15 Best Things to Do in Nong Khiaw, Laos (2024)
April 28, 2024
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Komodo National Park is a place where adventure meets natural wonder. It’s probably high on your bucket list and as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s absolutely worth visiting this breathtaking Indonesian archipelago. Komodo Island tours by boat are the only way to visit the stunning scenery of the National Park. Having visited Komodo National Park previously, in this post, I’ll let you in on what I learned and what boat tours are the best to book to get the most out of your experience!
Padar Island
Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a place of natural wonders and a sanctuary for biodiversity. Located in Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands and a part of East Nusa Tenggara, this extraordinary destination spans over 1,700 square kilometers.
Its rugged landscapes are home to the legendary Komodo dragons, remarkable creatures that have roamed the Earth for millions of years. Beyond these mighty reptiles, the park boasts crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant coral reefs, exotic marine life like manta rays, and mesmerizing underwater vistas.
Stunning pink beaches, lush forests, and breathtaking viewpoints create a complete picture that will surely leave you spellbound!
There are a few sites in Komodo National Park that you’ll definitely want to visit. You’ve probably seen photos of these sites on Instagram profiles or many bloggers and I can assure you: Yes, they are as beautiful, maybe even more, witnessed in real life.
Here are the most popular sites in Komodo National Park!
Padar Island, Komodo National Park
Padar Island is one of the most popular sights inside the Komodo National Park. Despite its small size, this island packs a punch with its diverse landscapes and spectacular panoramic views.
Hiking to the island’s highest peak rewards you with a surreal vista of three picturesque bays. Turquoise waters touch the pristine white-sand beaches, while rugged hills are shrouded in lush greenery. As the sun sets, Padar Island transforms into a magical wonderland, painting the sky gorgeously pink.
Komodo Island is one of the prominent jewels of Indonesia’s Komodo National Park. It is, together with Rinca Island, one of the native habitats of the remarkable Komodo dragon.
This island offers a rare opportunity to witness these legendary creatures up close. Beyond the dragons, Komodo Island will spoil you with beautiful rugged terrain, rolling hills, dense forests, and stunning viewpoints.
Rinca Island is the second largest island in the park. It is home to a thriving population of Komodo dragons, allowing you to observe them in their natural habitat.
Trekking through the island’s varied landscapes, including grassy savannahs and lush forests, offers a chance to encounter not only Komodo dragons but also an array of other wildlife species such as deer, monkeys, and birds.
Stop at Komodo Island Tours: Pink Beach
Pink Beach is a natural marvel on Komodo Island. As its name suggests, this beach boasts a unique pink color, created by a mix of white sand and red coral fragments. The sight of the glistening pink shoreline against the backdrop of turquoise waters is breathtaking.
Snorkeling or diving in the surrounding coral reefs is possible and you will discover a vibrant underwater world, teeming with colorful fish and marine life.
Manta Point is a dive site within the Komodo National Park. It is one of the best places in Indonesia to see the majestic manta rays.
Diving or snorkeling at Manta Point is included in every tour. The site’s strong currents attract plankton, which in turn attracts these gentle giants, but do note that sightings are not guaranteed.
Before I get into the various tours that are recommended to visit Komodo National Park, I would like to let you in on my experience visiting Komodo National Park.
Having visited the National Park on a day trip, looking back, I wish I would have done things differently. As a solo traveler on a budget, I didn’t have a big pile of money to spend and I found that multi-day tours didn’t fit my budget.
However, looking back, I truly regret this. Visiting Komodo National Park is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one day is simply not enough to explore all the beauty of this natural wonderland.
During my trip, we visited the most important sights inside the national park. I’m happy that I’ve been able to witness the magnificent things the park offers, like Padar Island, Komodo dragons at Rinca Island, Pink Beach, and a snorkel session (without seeing any manta rays unfortunately).
Arriving on Pink Beach
The speed, however, rushing with the boat from one sight to the other, is something that completely put me off. Yes, I’ve seen the best places in the park. But did I truly get to enjoy them? Not really.
