komodo tour ab lombok

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Komodo Boat Tour – 4 Days from Lombok to Flores

The Komodo boat tour was the most amazing experience that I had during my two months backpacking trip through South East Asia. I booked the  4 days and 3 nights Komodo boat tour with Wanua Adventure . This tour departs from Lombok island and we went all the way to Labuan Bajo in Flores. 

Spending the days exploring islands, snorkeling and sunbathing on deck until the sun sets on the horizon was an unforgettable experience. At night you can watch the clear, starry sky until falling asleep to the slight swaying of the boat.

If you have enough time, I definitely recommend including this boat trip (or a similar one) on your trip to Bali.

Table of Contents

Things to know before you go

Here are a few things you should consider before booking a Komodo boat tour.

Which agency to book the Komodo boat tour with?

As I said above, I booked my Komodo boat tour with Wanua Adventure and I highly recommend them. Be aware that this is a back to basics boat tour: no phone reception, a very basic shower and sleeping on a mattress on deck (or in a private room if you pay a little extra). What I want to say is: Don’t expect luxury and comfort – it’s an adventure!

The crew of Wanua Adventure really did everything in their power to make this an amazing experience for every passenger. They kept the boat clean at all times, the food was amazing and they always made sure that everyone was okay and enjoying the adventure.

Besides Wanua Adventure, there are other agencies which offer similar trips to Komodo National Park. If you’re willing to pay more, you can even book a private tour and have a more luxurious experience.

Single day vs. multi-day boat tours

You can fully adapt the Komodo boat tour to your schedule and find a tour that fits your time frame. There’s even the option of doing a single day boat tour . However, for that you need to travel to Labuan Bajo first as those tours don’t depart from Lombok.

Personally, I recommend a multi-day boat tour to Komodo National Park. It’s an unforgettable adventure and the sunsets and the night sky from the boat are simply breathtaking. Plus, you obviously get to explore more amazing places on a multi-day tour.

If your time is limited and you can only do a one-day Komodo boat tour, then definitely make sure to include  Padar Island in your tour. This is the place with the most amazing view of Komodo National Park .

Where does the Komodo boat tour start and end?

The 4-day boat trip that I did departs in Lombok and ends in Labuan Bajo on Flores. There’s also the option to do the Komodo boat trip the other way around, starting from Labuan Bajo and arriving on Lombok.

Most other agencies offer their tours from Labuan Bajo and also bring you back there.

How much does a Komodo boat tour cost?

The 4 days and 3 nights trip with Wanua Adventure in deck class costs about 150€.  If you prefer to have some more privacy and comfort you can book a private room for 200€.

This includes an entrance fee to Komodo National Park, a government fee and a snorkelling fee.

What's included in a Komodo boat tour?

The Komodo boat tour is an all inclusive tour with  3 freshly prepared meals per day , unlimited coffee, tea and water. If you want to bring additional drinks you have the chance to buy them in advance and cool them on board. Also, I recommend bringing some snacks in case you have cravings in-between meals.

Snorkelling grear (mask and snorkel) is also provided, as well as basic fishing gear .

There are some charging points on board for your electric devices, but don’t rely on them. Sometimes they don’t work and there are also not enough for everyone to charge their devices.

What to bring on a Komodo boat tour

The Komodo boat tour is an all-inclusive adventure but there are some essentials that you should definitely pack for the trip.

• Power bank I love this one  because it has enough power to charge your device several times, which will be very useful on this multi-day boart trip-
• Towel These microfiber travel towels  are ideal because they’re lightweight, they dry fast and they don’t take much space.
• Sun screen & hat
• Extra drinks (beer, cider, soft drinks)
• Sweater for fresh nights
• Camera I use the Sony Alpha A6000 , which is a compact and lightweight camera, ideal for photography beginners.

Day 1: Lombok and Kenawa Island

Before the Komodo boat tour I had been staying in the beach town Kuta in Lombok. I was picked up from my hostel early in the morning and after a long drive we arrived in Bangsal. This was the meeting point of all passengers and the guides. Everyone checked in, was served traditional Indonesian breakfast and was assigned to their boat. Then we hopped onto another van and drove for 3 more hours to the harbor of Kayangan in East Lombok .

Full of excitement for the adventure ahead of me, I boarded the boat  together with the other passengers  and we headed out to the sea.

I had booked deck class which meant sleeping on a mattress next to the other passengers on deck. This was the most affordable option and I was stoked about the feeling of the light ocean breeze at night. Those who had booked a private room had a bit more comfort and privacy as they could close the door to their room.

While the space on deck was quite limited and the mattresses were close to each other, I was happy about my decision to sleep on deck. It was really comfortable and there was fresh air all the time.

Once everyone was settled, lunch was served. We ate together and started getting to know the other passengers. 

After lunch we made our first stop at Kenawa island . On the small uninhabited island there’s nothing but a snack vendor and small restaurant on the beach. A narrow path leads across the island up to the top of a hill. The sun was already low and shining a beautiful golden light on the grass-covered ground. We hiked up the little hill and watched the stunning view of the sunset from there.

When the sun had almost set we headed back to the boat and made our way to Bola island where we anchored and stayed the night. 

I was excited for the first night on board, wondering if I would sleep well. It took me a while to fall asleep but I loved the adventurous feeling of being out on the ocean. After a while I finally fell asleep to the soft swaying of the boat. At 2 am the howling of the starting engine woke me up. We had to get going to arrive to our next stop on time.

Day 2: Moyo Island

On the second day we had an early start as we woke up with the rising sun. Before breakfast we could already jump from the boat and have a morning swim. The fresh air paired with the tranquility of a remote bay and the morning sun kissing our skin was so calming. This is what pure happiness and joy feels like.

After breakfast and my first essential cup of coffee we explored Moyo Island and hiked to a picturesque waterfall. We spent about an hour there climbing the waterfall, jumping into the cool water, and taking photos. The remaining day was to our own disposal for sunbathing on the beach, snorkelling or simply chilling on the boat.

Time passed rapidly and suddenly the sun had started to set. The sunsets from the boat are amazing. Sitting on the deck, becoming friends with the other travelers and watching the sun go down out on the open sea is magical.

What I hadn’t expected at that point was that the most magical moment of the day was yet to come. Once it got dark I headed up to the deck again and I was absolutely overwhelmed by the view. The deep black sky was full of stars .

As we were in the middle of nowhere out on the ocean, there was no light pollution at all. I lied down on my back and looked up while feeling the movement of the boat. In moments like this, I realize how small I am.

I also realized that I’m on the other side of the world, out on the sea for 4 days with people I  didn’t  know before, all by myself. These are the kind of moments where I start thinking about life and being grateful for everything.

Day 3: Komodo Island and Pink Beach

On the third day it was time to visit the famous Komodo dragons on Komodo Island. The dragons only live in and around Komodo National Park and they can kill a human with only one bite when they attack.

Komodo Island

I was excited to see those deathly animals in their natural habitat. We got a guided tour by a ranger who would answer all our questions about the Komodo dragons. 

To be honest, I had expected Komodo Island to be more impressive a s I had heard a lot about it before. We didn’t see many Komodo dragons because they usually like to hide. The walk through the island wasn’t exceptional either. But anyways, it was nice to spot at least a few Komodo dragons and to learn more about them.

The second stop on day 3 of the Komodo boat tour was Pink Beach . It has this name because the sand has a pinkish tone. At first I didn’t see it at all – when I hear “Pink Beach” I imagine something different than this. But, when looking closely and from the right angle you can see some red shiny particles in the sand.

Pieces of broken coral reef are washed ashore and make the sand shimmer in pink.  What surprised me was that on the photos on Google the beach looks completely pink. I’m not quite sure if these photos are edited or if the color depends on factors like the weather or the season as well.

But anyways – pink or not pink – the beach is amazing. We went snorkelling in the warm turquoise waters and saw lots of marine life. Unfortunately, the coral reefs are devastated because too many visitors are careless and step on them.

There’s a small hill on one end of the beach – and of course I wanted to hike it. When there’s a hill with a beautiful view almost nothing keeps me from climbing it. And it was absolutely worth it. It took less than 10 minutes to get to the top and the view was stunning. There’s another beach on the other side, surrounded by greenish hills that look like they’re from a fantasy world.

After a couple of hours at Pink Beach we had to go back on board as we still had a far way ahead of us that day. We spent the afternoon sunbathing on the deck, reading and socializing while the boat was bringing us closer to our destination.

When we reached the place where we’d spend the night we threw a little boat party as it was our last evening on board. The sunset was stunning again, just like the days before. We enjoyed each other’s company, played games and had fun until everyone got too tired from that day’s adventures and went to bed.

Day 4: Padar island, Rinca island and Labuan Bajo

The last day was my personal highlight of the Komodo boat tour. Watching the s unrise on Padar Island  beat everything we had experienced so far.

Padar island

The alarm rang us out of bed at 5 am and the crew dropped us off at Padar Island right after. It was still pitch black and we didn’t see much of the island yet.

Together with travelers from other boats who had the same schedule we hiked up a hill from where we’d watch the sunrise. To secure us a good spot on the top we were almost running up and overtaking others.

The top of the hill on Padar island was quite crowded, but luckily we found a perfect spot to sit down and enjoy the view. As the sun was about to rise, the darkness disappeared and it revealed the spectacular view of our surroundings. Everything looked so surreal. The formation of the island is absolutely unique and the pink-ish light of the sunrise made it look even more impressive.

When there was enough light we took turns in taking photos of each other. Don’t be fooled by how empty it looks on the photos – we actually had to queue for 5-10 minutes to get a photo at this spot!

When we were done taking photos we made our way down again. Back on the boat, freshly prepared pancakes for breakfast awaited us. Everyone was still in awe from the experience on Padar island and we  couldn’t  believe how beautiful and unique this place was.

Rinca island

Then we continued the journey to Rinca island. There we could see some Komodo dragons again and we got a guided tour across the island. Personally, I enjoyed Rinca island more than Komodo island as the scenery was prettier.

Rinca island was the last official stop of the Komodo boat tour. At that point we had the option of either heading straight to the harbor of Labuan Bajo or stopping one last time for snorkeling and swimming. Everyone agreed on staying a little longer on the boat and adding another stop to jump into the crystal clear waters again.

After a couple of hours we made our way to Labuan Bajo, the final destination of the Komodo boat tour.

Labuan Bajo

When we arrived to Labuan Bajo we said our goodbyes to the crew and to the other passengers. I was so much looking forward to a shower and a proper bed like never before.

The first thing I did was to go for a delicious Italian pizza. I had been eating only traditional Indonesian food for the past days so it was amazing to have a European meal for a change.

Labuan Bajo is a lovely little village that is not very developed yet. Tourism has been growing in recent years because of the boat tours to Komodo National Park, but it’s still just a tiny fraction compared to a place like Bali.

I wrote a detailed guide on Labuan Bajo on where to stay, where to eat and things to do.

Komodo boat tour with Wanua Adventure - Yes or no?

If you’re into adventure and you’re okay with renouncing luxury and comfort for a few days, then the Komodo boat tour with Wanua Adventure is definitely the right choice for you.

I was traveling solo but I was lucky to meet these amazing people on board. We met as strangers and said goodbye as friends. Getting to know the other passengers and experiencing this adventure together makes it even more memorable. 

Coffee is the fuel that keeps me running. I put a lot of time and effort into creating blog posts to make travel planning easier for you. If you benefited from my blog, I would appreciate a cup of coffee! 🙂

Buy Me a Coffee

This was the most amazing experience during my 2 months trip through South East Asia and I definitely recommend it to every adventurer.

If you want to explore Komodo National Park without renouncing privacy and comfort, you can also book a private tour with a different operator. But be aware that this is considerably more expensive.

No matter which option and agency you choose, doing a boat tour to Komodo National Park should definitely be on your list for a trip to Indonesia!

