The Komodo boat tour was the most amazing experience that I had during my two months backpacking trip through South East Asia. I booked the 4 days and 3 nights Komodo boat tour with Wanua Adventure. This tour departs from Lombok island and we went all the way to Labuan Bajo in Flores.
Spending the days exploring islands, snorkeling and sunbathing on deck until the sun sets on the horizon was an unforgettable experience. At night you can watch the clear, starry sky until falling asleep to the slight swaying of the boat.
If you have enough time, I definitely recommend including this boat trip (or a similar one) on your trip to Bali.
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Things to know before you go
Here are a few things you should consider before booking a Komodo boat tour.
Which agency to book the Komodo boat tour with?
As I said above, I booked my Komodo boat tour with Wanua Adventure and I highly recommend them. Be aware that this is a back to basics boat tour: no phone reception, a very basic shower and sleeping on a mattress on deck (or in a private room if you pay a little extra). What I want to say is: Don’t expect luxury and comfort – it’s an adventure!
The crew of Wanua Adventure really did everything in their power to make this an amazing experience for every passenger. They kept the boat clean at all times, the food was amazing and they always made sure that everyone was okay and enjoying the adventure.
Besides Wanua Adventure, there are other agencies which offer similar trips to Komodo National Park. If you’re willing to pay more, you can even book a private tour and have a more luxurious experience.
Single day vs. multi-day boat tours
You can fully adapt the Komodo boat tour to your schedule and find a tour that fits your time frame. There’s even the option of doing a single day boat tour. However, for that you need to travel to Labuan Bajo first as those tours don’t depart from Lombok.
Personally, I recommend a multi-day boat tour to Komodo National Park. It’s an unforgettable adventure and the sunsets and the night sky from the boat are simply breathtaking. Plus, you obviously get to explore more amazing places on a multi-day tour.
If your time is limited and you can only do a one-day Komodo boat tour, then definitely make sure to include Padar Island in your tour. This is the place with the most amazing view of Komodo National Park.
Where does the Komodo boat tour start and end?
The 4-day boat trip that I did departs in Lombok and ends in Labuan Bajo on Flores. There’s also the option to do the Komodo boat trip the other way around, starting from Labuan Bajo and arriving on Lombok.
Most other agencies offer their tours from Labuan Bajo and also bring you back there.
How much does a Komodo boat tour cost?
The 4 days and 3 nights trip with Wanua Adventure in deck class costs about 150€. If you prefer to have some more privacy and comfort you can book a private room for 200€.
This includes an entrance fee to Komodo National Park, a government fee and a snorkelling fee.
What's included in a Komodo boat tour?
The Komodo boat tour is an all inclusive tour with 3 freshly prepared meals per day, unlimited coffee, tea and water. If you want to bring additional drinks you have the chance to buy them in advance and cool them on board. Also, I recommend bringing some snacks in case you have cravings in-between meals.
Snorkelling grear (mask and snorkel) is also provided, as well as basic fishing gear.
There are some charging points on board for your electric devices, but don’t rely on them. Sometimes they don’t work and there are also not enough for everyone to charge their devices.
What to bring on a Komodo boat tour
The Komodo boat tour is an all-inclusive adventure but there are some essentials that you should definitely pack for the trip.
- Power bank
I love this one because it has enough power to charge your device several times, which will be very useful on this multi-day boart trip- - Swim wear
- Towel
These microfiber travel towels are ideal because they’re lightweight, they dry fast and they don’t take much space. - Sun screen & hat
- Sunglasses
- Snacks
- Extra drinks (beer, cider, soft drinks)
- Sweater for fresh nights
- Camera
I use the Sony Alpha A6000, which is a compact and lightweight camera, ideal for photography beginners.
Day 1: Lombok and Kenawa Island
Before the Komodo boat tour I had been staying in the beach town Kuta in Lombok. I was picked up from my hostel early in the morning and after a long drive we arrived in Bangsal. This was the meeting point of all passengers and the guides. Everyone checked in, was served traditional Indonesian breakfast and was assigned to their boat. Then we hopped onto another van and drove for 3 more hours to the harbor of Kayangan in East Lombok.
Full of excitement for the adventure ahead of me, I boarded the boat together with the other passengers and we headed out to the sea.
I had booked deck class which meant sleeping on a mattress next to the other passengers on deck. This was the most affordable option and I was stoked about the feeling of the light ocean breeze at night. Those who had booked a private room had a bit more comfort and privacy as they could close the door to their room.
While the space on deck was quite limited and the mattresses were close to each other, I was happy about my decision to sleep on deck. It was really comfortable and there was fresh air all the time.
Once everyone was settled, lunch was served. We ate together and started getting to know the other passengers.
