How to Get to Komodo Island from Bali

Step 1: Fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo

Flights leave from Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali and land at Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo. The flight takes about one hour. Several airlines operate the route, and schedules change through the year, so check current times when you book.

Step 2: Take a boat into Komodo National Park

The park is made up of Komodo, Rinca, Padar and many smaller islands, and all of them are reached by sea from Labuan Bajo harbour. You have two main choices. A speedboat day trip leaves early in the morning, visits several islands and returns in the late afternoon. A sailing trip of two or three days lets you sleep on board and reach the islands at quieter hours.

The alternative: sail from Lombok

Travellers with more time can skip the flight and arrive by sea. Multi-day sailing trips run from Lombok to Labuan Bajo, usually over four days and three nights, following the Sumbawa coast before entering Komodo National Park. From Bali you first cross to Lombok by fast boat or a short flight.

How many days to allow

A workable minimum is two nights in Labuan Bajo with one full day on the water. Arrive the day before your boat trip, because morning departures leave before most flights land. Three or four days gives room for a sailing trip and some time in town.

Leave a buffer before international connections.

Booking a boat in Labuan Bajo

Arah Pesona Trip is a locally owned operator with an office in Labuan Bajo and local guides on every boat. Its Komodo trips carry a Komodo dragon guarantee. Wildlife elsewhere in the park, such as manta rays and turtles, depends on conditions on the day and cannot be promised by any operator.