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a world of destinations

December 3, 2020

Asia , Destinations , Indonesia

Indonesia , Komodo Boat tour , Komodo national park , Labuan Bajo , south east asia

16 Comments

December 5, 2020 at 8:26 pm

I want to jump into literally every picture in this post. What stunning views! I’m definitely adding this to my bucket list and will take your recommendations in the future!

December 11, 2020 at 5:42 pm

Hahah same here, I’d love to go back!

December 5, 2020 at 9:53 pm

This looks like a fantastic experience! I would love to do this tour one day.

December 11, 2020 at 5:41 pm

It really is a fantastic experience! Hope you get the chance to do the tour someday!

December 6, 2020 at 3:19 pm

This seems a fun tour. I thought I had read they had closed the National Park to save the natural habitat. I really want to visit but also feel scary looking at these creatures.

It really is a fun tour! They announced a closure from 2020 for a year, but then cancelled it again. Not quite sure why.. probably they’re dependent on the income generated by visitors

November 2, 2022 at 1:46 am

Hello, we are looking into this tour next summer and my only question was how did you get back? It seems at the end of the tour you are a long way from Bali which is where I would fly home from

November 17, 2022 at 9:47 am

Hi Leannie, I took a flight back to Bali 🙂

December 29, 2022 at 4:30 pm

Hello, where did you leave your big backpack at the time?

January 3, 2023 at 6:36 am

I took it with me and they store it in a room on the boat 🙂

January 7, 2023 at 10:18 am

Hi, I’m close to the Gili islands now, and would live to do this trip. However, I’m 56 and am likely to be a lot older than most of the other passengers. Honestly, do you think this will be a problem?

January 7, 2023 at 1:48 pm

I don’t think it will be a problem. You’ll have a great time for sure 🙂

July 7, 2023 at 10:45 am

ich bin Sven und ich bin jetzt auf deinen Blog gestoßen, da ich schon einige Anbieter zu der Tour durch hab. Wie war es denn bei dir mit der Buchung? Musstest du einen Betrag vorab bezahlen?

July 12, 2023 at 8:45 pm

Hi Sven, ich kann mich nicht mehr genau erinnern, aber ich glaube schon, dass ich vorab was bezahlen musste.

April 11, 2024 at 11:52 am

Thanks for the article, there’s not much information about these tours anywhere. How’s the condition of toilet / shower (is there even a shower?) on board?

April 12, 2024 at 7:28 pm

Hi Felix, that fully depends on the provider you book with. Them more you pay, the better the facilities. I booked a very basic low-budget tour. The toilet was ok and there was an outdoor shower on the deck.

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Hi!   I’m Maria, an outdoor-active traveler who seeks to go off the beaten track to discover hidden gems.   Most of the time you’ll find me exploring small beach towns or untouched places in the mountains to connect with nature. My goal is to inspire others to go out of their comfort zone and explore this beautiful planet.   During the creation of this blog, uncountable cups of coffee were consumed. If my blog is an inspiration for you in any way, I would appreciate your support by buying me a cup of coffee.   Happy traveling!

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How to Take a Komodo Boat Trip from Lombok to Flores: AKA the “Backpackers Boat”

Taking an ultra-budget Komodo Boat Tip from Lombok to Flores should be a part of every backpacker’s Bali itinerary. The boat from Lombok to Flores is bare-bones, with absolutely no frills – I can’t state this enough! There’s no AC, you sleep on a mat on the floor with 20-something other people, and the toilet has to be flushed with a bucket of water, (there are also only two toilets, for 30-some people!). That being said, it’s a lot of fun and the #1 tour I recommend to everyone traveling in Indonesia.

✔️ Essential Info

• 💵 Price: 3,200,000 IDR – 3,600,000 IDR including Komodo National Park fee
• 📍 Location: Boats sail to/from Lombok and Labuan Bajo, Flores
• ⏳ Duration: 4 days / 3 nights
• 👉 Note! Tours don’t run from January-March (Rainy Season)
• 📆 Departures from Lombok: Every Monday and Thursday
• 📆 Departures from Flores: Every Monday and Friday
• ✈️ ⛴️ Getting to Lombok from Bali: 1-hour flight or speed boat/local ferry
• ✈️ Getting to Flores from Bali: 1-hour flight
• 🏆 Best tour company: I recommend Wanua Adventure
• 📧 How to book: [email protected] m

Where Is Komodo Island Located?

Komodo Island is located in Komodo National Park, which is a cluster of islands off the coast of Flores. Flores is an island in the Indonesian Archipelago that belongs to the East Nusa Tenggara Province. You can see on the map that Komodo & Flores are far east of the island of Bali, where most travelers fly to. The islands of Lombok and Sumbawa lie between Bali and Komodo National Park, making overland transport between the two islands difficult.

How To Get To Komodo From Bali

The Backpackers Boat departs from Lombok or Labuan Bajo, Flores. You can choose between sailing from Flores to/from Lombok, depending on what fits your itinerary better. 👉 Read my more detailed guide on how to get to/from Bali to the Komodos

• Departing from Lombok , You can get to Lombok from Bali by ferry, fast boat, or flight. If you’re flying into Lombok Airport, it’s located outside of Kuta Lombok, which is a nice surfer town. I recommend visiting the Komodos after the Gili Islands, so the itinerary would look like Bali > Fast boat to the Gili Islands > Ferry to Lombok > Embark for Komodo .

👉 Note: Your overland shuttle transfer through Lombok from Kuta or the Gilis should be organized by your Komodo Boat Tour provider.

• Departing from Labuan Bajo, Flores: You can only get from Bali to Flores by flight, but the flights are inexpensive (typically less than $50) and less than 1 hour.

👉 Note! Because the cruise is not round trip, you will have to fly between Flores and Bali once regardless of which port you depart from.

Best Time To Visit Komodo National Park

Komodo Cruises typically don’t run during the peak of the wet season, Jan – March.   Indonesia doesn’t have winter, spring, summer, and fall – instead, they only have two seasons: the dry and the wet. You’ll want to visit Komodo National Park during the dry season which stretches from April – to October. I sailed in Komodo at the beginning of the wet season in November and didn’t have any problems with the weather personally, but the people who sailed the weekend before me in mid-November had it rain the whole weekend! 

Do You Need A Tour To Visit Komodo?

YES – You 100% need a tour to enter Komodo National Park. It’s actually  illegal  to visit the Komodo Islands without a guide, plus they can only be accessed via boat. So, it’s not a DIY kind of tourist location and you need a tour. 

Is Komodo worth visiting from Bali?

Komodo National Park is not an  easy  place to visit from Bali, since you need multiple days to explore the Komodo Islands + you have to take a short flight to Flores. But, in my personal opinion, it’s one of the most worthwhile things you can do in Indonesia.

12 Reasons You Should Take A Komodo Boat Tour from Lombok To Flores 

I have been full time traveling for over a year at the time of writing this and there have been so many “Instagram vs. Reality” disappointments that I felt myself getting  kinda  jaded. I’m happy to report that not only did the Komodo National Park sailing trip live up to my expectations, but it also  surpassed  them.

The trip to Komodo from Lombok is now my favorite tour I’ve ever taken in a year and a half of full-time travel! Every. Single. Day of the 4-day tour was a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience – I’ve never done anything like it before, and it’s left me with a need to start exploring Indonesia’s other amazing islands outside of Bali stat .

1. You Get To Swim With Whale Sharks (!!!) 

Swimming with the wild whale sharks was the highlight of the whole trip for me, and the reason I originally picked the tour that goes from Lombok to Flores over the tour that only sails within Komodo National Park (and then I did that one right after !). At 6 in the morning, the whole boat wakes up to the most GORGEOUS sunrise and a  giant  whale shark swimming around the boats. Our tour guide was honest with us, these are wild animals – sometimes they’re there, sometimes they’re not. Occasionally there will be up to 5 whale sharks at once, other times none! 

I think we were pretty lucky because there was one whale shark present for our encounter, and one was honestly enough for me! Even though whale sharks are considered “gentle giants”, I think having a 5 swimming all over would have been kinda intimidating because they are  huge . The whale shark was very curious and was swimming up to get fed and then going all around the boats and people snorkeling. 

🚩  Ethical Issues  – About animal welfare, know that the whale sharks are fed for this experience. I’m always conflicted about “animal encounter” things. It’s slightly comforting that Whale Sharks aren’t predatory animals, they filter plankton and other super small fish, so by feeding them people aren’t  necessarily  making them unequipped to survive in the wild – but it’s still something to keep in mind when deciding to participate in the activity or not! 

2. Visit the Pink Beach 

Komodo’s Pink Beach gets its candy-hued sand from the ground-up coral. The pink color is made bolder when it’s wet, so you’ll find the most beautiful pink sand at the ocean’s edge. In addition to being pink, I found Pink Beach was all-around one of the nicest beaches I’ve visited in Indonesia. There’s great snorkeling off the coast of the beach, and the white/pink sand coupled with  impossibly blue  water made for the perfect setting. 

Everyone gets disappointed when we first see the beach because it looks like normal white sand from the boat, but as you get closer you can see the whole strip of beach by the water is  bright pink!  If you want to find a good snorkel spot at Pink Beach, once you dock you’ll want to go towards the right of the beach. If you want to see where the sand is the pinkest, go more towards the left side.

🛶 When I took the nicer Komodo Cruise my second time going they had kayaks available for us to use at Pink Beach and it was  so much fun! 

3. Get  Really  Close With 30-ish People 

If you take the backpacker’s Komodo Cruise from Lombok to Flores you will be sleeping on a mat on the floor with  roughly  30 other people. There are around 6 private cabins available on each boat for a small additional fee (I think it was around $30 per person to get a private cabin), but they’re right above the engine and most people report a better sleeping experience in the common room. 

There’s no AC, and while the cabins and common room are unbearably hot in the daytime, you will be doing activities outside of the boat anyway! The good thing about the kinda cramped conditions on the boat is that it allows you to make friends  fast  with your boat mates. That’s why I recommend taking the Backpackers’ Boat from Lombok to Flores to solo travelers! 

4. It’s An Extremely Cheap Trip (Even By Bali Standards!) 

💰For my 4-day / 3-night Komodo Islands Cruise from Lombok to Flores, I only paid around $50 per day. This included all meals, accommodation, tour guides, activities, and the entrance fee to Komodo National Park. Of course, it was so cheap because I was sleeping on a mat with 30 other people, the toilet flushed with a bucket, and we were eating mostly rice, tofu, and cabbage,  but still!!!!  Taking the backpackers’ cruise from Lombok to Flores is a very affordable option.

💡  Budget Tip:  My Komodo boat trip from Lombok to Flores actually included a ferry ticket from Gili Air and Gili T, and then cross-island van transportation to the port in Lombok where the tour set off – making it the  perfect  addition to any Bali > Gilis > Komodo itinerary. 

5. You Can Sleep Under The Stars On The Open Ocean 

So, the sleeping arrangements on the backpackers’ boat aren’t ideal – I’ll admit that. The mats have 0 space between them, so unless you sleep like a mummy with your hands crossed over your chest or by your side it can get a  little  cramped. After the first night, people started bringing their mats outside to sleep on the deck, which freed up some (much-needed) space in the main room for everyone else and was also a  super cool  way to spend the night.  

💸 When I took the nicer Komodo Island Cruise a few weeks later I had a proper comfy bed  with  AC , but no option to sleep under the stars. If comfort is a priority for you I would recommend booking a 🚢 Luxury Komodo Cruise for around the same price! (I paid $50 more for a bunk-bed room).

6. They Let You Jump Off The Boat! 

My favorite part about the backpackers’ cruise from Lombok to Flores is that they didn’t really care what you did. Is that bad to say??? Haha. Basically, it went like this: 

“Can I jump off the boat?”

