And a little about the history!
How to get to Komodo is often a question we get asked so read on to find out a little about the history of Komodo National Park as well as important information on where we are and how to get here!!
Komodo National Park is situated in the beautiful island archipelago of Indonesia. The National Park encompasses the group of islands that are found between the islands of Sumbawa & Flores. The area is just west of Flores Island and can be accessed through the main town of Labuan Bajo, Flores.
The National Park is made up of 3 major islands – Komodo, Rinca & Padar as well as a number of smaller islands. Official records vary (depending on what they deem to be an island!) but there are roughly 25 other islands within the region.
Komodo National Park or KNP is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991 due to the unique ecosystem and incredible variety of life that can be found here.
The best known residents of Komodo National Park are the Varanus Komodoensis or Komodo Dragon !!
These magnificent beasts are endemic to the region and can be found throughout the National Park, but most famously inhabit the islands of Komodo & Rinca where visitors can head out trekking with Rangers to try & see these prehistoric animals.
It is thought that there are just over 5000 Komodo Dragons left in the world so their protection is of paramount importance. The Komodo Dragon is the largest living lizard growing to an average size of 3m. They are the reason for the area originally being protected back in the 1980s. Komodo Dragons are known for their aggression and mating rituals and when you see them it really is like you are looking at a living dinosaur!
Human populations also inhabit the larger islands of Komodo, Rinca and Papagarang. These include the Ata Modo (original people of Komodo) as well as migrants from Bima, Manggarai, the Bajo and Bugis.
For generations, the Ata Modo and the island’s Komodo dragons have been living side by side. The Ata Modo believe that Komodo dragons are born from the same spiritual mother. According to local legend, Komodo Dragons are the sibling twins of humans. Long ago, a woman gave birth to twins – one was human and one was a Komodo…Both are seen as equal and deserving of respect. This has led to a spiritual bond between the Ata Modo & the Komodos.
One commonly held belief is that Komodo Dragons are the connection between the physical world and the spiritual one. The Ata Modo believe that Komodo Dragons protect the islands from harm and watch over the humans of the Ata Modo. In the language of Komodo the dragons are called “sebae” meaning twins.
Komodo is situated in the Wallacea Biogeographical Region at the meeting point of 2 continental plates. The fauna and flora also offer something unique to the area and the rugged islands really are breathtaking when viewing them from our dive boats. In dry season the islands are arid and brown looking, but during rainy season they take on a vibrant green as the fauna and flora flourishes with the extra water!
Other famous residents of the National Park (from our perspective!) are the majestic Mantas, the sharks, the turtles, the octopus, the weird and wonderful such as frogfish, ghost pipefish, blue ring octopus, nudibranchs and of course the incredibly vibrant reefs and hundreds of reef fish we encounter on every single dive.
To find out more about the best time to dive in Komodo check out our blog at Scuba Junkie Liveaboards.
Our Scuba Junkie Komodo resort is based right on the edge of Komodo National Park. We are still on the island of Flores about 20km south west of Labuan Bajo. We are nestled in the quiet bay of Warloka and share the bay with the village of the same name. This village is a 20 minute walk from the resort. There is also a small ‘kampung’ or village next door. A lot of our staff actually come from the village of Warloka or the kampung next door to us.
Our resort is right on the waters edge overlooking Komodo National Park. The view is spectacular with the islands of Rinca and Komodo both visible from our decking and jetty area. The resort is next to the Molo Strait which is a narrow, shallow strait between the islands of Flores and Rinca. As a result of the topography of the bay and the narrow Molo Strait we can get some very strong currents in front of the resort. It is a lot of fun to wash the waters gushing under the jetty like a river as the water is funnelled through the strait.
Being west facing means we also get the most epic sunset views! Our resort really is the perfect place to unwind after diving!
How to get to Komodo?
Labuan Bajo is located on the westernmost tip of Flores Island. What once was a small fishing village has exploded in recent years with the development of an international airport, re-design of the harbour area as well as road improvements and the fast growing hospitality and food sector.
How to get to Komodo – Domestic Routes
There are regular flights to Labuan Bajo from both the international hubs of Denpasar, Bali and Jakarta. Both routes offer a couple of flights per day with the main operators being Batik Air, Air Asia, Citilink and Garuda. Smaller airlines such as Wings & Lion Air tend to operate in the busier months of July – September.
Batik Air currently offers 15kg extra check in luggage for dive gear which is a great bonus for those of you bringing your own gear! Air Asia, Citilink and Garuda also offer check in luggage as standard, but not additional for dive gear. The smaller airlines usually require you to book check in luggage as extra.
