For most travellers, the journey to Komodo National Park begins in Bali. The islands of the Komodo dragons lie further east, between Sumbawa and Flores, and almost every boat into the park leaves from the same small harbour town: Labuan Bajo. Getting from Bali to Komodo is easier than it looks on the map, and there is more than one way to do it. This guide compares the three routes from Bali to Labuan Bajo, how long each one takes, and how to plan the days around your liveaboard.
In short
- The fastest way is a direct flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo, which takes a little over an hour.
- The scenic way is a boat trip from Lombok, the island east of Bali, that sails along Sumbawa for four days and three nights and ends in Labuan Bajo.
- The slow way is overland, with public ferries and long drives across Lombok and Sumbawa, and it takes two to three days.
Where Komodo is, and why every trip goes through Labuan Bajo
Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, covers Komodo, Rinca, Padar and dozens of smaller islands in the strait between Sumbawa and Flores. The islands are reached only by boat, so every visit starts on the water, and almost every boat starts in Labuan Bajo.
Labuan Bajo is a harbour town on the west coast of Flores. Its airport, Komodo Airport, sits on the edge of town, a short drive from the harbour, so the transfer from the plane to the boat is short. In the last few years the town has grown into a lively base for the park, with hotels, cafés and a waterfront where the boats come and go all day.
So the real question is not how to reach the dragons, but how to reach Labuan Bajo. From Bali there are three answers: by air, by sea from Lombok, or overland.
Option 1: fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo
Flying is the quickest way from Bali to Komodo, and the one most travellers choose. Direct flights connect Bali’s airport in Denpasar with Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, usually several times a day, and the flight takes a little over an hour. There are also direct flights from Jakarta, so you can connect from an international flight without going through Bali at all.
Fares and timetables change with the season. In July and August, the busiest months in Komodo, the flights fill up early, so book yours as soon as your liveaboard is confirmed. Smaller planes often allow less checked baggage than an international flight, so check the allowance on your ticket, and pack in a soft bag that is easy to store in a cabin.
Flying in from abroad
Most international visitors arrive in Bali or Jakarta and change to a domestic flight there. Leave plenty of time between the two flights, especially if you need to collect your bags and check in again. If you can, spend your first night in Bali, so that a delay on the long flight does not cost you the short one.
From the airport to the boat
The ride from the airport to a hotel or to the harbour takes only minutes. Many boats include the transfer on the first morning: Raffles Cruise, for example, picks guests up at the airport or at their hotel between 8:00 and 9:30, and Lady Grace between 8:00 and 8:30. Other boats meet you at the harbour. Each boat page lists what is included, so you know where to be and when.
Good to know
Fly in the day before your trip. A delayed morning flight can make you miss the boat, and an evening in Labuan Bajo, with the sunset over the harbour, is a good start to the trip anyway.
Option 2: sail from Lombok to Komodo
If you have a few more days, the journey itself can become part of the trip. Lombok, the next island east of Bali, is the starting point of boat trips that sail along the coast of Sumbawa to Komodo National Park and finish in Labuan Bajo. Instead of a flight and a separate tour, you travel from one to the other on a phinisi, with your cabin, your meals and a crew for the whole way.
Getting from Bali to Lombok is easy. There are short flights to Lombok International Airport, and fast boats connect Bali with Lombok and the Gili islands. Plan to arrive the day before your boat leaves.
On most boats, the trip lasts four days and three nights. On Lady Grace, for example, guests meet in Senggigi or Kuta on the first morning and drive across Lombok to Kayangan Harbour, where the boat sets sail. From there the route follows Sumbawa east:
- Kenawa, a small island off Sumbawa, for a first swim and the sunset;
- Saleh Bay, where the day starts early with a search for whale sharks;
- Satonda and its crater lake, or Moyo Island and the Mata Jitu waterfall, depending on the direction;
- a full day in Komodo National Park, with Manta Point, Pink Beach, the Komodo dragons and the sunset on Padar;
- Kelor and Manjarite on the last morning, before the boat reaches Labuan Bajo around 13:00.