After lunch we made our first stop at Kenawa island. On the small uninhabited island there’s nothing but a snack vendor and small restaurant on the beach. A narrow path leads across the island up to the top of a hill. The sun was already low and shining a beautiful golden light on the grass-covered ground. We hiked up the little hill and watched the stunning view of the sunset from there.
When the sun had almost set we headed back to the boat and made our way to Bola island where we anchored and stayed the night.
I was excited for the first night on board, wondering if I would sleep well. It took me a while to fall asleep but I loved the adventurous feeling of being out on the ocean. After a while I finally fell asleep to the soft swaying of the boat. At 2 am the howling of the starting engine woke me up. We had to get going to arrive to our next stop on time.
Day 2: Moyo Island
On the second day we had an early start as we woke up with the rising sun. Before breakfast we could already jump from the boat and have a morning swim. The fresh air paired with the tranquility of a remote bay and the morning sun kissing our skin was so calming. This is what pure happiness and joy feels like.
After breakfast and my first essential cup of coffee we explored Moyo Island and hiked to a picturesque waterfall. We spent about an hour there climbing the waterfall, jumping into the cool water, and taking photos. The remaining day was to our own disposal for sunbathing on the beach, snorkelling or simply chilling on the boat.
Time passed rapidly and suddenly the sun had started to set. The sunsets from the boat are amazing. Sitting on the deck, becoming friends with the other travelers and watching the sun go down out on the open sea is magical.
What I hadn’t expected at that point was that the most magical moment of the day was yet to come. Once it got dark I headed up to the deck again and I was absolutely overwhelmed by the view. The deep black sky was full of stars.
As we were in the middle of nowhere out on the ocean, there was no light pollution at all. I lied down on my back and looked up while feeling the movement of the boat. In moments like this, I realize how small I am.
I also realized that I’m on the other side of the world, out on the sea for 4 days with people I didn’t know before, all by myself. These are the kind of moments where I start thinking about life and being grateful for everything.
Day 3: Komodo Island and Pink Beach
On the third day it was time to visit the famous Komodo dragons on Komodo Island. The dragons only live in and around Komodo National Park and they can kill a human with only one bite when they attack.
Komodo Island
I was excited to see those deathly animals in their natural habitat. We got a guided tour by a ranger who would answer all our questions about the Komodo dragons.
To be honest, I had expected Komodo Island to be more impressive as I had heard a lot about it before. We didn’t see many Komodo dragons because they usually like to hide. The walk through the island wasn’t exceptional either. But anyways, it was nice to spot at least a few Komodo dragons and to learn more about them.
Pink Beach
The second stop on day 3 of the Komodo boat tour was Pink Beach. It has this name because the sand has a pinkish tone. At first I didn’t see it at all – when I hear “Pink Beach” I imagine something different than this. But, when looking closely and from the right angle you can see some red shiny particles in the sand.
Pieces of broken coral reef are washed ashore and make the sand shimmer in pink. What surprised me was that on the photos on Google the beach looks completely pink. I’m not quite sure if these photos are edited or if the color depends on factors like the weather or the season as well.
But anyways – pink or not pink – the beach is amazing. We went snorkelling in the warm turquoise waters and saw lots of marine life. Unfortunately, the coral reefs are devastated because too many visitors are careless and step on them.
There’s a small hill on one end of the beach – and of course I wanted to hike it. When there’s a hill with a beautiful view almost nothing keeps me from climbing it. And it was absolutely worth it. It took less than 10 minutes to get to the top and the view was stunning. There’s another beach on the other side, surrounded by greenish hills that look like they’re from a fantasy world.
After a couple of hours at Pink Beach we had to go back on board as we still had a far way ahead of us that day. We spent the afternoon sunbathing on the deck, reading and socializing while the boat was bringing us closer to our destination.
When we reached the place where we’d spend the night we threw a little boat party as it was our last evening on board. The sunset was stunning again, just like the days before. We enjoyed each other’s company, played games and had fun until everyone got too tired from that day’s adventures and went to bed.
Day 4: Padar island, Rinca island and Labuan Bajo
The last day was my personal highlight of the Komodo boat tour. Watching the sunrise on Padar Island beat everything we had experienced so far.
Padar island
The alarm rang us out of bed at 5 am and the crew dropped us off at Padar Island right after. It was still pitch black and we didn’t see much of the island yet.
Together with travelers from other boats who had the same schedule we hiked up a hill from where we’d watch the sunrise. To secure us a good spot on the top we were almost running up and overtaking others.
The top of the hill on Padar island was quite crowded, but luckily we found a perfect spot to sit down and enjoy the view. As the sun was about to rise, the darkness disappeared and it revealed the spectacular view of our surroundings. Everything looked so surreal. The formation of the island is absolutely unique and the pink-ish light of the sunrise made it look even more impressive.
When there was enough light we took turns in taking photos of each other. Don’t be fooled by how empty it looks on the photos – we actually had to queue for 5-10 minutes to get a photo at this spot!
