Ultimate 4-Day, 3-Night Komodo Trip Guide: Boat Accommodation & Travel Tips
The key point is that the scenery in Komodo is incredibly stunning, to the point of being breathtaking. However, due to the relatively niche attractions and underdeveloped tourism infrastructure, the overall liveaboard experience can be somewhat average. Please read on for the essential details.
1. How to Visit
Flights from Jakarta or Bali will first land at the main island, Labuan Bajo, where you’ll find a variety of hotels and restaurants. To truly experience the beauty of the region, you need to venture out to sea and hop between islands. It’s highly recommended to book a 3-day, 2-night liveaboard to ensure a well-balanced itinerary.
If you prefer not to do a liveaboard, staying on the main island and booking day tours each day can also cover most of the sights. I personally do not recommend a 2-day, 1-night liveaboard, as the schedule is too rushed and may leave you feeling shortchanged.
2. Liveaboard Booking
In terms of price, 🦉 > 🍑🐬 > local travel agencies. You can find local travel agencies by searching “komodo trip” on Google Maps. It’s crucial to book at least one month in advance, as finding availability on the day of your trip is nearly impossible. There are two types of liveaboards: private charters and group tours.
Group tours typically accommodate 12-20 people, with various room options available, but they generally only depart on Mondays and Fridays. The cheapest option I found was a dormitory-style room for 1200 RMB per person, while the most luxurious was a sea-view room with a bathtub for 5000 RMB per person.
After thorough research, I found that Luxury Komodo and Easycomodo were reliable, but we ended up choosing a private charter due to scheduling issues. There are many nuances involved with private charters, and I’ll detail them in the comments. In the end, our private charter for six people cost 14,000 RMB.
3. Itinerary
Day 1: Depart at 11 AM, Kelor Island (hiking + beach) + Manjarite (snorkeling) + Kalong Island (sunset and bat watching)
Day 2: Depart at 5 AM, Padar Island (mountain climbing to view the volcanic island + sunrise) + Pink Beach + Komodo dragons + Manta Point (snorkeling) + Taka Makassar (crescent-shaped sandbar)
Day 3: Kanawa Island (snorkeling) + return around 1 PM.
All the attractions are exceptionally beautiful; please refer to the photos for a visual treat.
4. Meals
Meals on the boat are usually simple in the morning, with lunch and dinner consisting of about five dishes and one soup. The taste is average, but the portions are sufficient. On the main island, we visited the Fish Market and first tried Three Angels, which had a menu that seemed to suit Chinese tastes, but we failed to haggle successfully [laughing].
We ended up at another place called Sapurata, which was also decent. After asking four shops, the general price for lobster was 800k IDR/kg, and large blue crabs were 400k IDR/kg. Three Angels quoted prices per piece. In practice, trying to get half the price is not feasible, and we managed to get around a 30% discount.
5. Currency Exchange
To get the most out of your money, aim for the best exchange rate on the island, which is 1:2075. However, it’s highly recommended to exchange your currency in your home country before you travel. While using Visa or Mastercard can be convenient for most transactions, keep in mind that there is a mandatory 600,000 IDR per person entrance fee for Komodo Island, and this must be paid in cash.