Whale sharks and manta rays are wild animals, so sightings are never guaranteed, and the exact stops differ per boat and departure. Between the stops, the boat covers long stretches of open water, which you spend on deck, in the shade or in your cabin while the coast of Sumbawa slides past.
The same boats sail the route in the other direction too, from Labuan Bajo to Lombok. That works well if you fly into Labuan Bajo and want to end your holiday in Lombok, or back in Bali. The crossing is at its best in the dry season, from April to November, when the seas are calmest.
The boat trip from Lombok suits travellers with a week or more, couples and families who enjoy slow travel, and anyone who would rather spend a few days at sea than in airports. It covers more open water than a trip that starts in Labuan Bajo, so if you are prone to seasickness, choose the dry season and a larger boat. You will find the boats and their next departures on our page for a Komodo liveaboard from Lombok, and the trips in the other direction on the Lombok Komodo boat trip page.
Option 3: overland by ferry and bus
It is possible to travel from Bali to Labuan Bajo on the ground and on public ferries, but it is a long journey. The usual route crosses the strait to Lombok by ferry, drives across Lombok, takes a second ferry to Sumbawa, crosses the whole length of Sumbawa by road and ends with a ferry from Sape to Labuan Bajo.
Counting the waiting time at the harbours, the trip takes two to three days. Ferry timetables change often and are best checked locally, and the comfort along the way is basic. This route suits travellers who have time and enjoy the journey for its own sake. For most people, a flight, or the boat trip from Lombok, leaves more time for Komodo itself.
Bali to Komodo at a glance
| Flight | Boat trip from Lombok | Overland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | A little over an hour in the air | Four days and three nights from Lombok | Two to three days |
| On the way | Little, apart from the view from the window | Sumbawa, Saleh Bay, Satonda or Moyo, then the park | Lombok and Sumbawa from the road |
| Where you sleep | Your hotel in Labuan Bajo | Your cabin on board | Guesthouses and ferries |
| Comfort | High | A cabin, meals and a crew | Basic |
| Best for | Travellers who are short on time | Travellers who want the journey to be part of the trip | Backpackers with time to spare |
How to plan the days around your liveaboard
Whichever way you choose, the first and the last day of the trip need the most thought. A few simple rules keep the plan relaxed:
- Arrive the day before. Plan to reach Labuan Bajo, or Lombok for the boat trip, the evening before your departure.
- Mornings start early. Pick-ups on the first day are usually between 8:00 and 10:00, at the airport, your hotel or the harbour, depending on the boat.
- Boats return around midday. Most sharing trips are back in Labuan Bajo between 12:00 and 13:00 on the last day, so book your flight out for the late afternoon at the earliest, or for the next day.
- Leave a spare day if you can. Weather and flight changes happen, and a free day in Labuan Bajo is easy to fill.
A sample plan: five days from Bali
- Day 1. Fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo, check in at your hotel and watch the sunset over the harbour.
- Day 2. Board your liveaboard in the morning for a trip of 3 days and 2 nights, often with Kelor, Manjarite and Kalong Island at dusk.
- Day 3. Padar at sunrise, Pink Beach and the Komodo dragons.
- Day 4. Manta Point and Taka Makassar, back in Labuan Bajo around midday, and a last evening in town.
- Day 5. Fly back to Bali, or on to Jakarta.
A sample plan: one way by sea
- Day 1. Fly or take a fast boat from Bali to Lombok, and spend the night near Senggigi or Kuta.
- Days 2 to 5. The boat trip from Lombok to Labuan Bajo, arriving around midday on the last day.
- Day 6. Fly from Labuan Bajo back to Bali, or stay a little longer for a day on land.
Where to stay in Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo has places to stay for every budget, from simple guesthouses in town to resorts along the coast. For the night before a liveaboard, a hotel in town or near the harbour keeps the morning transfer short. Hotels on the hills above the bay are quieter and have wide views of the sunset, but leave a little more time to reach the harbour.