In this post, I’ll share with you a few day trips inside Komodo National Park but, if your budget allows it, I highly recommend taking your time to explore Komodo and spend at least three days inside the national park.
In my opinion, the best way to do this as a conscious traveler is not by taking a multi-day organized tour but by renting out a private boat that allows you to put together your own schedule. That way, you can plan according to your liking and you will avoid having a schedule that puts you at sights together with all the other tour boats.
It will allow you to have a more intimate experience of the park, in which you can truly take in the splendor of the area.
Coral reefs inside Komodo National Park
For backpackers on a budget, I’ll mention a few one-day tours below that seem to be of good quality. When I visited Komodo National Park, I was kind of shocked when I saw what kind of worn-out boats some tourists were using to visit the National Park.
They didn’t look safe at all and lacked any kind of comfort, like toilets and decent seating. Don’t get me wrong, I love to explore things in a local way, but visiting Komodo is not a short boat ride from point A to B.
You’ll be spending a lot of time on your boat, actually the majority of the time. A day trip takes about 10 to 12 hours and you’ll spend half of that time on your boat.
A good boat, in this case, can really make or break your trip. Here are some decent suggestions for one-day tours, if you can’t afford a multi-day trip.
Note that these tours start very early in the morning, with a pick-up usually around 5 A.M. After that, you will be taken to the pier where you will find yourself in complete chaos. All the tourists leaving for Komodo that day are brought to the same starting point and it can get quite hectic.
You will likely receive a colored bracelet from your tour operator. Because of that bracelet, the staff can put you on the correct boat at the dock.
Best Komodo tours
Embark on an extraordinary adventure with this one-day Komodo boat trip offered by Bintang Komodo Tours. This group tour is the top choice to explore the unique wonders of Komodo National Park.
With Bintang Komodo Tours, you can expect a carefree and unforgettable experience. The tour includes visiting Komodo Island, where you can witness the legendary Komodo dragons in their natural habitat.
You’ll also get to snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of Pink Beach, marvel at the breathtaking landscapes of Padar Island, and explore the vibrant marine life at Manta Point.
Such an INCREDIBLE trip !! From beginning to end it was so well planned and the staff went above and beyond. It really is worth every penny. We had the best day and flew in specially for this trip. We were the 2nd boat to leave the harbour & at Padar island it wasn’t too busy! The views after a short climb were unmatched, wow ! We spent plenty of time at the top before a lot of other tours arrived. Pink beach was the next stop and again was amazing & not too busy! For the Komodo tour we had an amazing guide & we did the long walk and saw 5 Komodo dragons which were incredible to see !! Here we had lunch which was really good & so filling. Next we snorkelled over to an island & it had such healthy coral, it was amazing (much better than any snorkelling around Bali) & then it was time to head over to Manta point and wow, we saw 5 mantas (you do have to be a stronger swimmer as they can move quite quickly) but was definitely a highlight! Finally, we stopped at one more amazing snorkeling spot and saw a turtle, what more could you ask for ?!? Book this tour and you won’t regret it.
JESSICA (Read more reviews)
With professional guides, comfortable transportation, and a well-planned itinerary, this tour ensures that every moment will be filled with excitement and discovery.
Do keep in mind that a day trip is pretty exhausting so only book this if you only have time to spend one day in Komodo National Park!
Komodo National Park tours
Visit all the highlights of Komodo National Park on this elaborate group tour by speedboat. This tour makes a stop at Padar where you can hike to the top of the island, Komodo where you van witness the majestic Komodo dragons and Pink Beach.
It afterward takes you to Taka Makassar Island, a tiny boomerang-shaped island only consisting of a patch of beach, Manta Point, where you can snorkel with Manta Rays and Kanawa Island which also offers excellent snorkeling.
It was a relatively seamless experience. Flew from Bali to Labuan Bajo. Pick up from hotel was timely and smooth. The boat road was fine. Adequate time at each island. Crystal clear waters. Komodo dragons were very active. The tour guide got me back to the airport in time to catch my flight back to Bali. I’d recommend it!
