Is Visiting Komodo Worth it? 11 Reasons Why You Should Go
Is visiting the Komodo Islands worth it on your trip to Indonesia? In my opinion, the answer is a resounding yes. The most typical way to visit the Komodos is by taking multi-day liveaboard cruises where you spend 3 days and 2 nights sailing the islands. You can get to the Komodos from Bali either by taking the “Backpackers Boat” on a 4-day sailing excursion from Lombok to Flores or by taking a short 1-hour flight from Bali to Flores where all the more luxurious Komodo Cruises depart from.
All this to say, Komodo National Park is not an easy place to visit from Bali, since you need to multiple days to explore the Komodo Islands. But, in my personal opinion, it’s one of the most worthwhile things you can do in Indonesia.
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✔️ Quick Guide – Best Komodo Boat Tours
| 💎 Private Luxury | 2-4 Day Luxury Private Phinisi Charter |
| 💸 Private Budget | 3-Day Classic Boat Private Charter |
| 🚢 Luxury Open-Tour | 3-Day Luxury Open Tour On A Phinisi Boat |
| ⛵️ Budget Open-Tour | 3-Day Classic Komodo Open Trip |
| 💰Ultra-Budget | 4-Day Backpackers Boat from Lombok to Flores |
| 📆 1-Day Tour | 1-Day Komodo Tour from Labuan Bajo |
11 Things You Can Do That Make Visiting the Komodo Islands Worth It
1. Swim With the Wild Whale Sharks
The Komodo Islands are one of two places in Indonesia where I have been lucky enough to swim with the wild whale sharks – The other spot is Gorontalo in Sulawesi. Swimming with wild whale sharks is one of my absolute favorite things to do in Indonesia.
It’s important to know that while the whale sharks are fed to attract them to the snorkeling location, I still consider it an ethical animal encounter because whale sharks are filter feeders. Meaning, that no whale sharks are losing out on their ability to provide for themselves in the wild by being fed by humans – Whale sharks aren’t hunters, rather they just float about with their mouths open and hope food swims in 😂.
Katie’s Tips ✶
Do know that swimming with the whale sharks is an activity that’s only available for the Backpacker’s Komodo Boat Tour that sails to Lombok to/from Flores. Also, since whale sharks are wild and unpredictable animals, they might not always be there when tours run.
2. Climb to the Viewpoint at Padar Island for Sunrise/Sunset
The viewpoint at Padar Island is quickly becoming one of the most iconic photo spots in Indonesia. Indonesia is home to thousands of inactive volcanoes and the viewpoint at Padar Island showcases them beautifully. You’ll need to complete a 20-to 30-minute staircase hike to reach the viewpoint at Padar Island. It’s a straight shot up, so not the most scenic hike, but the views are well worth it once you reach the top. Most Komodo boat tour operators schedule a stop at Padar Island either for sunrise or sunset, ensuring you get the best views of the island.
3. See The Fearsome Komodo Dragons in Their Natural Habitat
I’m going to be completely honest, seeing the Komodo Dragons on the eponymous Komodo Island was the least impressive part of both Komodo Tours I went on. The Komodo Dragons are impressive animals that can hunt extremely fast, with venomous saliva lethal to humans.
That being said, the reason the island is open for tourism is because the Komodos are fed by the locals. Since the dragons are reptiles, most of their energy is spent on digesting – If you’re lucky, you’ll see one walking on the beach. But more likely than not, the Komodos will be sleeping off their big meals while tourists get their photos taken by their guides in front of them.
Katie’s Tips ✶
Seeing the Komodo Dragons is a cool experience, but by far it’s the least impressive thing I did in Komodo National Park. That’s why I recommend taking a multi-day Komodo Boat Tour that visits many islands, instead of a day trip just to Komodo Island.
4. Snorkel With the Wild Manta Rays
If you’re taking a multi-day boat tour of Komodo Islands that departs from Labuan Bajo, in Flores, you will get the chance to snorkel in a spot in Komodo National Park famous for spotting Manta Rays. The Manta Rays do their migrations in a specific channel in Komodo that has a high current – We were given finns with our snorkel sets so we could keep up with the Rays as they made their daily migrations.