*Shrug*”sure” 

“Can I jump off the roof of the boat?”

“Go for it”. 

On some nicer (i.e. more expensive) boat tours, they might be fretting about the passengers’ safety, worried about bad reviews, etc, but on the backpackers’ boat, they  just didn’t care . 

As long as you weren’t going to do something  really  stupid or dangerous, the tour operators were chill about things like jumping off the boat, which wound up being one of the most fun memories from the trip! 

7. See Komodo Dragons Up-Close 

This is part of every Komodo tour, and I’m going to be 100% honest – I t’s the most disappointing part of the trip.   I’ve been to Komodo Island to see the dragons  twice  now and I can say with complete and total honesty that it’s the  worst  activity you do on a Komodo Island Cruise. People come from all over the world to see the dragons, but they’re mostly just sleeping on the beach while throngs of tourists line up to pose behind them for a photo op. 

The locals on Komodo Island have  really  leaned into tourism, so after your photo opportunity you get harassed endlessly to buy some dragon-shaped trinkets, overpriced Bintangs, or t-shirts that say  “I survived Komodo Island.” 

It’s a cool experience to tick off a list, but if you’re going to do a Komodo National Park boat trip, do it for the amazing nature; swimming with whale sharks, giant manta rays, and sea turtles – the Komodo Dragons are kinda just  there . 

8. Enjoy Ice-Cold Bintangs In Beautiful Places!

Okay, so the super-cheap, super-dinky boat that goes from Lombok to Flores is known as the “Backpackers’ Komodo Cruise” as well as the “Party Komodo Cruise”. Enjoying an ice-cold Bintang while playing cards on the roof of the boat with Komodo National Park on either side is a fantastic memory I have of the trip. 

🍻 Fun Fact:  Bintang beer is essentially just Heineken beer that’s produced in Indonesia. 

9. Hike To The Viewpoint At Padar Island 

Very few places in the world actually look as amazing as the photos on Instagram, but Padar Island is one of them! We got to climb to Padar Island’s viewpoint, which is about a 20-minute trek straight up, at sunset on our second day. The view from the top of Padar Island is AMAZING, I really can’t overstate it. 

💡 Tip: Pack decent shoes for this! People who just bought flip-flops were struggling on this half-hour hike.

10. Take a Short Hike to Kanawa Island’s Peak 

Kanawa Island is one of the most underrated in the whole of Komodo National Park (in my opinion). It’s super tiny viewpoint trek that only takes around 5-10 minutes and looks great in photos.

11. & Watch an Unreal Sunset

We climbed to the viewpoint at Kanawa Island at dusk and then watched the sunset from the boat. Kanawa Island at sunset looks unreal, like a screensaver that’s an AI-generated photo of paradise. 

12. Take in the Sights of Komodo One Last Time at Kelor Island

Kelor Island is the closest to Flores, where the boat tours start or end. Although Kelor doesn’t look like the most exciting island in Komodo, its viewpoint has a truly jaw-dropping view of the neighboring islands that looks exactly like the photos above. By the end of the trip, we were all tired from 4-days of activities, but I highly recommend mustering up the energy for this last hike – It’s so worth it!

4-Day / 3-Night Boat Trip Itinerary

• Set off from Lombok ferry port
• Hike to Kanawa Island’s viewpoint
• watch the sunset on Kanawa Island from your boat
• Wake up at 6 AM to snorkel with the wild whale sharks!
• Free time to swim and jump off the boat
• Komodo Island to see the Komodo dragons in the morning
• Swimming at Pink Beach in the afternoon 
• Hike to Padar Island’s viewpoint for sunset 

Day 4 

• Snorkeling in the morning 
• Climb to the Kelor Island viewpoint
• Dock at Labuan Bajo

How To Book The Backpackers’ Boat & How Much It Cost

The Backpackers’ Boat sailing trips that go from Lombok to Flores do not have an online booking option. They operate through word of mouth and usually only accept cash. I recommend the company Wanua Adventure, which you can email to reserve a spot. You have the option to book a general admission spot, which is basically just a mat on the deck, or a private cabin. The private cabins only cost $30-60 more than sleeping on the deck with everyone else, but they’re right above the engine and can get really hot and noisy.

📧 >>[email protected]

💰 Cost: The Komodo Tour from Lombok to Flores costs 3,200,000 Indonesian Rupiah in total, and includes entry tickets to Komodo National Park.

Which Tour Company to Use?

In general, the experience is 80% similar across all the companies that do the route. I did the tour with the company Travel Wise, and while I don’t regret it, there were some small issues like not having enough cups and snorkels for all the passengers. ➡ I recommend booking with Wanua Adventure, which is the most famous company.

My full review of travelwise

The backpackers’ boat is supposed to be a less glamorous and rough time, but there were a few times during our tour that just made me sigh. For example, there weren’t enough cups on board – there were only like 8 cups for 30+ people. 

So, in the morning everyone would want coffee and tea they put out for the passengers, but you couldn’t have any… because there were no cups. Similarly, there weren’t enough (working) snorkels for all the passengers – which really sucked because snorkeling was a huge part of the trip! 

We also had a bit of a problem with the alcohol people brought to the store in the cooler. Travel-Wise was having people operate on the honor system, as in “if you put 10 beers in the cooler, please just only take out 10 beers”, which is a bit hard to uphold with 30+ people drinking on a boat. 

On the last day, some Dutch passengers were very upset when they found out someone had drunk their Bintangs. On the other boats, there was a system where you write your name on your items in the cooler that seemed to work better. 

I was talking to a friend who did the tour with Wanua Adventure, and he said that his tour had none of these problems. 

It’s hard to know which company to go with because there’s very little written online about the Backpackers’ Boats that sail from Lombok to Flores. They’re not advertised online and mostly operate through word of mouth.  For the reasons I list above, if I were to do the tour again I would chose the company Wanua Adventure.

What To Bring

✅ Bintangs!  They don’t sell alcohol onboard the ships, and it’s quite a party boat – so you’ll want to bring your own Bintang beers and other drinks if you want to enjoy them onboard. I also recommend bringing a Sharpie to write your name on them so they don’t get confused with other passengers. 

✅  Reef-Safe Sunscreen  – I can’t overstate how  crazy  sunny it is in Komodo National Park, you’ll want to bring some high-strength sunscreen from home. They sell sunscreen in Labuan Bajo, but it’s insanely expensive and they don’t have any reef-safe options (which is necessary to protect the wildlife in Komodo).

✅  Snacks  – The food on the boat wasn’t great, I was skipping the breakfasts they were providing because I thought they were kinda nasty (one day was just pineapple on wonderbread covered in cold margarine 🤢). I recommend bringing some good snacks with you! 

✅  A Towel  – There’s a shower on board but towels aren’t provided. I’ve been using an XL Microfiber Camping Towel for two years and it’s big enough to use as a beach towel.

✅  Flippers + snorkel set  – If you’re taking the Backpackers’ Boat from Lombok to Flores they had  terrible  snorkels! And no fins. Sometimes the current is strong in Komodo and pretty much everyone wishes they brought their own fins.

✅ Proper shoes!!!  You don’t need trekking shoes for the Komodo Island Nature Walk or the trek up to the viewpoint on Padar, but I really wouldn’t suggest only bringing flip-flops! The people on the boat who only brought flip-flops were  really  struggling on these small hikes.

Katie Caf, founder of Katie Caf Travel, is a seasoned travel expert who has explored over 30 countries and lived abroad in places like Egypt, Morocco, Mexico, India, Indonesia Thailand, Europe, and the USA. Her goal is to help other traveler see the world by providing first-hand accounts of what to expect on the road.

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9 DAY KOMODO ISLAND TOUR FROM LOMBOK (2024): OUR HONEST REVIEW & HOW TO BOOK!

DISCOVER THIS 9 DAY KOMODO ISLAND TOUR FROM LOMBOK!

Check out our blog post below for an honest review & guide on the TruTravel’s 9 day Komodo Island tour from Lombok !

Includes : The best Komodo Island tour operator, our in-depth tour review on what to expect, prices, what to bring, how to get there and more!

KOMODO ISLAND TOUR FROM LOMBOK: AN INTRODUCTION

Our review below of TruTravel’s “ 9 day Komodo Island tour from Lombok ” are true and honest reflections of our personal experience of this exact tour, that we had the joy of taking part in when we travelled Indonesia.

This tour takes you well off the beaten track, and is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the real Indonesia! Come face to face with wild Komodo dragons, sail like pirates and sleep under the stars on a live-aboard boat, visit a pink beach, snorkel with clownfish and a jaw-dropping sunset on Padar Island.

We had a brilliant time, and wanted to share our personal experience and tips for this tour with you:

KOMODO ISLAND TOUR FROM LOMBOK: THE ULTIMATE 9 DAY ITINERARY!

Below is our own in-depth description and photographs of our TruTravels 9 Day Komodo Island Hopper tour experience:

DAY 1: ARRIVE INTO KUTA

ARRIVE INTO KUTA, LOMBOK Arrange a free airport pick-up from Lombok International Airport with TruTravels, or make your own way to the hotel resort based in Kuta, Lombok .

Here, get settled in, grab a cocktail by the pool and get to know your new tour friends as they begin also begin to arrive. Gather for an informative tour debrief from your incredible guide, and head into Kuta for your first TruFam meal together!

Top tip : Two incredible restaurants in Kuta are KRNK Burgers ; a cool, quirky and creative burgers bar and KENZA Lombok , a shabby chic restaurant & gift shop with a delightful nautical vibe and insane food. You will most likely visit here on your first few days!

DAY 2: SASAK VILLAGE & RINJANI GEONATURAL PARK WATERFALL TRAIL

VISIT A LOMBOK SASAK VILLAGE Venture straight into the cultural heart of a local Sasak Village to revel in Lombok’s age old culture and witness the women at work, demonstrating their impeccable traditional weaving techniques!

Only Lombok women are involved in the traditional weaving trade, sitting on a daily basis working from 7am to 5pm! They are taught by their mothers from age 7, and cannot be married until they have mastered this skill!

Fun Fact : The majority of colouring used to weave the sarongs are natural: red from chillis, green from spinach, yellow from saffron and black from coffee beans.

Crazy Fact : In Lombok, the man has to effectively “kidnap” a woman to marry her! After a few days, her parents will realise what has happened and await her return. Ultimately, the woman then has to agree to marry him. He must choose wisely, as if she says no, his chance of marriage is over as he isn’t allowed to do it again!

RINJANI GEONATURAL PARK WATERFALL TRAIL After the Sasak village, put your hiking boots on and head into the Rinjani Geonatural Park, an idyllic nature trail into the jungle in search for waterfalls!

The best waterfall you will see last is the incredible Benang Kelambu waterfall, made up of multiple majestic waterfalls cascading down the jungle cliff faces.

DAY 3: LOMBOK BEACH DAY

RELAXED DAY ON LOMBOK BEACHES A day exploring a few of South Lombok’s delightful beaches! First, head to a secret hidden gem to relax and unwind.

Secondly, head to the vast white sandy shores of Selang Belenak; packed with quirky cafes, hire boats, a long colourful line of surf boards and countless stalls offering surf lessons! Grab a board and practise riding the waves, or just simply catch some rays with a beer.

Head back to the Lombok hotel for the final night of dinner and drinks before leaving Lombok on Day 4!

Witnessed on Lombok beaches : A local farmer leading his herd of water buffalo across the main beach!

Witnessed on Lombok beaches : Stray dogs running into the sea to cool off and then eating the small crabs on the beach!

Click to book this 9 day Komodo Island tour from Lombok! 🐉🏝️⛵

DAY 4 TRAVEL DAY TO SUMBAWA

TRAVEL FROM LOMBOK TO SUMBAWA Pack your bags, you are leaving Lombok to sail to new distant lands! Set off on a 2 hour bus ride to the Lombok ferry port and sail East from Lombok to Sumbawa, our new base for the next few days.