LANCE_M (Read more reviews)
This tour also offers pick-ups and drop-offs at the airport of Labuan Bajo. Although I can highly recommend visiting Flores, this is an option if you have a limited amount of time on your hands.
Best Komodo Island tours: Swimming with manta rays
This group tour takes you to six locations in Komodo National Park on a luxury boat, called the “Ocean Queen“. It makes the same stops as the previous tours including Padar Island, Pink Beach, Komodo Island, Taka Makassar, Manta Point, and Kanawa Island.
It was an amazing experience overall! The weather was good, so we managed to visit all locations in the description. They also offered lunch during the trip. We are vegan and they prepared us a vegan meal, which was really tasty. Our guide Sam was really good and experienced, giving us details and info about things we were seeing. For us, the coral snorkeling was the highlight of this experience. We saw alive corals with hundreds of colorful tropical fish. Unfortunately we didn’t have the chance to see the manta rays as they were not in the area on that day. But the whole trip was magical! Totally recommended experience!
LOUKAS_I (Read more reviews)
Lunch, coffee, and tea are included in the price and they can cater to special dietary requirements. They also offer snorkeling equipment and swimming floaties free of charge.
The price of this tour is slightly cheaper than the two previous ones.
Tours to Komodo Island
If you’re not a group tour person, consider booking this private tour with Flores Fantastic Tours. The price you see on the booking platform is for five people so this is the perfect tour if you travel with a family or a small group of people.
I was doing this tour to see some Komodo Dragons, Because this was a private tour, I was able to customize the trip order and we also spent more time on Komodo Island itself. Most tours go to Padar first and then Komodo, but we were able to go to Komodo first, while it was still quiet and the dragons were active. I encountered no other tourists there for the first 90 minutes, which was great. I saw three big dragons, so I was very pleased! Two seemed used to seeing humans and lounged placidly for photos, but one was clearly still very wild as he ran away very quickly when he saw some scary humans approaching!
GRAHAM_H (Read more reviews)
The great thing about this tour is that you are able to adjust your schedule. Even though the itinerary is shown on Viator, the order of the locations and time spent at each place can be adjusted to your own preferences.
Looking back, for a day trip, this would be my first choice now. I would opt to take in fewer sights and carve out more time for snorkeling.
Although the day tours to Komodo seem very tempting and take in the most popular sights, exploring the national park on a multi-day adventure is worth every penny.
If I would ever go back, I wouldn’t hesitate and book a private boat to take me around the islands for a few days in a heartbeat. I am a backpacker that usually travels on a budget, so, the fact that I am saying this, really means something!
Komodo National Park is simply too big to see thoroughly on a day trip. It is also pretty exhausting since you’re rushing from one sight to the other.
My advice, especially to backpackers is to not skimp on money here. Book this trip, even if it seems expensive. You won’t regret it!
Top Komodo Tours
This private Komodo Island trip that lasts for 3 days and two nights takes you beyond the popular sights of Komodo National Park. It explores hidden gems away from the tourist crowds like Sabolo Island, Bidadiri, and Kelor Island and you sleep comfortably in all privacy on the boat
We did the 3D2N trip with Hans as our guide and couldn’t be happier. We were blessed with spectacular weather and were very lucky with all the wildlife we encountered: 5 Komodo dragons, manta, eagle rays, turtles, and dolphins. Hans went above and beyond to get the most out of our trip and was a wonderful wildlife photographer for us.
Tripadvisor Review (Read more reviews)
What is great about this tour is that the activities can be adjusted to your preferences. Maybe you fancy visiting both Komodo and Rinca to see Komodo dragons. This can be arranged. But, if you don’t, and prefer snorkeling more, this can be arranged on the spot too.
A multi-day tour also allows you to have better chances to see wildlife. I didn’t see Manta Rays on my one-day trip, but if I would have had more days, the chances were bigger of course!