Flights from Denpasar Bali take about 50 minutes and the flight time from Jakarta is about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Flights from Bali are more frequent and using this as your international arrival / departure point means you could also add a trip to Scuba Junkie Penida to your journey and avail of our Special Combo Discounts!
How to get to Komodo – International Routes
As of 2024 Air Asia have introduced direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. These flights are currently operating x 3 per week:
Flying into Labuan Bajo from KL makes a Combo Trip with Scuba Junkie Sipadan or Scuba Junkie Sangalaki a lot easier to do with reduced travel time between the locations.
In very exciting news – Jet Star are also commencing direct flights from Singapore to Labuan Bajo starting on 20 March 2025!! This is fantastic news for our international guests who may want to bypass Bali and Jakarta & get straight to Komodo! Currently Jetstar are operating these flights x 2 per week, but we hope this will become more regular in the future.
How to get to Komodo – Other Options
It is also possible to fly into Labuan Bajo from the airport of Surabaya and Maumere. These routes are operated by some of the smaller airlines. Please do be aware that these routes are often delayed or cancelled and can be unreliable.
It is also possible to come to Labuan Bajo by ferry / boat trip.
The Pelni ferry departs from Benoa in Bali and stops at Lombok & Bima along the way. This is the local Indonesia ferry company and it is possible to purchase simple ride on tickets or cabins. The journey time using this method takes about 38 hours if you start in Bali.
There are also a number of companies that offer boat trips from Lombok to Labuan Bajo. These are usually 3 night trips that will include some island stops and snorkeling along the way.
Arrival in Labuan Bajo
A big advantage of Labuan Bajo town is that everything is in very close proximity to each other! The airport is literally a 6-7 minute taxi ride to the main street where our office can be found. On arrival at our Scuba Junkie Office our staff will be ready to greet you and ensure that we have everything we need to ensure a smooth check in.
You will be asked to provide a copy of your passport, visa, dive cert & dive insurance as well as complete our standard liability release form if you have not already done so via email. Our staff will also request the cash payment for your Komodo National Park Permits.
How to get to Scuba Junkie Resort
Our resort is only accessible by boat. Google maps is a little inaccurate here, but we do get asked this a lot because of the route on the map! Our transfer boat leaves from the harbour in Labuan Bajo at 14.30 each day. Our staff will walk with you to the boat once everyone is present and ready to depart.
We encourage all of our guests to arrive in Labuan Bajo prior to 14.00 to ensure you are in time for this transfer.
If you are not able to arrive in time then we can arrange for a private transfer to the resort. Please note that this option is time limited so please ask our bookings team if you have more questions about this option.
**Please note that for the flight arrival from KL that lands at 14.25 a private transfer will be required. Currently with the flight arrival from Singapore it is not possible to come to the resort the same day.
As mentioned there is no road access directly to the resort. The road will only take you as far as the village of Warloka. The journey by road from Labuan Bajo to Warloka only takes about 35 minutes. Warloka is a local village positioned in the same bay as the resort. The road itself is newly built and in excellent condition.
However the short journey from Warloka to the resort can be tricky. The route from Warloka to the resort is along the beach / waterfront and takes about 20 minutes on foot. The beach is quite muddy and rocky so not always an easy walk. If the tide is low the walk is more muddy / sinky sand and at very high tide there are points you would need to walk through water about ankle deep. This is not so easy with luggage which is why we do not offer this option to our guests.
There are plans underway for a new jetty to be built at Warloka that will be able to cater for small passenger vessels. This will enable us to use this option in the future, but for now we choose to bring our guests by boat. It is a beautiful journey and will give you your first glimpses into the Komodo National Park as you travel along the coast of Flores to the resort. The boat journey to the resort takes about 1 hour 20 minutes.
When the time finally comes for you to leave us we recommend booking a flight after 11.00. This gives you 18+ hours No Fly Time (as recommended by DAN) as well as fitting well with our transfer boat which will get you back to Labuan Bajo harbour around 9.15 – 9.30.
Komodo National Park is a unique part of the world with so much to offer. Many of our guests return again and again because the level and consistency of the diving is unmatched anywhere else in the world! We hope that you too can come and visit us to experience first hand what this incredible region has to offer. How to get to Komodo should be the question on every scuba diver’s mind and we hope this blog has made the planning for your next adventure easier for you to achieve!
If you have more questions about How to get to Komodo or about any of the packages and diving that we offer please contact us here.