SUMBAWA ARRIVAL, DINNER & BEACH BONFIRE Arrive late afternoon, settle into your new beach hut, grab a delicious bite to eat in the restaurant, watch the dazzling sunset and sing camp songs around a fire under the stars!

Quick observations : There seem to be goats everywhere in Sumbawa! In the fields or just chilling by the road sides!

Quick observations : As you go East of Lombok (i.e. Sumbawa onwards) the heat becomes very intense and dry, especially when you reach the Komodo Islands. West of Lombok (i.e. Bali and Sumatra) is tropical.

DAY 5: MOYO ISLAND WATERFALLS

ARRIVE AT MOYO ISLAND & WATERFALLS An exclusive destination that only TruTravels take you to, the paradise island of Moyo! Grab a helmet, hop onto a local guide’s motorbike, and hold on tight as you slowly meander into the forest depths to Indonesia’s most secret waterfalls.

Marvel in wonder and take a dip in the naturally vibrant turquoise lagoons!

MOYO ISLAND BEACH LUNCH Making your way back to the beach, your guide will ride you through the local village, where you will be greeted with huge smiles of the village children waving you past!

At the beach, experience the most picturesque lunch spot at Sunset Moyo Cafe before sailing back to Sumbawa. Lookout out for the red raw sunset and occasionally dolphins who love to follow the boat!

DAY 6: SATONDA ISLAND & LIVE ABOARD BOAT

BOARD LIVE ABOARD BOAT Your last morning in Sumbawa! Check out and climb aboard your own private live aboard boat, your home for the next few days!

SATONDA ISLAND CRATER LAKE & SNORKELLING The first stop on route is Satonda Island – a completely wild, uninhabited island with an incredible saltwater crater lake in the middle – see some insane aerial photos here !

Fringed by an insane landscaped border, blissfully float in the magnificent saltwater lake and lose yourself in thought with just the sound of birds tweeting. It is such a tranquil experience.

Once your done, grab your snorkel to experience a magical underwater world just off Satonda Islands shores. Expect to see a whole host of insane marine species, including clown fish frolicking in the anemone, giant blue starfish, giant calms and parrot fish to name a few!

Hop back on board and enjoy your first evening sailing the open seas, onward to your next destination.

Fun Fact: Satonda Island Crater Lake was formed when Mt Tombara volcano (Sumbawa) erupted in 1815. A Tsunami through sea water onto the island, where it settled in an old volcanic crater and resultantly made the lake we see today! At its deepest, it is 100 metres deep and only contains very small fish.

Fun Fact: Satonda crater lake is three times saltier than the ocean, meaning you are able to float very easily!

DAY 7: MANTA RAY SWIM, PINK BEACH & PADAR ISLAND SUNSET

SWIM WITH MANTA RAYS AT MANTA POINT Wake up on the boat for the first time, grab yourself some chocolate pancakes for a packed day ahead! First stop is Gili Lawa lookout and the second is Manta Point, an opportunity to snorkel the ocean in search of majestic Manta Rays!

VISIT A REAL PINK BEACH Next up is to visit one of only seven pink beaches in the world, this one snuggled in a secluded Komodo Island cove.

Catch a small boat over to the small Pink beach (low additional cost), and marvel in awe as bright pink sand explodes in colour as its churned by the crystal clear, turquoise waves!

A perfect spot in paradise to relax, swim or snorkel the incredible shallow reefs.

Top Tip: The live aboard boat cannot take you straight to the beach due to shallow waters. You are given the option to swim or take a local boat (very small additional cost equating to £1-£2). We would highly recommend taking this local boat to and from the live aboard boat. Though it does not look far, the current here is very strong and even the strongest swimmers of our group struggled. Make sure you have low Indonesian Rupiah currency spare for this.

Fun fact : The Pink Beach is created by tiny fragments of red coral mixing with the original sand, causing this incredible colourful phenomenon!

SUNSET AT PADAR ISLAND The final stop for sunset is somewhere that needs to be seen to be believed – Padar Island! Climbing 800 steps, feel the rush of being alive as you reach the peak, witnessing the sun setting behind the rugged raw terrain and countless beach coves.

Listen out for the proud eagle calls as they soar overhead in this otherwise purely tranquil setting. A real “pinch yourself” moment to make sure you’re not dreaming.

Top Tip: On the boat ride back to the live aboard boat from Padar Island (30 to 45 minutes), remember to look down to where the boat moves through the sea. In the darkness, you will see millions of bright blue bioluminescent plankton. This truly was an unexpected sight that took our breath away.

PARTY ON THE BOAT Tonight is the first night we are docked for the full evening, time to enjoy a few drinks, dance to music, sing-a-long to the guitar or head up to the top deck to stargaze on the bean bags!

DAY 8: RINCA ISLAND KOMODO DRAGONS & LABUAN BAJO

WAKE UP AT RINCA ISLAND & BREAKFAST The day we’ve all been waiting for – Witnessing wild Komodo Dragons on the Komodo Islands! Wake up docked at Rinca Island, a true Jurassic Park like landscape that takes your breath away. Spot the cheeky group of long-tailed Macaques hanging around the boat to steal some of your breakfast!

SEE WILD KOMODO DRAGONS ON RINCA ISLAND Enter the otherworldly National Park, be assigned your rangers and venture into the wilderness in search of the large prehistoric Komodo Dragons!

Spot them in the trees, the grass or nesting. Look out for a whole host of other wildlife, including deer, monkeys and water buffalo! Grab a drink and a hand-made wooden souvenir from the make-shift shop after your thrilling adventure.

Top Tip : Rinca Island is the best Komodo Island to witness the Komodo Dragons, providing a completely natural, wild experience. ‘Komodo Island’ is apparently a lot more catered to tourists, to the point where they occasionally dangle meat to entice the dragons. On Rinca, they do not interfere with them at all.

Fun fact : You will spot a lot of wild Komodo Dragons lazing around the buildings before the trail. Though they never feed them, they are lured here by the smells of cooking!

Fun fact : Komodo Dragons have two penises! One for mating, one that acts as testicles!

SAIL TO LABUAN BAJO & FINAL DINNER Bid farewell to your Captain and crew as you reach your final stop: Labuan Bajo in Flores, and check into the luxury Sylvia resort for your last night!

A warm shower and comfy bed never felt so good after 3 days on the boat (we showered, then showered again)!

Grab a milkshake or cocktail and relax in the resort pool or down at the beach to watch the sun (quite literally) slip behind the sea. Later, head out into Labuan Bajo to the nautical Le Pirate restaurant for your last ‘TruFam’ meal together!

DAY 9: CHECK OUT & SAY GOODBYE!

CHECK OUT & ONWARD TRAVEL Sadly, it’s time for your 9 day Komodo Island tour to come to an end! Say goodbye to your ‘TruCrew’ and continue with your onward travel.

This is usually a short 1 hour flight back to Bali Denpasar International Airport, be sure to book your flight beforehand. Check Skyscanner for all available flight deals .

Your TruTravel guide will help you book a taxi with the hotel to Labuan Bajo airport. It’s only a 20 minute drive, and the airport is very small and easy to navigate.

A QUICK NOTE OF REASSURANCE:

TruTravels customer support promise to be on hand to help you navigate the whole time you’re in South East Asia, even when you have finished their tour!

Staying in Indonesia after your tour? Check out these related blog posts:

• 3 to 4 days in Ubud Bali travel itinerary
• Getting from Bali to the Gili Islands guide

PRICE OF THIS KOMODO ISLAND TOUR FROM LOMBOK (2023 UPDATED)

In 2023, the price per adult for this 9 day Komodo Island tour with TruTravels starts at just £1,150 per person !

This is inclusive of your travel guide throughout the whole trip, transport, 8 nights accommodation and all activities described in our in-depth review above!

VISITING THE KOMODO ISLANDS: “KNOW BEFORE YOU GO” FAQ’S

Are the komodo islands worth going to.

Yes, the Komodo Islands are absolutely worth going to! The simple fact that they are slightly off the beaten track to most tourists are what makes them worth visiting the most!

Visiting the Komodo islands gives a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the untouched and raw side of Indonesia, its awe-inspiring natural beauty and insane wildlife.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO TO THE KOMODO ISLANDS?

The best time to go to the Komodo Islands is between the months of May to June. Though the Komodo Islands are generally always hot and humid, these months bring cooler nights and calmer sailing conditions.

Likewise, it misses the high tourism season between July to August, when the Komodo Islands are at their busiest.

ARE KOMODO ISLANDS OPEN TO TOURISM IN 2023?

Yes, the Komodo Islands are open to tourists in 2023.

KOMODO ISLAND TOUR ALTERNATIVE: 1 DAY

If your plans change (i.e. your budget or available travel time), there are also some great full day Komodo Island tour options to take straight from Labuan Bajo .

Instead of starting at Lombok, you would simply pre-book your tour and fly directly into Labuan Bajo. In our research for you guys, we came across one very highly-rated shorter Komodo Island tour:

Additional Option 1: “One Full Day Komodo trip with Bintang Komodo tours”:

This 5* “Badge of Excellence” rated full 1 day Komodo Island tour from Labuan Bajo takes you straight all of the Komodo Island hotspots!

This includes Komodo Island to see the dragons, Padar Island, Manta Point, Pink Beach and an additional stops at Taka Makassar Island & Kanawa Island for snorkelling.

Total trip duration: approximately 11 hours.

Click to book this 1 full day Komodo trip with Bintang Komodo tours 🐉⛴

KOMODO ISLAND TOUR PACKING LIST

• Loose comfortable clothing, such as tank tops and cotton shorts.
• Your swimsuit.
• Protective beach shoes .
• Comfortable lightweight walking shoes with good grip.
• A microfibre beach towel (fast drying & lightweight).
• A spare waterproof bag to store your wet towel / swimsuit after your tour.
• A GoPro / waterproof camera to capture amazing footage!
• Or! A waterproof dry bag (with a lanyard!) to take photos and videos on your smartphone instead.
• High factor sun cream
• After sun moisturising cream.
• Sun protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses.
• Hygienic wet wipes for the live aboard boat, the shower on-board is basically a hose pipe!
• A medical pouch / first aid kit.
• Refillable water bottle .
• Powered battery pack (and cable) for your smart phone.

CONCLUSION: 9 DAY KOMODO ISLAND TOUR

In conclusion, from our own first hand-experience on TruTravel’s “ 9 day Komodo Island tour from Lombok “, we can highly recommend this tour.

The duration of 9 days allows for a less rushed approach, giving you time to explore the culture and natural wonders of Lombok and surrounding hidden gem islands first as you slowly make your way to Komodo.

It is important to keep in mind however that while TruTravels offer their tours to people of all ages, the majority that take their tours are a younger crowd between 18 to mid 30’s, with a good mix of solo travellers, groups of friends and couples.

During our Komodo Island tour with them, this was the case, with the oldest travellers being in their early 30’s. As a company, TruTravel’s customer support were very attentive and answered any questions we had beforehand with their super convenient immediate online chat, which can always be found on the bottom right-hand corner of their website .

Our local tour guides (ours were called Risky and Spicy Spice!) were absolute legends and always made us feel safe.

Have further questions? You’re welcome to contact us based on our personal experience, or likewise ask any further tour related questions to TruTravels directly . They will be happy to help!

This blog post was written by… Jordie Flain! Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com, Travel Itinerary Creator & Wildlife Enthusiast

LOOKING TO BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP? CHECK OUT OUR FAVOURITE SUPPLIERS BELOW:

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Jordie Flain is the owner and author of The Flains Travel, a travel blog with emphasis on ethical wildlife experiences, "seen to be believed" natural beauty and "real magic" phenomena, such as the northern lights. Jordie crafts every itinerary and post to perfection for travellers to follow and get the very most out of their time in a destination.

