4-day Komodo Tour from Lombok to Flores!

The 4-day Komodo Tour from Lombok to Flores is an activity to put on your bucket list when you go to Indonesia. For 4 days you will enjoy the fun group of people, sleeping on the boat, delicious food, snorkeling, swimming, sunsets, the most beautiful views and of course seeing the komodo dragons. We did this tour with Travelwise and can definitely recommend it! Below we explain everything about the 4-day Komodo tour from Lombok to Flores.

Komodo tour from Flores to Lombok, is it possible?

Yes indeed. We say throughout this blog ‘from Lombok to Flores’ but of course you can also do the tour the other way around. The boat is then often less full and sometimes you go to different places because the current is in the other direction, but much of what we tell you below you will also experience during the Komodo tour from Flores to Lombok.

Which organization should I choose for the Komodo Tour?

We ourselves did the Komodo tour with Travelwise. This organization was recommended by friends of ours and we can definitely recommend Travelwise as well. Everything on the boat is well organized: delicious food, clear communication and a nice crew. The cabins where you sleep are very basic, but that is the same with almost every provider. It is nice to go completely back to basics for 4 days, then you will appreciate your nice bed even more afterwards.

Other providers you can book the Komodo Tour with include Wanua Adventures and Kareem. With Kareem, we must place the sidenote that, in April 2024, one of their boats sank and another boat’s permit had expired so the whole boat was not allowed to sail. Therefore, we decided not to go with them to be sure. In addition, Kareem is known as a party boat for young backpackers.

Boat tour to Komodo National Park from Labuan Bajo

It is also possible to book a multi-day Komodo tour from Labuan Bajo to the Komodo National Park, where you will also return to Labuan Bajo. This is secretly also the most beautiful part of the whole tour, so also definitely worth considering!

These providers generally have slightly nicer and more luxurious boats. For example, you can choose Le Pirate Explorer (from the same owner as the phenomenal Le Pirate Island where you MUST book an overnight stay from Labuan Bajo) and Wunderpus Liveaboard. Both are very good tour providers with beautiful boats.

If you are a diver, you can also choose to do a liveaboard from Labuan Bajo. Komodo National Park is really a diving paradise. We ourselves dived for 3 days from Labuan Bajo and this was really insanely beautiful.

How long in advance should you book the Komodo Tour?

Most organizations are fully booked 1 to 2 weeks in advance. So you will have to plan your trip a little more ahead if you want to do the Komodo Tour. In high season (June to September) this can even be 2 to 3 weeks with some organizations. Especially if you want a private cabin or a shared cabin (so you don’t sleep on the deck), you will have to book it early.

What sleeping options are available and what are the costs for the Komodo Tour?

There are 3 different sleeping options on the Komodo Tour:

• Shared deck

If you choose a shared deck, you will sleep with 15 to 20 fellow travelers on a thin mat in a small room. There is no air conditioning here. The shared deck option will cost you an average of 3.5 million Rupiah (€210). This is the cheapest way to do the Komodo Tour.

• Shared Cabin

This is a kind of hostel room, but very small. There are two bunk beds, so you sleep four people in the room. There is air conditioning here (at least at Travelwise). This option will cost you an average of 3.8 million Rupiah (€225).

• Private Cabin

This is a private room, for two people. There is air conditioning, and you don’t have to share this room with anyone else. This option will cost you an average of 4 million Rupiah (€235).

So the cost of the three sleeping options often differs very little. To get a good sleep (with air conditioning) we therefore recommend booking as early as possible, so there are often still spots in the cabins. If you are on the deck it is cozy with so many others, but you will probably also sleep a little less well. Nevertheless, it is fine for 3 nights. Recovering can be done after that.

