Say Komodo and you probably picture a scene of a pre-historic dragon narrated by David Attenborough. Say Komodo and I picture diving into liquid glass to snorkel over waving savannahs of soft coral. I see schools of fish in every colour imaginable. I see 50 shades of blue interrupted by the tiny stings of even tinier jellyfish.
Snorkeling in Komodo National Park is world-class, and the best way to experience it is to go charter your own boat for an overnight snorkel trip. And oh, there are dragons, too.
A Komodo boat trip is an epic adventure, and doing it yourself gives you the freedom to go where YOU want to go. Continue reading to see our 2 days 1 night Komodo tour. It will show you the best snorkeling spots in Komodo National Park, the incredible Padar Island, Pink Beach and of course the Komodo Dragons.
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Start Your Komodo Boat Trip in Labuan Bajo
Sitting on the western edge of Flores Island, Labuan Bajo is the gateway to Komodo National Park and all its wonders. Labuan Bajo is a good place to spend a few days before you go off on your Komodo National Park snorkeling trip.
As our plane from Bali approached Komodo Airport we could feel our chins hit our chests. From the air, we could see green mountains fringed by turquoise coral disappearing into cobalt blue.
We just couldn’t wait to get off that plane to go and search for a boat to take us on our Komodo snorkel trip. Once in Labuan Bajo, we secured a boat within the first day.
There have been rumours going around that the government is planning on closing Komodo National Park entirely to visitors to protect the fragile ecosystem. The plan was to make that happen in 2019, but it was still open when we went in February 2020.
Now it seems that it will stay open, but you’ll need to cough up. So go now before this craziness becomes official!
Our Overnight Komodo Boat Trip Itinerary
We left Labuan Bajo early morning on day 1 and returned the next afternoon. This was a very relaxed trip, and if you’re looking for the same experience, we urge you to get your own boat and put together your own Komodo snorkel trip.
The places we visited on our Komodo Snorkel trip are :
- Kanawa Island
- Manta Point
- Taka Makassar
- Padar Island
- Small Pink Beach
- Rinca Island
Day 1: Labuan Bajo to Komodo
We arrive at the harbour just after 8:00, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and eager to jump on board. After our captain registered our plan with the harbour master we pulled up the anchor and put-put-putted out of Labuan Bajo harbour around 8:30.
Soon we settle into our outdoor lounge on the deck. Heading west, we pass incredibly green islands. Knowing that there might be Komodo dragons lurking around those islands makes it feel like a real adventure.
Komodo National Park Snorkeling
The snorkeling in Komodo is truly spectacular. You’re sure to see excellent hard and soft coral, plenty of marine life, and if you’re lucky you might snorkel with famous mantas. Komodo has a reputation for strong currents, so be prepared for that. However, there are also some great snorkeling spots with mild or no currents.
Snorkeling at Kanawa Island
Our first stop of the day is Kanawa island. This small island with its sandy beach has some good snorkeling. It’s also very easy since there is no current really, as compared to some of the other snorkel sites. The visibility was ok. I really enjoyed snorkeling under the wooden jetty.
I’m glad that Kanawa was the first stop on our Komodo snorkel trip, as it’s a good introduction to what’s to come. Snorkeling here is pale though compared to what was to follow. I’m sure if we had stopped here later on the trip it would be quite disappointing.
Don’t get me wrong-the snorkeling here is good, it’s just that we had much better snorkeling at the other sites. The reef is quite shallow which makes it perfect for beginners.
Boats need to pay 50 000 Rupiah to dock. There is also a little cafe selling drinks. We paid 30K for an ice tea. If you want to use one of their sun chairs it’s an outrageous 100K per chair!
Visibility: Good
Coral: Good
Fish: Good. Mostly small
Current: Weak
Lunch
The wind picks up quite a bit after leaving Kanawa, and our captain finds a somewhat sheltered sandbank where we stop for lunch. It amazed us how our crew cooked these simple yet delicious meals.
We are happy to say that we did not go hungry and throughout our trip, Captain Bien and first hand DD kept the food coming at just the right times.
After lunch, we waited a while for the wind to die down and give the crew time to wash up before the engines started put-put-putting again
Snorkeling at Manta Point
The anticipation was running high as we pulled into Manta Point. Komodo is famous as one of the best places to see these flying underwater creatures. Captain Bien took a stance at the front of our boat scouting the surface for any trace of manta while DD steered in the direction that Bien instructed him.
Finally, Bien spotted the flap of a wing breaking the surface. Our boat sped towards the spot as fast as we could and Bien told me to jump. All that I got to see was a faint glimpse of the manta as it high tailed in one direction while the current swept me away in the other direction. So sadly, no mantas for us at Manta Point 🙁
Visibility: OK
Coral: Too deep to see
Fish: Saw some big tuna while I was being swept away
Current: STRONG
Snorkeling at Taka Makassar
The idyllic white sandbank of Taka Makassar can be seen from Manta Point, and man, what a beauty it is! The boat stopped and I was in the water before the anchor. The snorkeling here is excellent.
Layers of soft and hard coral completely cover the gentle slope dropping off into the abyss. The swaying soft coral reminded me of the African savannah after a good rain year.
The sheer number of both large and small fish was quite impressive. I was very happy to spot a blacktip shark here, which I followed for a while drifting with the gentle current.
Also swim out to the snow-white sandbank and enjoy the solitude. When the snorkeling urge kicked back in, I swam out as far as I could and drifted back to your boat where the crew was waiting with fried bananas covered in chocolate sprinkles. Can life get any better than this?
Taka Makassar is also where we spent the night. We watched a magnificent sunset-facing Komodo island and the whole sky and sea were on fire.