This private boat tour for up to 12 people has a five-star rating! It’s the best Komodo Island boat tour I have found online. The price seems much at first but is actually not expensive at all if you can split it with other people.
This tour is one of the best options to pick if you are traveling with a big group of friends, a large family, or for a group of backpackers in a hostel who want to split the costs.
The private Komodo 3-day island tour was absolutely amazing! An unforgettable experience where you see the most beautiful things, beautiful nature, the real sea life, not surrounded by many tourists. If you want to see what and how Indonesia is like, then don’t hesitate to do this trip. The company Fantastic Tours makes your trip unforgettable. The crew was so friendly, they did everything to make you feel comfortable, we had Amazing food and they make sure that you had the best time and see the most beautiful things. Special thanks to Valdus( Tour Guide) Quin (Cook) Hendra (Captain) Nur ( Crue member) Aven (Crue member) They Were a good team that makes this trip very special. Thanks you everybody !!
KELLY (Read more reviews)
The boat features six cabins that fit 12 people in total and all the meals are included in the price. There is airconditioning inside the boat and snorkel equipment can be used free of charge.
If you’re flying in from Bali and don’t want to stay in Labuan Bajo for a night, they offer a pick-up at the airport.
This two-day/one-night private boat trip with The Seven Holiday takes in the most popular sights of Komodo National Park plus some extra stops like the island of the flying foxes and Bidadiri Island.
The Seven Holiday is a luxury tour operator in Indonesia that focuses on honeymoon packages and yacht rentals. It wouldn’t be my first choice but it is the best Komodo tour if you are looking for a fancy way to celebrate your marriage.
I had an amazing time on the Komodos. But first things first: My booking and payment was super easy. As it was already my second tour with The Seven Holiday the communication was as expected. Krisna replied directly and gave me all the information I needed. The Komodo islands are a must-do! Amazing scenery. The snorkeling tour was very nice. I don’t know how to describe it, I’m speechless. The night on the boat was fun, a very cool experience. I would book with The Seven Holiday again since they’ve done an amazing job already twice. Highly recommended !!!
ILONA (Read more reviews)
Compared to a lot of foreign travel agencies selling honeymoons to Indonesia, this company is 100% Indonesian. They work together with local guides and suppliers to arrange their honeymoon packages and boat trips.
They also seem to care about the environment although they don’t have a real sustainability policy on their website.
If you’re looking for the ultimate luxury slow travel experience, consider renting a phinisi sailboat that will take you around the islands in three days.
Phinisi sailboats are traditional Indonesian two-masted sailing ships. They have been used for centuries to catch fish or transport goods while nowadays these refitted vessels are mainly used as liveaboards for sailing and dive trips.
It was my highlight in 3 months in Indonesia!!!! everything was so perfect. The food was delicious, the crew super safe and so nice, the boat was so cute and Paskal was the BEST Tourguid ever!!!!!!!!!!! We can recommend that tour with this company 100%!!!! Helpful
TRIPADVISOR REVIEWER (Read more reviews)
Tours are offered in German, English, French and Spanish. It takes in all the sights from the previously mentioned multi-day trips with an additional stop at Gili Lawa Derat.
Most of the previously mentioned trips don’t offer a cancelation possibility but with this operator, you can cancel up to seven days in advance and get a full refund.
The phinisi ships are suitable to cater to up to eight people.
If you fancy doing a multi-day Komodo Island trip but can’t find additional people to join you for a private boat trip, you can consider booking a shared trip with Captain Komodo. Captain Komodo offers shared group trips on a wooden phinisi boat.
The trip takes in the popular and lesser-known ones like Manjarite, Kalong Island and Siaba Besar. Shared accommodation, meals and snorkeling gear is provided on the boat.
We had an unforgettable time on the boat. Our guide Ady was great and the whole crew on board was very nice. The food was very tasty and there was something for every taste. The boat itself was sufficient and completely ok for us. We really enjoyed the excursions. There was enough time to relax while driving to the next spot. The snorkeling on the tour was also great. The most beautiful underwater world we have seen so far. We can highly recommend the tour with Captain Komodo.
