Labuanbajo Travel Guide

This small fishing community on the Indonesian island of Flores is a lovely diversion for tourists in the archipelago. The harbor is central in more ways than one, remarkable for its rustic atmosphere as well as its link to the island of Komodo.

Worth It?: A stop in Labuanbajo is worthwhile both as gateway to Komodo Island and as a simple place to escape life's worries.
What to Do: visit the neighboring island beaches, snorkel in the bay, visit Komodo National Park.
Best Time to Go: the dry (albeit hot) season, from April to October, is the most practical time to visit.
How Long?: Two days are enough in Labuanbajo.

The beaches in Labuanbajo are not the best on the island, but visitors yearning for a day of sunbathing and swimming can charter a boat a short distance offshore to one of the many islets where there is plenty of luxurious white sand. These small islands also boast bungalows and chalets.

For tourists, life in Labuanbajo consists of little more than perusing markets, lounging in laid-back restaurants and snorkeling immediately offshore. Once the batteries are recharged, the next logical step is to charter a boat and visit the komodo dragons in the adjoining national park.

Travel to Labuanbajo - Getting There

There is a small air facility in Labuanbajo with regular connections to Denpasar, Bali (1 hour) where there is a large regional airport. From here, the fastest way in and out of Indonesia is via the international airport in Jakarta. Sailing trips to and from Bali or Lombok take around four days to arrive and aren't of much use to those on holiday.

Labuanbajo Things to Do

Labuanbajo Attractions

Snorkeling and diving

excellent in this part of Indonesia, snorkeling and diving is possible directly offshore or (even better) in the neighboring Komodo National Park.

Side trips from Labuanbajo

Komodo National Park: this national park is divided across the Komodo and Rinca islands and can be visited with a three-day pass.
Seraya Island: this idyllic getaway is outside the national park and is refreshingly rustic, with basic bungalows, grazing goats and calm seas that are perfect for snorkeling.
Kalong Island: 'Flying Fox Island' is named for the enormous bats that live here. These 'aerial foxes' can be viewed from the safety of a chartered boat at dusk on the edge of the mangrove forest.