I was very lucky to be swimming above at least a dozen wild manta rays when I visited Komodo! Manta Rays are huge, with a wing span of around 12 feet, and it was quite intimidating to be swimming above so many of them at once.
Katie’s Tips ✶
Since the Manta Rays are wild animals, it’s not 100% guaranteed that they will be there when you visit. If you miss the Rays in Komodo, they also have a Manta Point where you can see them on Nusa Penida Island.
5. Cruise in Luxury
The Komodo Islands has a tour available for every type of traveler. From an ultra-budget tour where you’re sleeping on mats on the floor with 30 other travelers, to luxurious Phinisi boat charters with private photographers and lobster dinners. I’ve done both budget and luxury tours of Komodo National Park, and I’ve never been more impressed by hospitality in Indonesia than I have on my luxury Komodo boat tour.
We had a private photographer documenting our trip at all excursions, AC rooms, wood-paneled walls, and white-linen beds. If you book a suite on a boat in the Komodos, you can wake up to panorama views of the island from private balconies. There’s really no upper limit to how extravagant the cruises in Komodo can get!
6. Enjoy the Sights at Kelor Island’s Viewpoint
Kelor Island is home to another iconic viewpoint hike in the Komodos. Shorter than the hike at Padar Island, it should only take you 10 minutes to climb the dirt and rock steps leading to the lookout spot at Kelor. Also at Kelor Island are some wonderful warungs where you can take a break from the sun and enjoy a Bintang beer or two (or three), and a small coral reef lies off thecoast of the island. While we were snorkeling off of Kelor Island I saw many Parrot Fish, as well as a Barracuda!
7. Watch the Sunset Bat Migration over Kalong Island
Every day at sunset thousands of Flying Foxes and Fruit Bats do an evening migration from Kalong Island in the Komodos. The island is impossible to access by humans, as it’s made up of a mangrove swamp. While it’s inaccessible to us people, it’s made the perfect nesting location for the wild bats in Komodo. No one, not even the tour guides, knows where the bats go – But every night dozens of cruise ships park next to Kalong Island to dine under the evening spectacle.
8. Take in the Sunset at Kanawa Island
Kanawa Island is a tiny picturesque island in the Komodos that’s home to a short hike up to its peak. On our first day of sailing, we were able to watch one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen from Kanawa.
9. Have a Social Time on the Backpacker’s Boat – Cheap Option!
The “Backpacker’s Boat” that sails from Lombok Island to/from Flores on a 4-day excursion isn’t for everyone. It’s an extremely rough living situation, with 30 or so travelers sleeping on mats on the floor with no AC and two toilets split between them all – But boy, is it fun.
If you’re looking for one of the best social experiences you can have on your trip to Indonesia, I always recommend the Backpacker’s Boat to the Komodo Islands. For four days, you can expect nothing but Bintangs and raucous good times, interspersed with stops at the most naturally beautiful islands I’ve ever visited.
Katie’s Tips ✶
The typical backpacker route from Bali to Komodo has travelers going from Bali to the Gili Islands, and then taking a ferry + shuttle to Lombok Island where the boat tours depart from.
10. Experience Glowing Bioluminescence at Night
The first time I experienced the Glowing Bioluminescence in Indonesia was on Gili Trawangan when my footsteps on the beach started glowing wit the tide came in – magical. Bioluminescence is a common phenomenon all over Indonesia, and if you’re lucky enough, you will get to see it if you go night swimming in Komodo National Park. Bioluminescence is motion-activated, so you won’t see it unless you or something else is moving around in the water. We were all night swimming on our Komodo boat tour, every paddle was lit up blue in the water!
11. See the Magical Pink Beach
Komodo National Park is full of neverending natural phenomena, with its Instagram-famous “Pink Beach” among the most iconic. Yes, the Pink Beach is as pink as these photos show. The beach gets its candy-hued sand from the ground-up coral, which constitutes most of the sand on the beach.
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.
Katie’s Tips ✶
While the Pink Beach really is pink, it will look more or less so depending on the lighting and time of day you visit. If you’re sailing the Komodos on a cloudy day, the Pink Beach might be disappointingly colorless – So have realistic expectations!
