Flores: This Indonesian island is the gateway to Komodo National Park. You may not have heard of it, but I’m sure you have heard of Komodo with its infamous, prehistoric Dragons. Seeing Komodo Dragons was a bucket list item for me and had been for quite some time.
Our journey along the Flores coast from Labuan Bajo into Komodo National Park was one of the best boat trips we have encountered, only Raja Ampat could rival its beauty. Whilst passing lush green, hilly islands, dolphins playfully jumped alongside our boat, teasing us with a flash of their dorsal fins in the turquoise and deep blue water.
It felt like we were entering a special paradise, one which should be kept secret from everyone else.
But we weren’t here just to see the Komodo Dragons … we were here to dive with manta rays!
Our journey along the Flores coast from Labuan Bajo into Komodo National Park was one of the best boat trips we have encountered, only Raja Ampat could rival its beauty. Whilst passing lush green, hilly islands, dolphins playfully jumped alongside our boat, teasing us with a flash of their dorsal fins in the turquoise and deep blue water.
It felt like we were entering a special paradise, one which should be kept secret from everyone else.
But we weren’t here just to see the Komodo Dragons … we were here to dive with manta rays!
The journey into Komodo National Park from Labuan Bajo
Flores: An island full of surprises
Flores is an unspoilt paradise east of Lombok, and was given its name by 16th century Portuguese colonists due to the flowering Deloix regia trees found here. Flores means flowers in Portuguese. The people of Flores are almost all Roman Catholic Christians, unlike the majority of Indonesia which are Muslim.
Most tourists visit Flores for Komodo National Park, but there is more to this island than just diving. Labuan Bajo is the main fishing port and the gateway to the national park, so this town sees the most visitors. Island tours and day trips can be arranged with one of the many tour operators here who offer different experiences, depending on your taste. For a nice viewpoint, head to Blue Marlin dive centre and restaurant. The food is good and you can watch the sun set over the National Park whilst sipping a cold Bintang.
Flores is an unspoilt paradise east of Lombok, and was given its name by 16th century Portuguese colonists due to the flowering Deloix regia trees found here. Flores means flowers in Portuguese. The people of Flores are almost all Roman Catholic Christians, unlike the majority of Indonesia which are Muslim.
Most tourists visit Flores for Komodo National Park, but there is more to this island than just diving. Labuan Bajo is the main fishing port and the gateway to the national park, so this town sees the most visitors. Island tours and day trips can be arranged with one of the many tour operators here who offer different experiences, depending on your taste. For a nice viewpoint, head to Blue Marlin dive centre and restaurant. The food is good and you can watch the sun set over the National Park whilst sipping a cold Bintang.
Blue Marlin restaurant is a nice place to hang out, especially at sunset
For beach lovers, the white sand beaches around Flores are a welcome change to the more popular Indonesian beaches as there are far less visitors. A tour around the 17 Island Marine Park will reward you with unspoilt views of its uninhabited islands, and crystal clear waters for snorkelling. Which brings me to “pink beach”. Indonesia is blessed to have two of the world’s pink beaches, one is in Lombok, the other on Komodo island. Just off the pink coloured beach is a popular snorkelling spot home to hundreds of colourful fish.
We cruised past this stunning white sand beach on the way into Komodo National Park
17 Island Marine Park is stunning. Photo credit: All Indonesia Tourism
Aside from visiting Komodo, the star attraction of Flores is the natural phenomenon, the three crater lakes on the volcano Kelimutu near Moni. During the day, the three mystical lakes turn blue, green and black (some say red) and provide breath-taking views. It is said that the different colours are caused by the gases bubbling away under the surface. The most popular time is sunrise or sunset which means more people (take a jumper or jacket as it can be quite cold, but you can buy hot tea/coffee at the viewpoint). Bear in mind that nature will do what it wishes with the weather, so if it’s cloudy or foggy, you may feel underwhelmed. The walk from the carpark to the lake is about 10-20 minutes with an entrance fee of 150,000 payable. If you are short on time and really want to visit this attraction, you can fly from Labuan Bajo to Ende, then get a car for the two hour journey to Moni for 500,000 IDR.
