fewer operators come here, so expect to pay more for a trip. 

On arrival, a 5-minute stroll with a mandatory ranger along a wheelchair-accessible wooden boardwalk will take you to an excellent museum with detailed information on the varied inhabitants of the national park. Directly behind the museum, you’re likely to find Komodo dragons resting under the trees in the daytime heat. 

Try to get here early in the day to observe the dragons at their most active. You may also see tiny Timor deer, snakes, monkeys, wild boar and birds. On request, rangers can lead you through the mangroves and up a steep, barren slope for spectacular panoramic views of the bay.

Dive Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park doesn’t just include the dragon-stalked islands. It also covers a pristine marine ecosystem, full of diverse, healthy coral reefs and haunted by manta rays, reef sharks and turtles. Excellent underwater visibility makes for an incredible diving experience, with dozens of dive sites dotted around the islands.

The challenging underwater topography, combined with strong currents, means that some of the top sites are for experienced divers only, though there are calmer spots for beginners. Better dive operators at Komodo are members of the Dive Operators Community Komodo (DOCK), which promotes sustainable conservation. 

Labuan Bajo has dozens of dive operators. Most offer day trips to the national park with two or three dives. You can also opt for a multiday liveaboard for a more tranquil experience away from the crowds, with up to three dives per day.

The best place to see Komodo’s manta rays is Karang Makassar (Manta Point), a shallow drift dive along a rubble slope that serves as a manta cleaning station and feeding spot. North of Pulau Komodo, Castle Rock is a submerged pinnacle with intense currents and plentiful grey, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks.

With strong currents, Batu Bolong is thronged with damselfish, fairy basslets, Moorish idols, large sweetlips and sheltering lionfish. Near Pulau Seraya Besar, Sabolan Kecil is great for beginners, with batfish, seahorses, scorpion fish and blue-spotted stingrays spotted among the gorgonian fans and barrel sponges. The white-sand bottom of the reef off Pulau Sabayor attracts numerous eagle rays.

Explore Komodo National Park by kayak 

The only Indonesian-run kayaking operator in Labuan Bajo, Komodo Kayaking offers an active and eco-friendly way of exploring the park that will immerse you fully in nature. Sustainable, small-group tours typically last two or three days, and include dining in beachside safari tents in the evening and paddling along the coastlines of various islands during the day.

En route, you make regular stops to snorkel and check out scenic spots around the islands. You might even catch a glimpse of the dragons in the water – they’re excellent swimmers!

Is Komodo National Park accessible?

Visitors with limited mobility may face some difficulties visiting Komodo National Park due to the need to board and disembark from boats, but many boats can accommodate wheelchairs. Park facilities such as the museum on Pulau Rinca are fully wheelchair accessible and boardwalks can get you close to the dragons. Contact boat operators ahead to explain your specific needs.

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Indonesia guidebook, published in July 2024.