If your boat includes a pick-up at your hotel, choose a hotel in Labuan Bajo itself rather than further along the coast. And if you arrive with a free afternoon, the waterfront is a pleasant place to walk, with the boats of the park anchored in the bay below.
Getting around Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo is small, and most of what you need is a short ride from the harbour. Many hotels arrange the transfer from the airport, and taxis are easy to find for the short trips around town. The waterfront and the main street are easy to explore on foot in the cooler hours of the morning and the evening.
If your boat leaves from the harbour rather than collecting you, ask your hotel to book the ride the evening before, so the morning of departure is calm. After the trip, most boats bring you back to the harbour, the airport or your hotel, which makes the last afternoon just as easy.
Before you go
- Cash. Labuan Bajo has ATMs and many places take cards, but carry some cash for small purchases in the villages and on the islands.
- Phone signal. The signal is good in town but patchy between the islands, so download what you need before you board.
- The park fee. Every visitor pays the Komodo National Park entrance fee. On a liveaboard booked with us it is added to your invoice, and our park fees guide lists the amounts.
- Insurance. Travel insurance is not included in the price of a liveaboard, so arrange it before you travel.
When to go
Komodo can be visited all year, but the dry season, from April to November, brings the calmest seas and the most settled weather, both for the flights and for the boat trip from Lombok. July and August are the busiest months, when the best cabins and the best flight times go first. Our guide to the best time for a Komodo liveaboard explains the seasons month by month.
Our advice
If your time is short, fly. A flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo turns a long journey into an hour in the air and leaves your days for the park. If you have a week or more, consider the boat trip from Lombok, which turns the journey into part of the holiday and adds Sumbawa’s quiet islands to the stops in Komodo. Either way, arrive the day before, and keep the last afternoon free.
The fastest way to Komodo is a short flight from Bali. The most memorable is four days at sea from Lombok.
Ready to plan? Compare the trips of 3 days and 2 nights from Labuan Bajo, browse all sharing trips with live cabin availability, or read our guide on how to book a Komodo liveaboard.
Questions
How long is the flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo?
A little over an hour. There are direct flights from Bali and from Jakarta to Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, usually several times a day.
Is there a ferry from Bali to Komodo?
Not directly. Public ferries hop from Bali to Lombok, from Lombok to Sumbawa and from Sumbawa to Labuan Bajo, with long drives in between, which takes two to three days. The boat trip from Lombok to Labuan Bajo is a far more comfortable way to arrive by sea.
Can I visit Komodo as a day trip from Bali?
Not comfortably. Day trips leave Labuan Bajo early in the morning and return in the late afternoon, which leaves little room for flights on the same day. Plan at least two nights in Labuan Bajo, or a liveaboard of three days and two nights.
Do I need a separate visa for Labuan Bajo?
No. Labuan Bajo is in Indonesia, so the visa you used to enter the country in Bali or Jakarta also covers Flores, and there is no immigration check on domestic flights.
Will the boat pick me up at the airport?
Many boats include a transfer from Komodo Airport or from your hotel on the first morning, and some meet guests at the harbour instead. Each boat page lists what is included and the pick-up time.
Which is better, flying or the boat trip from Lombok?
Flying saves time. The boat trip from Lombok adds the coast of Sumbawa, Saleh Bay and Satonda or Moyo to the stops in Komodo, so if you have the days, it is the more memorable way to arrive.
How many days do I need for Komodo from Bali?
Four to five days are enough for a flight each way, a liveaboard of three days and two nights and an evening in Labuan Bajo. With a week, you can sail from Lombok instead and fly back to Bali at the end.
Should I book the flights or the liveaboard first?
Book the liveaboard first. Boat departures are fixed, while there are several flights a day. Then choose a flight that lands the day before departure, and one that leaves the day after you return, or late in the afternoon of the last day.
Can I travel from Labuan Bajo back to Bali by boat?
Partly. The boats on the Lombok route also sail from Labuan Bajo to Lombok, and from Lombok it is a short flight or a fast boat back to Bali.
