There wouldn't be much to attract you to the rather barren island of Komodo if it weren't for one rather unusual resident: the giant lizard dubbed the "komodo dragon." The reptiles, which grow to three meters (10 feet) long and 100 kilograms (220 punds), are found only on Komodo and it's neighbors Rinca and Flores.
Despite this singular attraction, and others, the Komodo National Park is not exactly over-run with tourists. The main reason for that is probably the difficulty in getting there. The quickest way to get to Komodo Island is to fly to the "Komodo" Airport at Labuan Bajo on Flores Island, then take a two to three hour boat ride to the park station. As a result, Komodo seems to attract mostly adventure travelers with a lot of time, who stay on to see some of the other sights of Flores, or those interested in the fantastic scuba diving found in the waters around Komodo.
Map of Komodo National Park
Planning a Komodo Visit
Komodo is particularly challenging for the independent traveller, as there is very little infrastructure built up for visiting the park. Planning your trip in advance is quite difficult, unless you use one of the tour operators listed here. There are very few hotels in Labuan Bajo, almost none of them with a web presence for you to book in advance. Hotels will - naturally - arrange transport to Komodo for you, but your only other option is to make your way to the docks and negotiate with a boat yourself. If you like snorkeling, the best way to see the park would be to join one of the live-aboard cruises to the area.
If you're plannng your own itinerary, then ideally you want to visit Komodo, or Rinca, to see the dragons in the morning. This is when they're supposed to be at their most active. However, you will almost certainly spot them at any time of day. If you want to take in Bat Island, then you need to plan on spending a night on a boat.
The only way to reach Komodo Island is by boat. The closest airport is the “Komodo” Airport at Labuan Bajo, on the island of Flores. Several airlines fly to Labuan Bajo from Bali. From Labuan Bajo, it is a two to three hour boat ride to the dragon viewing areas on Komodo or Rinca. You can negotiate to hire a boat or share one at the dock in Labuan Bajo.
While the park itself does have a few “rustic&rduo; (to put it nicely) cabins, you'll most likely need to spend a night or two at Labuan Bajo, unless you opt for a live-aboard scuba / snorkeling cruise. Unfortunately, there are very few hotels or resorts around Labuan Bajo, but you can use the search box below to find what is available while comparing rates from dozens of online booking sites.
There are a large number of tour operators to Komodo - if you're in a major tourist center like Bali, there's one on every corner, it seems. I've selected a few below that are among the reputable ones.
Moana Cruising The Moana is a "live-aboard" boat option for visiting the dragons as part of a cruise through the best snorkeling sites around the national park. I first visited Komodo aboard the Moana, and I have to say it is an extra-ordinary value for money boat.
Among the lesser-known sights of the Komodo area is "Bat Island". Known locally as Pulau Kalong, the island is a small cone-shaped hill with a large mangrove forest extending to the southwest. The trees are home to thousands of fruit bats. Each night around sunset, the bats leave their roosts on the island and fly off to Rinca and Flores to feed. It's a very impressive sight, especially if the weather is cooperating with a beautiful sunset as backdrop.
Of course, there's one major reason people visit Komodo National Park: to see the “dragons.” The dragons are a species of monitor lizard - the largest living species of lizard in the world. They can grow to a length of up to 3 meters (10 feet) and weigh up to 100 kilograms (220 pounds). They are only found on the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and a few smaller islands.