Packing list for the Komodo Tour

With most organizations, you can still access your backpacks during the tour. These will not be thrown in the hold, like during the expedition in The Philippines, for example. However, it can be useful to sort out your stuff in advance and put it on top, because space on the boat is limited and you don’t want to throw all your stuff away. You can keep the packing list below for the Komodo Tour:

• Bikini / swimsuit
• Clean underwear
• 2 sets of normal clothes
• 1 set of sports clothes, or clothes that are comfortable for a short hike
• Sunscreen
• Aftersun
• Shower Gel
• Towel
• E-reader
• Sunglasses
• Games
• Water Bottle
• Cash (500K)
• Go-pro
• Camera

Day 1: start of the journey

We describe our experience with Travelwise’s Komodo Tour from day to day below. It is possible that if you book with another organization, your days may look slightly different, although they will differ very little.

Yes, today starts your Komodo Tour from Lombok to Flores! Around 10:00 am you are expected at the organization in Senggigi. Coming from Kuta Lombok? Then you will be picked up between 08:00 and 09:00. Are you coming from the Gili islands? Then you need to take an early boat to Bangsal harbor, where you can be picked up.

When you arrive at Travelwise in Senggigi a small (but very tasty) breakfast awaits you. Here you will meet the nice group you will spend the next 4 days with. You can also buy some cola and beers here, which will be taken on the boat. No extra drinks (except of course coffee, tea and water) are included, so try to calculate how much you need approximately.

After a welcome and explanation from Mr. Pol, the owner of Travelwise, you will board a large coach with everyone. From here it is still a 2.5 / 3 hour drive to the port. Eventually you will arrive at the port no later than 15:00, where everything will be taken care of by the crew right away. Your bags will be brought on board and you can immediately pick up your (delicious) lunch at the kitchen.

After 2 hours of sailing you will arrive at a small island. Here you and all the other groups hike to the top of the mountain in about 10 minutes. The sun slowly sets behind the mountains of Lombok and soon the sky turns orange, pink and purple. What a beautiful sunset and a great start to the 4-day Komodo Tour! Once back on the boat, you immediately get a delicious dinner, play some more games and fall asleep while rocking.

Day 2: From the Komodo Tour: swimming with whale sharks

On day 2 you will be woken up at 06:00. You see a glimpse of the sunrise, after which you immediately dive into the water, because you are going to swim with whale sharks! Of course this sounds super cool, and it kind of is, but you have to realize two things:

1. The whale sharks are fed

Every morning a local fishing boat sails to the spot where the whale sharks are nearby. Here they start by throwing a mixture of different types of fish into the water, after which the whale sharks come swimming in and stay in the same spot with their mouths open for half an hour as fish are thrown into their mouths. Because they are fed every morning, this ruins the ecosystem and the natural instinct of the whale shark.

2. You are here with a lot of people at the same time

In the beginning, we felt that not many people were allowed to jump into the water at the same time. Unfortunately, this was soon over and dozens of people were jumping into the water at the same time. Because there are so many of you in one place, it is not strange if you get a foot in your ribs or on your head. Besides, you can’t see much of the whale shark either, because all the people are swimming in front of it. Everyone was getting closer and closer and when at one point a second whale shark came swimming in, there was panic because not everyone could get away fast enough.

All in all, we had quite mixed feelings, say nasty feelings, about this. Of course it is super cool to see these gigantic animals in real life, but this way we personally would rather not have seen them at all. If so, we would rather recommend traveling to South Leyte in The Philippines, at Peter’s Dive Resort, where you really go in search of the wild whale sharks and where they are not fed.

Around lunchtime, the boat makes another stop where you can swim to cool off. It is extremely hot in the sun on the deck. After this you sail all day and night, until you arrive the next morning at the place you are doing it for: Padar Island and Komodo Island. During this day, you will get to know the travelers on your boat very well because you are in one place all day. Chat for hours while enjoying the beautiful views and play fun games together.

Day 3: Padar Island, Komodo Island and Pink beach

This is the most fun day with all the beautiful sights!

Komodo Island (Rinca)

Day 3 begins with a visit to Komodo Island (Rinca). Komodo dragons are huge animals, growing up to 3 meters long! This makes them the largest lizard species. They are also compared to dragons.

