Planning
Komodo rewards a little planning. The flights are short, the harbour is ten minutes from the airport, and the park is open all year — but the seasons shape the sea, permits are charged by the day, and a dawn start on Padar is worth arranging properly. This page covers the practical side: getting here, when to come, what to pack, and how money and bookings work. For anything else, just ask us.
Fly to Komodo Airport (LBJ) in Labuan Bajo, West Flores. Direct flights leave daily from Bali — about an hour and ten minutes over the Lesser Sundas — and from Jakarta in around two and a half hours. Most guests connect through Bali; both routes land you at the same small terminal.
The harbour is ten minutes from the airport. Your driver meets you at arrivals, and if your boat leaves that morning you can be on the water within the hour.
For early departures — Padar at sunrise, or a phinisi sailing at first light — we suggest arriving the evening before. We can book your Labuan Bajo hotel and time every transfer around your flights.
The dry season runs May to October: reliable sun, calm mornings, hills turning from green to gold. July and August bring wind to the south of the park, so we route those weeks with care.
The green season, November to March, makes its own case. Short storms pass through, seas can be lumpier from December to February, and the islands turn green. It is also the best window for reef mantas at Karang Makassar — December to March, though they are possible year-round.
The water holds 25–29C in every month, and the park never closes. Whenever you come, ask for Padar at dawn: the trek to the saddle takes 30–45 minutes, the steps are quietest before the day boats arrive, and the light is at its best.
Komodo National Park charges entrance and activity fees per person, per day — trekking, snorkelling and diving each carry their own line. Expect the total to be in the order of tens of US dollars a day; the exact figures shift with park policy, and we confirm them in your quote.
You do not need to handle any of it. We arrange every permit before you sail, and your ranger — mandatory for the walks at Loh Liang and Loh Buaya — is part of the plan.
Two notes. Drones need their own permit, so tell us in advance if you fly one. And park rules are firm: no touching or feeding wildlife, anywhere.
Pack light: cabins and day boats reward small, soft bags. Reef-safe sunscreen is the one thing not to forget — the park asks for it, and the reefs deserve it.
For Padar, bring shoes with grip. The trail to the saddle is a staircase of steep steps — easy in trainers, unpleasant in flip-flops. A hat and a water bottle earn their place on the same climb.
On the water, a dry bag keeps phones and passports out of the spray, and light layers matter more than people expect: a dawn departure and the breeze on a moving deck can feel cool even here. Add swimwear, a rash vest if you burn easily, and something modest for village visits on land.
The currents in Komodo are serious. They feed the reefs and bring the mantas, and they are why we treat the sea with respect: licensed local crews who read these channels daily, routes timed to the tides, and dive groups capped at four guests with experienced guides.
Every boat carries life jackets in all sizes, and snorkel gear — mask, snorkel, fins — is provided and fitted before you get wet. If you prefer your own mask, bring it.
Non-swimmers are welcome. Because the boat is yours, nobody is left treading water to keep up with a group: you can float with a jacket and a crew member alongside, or wade the shallows at Taka Makassar and go no deeper.
The sun is the main hazard. It is stronger than it feels on a moving boat, so cover up, reapply, and drink more water than you think you need — the crew keeps it cold and keeps it coming.
Labuan Bajo has a clinic for anything minor, and on the usual routes your guide or crew is rarely far from a phone signal. Ranger-guided walks keep a sensible distance from the dragons; follow their lead and the visits are calm.
We recommend travel insurance that covers snorkelling — and diving, if you plan to dive. Keep personal medication in your day bag rather than the hold, and tell us about conditions or allergies when you book, so the crew and kitchen can plan around them.
Our prices are quoted in US dollars as 'from' guide prices; the final quote depends on season, group size and the boat or hotels you choose. Once agreed, it is fixed.
A deposit by bank transfer confirms your dates, and the balance is due before departure. We set out the schedule clearly in your quote — there is no online checkout, and nothing is charged that you have not seen in writing.
On the ground, Indonesia runs on rupiah. Cards work in Labuan Bajo's hotels and better restaurants, but carry IDR cash for small purchases, village visits and tips. There are ATMs in town; there are none in the park.
For what happens if plans change, see Cancellation & Changes below.
Plans change; here is how we handle it. Your deposit is fully refundable up to 45 days before departure. From 44 to 15 days we keep the deposit but move it, once, to any new date within a year. Inside 14 days the deposit is retained; any balance already paid is returned except costs already committed to boats, hotels and permits on your behalf.
If we cancel — or the harbourmaster closes the port for weather — you choose: everything back, or the same voyage on new dates. Weather re-routing within a trip (swapping a stop, reordering days) is part of how the park works and is not a cancellation.
These are our standard terms; anything different for your dates will be written into your quote before you pay anything. Travel insurance that covers cancellation is strongly recommended.
Questions
Anything else — ask us directly. A person answers, within a day.