Ultimate Komodo DIY Travel Guide: Easy Tips for Lazy Travelers on Eating, Staying & Getting Around
🌟Transport: The main modes of transportation on the island are boats and motorcycles. From the airport, a car ride is a flat rate of 70,000 Rp, or you can get a motorcycle from Grab for 14,000 Rp per person. Direct flights are available from Surabaya, Jakarta, or Bali (to convert Indonesian Rupiah to Chinese Yuan, remove three zeros and divide by 2).
✨Accommodation: It’s recommended to stay within the area marked in the square in Figure 6. It’s about 10 minutes to the airport and 10 minutes to the pier, with shopping centers, restaurants, piers, and night markets all nearby. We stayed at the Meruorah Komodo Labuan Bajo, which was cheaper when booked through Agoda.
The hotel rents electric scooters for 100 RMB for 12 hours, suitable for riding around the island. For sunset, head to Sylvia Hill, where there are several viewpoints; Bukit Sylvia is the most famous. On the day we went, it was cloudy, but it should be more beautiful on a clear day.
Itinerary: Day 1 – Rent a vehicle to ride around the island and take photos. Durian lovers should buy from roadside stalls, which set up near the night market in the afternoon. Day 2 – A full day of island hopping. Day 3 – Return to Bali. As for food, by the time we arrived, it was our 7th day in Indonesia, and only Indomie (Indonesian dry instant noodles) was enjoyable.
For avocado lovers, try the milkshakes here; they’re tasty, cheap, and not too sweet, made with a type of brown sugar I hadn’t seen before. Generally, ordering meals on Grab based on rankings and reviews won’t go wrong.
Costs: A one-day tour costs around 4-500 RMB, including lunch, but not the entrance fee to Komodo Island, which is 200 RMB per person. The tour includes four attractions and one lunch, such as Padar Island, Pink Beach, Komodo dragons, Jellyfish Sea, and two snorkeling spots. See Figures 2-6 for the attractions.
⚠️Note‼️
There are multiple pink beaches. The one we visited, near the Komodo dragon viewing area, wasn’t very pink. Confirm with the guide beforehand. ✅
Be cautious when viewing Komodo dragons; they carry 48 types of bacteria. There are about 3,000 on the island. Follow the guide closely. Various small animals roaming freely on the island are their prey.
Some online sources claim that these Komodo dragons are so docile and allow close-up photos because they are drugged (we also had our suspicions). The number of Komodo dragons that can roam in the tourist area each day is limited, sometimes none, so most tourists see the same one or a few Komodo dragons.
The guides know exactly where the Komodo dragons are and will take you directly to see them.
Snorkeling, however, offers the best experience, allowing you to see vast coral reefs, sea turtles, and manta rays. If you have space in your luggage, it’s best to bring your own diving gear, as the ones provided are reused many times and by many people.
