The following content was provided by group member Astrid Chang for us to reorganize:
Bottom line first: Komodo National Park is located east of Bali, with no direct flights. You need to fly from Bali’s DPS Airport to Labuan Bajo’s LBJ Airport (about a 1-hour flight), then take a boat from the local harbor for an island-hopping day trip. If you don’t have enough people, consider joining a standard speedboat tour offered by travel agencies, which includes Pink Beach and close-up Komodo dragon observation.
How It Started: Meeting the Tour Agency
This day trip was arranged through a local tour agency in Komodo. Since the three of us friends originally wanted to charter a boat and customize our itinerary on Labuan Bajo island but couldn’t gather enough people, we decided to join their standard speedboat day tour. This journey let us experience Indonesia’s unique natural wonders and the warm hospitality of the locals, so we wanted to share our experience.
Getting to Komodo: How to Reach It
Komodo National Park is located east of Bali, about a one-hour flight away. Since there are no direct flights, you first need to take a domestic flight from Bali’s DPS Airport to Labuan Bajo’s LBJ Airport, then depart from Labuan Bajo harbor for an island-hopping day trip. Komodo is famous not only as the sole natural habitat of Komodo dragons but also for being home to one of Asia’s few pink sand beaches—both sights are truly eye-opening.
No editing, no filters—every single beach among the six stops was stunning, and it wasn’t crowded at all. Right photo: Pink Beach is actually quite prickly because it’s made of coral fragments mixed with fine white sand. In person, it has a subtle pink hue, turning more reddish at noon; the overly pink colors online are likely edited 😉 (Photo by Astrid Chang)
The Truth About Pink Beach
(Photo by Astrid Chang)
Trip Overview & Costs
⚠️ The exact timing and locations of the itinerary may be slightly adjusted due to weather and sea conditions.
This standard one-day tour includes six main attractions and costs approximately USD$97 (prices may vary due to exchange rate fluctuations and new government taxes; final pricing is subject to the tour operator’s quote). The itinerary is as follows:
- 6:00 Hotel pickup and departure to the harbor
- 8:00 Stop 1: Summit hike at Padar Island
- 10:00 Stop 2: Enjoy the scenery at Pink Beach
- 11:20 Stop 3: Komodo dragon adventure (guided walk)
(Photo by Astrid Chang)
- 12:20 Lunch on board
- 13:30 Stop 4: Stroll and snorkel at Taka Makasar (Crescent Beach)
- 14:30 Stop 5: Manta ray snorkeling (Manta Spot)
- 15:30 Stop 6: Stroll and snorkel at Kanawa Island
After the tour, you’ll return to the harbor around 16:00-17:00. ASRI Labuan Bajo also offers two-day, one-night tours and sunset-viewing packages—the bat sunset at Kalong Island is said to be spectacular.
What’s Included & What to Pack
💡 Package Includes:
- One-way airport-to-hotel transfer
- Round-trip transfers for the day’s itinerary
- Lunch, water, and drinks
- Snorkeling gear
- English-speaking guide service (with luck, a Chinese-speaking guide may be available)
(Provided by Astrid Chang)
💡 What to Bring:
- Hat (preferably with a strap to keep it from blowing away)
- Swimsuit
- Sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes and flip-flops
- Water bottle or drinking water
- Change of clothes or an easy-to-remove cover-up
Travel Diary: Dreamy Scenery & Local Charm
The sunset colors kept shifting, leaving us in constant awe (Provided by Astrid Chang)
The highlight of this Komodo island-hopping trip was the breathtaking scenery. Compared to Bali, it’s less crowded and more serene—every beach feels like a pristine paradise. The sunset we witnessed at the Ayana hotel was undoubtedly the most beautiful of the trip, as if we had stepped into a magical world.
👍 Why the local tour operator recommends this:
- Professional service: Arda, the owner of the local tour operator, is polite and patient with guests, especially those from Taiwan, offering meticulous service. We contacted him via Line, and he responded very quickly, with well-organized itineraries.
- Attentive and thoughtful: The boat crew and guides were genuinely concerned about each traveler’s well-being. On this trip, we were lucky to have a Chinese-speaking guide—such guides are rare locally, so it was a pleasant surprise.
In summary, this one-day island-hopping tour of Komodo National Park was an unforgettable experience. Beyond the stunning natural scenery, the professional service from the tour operator added greatly to the journey. If you want to explore this relatively untouched paradise, consider booking their services!
See the story in pictures below:
Left: We had to gather at the pier by 6:15 AM, where all the day-trippers met. It seemed the operator tried to group travelers by language. Right: First stop—the guide recommended climbing to the fifth viewpoint for the best views, but due to time constraints, we only made it to the fourth. A companion who went up said the scenery looked similar. (Photo by Astrid Chang)
Left: The entire route has wooden boardwalk stairs—easy to climb but a bit tiring. Right: The colors are unedited; pinkish in the morning, turning redder as the sun gets stronger. (Photo by Astrid Chang)
Left: The ground was quite prickly—my swimsuit fabric brought home many tiny red coral particles. Right: Correction—this is actually the third stop. If you don’t want to walk, you can wait outside. (Photo by Astrid Chang)
Left: Fourth stop—Taka Makasar crescent moon bay. You can skip snorkeling and just take a stroll. Right: Chasing manta rays! (Photo by Astrid Chang)
Right photo: Fifth stop—chasing manta rays. This spot is actually more dangerous, recommended for experienced divers. If you’re not a strong swimmer, don’t push it. Our friends who went down said the waves were strong and the current was intense. (Photo by Astrid Chang)
Left: Last stop—Kanawa Island, with crystal-clear glassy waters, perfect for snorkeling or a beach stroll. Right: Unbelievably beautiful. (Photo by Astrid Chang)
Left: Overall, I feel the service at Ayana Komodo doesn’t quite reach five-star level—probably because it’s on a remote island and relatively new, so the attention to detail isn’t fully there yet. But the hotel has plenty of facilities and the scenery is truly stunning. However, you must book a sea-view room; otherwise, I don’t think it’s worth it. Right: Thank you to Asri Labuan Bajo’s owner, Arda, for the arrangements and care 🥰🙇🏻♀️ (Provided by Astrid Chang)
Offering an all-inclusive five-day, four-night itinerary, including direct flights from Taiwan to Bali, flights from Bali to Komodo, four nights’ accommodation, a private car and driver for the entire trip, and more: ⭐⭐Bali + Komodo Dragon Island: Four-Night Light Luxury Tour, No Shopping, No Optional Fees, Five Days⭐⭐
Do you think Astrid Chang’s itinerary looks amazing? Start planning your own Bali free-and-easy trip now! Feel free to share your itinerary in the community group too!
Latest update: Komodo officially limits visitors! Without a reservation in 2026, you’ll be sent back to shore—spontaneous trips are history!
Bali Travelogue Treasure Trove
Click here for more Bali travel stories
Want to write a travelogue but don't know where to start? Check out "How to Write an Amazing Bali Travelogue" to make your travelogue shine!