Three Crater Lake
In Ruteng, Flores Cycling Tours offer various trips from two hours to a full day (US$ 45 - US$ 85). We have enjoyed cycling tours in the past and are the perfect way to explore an area … not too fast and not too slow, with the addition of a breeze, often a welcome respite from the heat and humidity. You will cycle through beautiful landscapes, spider web rice terraces, green valleys and coffee gardens.
Cycling tours in Ruteng are a great way to see the countryside. Photo credit: Flores Cycling Tours
If you want a truly cultural experience, a trek to Wae Rebo in the isolated village of Manggarai is a must. Wae Rebo is 3 hours from Ruteng, or about 7-8 hours from Labuan Bajo. This area is very aware that tourists are visiting and there are little charges here and there so bring cash.
The 10km trek along winding, rocky pathways will take you through jungles, over cliffs and pass cascading waterfalls which could be considered challenging for some. If you want to stay overnight in Wae Rebo to see how the locals live, first you will meet the leader of the village for a simple ceremony which will pronounce you a citizen of Wae Rebo giving you permission to stay. You will sleep in a communal round hut called a Mbaru Niang which can accommodate up to 40 people.
Cost: A day visit is 200,000 IDR. To stay overnight is 325,000 IDR including all meals
Note: The car park is 3km away from the trek start point, you can either walk up the asphalt road to begin the 10km trek, or hire a scooter (pangkalan ojek) for 20k-30k per person.
The 10km trek along winding, rocky pathways will take you through jungles, over cliffs and pass cascading waterfalls which could be considered challenging for some. If you want to stay overnight in Wae Rebo to see how the locals live, first you will meet the leader of the village for a simple ceremony which will pronounce you a citizen of Wae Rebo giving you permission to stay. You will sleep in a communal round hut called a Mbaru Niang which can accommodate up to 40 people.
Cost: A day visit is 200,000 IDR. To stay overnight is 325,000 IDR including all meals
Note: The car park is 3km away from the trek start point, you can either walk up the asphalt road to begin the 10km trek, or hire a scooter (pangkalan ojek) for 20k-30k per person.
The cultural village of Wae Rebo
There are a couple of ways to travel around Flores. The island isn’t geared up for local transport so bus journeys can be long and uncomfortable, but if you are on a budget and have time, this is the cheapest option. Alternatively, you can hire a car and driver for a few days and there are many tour operators in Labuan Bajo offering two or three days packages.
The many islands in and around Komodo National Park
Introduction to Komodo National Park
Komodo National Park was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. At first it was a Terrestrial Park to protect the 2,500 wild Komodo Dragons around the islands of Rinca and Komodo. Later, as conservation goals expanded to protect the entire biodiversity for both marine and terrestrial life, it was made into a National Park.
Komodo National Park was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. At first it was a Terrestrial Park to protect the 2,500 wild Komodo Dragons around the islands of Rinca and Komodo. Later, as conservation goals expanded to protect the entire biodiversity for both marine and terrestrial life, it was made into a National Park.
Komodo National Park is in the Coral Triangle – the most diverse area in the world for marine life boasting over 3,000 species and 76% of all known coral species in the world. It has to be said, the coral here is pristine.
It’s a diver’s paradise and a top scuba diving destination. For some, Komodo is on their bucket-list, for others it’s their favourite place to dive. Sy actually preferred Komodo to Raja Ampat.
If you are a muck diving/macro lover, you can find frogfish, moray eels, seahorses and colourful nudibranch. If you like your general “aquarium” type fish, they are here in abundance. If “the big stuff” is your thing, you will find sharks, devil rays, and of course, manta rays. Komodo is one of the best places in the world for manta encounters. For current/drift dive adrenaline junkies, this destination must also be added to the top of your list!
Most people come here for the mantas, as did we! I have heard stories first hand from diving friends who had amazing manta encounters, but would we be so lucky?
It’s a diver’s paradise and a top scuba diving destination. For some, Komodo is on their bucket-list, for others it’s their favourite place to dive. Sy actually preferred Komodo to Raja Ampat.
If you are a muck diving/macro lover, you can find frogfish, moray eels, seahorses and colourful nudibranch. If you like your general “aquarium” type fish, they are here in abundance. If “the big stuff” is your thing, you will find sharks, devil rays, and of course, manta rays. Komodo is one of the best places in the world for manta encounters. For current/drift dive adrenaline junkies, this destination must also be added to the top of your list!