Unforgettable Komodo Boat Trips: 

Create memories from lombok to komodo..

Explore the beauty of Komodo islands 4 days 3 nights with us!

Over the years, the boat trip Komodo Company became known as one of the premier tour operators in the region, attracting visitors from all over the world. The company's boats were well-maintained and equipped with modern amenities, making for a comfortable and enjoyable journey.

One of the key features of the boat trip Komodo Company was its commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism. The company worked closely with the local community and park official to ensure that their tours had a minimal impact on the fragile ecosystem of the park. They also provided education and training to their staff and guests on the importance of preserving the park's natural and cultural heritage.

Our Partners

Where do we sleep?

The boat are well-maintained and build for your comfortable journey. There are two class on the boat; it is Deck Class (shared) and Private Cabin class.

Mattress, pillow and blanket per person on a shared deck. Other services are the same as Cabin class

LOMBOK  to LABUAN BAJO (FLORES) via KOMODO 4Days/3Nights

Departure : Every Wednesday and Saturday

Day 1 :   START MEETING POINT  BANGSAL (New Taman Sari Resto) – LOMBOK KAYANGAN – KENAWA ISLAND

– We gather between 08:30 – 10:30 at our meeting point close to bangsal harbour, North Lombok

– We will wait until every guest has arrived and check in. We do registration for all client, please waiting until every guest has arrived and checked in. After that we will drive to the port of East Lombok. – Activities for this day will be snorkeling, swimming and enjoying the sunset – Optional: you can hike the mountain on Kenawa island for a breathtaking view – Sailing during night to Saleh Bay

Day 2 : WHALE SHARK POINT

Here will sailing to saleh bay to find schools of the great Whale shark

and swim together with this majestic creature if we lucky we will find a lot of them swim close to the fisherman boat

Day 3 :   KOMODO ISLAND – PINK BEACH – PADAR ISLAND

– Komodo Island, Visiting the Komodo Island to Hunting Komodo by Camera, – LONG Pink Beach, for relaxing, snorkeling or play some beach games. – At Padar Island we will hike to watch the marvelous views.

Day 4 :   LONG BEACH - KELOR ISLAND – LABUAN BAJO (FLORES)

– Kelor Island, for relaxing, snorkeling or play some beach games. – We will finish the tour around 03.00 – 5:00 PM, depending on the weather conditions.

Boat Facilities

Safety Equipment (Liferaft, Life Jacket, Ring lifebouy, and ect)

Fresh water and simple shower for all passengers, charging points for electronic devices (with solar energy), lockers to secure your valuables., trips already sold, happy customers, amazing guests.

Amazing trip! always nice to talk with the guide, they always have the best advices for your easy on this Komodo trip! Jane Jannet  

From start to finish, they were extremely professional, friendly, helpful. Make it easy to do this long trip. Very happy with the experience and the company.   Jeremy C.

Positive energy, great crew spirit, friendly and awesome people! I warmly recommend them! Iris Doe

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Lombok to Komodo Boat Trip – Our Experience

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We took the boat from Lombok to Flores. This is our honest review.

We took the Lombok to Flores boat trip 4 days/3 nights so you don’t have to (if you don’t feel like going on a crazy adventure 😉).

Here’s our quick Komodo boat trip from Lombok travel guide. You can find our personal experience at the end.

Is Komodo Island Worth Going to?

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Yes! Komodo Island is absolutely worth it! Seeing Komodo Dragons in the wild was a childhood dream of mine and an absolute bucketlist experience.

Whether the boat from Lombok to Komodo is worth it is a different question. After having read a German article describing the cruise as a “ hell trip ” we thought “How bad can it be?”. Let us tell you, this boat trip wasn’t all fun and games.

No. First of all, there are the Komodo Dragons. While they only killed 5 people in the last decades, 5 is more than 0 – and there’s only a ranger with a wooden stick in between you and them.

Additionally, there are twelve species of snakes including some of the most dangerous in the world like cobras and many different vipers.

While there are rangers to protect you and accidents rarely happen, Komodo National Park is not the place to go if you want to be 100% safe. It’s the place to go if you want an adventure!

And let’s be honest, the boat trip from Lombok does not make things any safer.

You have two main options:

• Take a flight from Lombok to Flores and hop on a boat there.
• A Lombok to Flores cruise that stops in Komodo on the way.

Lombok to Labuan Bajo Boat Trip

Note how there is no stop between Mojo Island and Komodo National Park.

This is the exact Lombok to Flores itinerary we did hence it might differ from other itineraries you can find online.

Lombok Flores Boat Day 1

Day 1 of the Lombok to Flores boat trip started with a transfer to the port and boarding the ship.

We only had one stop on day one to watch the sunset on Kenawa Island.

Lombok Flores Boat Day 2

On day 2 of the boat tour Lombok - Flores we only had one stop. We visited the beautiful waterfall on Moyo Island.

Afterwards, the strenuous journey to Komodo National Park commenced.

Lombok Flores Boat Day 3

On day 3 we made it to Komodo Island! Finally! We spotted our first Komodo Dragons. We loved it although the whole experience felt more touristy than anticipated.

Afterwards, we went snorkelling at Manta Point but we were not able to spot any manta rays.

Lombok Flores Boat Day 4

Today was the undisputed highlight of this whole cruise. In the morning, we visited Rinca Island. Some of our fellow travellers were already so worn out that they decided to stay on the ship. That was our luck.

We embarked on a long guided hike with a very small group and spotted loads of Komodo Dragons in the wild. The whole ordeal of the boat trip was (almost) worth it only for this experience.

In the afternoon, we went to Padar Island. Here, we could relax on the pink beach, go snorkelling, or embark on a hike to the famous viewpoint.

We are very 50/50 about this tour. Ok, maybe we’re even 25/75.

To understand our mindset, you must know that, although we are avid travellers, we try to avoid flying as much as possible. This is why we opted for this boat trip.

But let’s start from the beginning, shall we? The pick-up was a bit chaotic and the bus transfer to the boat took very long – we only arrived on the boat in the late afternoon.

First, we thought we were all on different boats because we had all booked different tours: 3 or 4 days, different boats, different stops, and different prices. Needless to say, we were all shocked when we were crammed into the same boat.

There were around two dozen of us and barely enough room. Mats covered the floors on both decks and there weren’t even enough sleeping mats for all of us so some just slept on cardboard (see picture below).

• There is only one toilet on board, no showers or washing facilities so you couldn’t take much care of your personal hygiene even if you wanted to.
• If you sleep on deck like us, there will be no personal space. This means no space where you can change your clothes in private. We spent our days in bathing clothes and only changed to sleep, to be honest.

Water and three meals a day were included. While we never had to go hungry, food was heavily rationed.

Of course, we did fewer stops than were advertised on the itinerary of our booking, that’s why we included our personal itinerary above. We didn’t stop at

• Gili Lawa Island
• Kalong Island (Bat Island)
• Kelor Island
• Manjarite Beach

Let’s skip to the worst part of the story: After our stop on Moyo Island on the second day, our choppy crossing to Komodo began. The crossing takes around 20 hours. The waves were so heavy, that everybody – including the captain – was throwing up constantly. We were all just lying around miserably and soon didn’t even see the captain anymore because he was so sick.

All passengers were incredibly happy when we reached Komodo Island and could exit the ship.

The rest of the trip was much calmer. On the evening of day 3, we docked at Labuan Bajo. Our fellow travellers who had only booked the 3 day/2 night cruise from Lombok to Flores left the ship.

A shame because day 4 turned out to be the best of this trip. The boat was less crowded, the waters calmer, and the stop in Rinca Island was by far the best experience of this whole trip. On the way back to Labuan Bajo, our boat was even accompanied by dolphins.

Honestly, probably not. Next time, we would fly to Labuan Bajo and cruise the Komodo National Park from there.

There were just too few stops on the Lombok side of the choppy crossing to justify being on a tiny boat in the middle of the unforgiving ocean for so long…

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Travel Indonesia from Java to Flores Without Flying:

Indonesia Two Week Itinerary – Java to Flores Without Flying

Itinerary Indonesia 2 weeks with map: You wonder where to go in your two weeks in Indonesia (and we don't mean just Bali)? Our indonesia trip plan shows you how to travel Java, Bali, the Gili islands, Lombok, the Komodo National Park, and Flores in just 14 days.

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Home > Blog > How to Get to Komodo Island from Lombok

How to Get to Komodo Island from Lombok

• Anita Ayu Rustyaningtyas
• March 18, 2024
• Visit Komodo Island

Updated March 18, 2024

Komodo Island is one of the most popular destinations, offering many attractions that attract tourists from abroad. Many tourists would like to visit Bali or Lombok, but few continue their adventure to the magnificent Komodo Island.

Komodo Island is part of Komodo National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage site in Indonesia. Komodo National Park, located in East Nusa Tenggara, encompasses four large islands, including Komodo Island, Rinca Island, Padar Island, and Gili Motang Island.

This park is renowned for its Komodo dragons, stunning beaches, crystal-clear water, and beautiful biodiversity. Visiting Komodo Island from Lombok will give you an extraordinary experience you won’t regret. 

Are you interested in visiting Komodo Island to see Komodo? Or do you want to sunbathe on a natural beach, hike on a breathtaking island, or dive to see the underwater biodiversity? Here is the guide on how to get to Komodo Island from Lombok as you need.  

Table of Contents

From Lombok to Komodo Island

The journey to Komodo Island typically starts with reaching Labuan Bajo first, although you depart from Lombok. Labuan Bajo is a small town located on the western tip of Flores Island, which is the main gateway to the Island. The distance between Lombok and Komodo Island is 347 km. If you are going to Komodo Island and departing from Lombok, you can choose the most common option below.

1. Plane Trip

The best and quickest way to get from Lombok to Labuan Bajo is by air. Several domestic airlines operate flights from Lombok International Airport [LOP] to  Komodo Airport [LBJ]. 

This flight lasts approximately three to eight hours, including one stop at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport [DPS]. Airlines such as Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Citilink, and Wing Air frequently offer this route. The estimated price is, depending on the season and booking time, approximately USD 125. Here is the flight options you can choose from!

A. Lombok Airport [LOP] to Komodo Airport [LBJ] with Wings Air + AirAsia 

• Details of the flight: The flight departs from Lombok Airport at 10:55 and arrives at Komodo Airport at 16:55. This flight takes around 6 hours, including one stopover at Ngurah Rai Airport [DPS].
• Estimated cost: This fastest flight will cost you approximately USD 125.45.

B. Lombok Airport [LOP] to Komodo Airport [LBJ] with Citilink + AirAsia 

• Details of the flight: The flight departs from Lombok Airport at 08:15 and arrives at Komodo Airport at 16:55. This flight takes around 8 hours and 40 minutes, including one stopover at Ngurah Rai Airport [DPS].
• Estimated cost: This flight will cost you approximately USD 125.95.

C. Lombok Airport [LOP] to Komodo Airport [LBJ] with Lion Air + AirAsia

• Details of the flight: The flight departs from Lombok Airport at 12:25 and arrives at Komodo Airport at 08:20 a day later. This flight takes around 19 hours and 55 minutes, including two stopovers at Juanda Airport [SUB] and Ngurah Rai Airport [DPS].
• Estimated cost: This flight will cost you approximately USD 145.44. 

2. Boat Trip

Another option for those who prefer a more scenic route with flexible time is ferry services from Lombok to Labuan Bajo. 

Public Ferry: You can take a public ferry by PELNI named KM. Tilongkabila with route Lombok – Bima – Labuan Bajo. This ferry only sails once daily. This option is the most budget-friendly but can take up to 24 to 36 hours. The estimated cost for this option is approximately USD 20-30.  

