Komodo Island, Padar Island, and Pink Beach are incredibly unique and beautiful destinations. Surprisingly though, there’s not much information out there on how to get there.
This guide will help you plan your trip to these beautiful islands; from how to get there, where to stay, and how much everything costs! And if you’re just wanderlusting, save the image below for when you’re ready to book.
Before booking your trip to Bali, also check this post out: 10 Mistakes to Avoid in Bali.
How to Get There:
First, you’ll want to fly into Labuan Bajo (airport code: LBJ), the capital of Flores Island. There are multiple direct flights daily from Bali (airport code: DPS) and a one-way flight is about $30 USD (434,000 IDR). The trip is only an hour and flies over Lombok, Nusa, and many small islands making it quite a gorgeous flight.
From the airport, you can take a taxi to your accommodations about 10 minutes away. Although, I typically find it easiest as a solo traveler to arrange a pickup through my accommodations if it’s available and with LePirate Bajo it is!
Where to stay:
LePirate Bajo is the best place to stay to get to Padar Island, Komodo Island, and Pink Beach. It’s only 10 minutes from the airport and has incredible views of the harbor. The harbor will also be your meeting point and is a quick 5-minute walk down to the docks from LePirate. It’s known for its lively rooftop sky bar and infinity pool.
Book Your Day Trip:
There are great tour companies that offer private and group tours to Padar Island, Komodo Island, and Pink Beach. The best bang for your buck is doing a full-day tour to go to all 3 which includes meals, snacks, and water. I booked through Ora Dive which has an office right below LePirate to book island tours. Booking a group tour costs roughly $100 USD (1,431,290 IDR).
When I travel solo, I look for group adventures to meet new friends. I was in Bali in June which is right before peak season, so I lucked out. I was able to book a group tour to lower the rate but there were only 2 other people on the boat besides the crew.
How Long Should I Go?
Plan for 3 days; the full-day tour starts at 5 am and finishes at about 8 pm. Book your flight here the day before and stay near the harbor meeting point at LePirate Bajo for easy access.
What to Pack:
- Swimsuit: depending on your tour, you’ll have the opportunity to snorkel, dive, or swim around at the beaches
- Light Jacket: It’ll be chilly on the boat going out in the morning and coming in at dusk
- Reef Safe Sunscreen: Ordinary sunscreens have chemicals that damage the reef and destroy fragile ecosystems.
- Camera/GoPro/Drone/Waterproof Case for iPhone/Water Accessories
- Water & Snacks: even though the tour includes both, it’s best practice to always take extra
- Small Backpack: easy to carry and keep everything together on the boat
- Trainers/Hiking Shoes/Hiking Sandals: Something comfortable and supportive for hiking Padar Island
Padar Island
The panoramic views from the peaks of Padar Island are well worth the trek. It’s been one of my favorite scenic hikes to date.
The hike is short and only takes about 20 minutes but with the very dusty trail and significant incline, it can be rough for some people. A girl on my tour actually passed out. She was just a little dehydrated and ended up making it up to the top!
Pink Beach
The world-famous Pink Beach in Indonesia is 1 of 7 in the world! With soft pink sand contrasted against turquoise water, Pink Beach is a must-see spot. Other than hiking, snorkeling, and sunbathing there isn’t much to do on Pink Beach. It’s completely uninhabited to protect its natural beauty.
Please don’t take the sand! Not only will your sand get thrown away when you go through airport security, but you’ll also be leaving the beach less pink for future visitors.
Komodo Island
When you arrive at Komodo National Park, you’ll need to pay the additional entrance fee which is $11 (157,440 Rupee). It includes an English-speaking guide that will share the history of the island and the dragons as you walk around the park. Each of the guides has walkie-talkies and communicates often about the dragon’s whereabouts to try to ensure each group spots a Komodo Dragon. I saw about 5 different Komodo Dragons on my trip!
Komodo National Park was founded in the ’80s to protect the endangered Komodo Dragon. In the 90’s it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Komodo National Park is the only place on earth where you can have a close encounter with the legendary Komodo Dragons.
Komodo Dragons are the largest lizard reaching up to 10 feet (3 meters) in length and weighing up to 200 pounds (91 kilos). They have been recorded killing wild pigs within seconds. On Komodo Island, you can witness this for yourself from a very safe distance, as they tie hogs from trees to feed the Komodo Dragons.
It was quite a solo adventure to figure out (without many resources) how to plan this trip, but I’m so glad that I didn’t skip it. This was one of my most unforgettable experiences. I always recommend venturing outside of the tourist areas of Bali and Komodo Island, Padar Island, and Pink Beach are at the top of the list!
Check out more things to do in Indonesia below 👇
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