Komodo Island Travel Guide

by - Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Sailing around the Komodo islands was up high on my travel bucket list and this year I've managed to tick that off.  Flores has become a popular destination for local Indonesians as well as international wanderlusters so if you are planning a trip to Indonesia then I would highly recommend to visit this place.


HOW TO GET TO LABUAN BAJO 
In order to sail around the islands you first need to fly to Labuan Bajo, a quaint fishing town located at the western end of East Nusa Tenggara Flores. Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of Indonesia, offers direct flights from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo. Other budget airlines such as Sriwijaya Air and Lion Air have flights from Jakarta that require a transit in Bali before reaching Labuan Bajo. So if you have plans to go to Bali you can easily reach Labuan Bajo from there.


3 DAYS 2 NIGHTS SAILING KOMODO ISLANDS BOAT TRIP EXPERIENCE
There are actually two ways to explore the islands around Komodo. First would be to stay in Labuan Bajo and take a day tour to the places you would like to visit. Second would be to live on a boat, sail across the ocean whilst island hopping here and there. I opted for the latter one because my wanderlust soul was in need of adventure.  I booked an open group trip viIndonesia Juara and loved every second of the living on a boat experience. If you are looking for a private boat tour they also offer it. This would be perfect if you travel with a bunch of friends or family members. I actually booked this tour in advance but I know some more adventures travellers just hop on a plane to Labuan Bajo and go the main port to find pinisi boats that offer a similar experience. If you pick the latter one make sure that the boat you hire is in a good state, you don't want your adventure to turn into a Robinson Crusoe experience - #FailedTrip

By the way depending on the price you pay don't expect too much of a luxury on the simple pinisi boats because at the end of it it's all about admiring the views that you get to witness maybe once in your life. Normally all the boats are equipped with air conditioning, a toilet, a shower and offer local Indonesian cuisines during your stay.  I made a list of other sailing companies that offer a similar experience so to view it please scroll down. 

Sailing with "stranger" boat mates across the ocean was such a memorable experience. And for those who are planning a trip down to Labuan Bajo you would not be disappointed. Literally every corner is so paradisiac and makes your jaw drop - #NoJoke.  We actually sailed south from Labuan Bajo and then made a loop up north.  Check the map for a more visual understanding of the sailing route.













Every sailing boat tour has different routes but the main places to visit are:
* Rinca Island
* Kelor Island
* Komodo Island
* Padar Island
* Pink Beach
* Gili Lawa Darat
* Manta Point
* Taka Makassar Island
* Sebayur
* Kanawa Island

The heat in this area can be quite tough and harsh so don't forget to drink a lot, apply at least a sunscreen that is spf 80, bring an instagrammable hat and some aloe vera in case you end up with a sunburn - #Ouch.  For those who need to be constantly connected with the online world purchase a mobile card from the provider Telkomsel that offers 4G even in the middle of the ocean. Bring some snack for your fellow boat friends because you will be staying with them for quite some time so it's good to get to know each other via food -#FoodieForLife. If you are someone who is sensible to the sea waves then bring motion sickness medicine, but honestly speaking none of us on the boat got sick - #SmoothRide. The trekking of Kelor Island, Rinca Island, Padar Island and Gili Lawa Darat can be quite tough but once on the top, for those who love to capture pretty pictures, you can definitely change into a more instagram worthy attire.


Here's a little sneak peak of what to expect during your trip to the beautiful islands.
A post shared by Nathalie (@nathalie__ale) on

OTHER RELIABLE BOAT COMPANY FOR SAILING AROUND KOMODO ISLANDS
Finding the perfect boat tour online for Komodo can be quite hard. Some book the trip via a local travel agency while others will book it directly online. I  found some online tours that appears to be reliable and gathered it to make this list for your ease. So if you are planning to go to Labuan Bajo check these ones out and decide which one suits your budget:
Indonesia Juara
* Flores Runaway
Le Pirate Explorer Cruise
* Lazy Pirate Cruises
* Ocean Pure Charter
* Komodo La Marina
* Plataran Private Cruises



THINGS TO DO IN LABUAN BAJO
I landed in Labuan Bajo a day before the sailing tour and whilst I did a few things around the city I realized that there was more to do that I actually did not know about.

First of all there is no legal taxi company in Labuan Bajo so in order to get around you need to bargain with the cars along the road that act as taxi drivers. Or if you know how to ride a scooter then hire one maybe via the hotel.

As I was a bit ignorant of what Labuan Bajo has to offer I actually only did two things there. One was to trek the Love Hill / Bukit Cinta to get a glimpse of a pretty view and the other thing was to admire the magical sunset at Paradise Bar which I highly recommend to do. It was just so relaxing to sit there and witness the beauty of nature.

Other things that I wished I knew there was to do in Labuan Bajo are Mirror Rock / Batu CerminRangko Cave,  Cunca Wulang Waterfall and Wae Rebo Village.

So there you go that was my Komodo island travel guide I hope it inspired you to pack your bags and land in this paradisiac corner of the world.

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