If you want to experience the Komodo National Park to your heart’s content, we highly recommend taking a flight to Komodo Airport and starting your trip from Labuan Bajo port . In Labuan Bajo Port, The Komodo Luxury offer a  liveaboard Experience that is very much enjoyable, rather than start boat trip from lombok. T his option offers a unique experience of enjoying the Indonesian archipelago’s stunning seascapes. 

Read More Types of Boat Tours Available in Komodo Island   

3. Road Trip

The next option to Labuan Bajo from Lombok is a road trip by bus. This option is for you who travel on a budget. This relatively easy route starts from Mataram, Bima, and goes to Labuan Bajo. From Mataram, you can book a bus ticket to Bima City, which will cost you around USD 17.92.

Then, from Bima City, you can use public transportation, such as a minivan, to get to Sape Port, which will cost you about USD 6.40. From Sape, you can take a sea route to Labuan Bajo, which starts from USD 5.38. If totaled, your expenses by land would be USD 29.70, cheaper than by plane, but it will certainly take longer. 

Boat Trip to Komodo Island from Lombok

Please note! You can only reach Komodo National Park by boat tour. However, the best way to get the best experience of visiting Komodo National Park is by taking an overnight boat tour. You may choose the Komodo cruising package with options ranging from 3 to 9 nights, tailored to your preference. 

Before planning a trip to Komodo National Park , you should book your Komodo Island Boat Tour well in advance. This is because boat availability in Labuan Bajo is limited, and can even be fully booked 1 to 2 months before the trip begins. Ensure you book a boat trip to Komodo Island from an experienced operator, such as KomodoLuxury . 

Komodo Luxury offers Komodo Island Tour Packages that include staying on the boat, snorkeling equipment, a tour guide, a life vest, and much more. Here are the packages provided by KomodoLuxury that you can choose from!   

A. Private Sailing Tour

This Private sailing tour package is suited for you who want a more personalized journey. You can choose the destination and the duration of the trip on your own.

B. Open/ Shared Packages

Open/shared trip offers a cost-effective solution for your sailing journey. Also, this trip gives you the opportunity to explore the beauty of Komodo Island with other travelers. 

C. Full Day / One Day Trip Komodo Island

Full day / One-day trip is suitable for those who have limited time but are eager to explore Komodo National Park. This trip allows you to visit Komodo Island’s top destinations in one day. So prepare extra stamina to visit around five destinations, including trekking and snorkeling, in one or half-day

Read More  Must Know! 5 Tips for Booking Your Boat Tour

Since the Indonesian government built Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, boat tour operators have become more efficient in starting trips from Labuan Bajo and exploring the Komodo National Park more easily. Now, journeys can begin directly from Labuan Bajo.

Before the construction of Komodo Airport, around the year 2012, many travelers backpakers join boat trip from Lombok to Komodo National Park (KNP), where they had to spend 3 days and 2 nights to reach Komodo National Park. This journey involved a tiring sea voyage through Lombok, Bali, and Sumbawa, dependent on weather conditions and waves, as well as the availability of ships, which was often unpredictable. There was only one way to reach KNP at that time.

Now, it is highly recommended to start your journey from Labuan Bajo . Without having to endure the 3 days, 2 nights of sea travel, visitors can fly directly to Labuan Bajo from Lombok Island with a one-stopover at Bali, Ngurah Rai Airport [DPS]. This improves the efficiency and comfort of the trip.

If you prefer more ease and convenience, you can reserve a KomodoLuxury tour package, which includes a tour guide picking you up from Komodo Airport – Labuan Bajo and taking you to Labuan Bajo Port – where all boat tours begin. Depending on traffic, the journey from Komodo airport to Labuan Bajo port will take about 15 minutes.

After you reach the Labuan Bajo port, you will be escort to a luxurious boat to begin your breathtaking adventure in Komodo National Park area. 

Taking a flight from Lombok to Labuan Bajo is an efficient and comfortable means of exploring Komodo Island. With more time on your hands, you can enjoy magnificent scenery, underwater adventures, and the thrill of encountering the legendary Komodo dragons. Join Komodo Luxury on your journey to Komodo Island. We will cater to all your holiday needs!

If you want to visit Komodo National Park but from somewhere else, this complete guide of How to Travel to Komodo Island 2024 – Visit Komodo National Park will help you or your friend from another country to visit Komodo National Park.

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Sailing To Komodo National Park

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• Snorkeling & Diving
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TRAVEL WISE KOMODO | 4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS FLORES TO LOMBOK | LOMBOK TO FLORES

4 Days / 3 Nights Flores | Komodo and Lombok | Lombok | Whale Shark | Komodo and Flores

Amazing Adventure

Welcome to travel wise komodo tour.

Travel Wise Komodo is Based in Labuan Bajo, Flores Island and Lombok Island, Travel Wise Komodo Is One of the best Flores To Lombok / Lombok To Flores Trip for 4 Days / 3 Nights, The tours is Combine with Trekking, Nature, Wild Life, Sunset and Snorkeling. All the tour we have is accompanyed with our well local training tour guide, Profesional Captain and Crew. And 4 Days / 3 Nights trip is one of the best favorit trip to who love to stay in the seas and Snorkeling every Day. Our main goals is to make all our guest feels like on boat is like on your home meet with another family and satisfied. Please have a look the folowing program below.

TOUR PACKAGES

Boat Facility

4 Days / 3 Nights Lombok To Flores

4 Days / 3 Nights Flores To Lombok

Travelwisekomodo.

Our Contacts

• Jln. Soekarno Hatta no 79 Labuan Bajo. Kode pos 86763
• +6282144917231
• [email protected]

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Copy right @travelwisekomodo.com.

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Are you on Lombok Island and Want to see Komodo Island?

The best option for trips to explore Komodo Island from Lombok Island is to join open trips from Lombok Island to Komodo Island for 4 days and 3 nights .

The trips will experience you beautiful, unique, and spectacular destination in East Nusa Tenggara. The tour starts every  Wednesday , and Saturday from Lombok Island to Flores Labuhan Bajo.

How about if you are in Labuan Bajo? You don’t have to worry, 4 days and 3 nights from Labuan Bajo to Lombok is the option to try. If you would like to stay in Labuan Bajo 3 days 2 nights tour is recommended tour for you.

For the trip, you will go with our partner in Labuan Bajo, which means you will not go with Green Rinjani team.

How to book Lombok Komodo Tour?

• To book the trips you can email or WhatsApp to check the available dates.
• Send a copy of your passport. We need to sign up your details for booking.
• You will have a confirmation by WhatsApp or Email for your booking.
• Secure your tour booking by sending a deposit to our Paypal or Bank account.
• The balance you need to pay by cash upon arrival.
• Book your hotel at the free pick-up area.
• This tour is a popular adventure. Recommend booking 15 days in advance of the departure date.

Where to stay for this trip?

• Free pick up from Mataram area, Senggigi, Bangsal, and Gili Trawangan. Recommend staying in a free pick-up area.
• Additional charge IDR 100.000 / person for pick up at Kuta area

Schedule of pick-up service?

• Stay in the Mataram area, pick-up service will progress between 8.30 AM
• For Senggigi area scheduled between 09.00 – 09.30 AM.
• If you stay in the Gili islands, you must walk down to the harbor at 07.00 AM – 07.30 AM. In Gili Trawangan, there is a check-in counter that will welcome you for a free public boat ticket to Bangsal Harbor. The shuttle bus will transfer everyone to the Travel-Wise counter in Senggigi, reconfirmation, and pay your balance payment.

Detail itinerary:

Program at day 01. (Lunch and Dinner on the boat )

• Shuttle pick up at Bangsal harbor, Mataram area, and Senggigi
• Meeting point at Travel-Wise office ( free breakfast )
• Transfer to Kayangan Harbor East Lombok at 11.00 AM, which takes 2.30 minutes to drive
• Lunch is prepared at the harbor
• Prepare for the adventure by loading onto the boat
• Sail to Kanawa Island, snorkel, or just walk to the beach ( trekking if we have enough time )
• Night sail to Saleh Bay – Sleeping overnight

Activities on day 02 (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on the boat)

• Saleh Bay, see and swim with whale sharks for 2 hours
• Prepare sail to Komodo island after snorkeling with Whale Shark
• Breakfast is served on the boat
• Night sail to Komodo National Park and visit Padar island

Day 03 (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on the boat)

• Padar Island ( amazing view from the hill )
• Long Pink Beach, is a unique pink beach for snorkeling, or chilling on the beach
• Rinca Island, see the Komodo Dragon ( Komodo National Park )
• Kalong Rinca is the best and most fantastic sunset with a million flying foxes view ( optional – if we have time left )

Day 04 (Breakfast, Lunch on the boat)

• Menjerite island, snorkeling
• Kelor Island – Snorkeling or healing on the beach
• Labuan Bajo
• End of the trip between 4-5 PM

Price IDR per person

• IDR 3.200.000/ person or USD 220/ person, sleep on deck sharing room

• IDR 3.800.000/ person or USD263 per person, sleep in a Cabin shared with air conditioning

• 4 days 3 nights trip
• Meals: Lunch 4x, Dinner 3x, Breakfast 3x
• Drinking water, coffee, and tea
• English speaking guide
• Entrance fee at Komodo National Park
• Bus to the departure port
• Boat ticket from Gili T and Gili Air ( Pick up at 09.00 AM at Bangsal harbor )
• If you stay on Gili Island ( Gili T ), you need to go to the harbor and meet the boat crew early from 7.30 AM to 8.00 AM.
• If you are vegetarian, please note at the Travel-Wise office at the meeting point.

Boat option and schedule

• Personal expenses
• Travel Insurance
• Flight ticket return
• Accommodation

Boat facilities:

• Life jacket
• Snorkeling equipment with no fins
• Mantras, Pillows, and Blankets
• Radio, GPS, and Compass
• AIS ( Automatic Identification system )
• Toilet and Kitchen
• Max passenger 35 pax
• Max crew of 5-7 persons

Additional information you should know:

•  The schedule can change at any time. It’s Dangerous to sail if the weather is bad. Always trust the captain of the ship, and don’t risk your life.
• Safety is the priority, if the boat engine is not running well, we will replace the boat immediately without any notice.
• We are a travel agent and not a tour operator for this trip. For any feedback and complaints, we recommend that you send them to the tour operator.

Term of Payment:

• Deposit payment you can pay to our Bank Account or PayPal .
• We are not responsible for any taxes.
• The balance you must pay in cash on arrival.

Cancelation policy:

• Full refund if you cancel the booking within 5 days.
• We will charge 50% if you cancel the booking within 2 days
• A full charge of deposit if you cancel within 24 hours

For more information about the 4-day shared tour Komodo, please contact us by WhatsApp for a fast response at +62 812-4658-8044 ( ARIN ).

or fill out the booking form below:

KOMODO TOUR BOOKING FORM

Labuan Bajo to Lombok: a 4-day Komodo boat expedition in Indonesia with Wanua Adventure

Published by guillem torcal garcia on 17/05/2023 17/05/2023.

Welcome to my travel blog post about a 4-day Komodo boat expedition in Indonesia with Wanua Adventure . Our journey took us from Labuan Bajo to Lombok , and we had the pleasure of exploring some of the most beautiful, unique and isolated places in the world. Our home for the trip was the Sea Saudara , which exceeded our expectations, and our crew was fantastic, especially our guide Long and the captain Adi. During the trip, we visited a local village, we snorkelled in some of the most incredible reefs on the planet, we hiked in deserted islands, saw the singular Komodo dragons, swimmed in the most amazing beaches and enjoyed some of the most gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. Our Komodo boat expedition was an unforgettable experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an adventure in Indonesia. Keep reading to follow our experience!

* Since I need to maintain Feast of Travel, it is possible that this post contains affiliate links. It does not affect you in any way, but if you want to read more about it, you can have a look at the Trusted companies page .