When we were done taking photos we made our way down again. Back on the boat, freshly prepared pancakes for breakfast awaited us. Everyone was still in awe from the experience on Padar island and we couldn’t believe how beautiful and unique this place was.
Rinca island
Then we continued the journey to Rinca island. There we could see some Komodo dragons again and we got a guided tour across the island. Personally, I enjoyed Rinca island more than Komodo island as the scenery was prettier.
Rinca island was the last official stop of the Komodo boat tour. At that point we had the option of either heading straight to the harbor of Labuan Bajo or stopping one last time for snorkeling and swimming. Everyone agreed on staying a little longer on the boat and adding another stop to jump into the crystal clear waters again.
After a couple of hours we made our way to Labuan Bajo, the final destination of the Komodo boat tour.
Labuan Bajo
When we arrived to Labuan Bajo we said our goodbyes to the crew and to the other passengers. I was so much looking forward to a shower and a proper bed like never before.
The first thing I did was to go for a delicious Italian pizza. I had been eating only traditional Indonesian food for the past days so it was amazing to have a European meal for a change.
Labuan Bajo is a lovely little village that is not very developed yet. Tourism has been growing in recent years because of the boat tours to Komodo National Park, but it’s still just a tiny fraction compared to a place like Bali.
I wrote a detailed guide on Labuan Bajo on where to stay, where to eat and things to do.
Komodo boat tour with Wanua Adventure - Yes or no?
If you’re into adventure and you’re okay with renouncing luxury and comfort for a few days, then the Komodo boat tour with Wanua Adventure is definitely the right choice for you.
I was traveling solo but I was lucky to meet these amazing people on board. We met as strangers and said goodbye as friends. Getting to know the other passengers and experiencing this adventure together makes it even more memorable.
Coffee is the fuel that keeps me running. I put a lot of time and effort into creating blog posts to make travel planning easier for you. If you benefited from my blog, I would appreciate a cup of coffee! 🙂
This was the most amazing experience during my 2 months trip through South East Asia and I definitely recommend it to every adventurer.
If you want to explore Komodo National Park without renouncing privacy and comfort, you can also book a private tour with a different operator. But be aware that this is considerably more expensive.
No matter which option and agency you choose, doing a boat tour to Komodo National Park should definitely be on your list for a trip to Indonesia!
December 5, 2020 at 8:26 pm
I want to jump into literally every picture in this post. What stunning views! I’m definitely adding this to my bucket list and will take your recommendations in the future!
December 11, 2020 at 5:42 pm
Hahah same here, I’d love to go back!
December 5, 2020 at 9:53 pm
This looks like a fantastic experience! I would love to do this tour one day.
December 11, 2020 at 5:41 pm
It really is a fantastic experience! Hope you get the chance to do the tour someday!
December 6, 2020 at 3:19 pm
This seems a fun tour. I thought I had read they had closed the National Park to save the natural habitat. I really want to visit but also feel scary looking at these creatures.
December 11, 2020 at 5:41 pm
It really is a fun tour! They announced a closure from 2020 for a year, but then cancelled it again. Not quite sure why.. probably they’re dependent on the income generated by visitors
November 2, 2022 at 1:46 am
Hello, we are looking into this tour next summer and my only question was how did you get back? It seems at the end of the tour you are a long way from Bali which is where I would fly home from
November 17, 2022 at 9:47 am
Hi Leannie, I took a flight back to Bali 🙂
December 29, 2022 at 4:30 pm
Hello, where did you leave your big backpack at the time?
January 3, 2023 at 6:36 am
I took it with me and they store it in a room on the boat 🙂
January 7, 2023 at 10:18 am
Hi, I’m close to the Gili islands now, and would live to do this trip. However, I’m 56 and am likely to be a lot older than most of the other passengers. Honestly, do you think this will be a problem?
Thanks
January 7, 2023 at 1:48 pm
I don’t think it will be a problem. You’ll have a great time for sure 🙂
July 7, 2023 at 10:45 am
Hi,
ich bin Sven und ich bin jetzt auf deinen Blog gestoßen, da ich schon einige Anbieter zu der Tour durch hab. Wie war es denn bei dir mit der Buchung? Musstest du einen Betrag vorab bezahlen?
July 12, 2023 at 8:45 pm
Hi Sven, ich kann mich nicht mehr genau erinnern, aber ich glaube schon, dass ich vorab was bezahlen musste.
April 11, 2024 at 11:52 am
Thanks for the article, there’s not much information about these tours anywhere. How’s the condition of toilet / shower (is there even a shower?) on board?
April 12, 2024 at 7:28 pm
Hi Felix, that fully depends on the provider you book with. Them more you pay, the better the facilities. I booked a very basic low-budget tour. The toilet was ok and there was an outdoor shower on the deck.