8 Essential Things to Know Before Visiting Komodo Island in Indonesia!
① Understand Komodo in 1 minute
▪ Komodo Island is located to the west of East Nusa Tenggara Province in Indonesia, a 1-hour flight from Bali. It is home to the world's largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, also known as the 'Komodo dragon'.
▪ Komodo Island also boasts unique natural landscapes not found on other islands, such as pink sand beaches, magnificent marine landscapes, and mysterious flora and fauna. It has been named one of the 'New Seven Wonders of Nature' and is one of the world's most famous diving spots.
▪ Indonesia implements a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens.
② Understand the relationship between 'Komodo Island' and 'Komodo National Park' in 1 minute
▪ Komodo Island is the largest island within Komodo National Park (the green islands in the image above), which also includes the west coast of Flores Island, Komodo Island, Padar Island, Rinca Island, and 26 other smaller islands. So, when we talk about Komodo Island and its major attractions, we are actually referring to parts of 'Komodo National Park'!
▪ There is no airport on Komodo Island; the nearest airport is in Labuan Bajo, a small town with beautiful scenery and abundant seafood. It is the gateway to Komodo National Park. Including the time for arrival and departure by plane, one should stay in the town for at least 2 days;
③ How to enjoy Komodo National Park
▪ Speedboat day trip
The speedboat day trip route is relatively mature, mainly including: Komodo Island dragon/Rinca Island dragon, Padar Island's tri-color beach, pink sand beaches on Komodo Island/Padar Island (1-2), Manta Point snorkeling, Kanawa Island snorkeling
▪ Boat stays of two days or more
There are four types of local boats: budget boat, standard boat, semi-phinisi luxury boat, and phinisi luxury boat. If you feel that a day trip is not satisfying enough, consider a local boat stay! A typical 3-day, 2-night itinerary will include at least 7 islands and 2-3 snorkeling spots
▪ Deep sea diving + diving license
Komodo Island is located at the intersection of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, with more than 1,300 species of fish and 600 species of corals, accounting for 75% of the world's coral species. The hard coral species are ten times that of the Caribbean Sea, known as the Coral Triangle
If you have enough time, consider getting a diving license in Komodo National Park and then charter a boat to various diving spots to slowly enjoy one of the world's most beautiful underwater worlds!
④ Highly recommended spots to check in
▻ Padar Island's tri-color beach
This small island has just been rated as one of the world's most spectacular hiking landscapes. When standing at the commanding height of the hill, a magical scene appears: pink, black, and white sand beaches form a continuous stretch, with beautiful bays and calm blue seas surrounding it, marveling at the wonders of nature
▻ Watching the Komodo dragons on Komodo Island
Indonesia is the only country in the world where you can see Komodo dragons in the wild. The dragons on Komodo Island are mainly distributed on Komodo Island, Rinca Island, and Padar Island. The habitats open to visitors are currently only Komodo Island and Rinca Island. The former has more wild dragons but a smaller chance of seeing them, and you can take photos with the dragons in fixed areas; the latter has fewer wild dragons, and most are in fixed activity areas where you can take photos! Note that when taking a photo with a Komodo dragon, you can only stand behind it, with the guide directing from the front!
▻ The pink sand beaches of Komodo National Park
80% of the beaches on Komodo Island and Padar Island are naturally pink, one of the seven pink sand beaches in the world! Many pink sand beaches are unnamed and require a local guide to take you there
⑤ Cuisine
▪ Highly recommend the fish market in Labuan Bajo, open from 5 pm to 2 am daily. It is not only the first choice for food for tourists from all over the world but also the favorite port for locals!
▪ During the 2 nights we stayed in Labuan Bajo, we ate at the fish market every night. The Napoleon fish kaka tua unique to Komodo Island is very fresh. The seafood here is grilled directly over the fire, and although it is not as refined as our domestic cooking methods, it still retains the original flavor and deliciousness
⑥ Accommodation
▪ We stayed in the airport town of Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo National Park. This once ordinary fishing village has become busy with the development of tourism on the surrounding islands. The small airport can see different faces from all over the world!
▪ Our hostel, dorme tree, is just a 2-minute drive from the airport, not only close to the town center (a 10-minute walk), with shuttle service, the staff is friendly and responsive, and the meals provided are good value for money! Their pork noodles are the best around Komodo Island, very tender and delicious!
⑦ Transportation
▪ After comparing on Traveloka, we finally chose NAM Air, an airline under Sriwijaya Air of Indonesia, mainly serving domestic routes in Indonesia. The round-trip from Bali to Komodo Island costs 1000 yuan, mainly because their timing is better!
▪ The transportation on Komodo Island mainly comes from the charter service provided by the hotel, charged per trip, 15 yuan/trip, regardless of distance. For regular taxis, the most is 25 yuan/trip, which is quite a bargain!
▪ Transportation to and from the various islands requires chartering a boat. It is recommended to join a group to compare projects on various platforms
⑧ Best season to visit
▪ Indonesia is located in the tropical region of the southern hemisphere and has only two seasons, dry and rainy! Komodo Island and Bali have a tropical island climate, hot all year round, with an average annual temperature of about 28°C
▪ The rainy season is from October to March of the following year, and the rest of the time is the dry season. The month after the end of the rainy season is the hottest season, which is April. From May to September each year, due to the northward movement of cold air from Australia, this period is the coolest time of the year in Bali, making it the best season to travel to Komodo Island!