Most people come here for the mantas, as did we! I have heard stories first hand from diving friends who had amazing manta encounters, but would we be so lucky?
Manta Manta!
We wanted mantas, thankfully our prayers were answered, and mantas we got! There are a number of dive sites for viewing these graceful creatures depending on the time of year you visit. During the month of February, we dived Mawan on three occasions which provided three amazing encounters!
We wanted mantas, thankfully our prayers were answered, and mantas we got! There are a number of dive sites for viewing these graceful creatures depending on the time of year you visit. During the month of February, we dived Mawan on three occasions which provided three amazing encounters!
We didn’t have a plethora of mantas, but we did have very special encounters. Mawan is a cleaning station so mantas swim around and around, over and over again. During the three dives, we probably spent a total of 2.5 hours with these graceful creatures. Sometimes we spent an entire dive just hovering and watching between five and seven reef mantas as they swam effortlessly above us.
As they swam around the coral mountain getting closer to us each time, we were able to see how truly large and majestic they are. Mantas enjoy being close to divers and would sometimes play in our bubbles, other times you can see them watching, their eyes turn and look straight at you. These mammals are huge – around three metres wide. To avoid crashing into one as they glide silently close to you, it’s not unusual to quickly empty your lungs of air allowing you to descend away from them.
Can you see the manta's eyes turning to look at us?
Spending time with manta rays turned our journey to Komodo into an epic trip. To find out more about our encounters, learn amazing manta facts, and how you can help mantas, please read our post Manta Madness.
Fruit bats at Kalong Island
We had heard of a Kalong Island which is mostly covered with mangrove trees; the place where thousands of fruit bats live. The fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, can be seen leaving their trees at dusk … not to turn into vampires, but to hunt for the evening.
As we were already in Komodo National Park, we didn’t have to travel too far to wait for our day to end, the sun to set, and for the bats’ evening to begin. The sunset was pretty; the sky turned pink then a few birds started flying into the air followed by a bat. Naturally this started the “bat or bird” game where we would guess what it was flying above us. We are easily amused.
We had heard of a Kalong Island which is mostly covered with mangrove trees; the place where thousands of fruit bats live. The fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, can be seen leaving their trees at dusk … not to turn into vampires, but to hunt for the evening.
As we were already in Komodo National Park, we didn’t have to travel too far to wait for our day to end, the sun to set, and for the bats’ evening to begin. The sunset was pretty; the sky turned pink then a few birds started flying into the air followed by a bat. Naturally this started the “bat or bird” game where we would guess what it was flying above us. We are easily amused.
Bat or bird?
Unmistakably a bat!
Around 10 minutes later, our question was answered and gradually a constant stream of bats crossed the sky above us. Over the course of the next 45 minutes, literally thousands took to the sky flying over our heads towards Flores. They have been known to fly up to 12 miles to feed in agricultural areas where fruit is grown.
The bats were silent, there was the odd squeaky noise but generally, considering how many were filling the air, I would have thought we would have heard a lot more.
The bats were silent, there was the odd squeaky noise but generally, considering how many were filling the air, I would have thought we would have heard a lot more.
Thousands of bats took to the sky on their evening journey for food
Enjoying the sunset as thousands of bats flew over us
Sy felt rather under-whelmed by it all, but we had been diving with mantas that day so there was no comparison (not that you can compare a bat to a manta, although in a way, they do both fly!). I was a little indifferent. The sky didn’t “turn black with bats” as we had read in reviews, but to be on a boat in the middle of Komodo National Park, watching the wonderful sunset followed by this natural phenomenon, was a lovely memory.
I would say, if you are in the National Park already then it’s worth a detour, but I’m not sure if it’s worth a trip from Labuan Bajo. Reviews on Trip Advisor would disagree.
I would say, if you are in the National Park already then it’s worth a detour, but I’m not sure if it’s worth a trip from Labuan Bajo. Reviews on Trip Advisor would disagree.
Komodo Dragons
Komodo Dragons can be found on the islands of Komodo and Rinca (pronounced Rincha) in Komodo National Park, and I had wanted to see them for years!