Komodos are carnivores. They attack their prey (deer, sheep, goats and if you’re not careful humans too), with a bite. Then they patiently wait days for the prey to die as a result of the bite. This is because there are ancient bacteria in the mouth of the komodo dragon, to which it alone is resistant.

The group will be accompanied by 4 rangers. Along the way they will tell you all about the komodo dragon, from its habitat to mating. It is a relaxing 30 – 60 minute hike, where you may also encounter other special animals, such as the blue viper snake.

The rangers take great care not to let you get too close to the komodos and not to irritate them. Therefore, if the ranger says something, you must always follow it immediately. After the tour you will have a drink at one of the many “restaurants” on the island. Then you settle yourself back on the boat for a 1.5 hour trip to Pink Beach.

Pink Beach

Once you arrive at Pink Beach, you will be amazed at this beautiful beach. The water is clear blue and a large pink stripe (hence, of course, the name Pink Beach) runs across the surf. The pink color comes from microscopic organisms – foraminifers. These eat pink coral debris, giving the sand the pink color. At Pink Beach you can snorkel beautifully, relax and, of course, take beautiful photos.

Padar Island

Then you sail on to today’s last stop. In Padar Island bay, the boat anchors and you spend the rest of the afternoon swimming. An hour before sunset, it is time to put on your shoes. This is because you will be climbing a bit to see Padar Island’s famous viewpoint with your own eyes. The climb is about 800 steps that will take you 15 – 20 minutes, including breaks. However, you start sweating very quickly because of the high temperature and humidity. So wear something light.

Once at the top, enjoy the insane views of the mountains and surrounding area during golden hour and sunset. Shoot some iconic pictures and then watch the sun slowly sink behind the mountains. After this, descend the same 800 steps again and enjoy your last dinner on the boat. Look at the beautiful stars one last time, play some more games and enjoy the ultimate freedom on the open ocean.

Day 4: End of the Komodo Tour: swimming with baby sharks and chilling out

The last day has arrived. After sailing for a while, you will start the day with a snorkeling session at a beautiful coral reef where you will see many different fish. Then you will sail on to a small island, where all the groups meet. Here you will spend the rest of the morning. Take some cash with you to this island because you can score some delicious drinks (fresh coconuts) here.

In addition, you can swim with baby sharks here! Grab your snorkel and before you know it you are swimming among the baby sharks. There is not much else to see under water, so you’re done here quickly. We did see a mini, blue ray, which was very special.

At 12:30 you return to the boat for lunch and 1 to 2 hours later you already sail into the harbor of Labuan Bajo. While the boat has yet to dock, several cab drivers already step on board to ask if you need a cab. Usually you pay 50K (€3) per person to be dropped off at your hotel. An excellent price if you don’t feel like walking in the heat with your backpack.

Rest for the day, take a nice shower and a power nap because tonight you will have dinner with the whole group. After dinner there will be a party organized by the crew (at Travelwise anyway), which will go on until late. It is super fun to party with the nice people you have known for 4 days now, all of them feel like your friends. At the end of the evening it is hard to say goodbye, but some of them will see you again.

Accommodation in Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo is not the most cozy town in Indonesia, but it certainly has some nice places. For example, Seaesta hostel/hotel is the perfect place to stay. This is genuinely one of the nicest hostels we have seen in our years of traveling. You have to book very early, though, because it sells out very quickly. In addition, La Boheme is also a fantastically nice hostel in Labuan Bajo in a good spot.

Diving in Labuan Bajo

If you love diving you are in the right place in Labuan Bajo: the area around Komodo National Park is considered one of the most beautiful diving spots in the world! We ourselves dived with Uber Diving and Dragon Dive Komodo Dive Resort and this was perfect. Diving here is a lot more expensive than other places, but this is 100% worth it! What a beautiful underwater world.

So in conclusion, you can look back on a great adventure with the Komodo Tour from Lombok to Flores. You enjoyed all the beauty of Indonesia and met new friends. Continue your journey through Indonesia with a tour of Flores, or fly to Bali, Java or Sumatra for more adventure. Read all our blogs about Indonesia where we help you plan your trip. Have fun!