Post Contents

The Sea Saudara boat and crew

The Sea Saudara would be our home for a few days. We didn’t really expect much from it but it was a really nice boat. There were two options in terms if accommodation: a common room in the deck or a cabin with a double bed. We ended up choosing the cabin because of back problems but everyone that slept in the deck told us they slept very well. In the end, it’s a matter if your budget and how much you value your privacy.

The crew & guests

Our crew was formed by the captain, the guide, the cook and a few crew . Most of the interactions we had were with the captain Adi and our guide Long. They were both very laid back and friendly and we really enjoyed our time with them.

In terms of guests we were only 18, which made for a very intimate and chill experience. They told us that the boat can hist up to 45 guests. I don’t know how that is possible and I don’t want to find out. But in case you want a smaller group, make sure you do your trip from Komodo to Lombok and not the other way around, because there are not nearly as many people.

We had fresh local homemade food for every meal that was cooked on the boat. In the beginning it was very separated where we ate and where the crew ate, but when we became more familiar we went back ti the kitchen and tried the food they ate and the fish they caught on the day. In general the food was not gourmet but it was quite tasty and more than enough in amount. There was also free coffee and tea all day. Any drinks you want you have to bring yourself, but people and crew are usually happy to share.

4-day Komodo boat expedition from Labuan Bajo to Lombok

Day 1: rinca island, strawberry point and kalong island, bats and dances at rinca island.

Our first stop after leaving the Labuan Bajo docks was Rinca island. It took us a while to get there, se we enjoyed the amazing views (which start literally right after leaving the harbor) and getting to know each other. When we landed in Rinca, I was quite surprised that we seemed to be the only tourists there.

We started our day with a simple trek to a nice viewpoint over the turquoise waters. A few guides accompanied us in case we encountered a Komodo dragon but it wasn’t the case (yet!).

We also visited a bat cave, where some flying foxes were nesting. I must say that after our incredible experience in Riung with the flying foxes , this felt a bit underwhelming. Also, it felt that we were mostly bothering the fruit bats.

After that, we were guided back to Rinca village, where the locals had prepared a show for us. There was live music using traditional instruments (that we could learn how to play!) as well as performances of a local sword dance. The kids also contributed, performing more modern dances. In the end, they made us join and dance with them!

After that, the villagers prepared a nice meal for us, including fish, meat and vegetables with rice. Oh, and the kids stayed with us until we left, playing and talking to us. It was adorable!

Snorkeling at Strawberry Point

After our lunch, we had a short sail towards  Strawberry Point , a tiny pink rocky formation named after its color. We jumped in the water and snorkeled for a while. There were quite a few fishes, but the coral was a bit bleached and there was a lot of trash in the water. It felt a bit disappointing compared to the coral reefs in the 17 Islands National Park (although I had read the opposite).

Spoiler alert: this was by far the worst snorkeling spot we saw during our Komodo boat expedition. The rest were top notch!

After our snorkeling session, we climbed to strawberry point to enjoy the views. The pink from the rock and the blue from the sea had a beautiful contrast, and there was a curious eagle flying around us for a while!

Sunset with flying foxes

We sailed a bit longer this time until we made it to  Koaba island , also know as Fruit Bat island (original…). As expected, this island is home to thousands of fruit bats that, when the sun was setting, started to fly away at the same time in search of fruits to steal! It was an absolutely stunning view.

We anchored the boat there for the night and had some dinner and homemade arrack. We got to see a few turtles from the boat (the pictures are horrible!). It was an early night in though, because the next day a sunrise hike was waiting for us.

Day 2: Padar island, Komodo dragons and Pink beach

Sunrise at padar island.

We woke up at 4.30 anchored next to Padar island to start our sunrise trek. We took the boats and started towards the viewpoint. While there were a few other groups trekking at the same time, it did not feel overwhelming as I had expected so we were quite happy!

The trek is not very difficult. The paths are clearly marked and there are steps carved in the stone. We reached the sunrise viewpoint. Again, it was not crowded and there was plenty of space to enjoy the view or take pictures. When the sun rose, it was wild! The light started to stain the dry landscape of Padar island first of pink, then orange and then a light yellow. There is not much for me to say other than just show you some pictures!

We stayed at the view point for quite a while to take everything in. Padar island is really one of the most beautiful places in this planet and it is easy to understand why it has become such a sensation on instagram. I’m glad to say that, at least in our experience, it is not completely crowded (yet). After a few more pictures, we climbed down the stairs. As we were waiting for our boat, a few deers approached me. They were very friendly and not scared at all of humans (which makes me think that they’re probably used to see many).

The Komodo dragons

Komodo island was both a great experience and a disappointment. We arrive at Komodo island right after Padar island. We met a few rangers carrying sticks with a Y shape. They told us it was so the Komodo dragons saw them as equals (imitating their split tongue). We immediately saw a big Komodo dragon sleeping by the hut. The rangers took us around in a paved path around a small area. The “trek”, if it can be called that, took us 20-30 minutes at a leisurely pace. We did see a few Komodo dragons of different sizes, as well as wild boars and chickens. The Komodo dragons did not seem to pay us any attention, even though we were a group of 18 people with guides.

Don’t get me wrong, seeing this incredible animals in their natural habitat was amazing and I don’t regret visiting. However, the whole experience had a bit of a zoo/theme park. Especially towards the end, when the rangers made us take a picture with a Komodo dragon. Dangerous? Sedated animal? I don’t know. I think I just would have preferred to hike around the island and away from the village to see the more wild side of it. In any case, the Komodo dragons are absolutely stunning creatures!

Snorkeling at Pink Beach

Our next stop was still in Komodo Island: the incredible Pink Beach. To be honest, after all the hype on instagram, I doubted that the sand would be actually pink. However, it was  very pink and it created a beautiful contrast with the clear turquoise of the water. There were a few more people on Pink Beach than we had seen so far on other places (especially compared to our incredible road trip in Flores ). That being said, there were only perhaps 20-30 people besides us in the whole beach. I just mention it so you don’t expect a deserted beach.

Not only is Pink Beach a fantastic way to get a nice tan, have a cold beer and dip in the turquoise waters, but also is one of the greatest snorkeling spots in Komodo NP ! The coral was in a very good state, a welcome change after seeing how bleached it was in Strawberry Point. The fish were a mix of reef and pelagic fish. While we didn’t see any, it is possible to see turtles or even reef sharks!

Travel tip: BYOB since the vendors at the beach will charge you a lot for a beer, since there is literally no shop on site.

Sailing through West Nusa Tenggara

The rest of our day, we spent sailing through West Nusa Tenggara all the way through the night to Moyo island. We spent the afternoon on the boat, getting to know each other better, watching some packs of dolphins and flying fish, sunbathing and having a few beers. Unfortunately the night came with a bit of a rough sea, so we had to take a sea sickness pill to make it through the night.

Day 3: Moyo island, Pulau Bedil and Kenawa island

Waterfall hike at moyo island.

We woke up at Moyo island, a small almost uninhabited island on the northwestern part of Sumbawa in West Nusa Tenggara, with less than 1000 inhabitants. Moyo island is known for its lush vegetation, biodiversity and rich marine life in its unspoiled reefs. We started our day with a short hike through the forest. The dry season did not seem to have affected Moyo island, since its vegetation was bright green. This was a strong contrast with the islands we saw in Komodo NP, which were dominated by orange, yellow and brown colors. We also met some monkeys on the way!

We followed the river upstream until we made it to X waterfall. This gorgeous waterfall formed a series of pools on the porous rock. We hike  upstream through the waterfall , since our bare feet were able to stick to the porous rock, even through the stream of water! It was a very strange Spiderman-like sensation.

Over the waterfall we arrived to a deep pool of water with a tree leaning over it, so we spent some time jumping into the water from the tree. It looked like there had been a rope before to make things easier, but it was half-gone, so we had to climb up the tree every time.

Snorkeling at Moyo island

After our waterfall hike, we spent some time snorkeling from the beach in Moyo island. It was one of the healthiest, most colorful reefs I had seen so far! We saw many kinds of colorful fish, a coral snake, a morey and even a turtle!

Pitstop at Pulau Bedil

After our great snorkeling in Moyo island we sailed for quite a while. Added to the previous day’s long sailing, I think the captain just made a pitstop to avoid mutiny form us! Pulau Bedil is a very tiny island that doesn’t have much going on for it, but it was a great break to stretch our legs. We also got to see an incredible sunset from the boat.

Party in the uninhabited Kenawa island

We reached Kenawa island after sunset and, after a nice dinner, we took the boats to the shore. Kenawa island is a tiny uninhabited island East of Lombok. We had a few beers, made a bonfire and had a nice goodbye party with music, sharing our moments with the rest of the team and crew. Unfortunately (or fortunately) there are no pictures of the party, so you’ll have to use your imagination.

Day 4: Kenawa sunrise, Lombok and Gili Air

Kenawa island sunrise hike.

The next morning we woke up early for a short and easy sunrise hike to the one and only hill in Kenawa island. there is not much more to say other than it is a really nice view!

Arriving to Lombok

We then sailed to our destination at the northeastern part of the island. We had to queue a bit for other boats to dock. After that, we said our goodbyes, took a nice picture together and split in different vans depending on out destination. In our case, we took a van to the Western coast of Lombok and sailed to the Gili islands .

our great team in the Komodo boat expedition with Wanua Adventure

Wanua Adventure Komodo expedition review

The price for this amazing tour in either direction (Labuan Bajo to Lombok or Lombok to Labuan Bajo) is 2.8M IDR (174€) for deck class (this means you sleep with everyone else on the boat deck) or 3.3M IDR (205€) for the cabin class (you have a simple cabin for 2 people). The bathroom is always on a shared basis. These prices include the entrance fee, government fee and snorkeling fee for Komodo NP, 3 meals a day of local fresh food (and a snack in the afternoon) and unlimited water, coffee and tea as well as transfer from Lombok Kayangan Harbor (East Lombok) to Mataram, Senggigi, Bangsal or Kuta in Lombok, as well as a ferry ticket to one of the Gili islands. Unlike many activities in Indonesia, there are no hidden fees. In fact, you will not spend a single coin more in the duration of the expedition!

This Komodo boat expedition with Wanua Adventure ranks definitely top 3 of my experiences in Indonesia, together with our  perfect road trip in Flores or our  jungle treks with the orangutans in Sumatra . While it is quite a lot of money to spend in an activity in Indonesia compared to the price of life, but it is absolutely worth it and definitely cheap for what it is! The team at Wanua Adventure are experiences, knowledgeable and really friendly, and they will go out of their way to make your experience memorable.

Closing statement

In conclusion, our 4-day Komodo boat expedition with Wanua Adventure from Labuan Bajo to Lombok was an incredible experience that we will always remember. From meeting the friendly crew and guests on the Sea Saudara boat, to exploring the breathtaking islands, encountering the Komodo dragons and snorkeling in colorful reefs, it was a journey filled with adventure, natural beauty and cultural experiences. We highly recommend this trip to anyone who loves the sea, nature and adventure, and we cannot wait to come back and explore more of Indonesia.

If you have decided to join a Komodo boat expedition, don’t forget to read our dedicated post on how to visit Komodo and Labuan Bajo . If you have more time, I absolutely recommend that you do a road trip in Flores island like we did!