There is something prehistoric about them which I find fascinating, plus there is a sense of danger at the idea of being near one… after all, they have dragon as part of their name! They may not be the fire breathing dragons made famous from Game of Thrones, but they are still dragons.
Komodo Dragons can be found on the islands of Komodo and Rinca (pronounced Rincha) in Komodo National Park, and I had wanted to see them for years!
There is something prehistoric about them which I find fascinating, plus there is a sense of danger at the idea of being near one… after all, they have dragon as part of their name! They may not be the fire breathing dragons made famous from Game of Thrones, but they are still dragons.
The prehistoric looking Komodo Dragon
It's a 1.5 hour slow boat journey from Labuan Bajo to Rinca, and I was excited during the entire journey. Once on the island, after five minutes of walking we suddenly stopped. Our guide pointed to a pile of dragons – yes, literally a pile of dragons, all spread-eagled on top of one another. I was staring into the eye of an animal out of the movie Jurassic Park!
It was a hot and humid day and they are cold blooded creatures, so like all reptiles, they lay around not doing a lot. They were chilling outside the kitchen where the rangers’ food is prepared, we were told the Komodos like the smell of food which is why they are here. We were surprised to find them very quickly and, despite assurances they weren’t fed, we saw a ranger with food hidden behind his back.
It was a hot and humid day and they are cold blooded creatures, so like all reptiles, they lay around not doing a lot. They were chilling outside the kitchen where the rangers’ food is prepared, we were told the Komodos like the smell of food which is why they are here. We were surprised to find them very quickly and, despite assurances they weren’t fed, we saw a ranger with food hidden behind his back.
A pile of dragons ... of course!
There were around 10 dragons in total, a mixture of male, female and a two year old “baby”. We were instructed not to be closer than five metres from the dragons as they are fast and can be dangerous. When one decided to go for a walk, the rangers made sure we all moved to let the dragon have right of way. This was one animal that was calling the shots and one you wouldn’t mess with!
The guide was right, they are fast. He wasn’t necessarily walking quickly, but was covering a lot of ground with each giant step. Like a snake, his forked tongue flicked in and out sampling the air, and his long heavy tail swished from side to side.
The guide was right, they are fast. He wasn’t necessarily walking quickly, but was covering a lot of ground with each giant step. Like a snake, his forked tongue flicked in and out sampling the air, and his long heavy tail swished from side to side.
This Komodo Dragon wanted to go for a walk - we made sure he had right of way!
Leaving the dragons behind, we took a walk through the park and up a hill. What a magnificent view, we weren’t expecting this.
If you want to know more about Komodo Dragon including fascinating facts, read our post Komodo Dragon Hike in Rinca
If you want to know more about Komodo Dragon including fascinating facts, read our post Komodo Dragon Hike in Rinca
A gentle walk up the hill showed us how lush and green the Park was
View from the top of the hill - we weren't expecting this!
What you need to know about Komodo’s currents
Komodo National Park is situated within the coral triangle where the cold water from the Indian Ocean meets the warm Pacific, and this creates a tidal shift. The tidal shift means there are strong currents, and in Komodo, they do what they want, when they want, and are very unpredictable.
The conditions at some dives sites can be, shall we say “interesting” at times. One dive site is named The Cauldron because the current has carved out a large bowl before narrowing between two islands, just like a witch’s cauldron, this makes for a very fun time for seasoned/confident divers. At one point in the dive, we hooked into a rock and held onto a line, I was flying like a flag in the current watching marine life pass by. Now I am not a confident diver (despite 150+ logged dives), but I knew this current wasn’t going to drag me anywhere deep so I actually enjoyed hanging there. As I let go, the current swept me away and I felt as though I was literally flying like Superman. It was so much fun, I really enjoyed myself.
Komodo National Park is situated within the coral triangle where the cold water from the Indian Ocean meets the warm Pacific, and this creates a tidal shift. The tidal shift means there are strong currents, and in Komodo, they do what they want, when they want, and are very unpredictable.