TINE J. (Read more reviews)
This is a good choice if you want to do a multi-day trip and if you don’t mind spending a few days at sea with complete strangers on a boat.
Do note that Captain Komodo offers a pick-up service in Labuan Bajo but does not offer pick-ups and drop-offs at the airport.
Komodo Island: Komodo Dragon
The best time to visit Komodo National Park is during the dry season, which runs from April to December. More specifically, the months of April to June and September to November are considered ideal for visiting the park.
During the dry season, the weather is generally pleasant with minimal rainfall and lower humidity levels. This makes it easier to explore the park’s trails and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and snorkeling. The waters are also clearer during this time, allowing for better visibility while diving or snorkeling.
The wet season spans from January to March and is characterized by increased rainfall and rougher sea conditions.
Because I don’t like to travel to destinations in peak season, I visited Komodo National Park in the rainy season.
Weather conditions were perfect on my trip to Komodo National Park but the two days after my visit it was pouring rain all day long. Visiting in the rainy season is possible but keep in mind that your trip can get postponed due to weather conditions.
When you book a Komodo Island tour, the entrance fees to the parks to see the Komodo Dragons and Padar Island are not calculated into the tour price but need to be paid on the spot.
There have been some plans by the government in the past years to raise these prices significantly but, due to protests from local tour operators, it hasn’t happened yet so far.
Nonetheless, I don’t dare give exact prices here, due to the fact that things can change quickly. At the time of my visit, the entrance fee to Komodo was 150.000 IDR. It was the same price for Padar Island.
Small fees are also asked for hiking, wildlife observation, and a fee for a ranger that accompanies you into the park. These costs however are minimal.
Do note that you also need to pay a considerable sum for bringing professional cameras or a drone.
Also, take into account that entry fees rise by 30% during weekends and public holidays so the best time to visit is on a weekday!
Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia
Labuan Bajo is the most touristy city on Flores and it’s worth it to stay here for a few days to explore the sights nearby apart from Komodo National Park. Note that good mid-range accommodations are almost non-existent in the city. It’s likely that you either will need to pick a guesthouse or cheap hotel or spend money on
Here are some great places to stay:
Bajawa, Flores, Indonesia
A lot of people travel to Flores only to visit Komodo National Park but that’s a real shame. Flores Island is beautiful and still relatively undiscovered by mass tourism when you step out of Labuan Bajo.
To get around Flores, you can hire a personal driver to take you around the island on a Flores Island tour or travel by minibus like the locals do.
Flores can be crossed from West to East, ending your trip in Maumere, where you can take a flight out of Flores again. Notable stops on the way are Ruteng for the archeological site of Liang Bua, a 2-day trip to Wae Rebo traditional village, Bajawa for its hot springs and Bena traditional village, and Moni for visiting the Kelimuti crater lakes.
Here are some frequently asked questions about Komodo Island tours:
You can book a Komodo Island tour in Bali but this will always require you to take a flight to Labuan Bajo first. There are no boats leaving in Bali to Labuan Bajo, unless you charter a very expensive private sailboat.
You can however take a speed boat or the ferry from Bali to Lombok and start a boat tour from Lombok to the Komodo Islands. Alternatively, you can travel all the way to Labuan Bajo crossing the ocean and Sumbawa by a boat and bus combination.
Yes, there are Komodo Island tours starting from Lombok. These tours will take you from Lombok to Labuan Bajo, passing by Sumbawa and the Komodo Islands in 4 days. It will require you to take a flight back from Labuan Bajo.
I’ve read that the safety on these boats is not always the best, so think wisely before booking a trip.
Alternatively, you can also travel from Lombok to Flores by a combination of boats and overland bus on Sumbawa.
Sunset at Padar Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
There you go! I hope you enjoyed this post about the Komodo Island tours. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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Komodo Dragon, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
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