After yet another tasty meal we watched phosphorous jellyfish light up the dark waters around the boat. Magic! We went to splash the salt off our skins in the freshwater mandi before climbing down into our little cabin for the night.
Visibility: Excellent
Coral: Excellent
Fish: Excellent
Current: Mild
Day 2: Komodo to Labuan Bajo
The second day of our Komodo snorkel trip started around 5:30 when the engines started put-put-putting. A stunning sunrise greeted us as we stumbled out of our cabin and climbed onto our sitting area. We slowly awoke as we manoeuvred our way through strong currents which run like wild rivers between these islands. After a solid breakfast of fried bananas and a strong cup of coffee, we neared Padar Island.
Padar Island Hike
Straight from the Jurassic Park set, Padar island is out of this world. As we cruised into the bay we immediately saw that Padar is much drier and rugged-looking compared to the emerald green islands we had passed so far.
Padar island is not a snorkeling stop though. The reason you want to come to Padar is for the spectacular view you get from the top of the island.
After paying our National park fees at the ranger post, we started our ascend. The first half is paved and easy going. But even starting first thing in the morning, the heat and humidity were savage. We were sweating like pigs and were soaked in sweat before even making it halfway. How the hell do those Instagram girls make it up here in full-length dresses? When we returned to our boat after the hike we jumped into the water right away before climbing back on board.
Anyway. The hike to the top takes about 30-40 minutes and the views keep on getting better and better as you continue up the mountain. The hike is paved halfway and then an easy to follow path leads you to the top. The view with the three bays almost touching, yet separated by that unworldly piece of land, is incredible. Do not miss Padar island!
Komodo National Park Entrance Fees:
- Rp 100 000 per boat
- Rp 150 000 entrance fee per person
- RP15 000 Snorkeling Fee
- Rp 5 000 hiking fee
- Rp 10 000 – for something we don’t know
- Total: 460K for the two of us
Snorkeling at Small Pink Beach
Captain Bien says there are two pink beaches in Komodo: Long Pink Beach and Small Pink Beach. Long Pink Beach is one of the bays that you can see from the top of Padar Island and is also located on Padar island itself. Almost all of the organized boat tours will take you to Long Pink Beach. Since we were headed towards Rinca island which is in the opposite direction, we decided to go to Small Pink Beach.
Small Pink might not be as long and big… as Long Pink, but it’s pure magic. Dropping anchor in the small sheltered cove we could feel ourselves chilling even harder. Diving into the crystal clear and calm waters was like jumping into a huge private swimming pool. With no current, clear water, handsome soft corals, tons of fish AND A PINK BEACH all to ourselves, this is what we pictured when we dreamed of our Komodo snorkel trip.
After a few hours in blue waters and on pink sand we had lunch and headed towards the dragons.
Visibility: Excellent
Coral: Very good
Fish: Very good
Current: None
Seeing the Komodo Dragons on Rinca Island
You can see Komodo dragons on either Komodo or Rinca Islands. We chose Rinca as it supposedly has more dragons which are also easier to spot.
We pulled up to the jetty at Rinca where our boat was met by a park ranger carrying a stick. The park ranger escorted us to the visitor’s centre where we paid our entrance fee.
From here you can choose between a short/medium/long hike. The ranger who met you at the boat will be your guide for the duration of your whole visit.
We arrived at Rinca around 14:00, the sun was fierce and the humidity brutal, so we went with the short walk. There are always big dragons hanging around the visitor’s centre. So don’t waste your time or energy on longer hikes, unless you are interested in seeing grass and palm trees and enjoying melting in the sun.
Our ranger was informative and gave us lots of info on the dragons and island. We suspect that a big chunk of their training goes into how to take good pictures for the visitors. When we spotted the dragons sleeping, our ranger immediately asked for our phones to take pictures for us.
By creating the right angle and getting in the right position, our ranger took some great photos for us, where the dragon looks huge, just like a real dragon.
On our short walk (less than 30 minutes) our guide pointed out a dragon nest, we saw another dragon between the trees, and spotted a deer and some water buffaloes. Overall we didn’t expect much from the dragons, but it turned out to be so cool. They are really big and, well, almost like dragons!
Entrance Fees to Rinca Island
- Rp 140 000 per person
- RP 50 000 tip for the ranger.
Return to Labuan Bajo
We put-put-putted back into Labuan Bajo harbour around 18:00. Suntanned, caked in salt, tired but happy as clams!
Does Komodo Have the Best Snorkeling in Indonesia?
The snorkeling was fantastic! The sheer amount of soft and hard coral together with good visibility and warm water of Komodo makes for an excellent snorkel trip. So how does it compare to other places in Indonesia?
I rank it way up there, just under the Banda Islands. But then again the Bandas is the holy grail of snorkeling. I think that the soft coral in Komodo is what makes it so special though. That and the chance to snorkel with the Mantas-if you’re in luck. I’d say that the snorkeling is pretty much on par with that of Alor.
The snorkeling in Komodo is very good, and well worth the trip. If you’re looking for excellent coral, a great variety of sea life and the addition of seeing the Komodo dragons, then you’ll love Komodo as much as we did.
The only downside is that you will need a boat to access the best snorkeling spots in Komodo. But perhaps that all part of the adventure too.
How about the Gilis or Amed in Bali?
HAHAHAHA don’t even mention Komodo and these lightweights in the same sentence. Poor Bali. Poor Gilis.
Where to Stay in Labuan Bajo?
We stayed at the amazing La Cecile for two nights before we went on our boat trip. This gave us enough time to find a boat, relax by the pool and take in the sweeping view over Labuan Bajo.
After our return, we stayed at the equally nice Golo Hilltop for two days. We liked the garden setting and lounging by the pool.
Happy snorkeling in Komodo! We hope that you see so many mantas that you don’t want to see another single manta ever again!