Getting in
We took a flight to Labuan Bajo from Denpasar. Try getting a window seat even if it is a paid one for wonderful beach and island colors from the sky. From the airport, we took a local taxi for 50k IDR
How to go visit Komodo island
Labuan Bajo is a small city, walkable. To go to Komodo and nearby islands, we booked a day tour with Bintang tours including pick up and drop from the hotel, lunch
There was a small miss by the agent we booked with who did not convey our special request for vegetarian meals. We were still fed well with bananas, biscuits, chocolates and whatever the guys on the boat could offer
The first stop was Padar Island. You might see a lone deer loitering on the coast. 700 steps lead you to awesome views of the island scenery. Wear enough sunscreen as it gets hot and sweaty
We then headed to Komodo island, one of the few islands in Indonesia that are home to the large dragons. It is difficult to find them in the wild despite large numbers. You can definitely see some of them close to a small restaurant where they usually lie around. We were not sure if they were sedated or tamed, but they looked fine
The rangers manage them with large sticks and ensure they don’t get too close to people. Keep your distance to avoid any ferocious behavior
Our next stop was pink beach, a must visit in our view. The sand was pink due to coral sediments. Don’t expect the color you see online as they are all photoshopped. Our phones have automatic filters to make photos look better, they are a little less red than what you see, but gorgeous nonetheless
There are 2-3 more snorkeling stops like Taka Makasar which is a small white sand island in the middle of the ocean, Manta point and Kanawa island. We couldn’t see any Manta rays that day. There are loads of colorful fishes which still make your day
Where we stayed
Hotel Bonne Nuit: We had nice pancakes for breakfast. The location was good, close to airport, almost walkable if you don’t have too much luggage