And since you’re visiting Indonesia, you’ll probably like these:

Quick Gili islands guide: a starters kit for paradise seekers in Indonesia

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Paon Bali Cooking Class review: our experience in a Balinese cooking class

11 top things to do in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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What to do in North Sumatra, the secret Indonesia keeps from you

Leon · 04/02/2024 at 17:58

Thank sou very much for this post. So many great informatiom. I am concerned about safety on boat. Imheard some terrible stories and want to ask how the safety measurements were on the boat. Thanks for this. All the best

feastoftravel · 11/04/2024 at 12:54

Hi Leon! Unfortunately boat travel in Indonesia has relatively low standards. That being said, our experience with Wanua Adventure was that the crew was very professional and they had all safety equipment necessary. We felt really safe the whole time. I hope it helps! Guillem

Diego · 28/03/2024 at 14:17

Hello! Thanks for share the amazing experience! We are thinking about to do as well but we are not sure about how dizzy you will feel in the boat, could you explain us more about that?? Thanks in advance!!

feastoftravel · 11/04/2024 at 12:45

Hi Diego, Thanks for your message. I must say that I am not a person that typically gets dizzy. Most of the time, the boat only does short distances and the sea is relatively calm, so it won’t be an issue. The only moment we struggled was the long sail from Komodo NP to Moyo Island through semi-open water. We had to take a sea sickness pill (even though nothing happened other than being a bit dizze), but with that we had no problem. I am not sure if it was our specific circumstances with the state of the sea, but if you’re worried about it just make sure you have your pills with you. This trip is really worth it! Guillem

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• Combination Packages
• Phinisi Boat
• Daily Komodo Dive Trips
• Komodo Liveaboard Dive Trips
• Alor Dive Trips

4D3N Komodo Tour from Labuan Bajo to Lombok

From: $  256.42

Cabin Type: Share Deck (+$ 256.42) Cabin Private (+$ 306.42)

Our 4D3N Komodo tour from Labuan Bajo to Lombok is one of the best recommended shared Komodo tours to book. This tour package is based on a shared boat tour. You will go on a standard Phinisi boat with a capacity of a maximum of 35 people.

The 4 Days 3 Night Flores Komodo to Lombok island depart on Wednesday and Sunday. It is a perfect sailing boat trip if you are looking for a great adventure. You will explore Komodo National Park, Sumbawa, and Lombok in one go trip.

Places to Visit:

• Kelor Island
• Rinca Island
• Long Pink Beach
• Manta Point
• Moyo Island
• Gili Bola Island
• Kanawa Island

What to Experience on 4D3N Komodo Tour from Labuan Bajo to Lombok?

The Komodo National Park is famous for being the home of Komodo Dragons. There are over 2000 Komodo Dragons inhabitants on the island. Besides that, the National Park also offers beautiful beaches, amazing underwater marine life, and spectacular views.

During this 4 days 3 nights Komodo trip from Labuan Bajo to Lombok, you will experience the following things:

• Hiking on Kelor Island, enjoy a spectacular view. You will also enjoy a beautiful white sand beach and snorkeling on the island.
• Snorkeling at Manjarite Island. This is one of the best places to enjoy the amazing underwater marine life in Komodo National Park. You will find amazing coral gardens and colorful fish.
• Trekking with Komodo Dragons on Rinca Island. This island is one of the islands where you can spot Komodo Dragons. Besides that, you will also enjoy a spectacular view from the top of the island.
• Longe on Long Pink Beach. This place is one of the best recommended to spend on your Komodo island boat tour. You will also be able to go snorkeling in this place.
• Snorkeling with Manta Rays at Manta Point . This is the best place to spot schools of Manta Rays in Komodo National Park.
• Trek through the tropical forest on Moyo Island and enjoy your time at Mata Jitu waterfall. Jungle life, jumping, and swimming in the natural pool.
• Snorkeling and enjoying the beautiful white sand beach on Gili Bola Island.
• Hiking on Kanawa Island and enjoying the spectacular view. You may also be snorkeling on the island.

Tour Itinerary:

Our team will pick you up from your hotel in Labuan Bajo at 09.30 am. And then drive to the dock, brief, and get ready for the boat tour. The departure time will be at 10.30 am from the dock of Labuan Bajo.

Day 1: Labuan Bajo - Kelor island - Manjarite - Kalong Island

Depart from Labuan Bajo harbor at 10.30 am. The first to visit is Kelor Island and then Manjarite Island. After that, you will continue to Kalong Island. The boat will overnight on Kalong Island.

Day 2: Rinca Island -Long Pink Beach - Manta Point

The first to visit on your second day of the Flores Komodo to Lombok tour is Rinca Island. And then, Long Pink Beach. After that, you will continue to Manta Point.

Day 3: Moyo Island - Gili Bola Island

On the third day, you will continue your Komodo boat trip to Moyo Island. After that, you will visit Gili Bola Island. The boat will do a night sail to Kanawa Island.

Day 4: Kanawa Island - Kayangan Harbor

Today is the last day of your 4D3N Komodo tour from Labuan Bajo to Lombok. You will continue your trip to Kanawa Island. And then Kayangan Harbor in east Lombok.

Boat Facilities:

• 1 private cabin for 2 people
• Sundeck for a maximum of 33 people
• Mattress, pillow, and blanket
• Shared bathroom and toilet
• Maximum passengers 35 people
• Crew: 5 people
• Life raft and life jackets
• Snorkeling gear with no fins
• This boat route may be changed, depending on the sea condition.
• Shared 4 Days 3 Nights Trip from Flores to Lombok
• Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Mineral water, coffee, and tea
• Entrance fee for Komodo National Park
• English speaking guide
• Hotel transfers in Labuan Bajo and Lombok (Senggigi and Bangsal Harbor)
• Personal expenses
• Flight tickets
• Trekking shoes
• Personal medicine
• Enough cash

Cancelation and Change the Travel Date:

• The cancelation made 5 months before the trip will be refunded 50% of the total amount of payment.
• Cancelation made 3 months before the departure will refund 25 % of the total amount of payment.
• Cancelation made 1 month before the departure date will no refund
• Changes to the departure date are subject to availability, and if there is no availability on the chosen date, the available date applies. The refund is subject to the cancelation policy.
• Reschedule or change the departure date is applied at a maximum of 30 days before the departure date. If the reschedule is made in less than 30 days, there will be a surcharge of 5 % of the total payment.
• The cancelation and change date procedure is by sending us an email through our contact form.

Limitation of Responsibility:

• Komodo Touristic acts as a Travel Agency. We only provide the booking platform for Tour Packages, Boat Charters, and Diving Packages. We will not serve any activities outside the above activities.
• All of the holiday activities are available for Flores and Komodo National Park. We also provide Alor, Sumba Island, and a combination of 2 or 3 Island activities. We do not arrange any activities, not on this website.
• Komodo Touristic will not be responsible for any bookings made outside of our website.
• We will not be responsible for any loss, missing flight, injury, loss, or damages. And do not be responsible for any accident during the activities which caused death, delay of your flight, etc.
• We will not be responsible for any condition of transportation used by the operator including cars, boats, or other types of transportation used during the activities.
• We will not be responsible for the inconvenience caused by the actions of staff during the activity. Government or other civil activities such as Demonstrations, War, and road traffic.
• Komodo Touristic will not be responsible for any additional charge caused by delays, reschedules, or other causes.
• We have the right to cancel the program or reschedule the program in the event of bad weather, or other operational reasons.
• Changing any activities on this site is the authority of Komodo Touristic Tours and Travel.

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Type : Overnight Tours

Duration : 4 Days 3 Nights

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Duration : 8-10 hours

Information

Travel destination, the company.

• Komodo Island
• Fast Boat to Gili Islands
• Bali to Nusa Penida
• Bali to Lembongan
• Fast Boat to Lombok
• Car Rentals

3N4D Komodo Tour from Labuan Bajo to Lombok

From: $ 291.42

Type: Private Cabin Class (+$355.71) Share Deck Claas (+$291.42)

The 3N4D Komodo tour from Labuan Bajo to Lombok is a shared 4 days 3 nights boat tour. This boat tour departs on Wednesday and Sunday, twice a week. You will experience exploring the recommended destinations on Komodo, beyond Sumbawa, and Lombok.

Komodo island boat tour from Labuan Bajo to Lombok will use a comfortable standard Phinisi boat tour. The boat tour has a cabin with a fan and deck room for 32 passengers. This boat has international standards and safety procedures. It has a shared bathroom with fresh water.

The 4 days Komodo island tour from Flores to Lombok will allow you to experience the amazing underwater world, and sunset, and see Komodo Dragons. You will also visit the waterfall and trek on the beautiful Kanawa Island. Enjoy a warm welcome from our professional tour guide and boat crews.

This Komodo tour package to Lombok will not provide any hotel transfers in Labuan Bajo. You will have to come by yourself to the dock or our official office in Labuan Bajo. The team will let you know how to manage the check-in for your best trip.

Destinations to Visit:

• Kelor Island
• Kalong Island
• Rinca Island
• Long Pink Beach
• Manta Point
• Moyo Island
• Bola Island
• Kanawa Island

3N4D Komodo Tour from Labuan Bajo to Lombok Itinerary:

This itinerary is updated for your best travel experiences exploring Komodo National Park, Sumbawa, and Lombok. The descriptions also give you details of boat specifications, facilities, and safety equipment. We will ensure to give you the right information through this itinerary.

First Day: Labuan Bajo Kalong

Check-in at the office, Labuan Bajo Harbor at 10.00 am. After a short briefing, you will get on the boat. The first to visit is Kelor Island, and then Manjarite. After that, you will continue to Kalong Island, overnight on the boat at Kalong Island.

What you will experience are:

• Hiking and snorkeling on Kelor Island. Enjoy the amazing underwater life, white sand beaches, and beautiful view.
• Snorkeling and enjoy colorful fish and amazing coral reefs at Manjarite.
• Enjoy a beautiful sunset on Kalong Island while watching the bats flying over the island.

Early in the morning, you will leave Kalong and continue to explore Padar Island and other destinations.

Second Day: Rinca Island for Komodo Dragons

On this day you will start to explore Padar Island and then Long Pink Beach. After that, you will continue to Komodo Island and Manta Point.

• Snorkeling and enjoy the beautiful pink sand beach at Long Pink Beach
• Hiking on Rinca Island to see the Komodo Dragons and other wildlife.
• Enjoy snorkeling with schools of Manta Rays at Manta Point

You will overnight on the boat to Moyo Island.

Third-Day: Explore Moyo Island

Today you will explore Moyo Island north of Sumbawa Island. You will trek through the tropical forest and visit one of the most beautiful waterfalls on the island.

You will experience:

• Jungle walks on the island of Moyo, and enjoy the tropical forest with the beautiful sound of birds singing around.
• Enjoy showering, swimming, and jumping in the beautiful Mata Jitu waterfall

Day 4: Kanawa Island to Lombok

Today you will visit Kanawa Island in the west Sumbawa island. This island is one of the best tourist destinations in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

What you will experience on this island are:

• Hiking to the small hill, enjoy the great views
• Snorkeling and enjoying the colorful fish and beautiful white sand beaches

After that, you will continue to Lombok. The transfers will be ready at the harbor and will take you to your hotel in Senggigi, Mataram, Kuta, and Gili Islands.

• Entrance fees
• Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
• Mineral water
• Coffee and tea
• English Speaking guide
• One-way trip from Labuan Bajo to Lombok
• Hotel Transfers in Lombok (Senggigi area, Bangsal harbor, and Mataram)
• Extra cost for cabin room US$33 per person
• Personal Expenses
• Extra transfers to Kuta, Lombok
• Boat ticket from Lombok to Gili Islands
• Tips for Guide

Cancelation and Change of Travel Date

The cancelation made 3 months before the trip will refund 75% of the total amount of payment.

Cancellations made 1 month before departure will refund 50 % of the total amount of payment.

Cancelation made 5 days before the departure date will no refund

Changes to the departure date are subject to availability, and if there is no availability on the chosen date, the available date is applicable. The refund is subject to the cancelation policy.

The cancelation and change date procedure is by sending us an email through our contact form.

• Casual Wear
• Personal Medicine
• Trekking shoes
• Enough cash

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FEATURED ACTIVITIES

Jl. Delima III/05 Perumahan Lingkar Asri Mataram - Bajur - West Nusa Tenggara +6285337234202 [email protected]