The conditions at some dives sites can be, shall we say “interesting” at times. One dive site is named The Cauldron because the current has carved out a large bowl before narrowing between two islands, just like a witch’s cauldron, this makes for a very fun time for seasoned/confident divers. At one point in the dive, we hooked into a rock and held onto a line, I was flying like a flag in the current watching marine life pass by. Now I am not a confident diver (despite 150+ logged dives), but I knew this current wasn’t going to drag me anywhere deep so I actually enjoyed hanging there. As I let go, the current swept me away and I felt as though I was literally flying like Superman. It was so much fun, I really enjoyed myself.
Some of the famous dive sites in Komodo National Park
In contrast to a fun current, we also had a dive which was aborted after only eight minutes. We entered into a washing machine – currents going up and down and we had no choice but to kick into the current. It was too strong and pulled us all around. Our other group of experienced divers/instructors continued with their dive, but admitted that for 30 minutes they were kicking hard, had around 10 minutes of respite, then the current continued and, once again, they were kicking against it.
Komodo is known for its wild currents, there is even a dive operation called Current Junkies – the name speaks for itself. If you choose to dive here, ensure you know how to deal with currents and trust your dive guide. I won’t lie, sometimes it made my heart rate shoot right up, but other times they were just a lot of fun.
Komodo is known for its wild currents, there is even a dive operation called Current Junkies – the name speaks for itself. If you choose to dive here, ensure you know how to deal with currents and trust your dive guide. I won’t lie, sometimes it made my heart rate shoot right up, but other times they were just a lot of fun.
Our accommodation in Komodo was Scuba Junkie with whom we also dived
Scuba Junkie Komodo
Komodo sunset
How to get to Komodo National Park
Flying: There are direct flights with Air Asia from Bali to Labuan Bajo, the closest town to Komodo National Park. Flight time: 1 hour
Recommended dive centres:
Uber Scuba are No. 1 on Trip Advisor. They run day trips from Labuan Bajo but also have a liveaboard.
Scuba Junkie are who we stayed and dived with. They are located on the outskirts of the National Park, have dive and accommodation packages, and are leaders in conservation. We have stayed with Scuba Junkie in Mabul and Sangalaki, and have booked to dive with them for my birthday in Penida.
Where to stay in Labuan Bajo, Flores
I won’t lie or dress it up, Labuan Bajo is a bit of an armpit. Most people stay here as it is the gateway to Komodo, to reassess their next destination either elsewhere in Flores, or catch their onward trip in Indonesia. There are many places to choose from to suit your budget. I would advise you look at booking.com for something you like, and cross-reference against Trip Advisor reviews. I cannot recommend the two cheap places we stayed at … so I won’t!
Travel facts
Flying: There are direct flights with Air Asia from Bali to Labuan Bajo, the closest town to Komodo National Park. Flight time: 1 hour
Recommended dive centres:
Uber Scuba are No. 1 on Trip Advisor. They run day trips from Labuan Bajo but also have a liveaboard.
Scuba Junkie are who we stayed and dived with. They are located on the outskirts of the National Park, have dive and accommodation packages, and are leaders in conservation. We have stayed with Scuba Junkie in Mabul and Sangalaki, and have booked to dive with them for my birthday in Penida.
Where to stay in Labuan Bajo, Flores
I won’t lie or dress it up, Labuan Bajo is a bit of an armpit. Most people stay here as it is the gateway to Komodo, to reassess their next destination either elsewhere in Flores, or catch their onward trip in Indonesia. There are many places to choose from to suit your budget. I would advise you look at booking.com for something you like, and cross-reference against Trip Advisor reviews. I cannot recommend the two cheap places we stayed at … so I won’t!
Travel facts
- Currency: Indonesian Rupiah’s (IDR), £1 = 18,000 IDR
- Language: Bahasa Indonesia which is similar to Bahasa Malaysian, and throughout Indonesia in general
- A 30 day free visa is given upon arrival (not for all countries, check with your embassy). If you want to stay longer in Indonesia, you can obtain a 60 day visa in advance at consulates and embassies, or at the airport in Bali, Jakarta and Lombok.
- WI-fi is available in some restaurants in Flores but it’s not always fast or reliable.
- There are plenty of ATM’s in Flores.
- If you can use just a couple of Indonesian words, this will give you big smile in return. If you simply use “Pagi” (morning) and “Terima Kasih” (thank you), it will be hugely appreciated.
Do you intend to visit Flores? What do you want to see and do there? Tell us in the comment section below - we want to know!
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