Last Updated: May 30, 2023
Komodo Dragons have always fascinated our kids, our eldest son in particular. He had always loved dinosaurs and these huge reptiles are probably the closest thing you can get to one in this lifetime.
So the moment we knew we were heading to Indonesia, the first thing our eldest added to his must-do list was seeing these enormous lizards in the wild.
The few small islands that make up Komodo National Park in Indonesia is the only place on Earth where Komodo Dragons can still be found in the wild.
With Komodo Dragons being potentially dangerous and as we knew the trip was going to be quite a long day, we decided not too take our toddler on this occasion. Because of this we had to ‘tag-team’ it with me doing the trip alone one day, then Nadia and our eldest another day.
So we got to experience a couple of methods for seeing these awesome reptiles and want to share the results to help other families with their visit. So if you’re after some advice on seeing these enormous beasts then read on.
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Best Base for visiting the Komodo Dragons
As the animals are endemic to Indonesia, the first thing you need to do is get to the country itself.
The Komodo National Park is off the coast of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores. The airport in Labuan Bajo usually only services domestic flights, so you will probably enter Indonesia via another area first.
Most people either come in through Jakarta or Surabaya on the the Java Island or Denpasar on Bali. None of which are particularly close.
So it’s usually a choice of either sailing, flying or bussing it from where-ever you are.
Some areas such as Bali and Lombok do offer sailing tours over the course of a few days. Which sail all the way to the National Park direct from those islands and then back again after seeing the Komodo Dragons and other sites.
But they do have some bad reputations for being overpriced and uncomfortable, some without decent food and even reports of shipwrecks. So be weary and ensure you research them well if you decide to take this method.
The more advisable choice, in our opinion, is to first get to Labuan Bajo by plane or coach and then take a boat tour from there.
Flying is by far the quickest way to get to Labuan Bajo, taking under an hour from both Bali and Lombok to ‘Komodo Airport’ and around 2.5 hours from Jakarta. The airport is then pretty close to the town of Labuan Bajo itself and you could potentially walk it in just over an hour if you have light luggage or take a 20 minute taxi or tuk-tuk if you don’t fancy the trek.
You can also book coaches from Bali and Lombok that will wiz across the islands and use the vehicle ferries to get you there. This obviously takes a lot longer, but is a lot cheaper.
Most companies offer over night trips so you can ‘sleep’ as you travel. Although the winding roads and speedy driving might keep even the deepest sleeper awake.
Avoiding the round trip sailing tour from the further islands also means you get to experience Flores itself. Which is a beautiful island and the Komodo Dragons are not the only reason to visit.
The scuba diving in Flores is renowned, and some say the best in the world. So if diving beneath the depths is your thing, then this gives you a second reason to head to this gorgeous coastline.
Labao Baji is a charming little town to stay in whilst you see the Dragons. It’s Komodo Dragons mad for obvious reasons (even the airport is named after the dragons) and it has some delicious restaurants to choose from and an abundant of hostels and hotels to stay in whilst there.
Getting to Komodo National Park from Labao Baji
Once in Labao Baji, the next thing to do is to organise how to see the Dragons. The only real way of doing it is by tour.
You can book some up front online, but it’s also possible to sort out when you arrive, even the night before (like I did).
There are an enormous amount of tour operators on offer. So you can basically just stroll down the main street browsing the various signs and speaking to the operators until you find the one that suits you best.
There’s not much difference between each operator and they seem to work in collaboration with each other and often merge together on one boat if the uptake is low. But there are a few different styles of tour you can take.
You can just do a day trip like I did or a two day trip, like Nadia and our eldest did.
The two day trip means you will sleep on the boat whilst moored at night meaning you’ll have more time and more sites for exploring.
Some boats offer private rooms, whilst others, you just sleep on the deck with everyone else on thin mattress’ and sleeping bags. Nadia did the latter with our eldest and whilst it was a little uncomfortable they found it fine for the one night.
Most tours offer to see the Dragons on either Rinca or Komodo islands and the two day tours usually do both.
Our eldest said he preferred Rinca of the two, feeling it was more scenic and spotting more Dragons. But overall it shouldn’t make too much of a difference which one you pick if you just have time for the one.
Cost for Seeing the Komodo Dragons
It’s worth noting that there as talk of an enormous price hike for the entrance to the National Park back in 2022. This ended up being delayed multiple times, due to protesting from the local tourism industry.
Then, at the end of December 2022 the minister of tourism announced it would be axed altogether. So the entrance fees are to remain the same for the foreseeable future.
So the entrance fee is usually around 250,000 IDR ($17) per person.
You will then need to add on the boat/tour cost as most don’t include the National Park tickets. This can fluctuate but you’re looking at upwards of around 500,000 IDR ($35) per person for a one day group tour. About 3 times more than that if you’re doing an overnight tour.
If you want a private tour you’ll be looking at 3 to 4 times that price of the above.
Just be mindful sometimes they throw in some hidden costs as well, like a snorkelling fee or tax etc. so make sure it’s very clear when discussing the costs that you are paying for everything or what the additional costs are.
Additional Sights on the Komodo Tours
Most tours will also offer snorkelling and swimming breaks as well as some other stop off points along the way.
I was really only there for one thing and that’s the Dragons. But the tour really did enchant me and I was blown away by the scenery and stops that ended up being a ‘Brucey Bonus’ (sorry f you’re not of a certain age or British and don’t get that reference!) of the trip.
Most tours will include Padar Viewpoint, which you might have seen before (possibly hundreds of times) as it’s a favourite shot for Instagramers. It is a really great lookout spot so worth the pretty steep climb to get that view and that shot for your scrapbook.
Pink Beach is also another common stop off. It does look slightly pink, more so closer to the water. But at times I thought it looked more a light orange. So you could potentially call it Peach Beach as well (a reference for all you Mario Kart players!).
The pink colour comes from foraminifera, which are microscopic organisms that live in the coral reefs and produce red pigment. When they get washed up on the beach they mix with the white sand to create a pink(ish) coloured beach. Another place for Instagram lovers!
Depending on the season and tides, you might also get to stop off at Manta Point. One of the best places to snorkel and view Manta Rays.
Seeing the Komodo Dragons
So after being blown away by the scenery and other sites that I hadn’t even expected, it was time for the reason I had actually come for! The Dragons! One problem, I had an open wound.
Komodo Dragon’s can smell blood over 5km. I had a cut on my leg and after reading a few posts about how dangerous that can be in making the Dragons aggressive I was a little concerned! But I asked the ranger if it would be a problem and he seemed fairly relaxed about it.
Some tours will sort the tickets for you once on the island. But if that’s not included you just go to the ticket office and sort it yourself.
There is a few choices of tracks on the different islands you can take, some longer than others, so choose whichever is best for you. Then get your ranger, ready with his long stick (didn’t seem the most reassuring preventative for the biggest lizard on earth!). Then you just walk the trail in the hope you will spot them.
It’s probably rarer not to see them than to see them, but they are a wild animal so there is no guarantee. We got to see a lot, both when I went alone and when Nadia went with our eldest.
And the Komodo Dragons really are like no other creature on earth that we had come across. You feel like you’ve gone back in time to the Jurassic Period as you see these huge reptiles strutting across the landscape.
With their long blue tongues flickering in and out smelling the air (and potentially my cut knee) you get the feeling they know they are top of the food chain as they have an almost arrogant swagger.
They are wild animals and, whilst rare, attacks have happened. So listen to the advice of the ranger and don’t wonder off alone. The main advice is to keep your distance and stay together.
In the unlikely event one does run towards you, remember to run in a zig-zag as they are quite fast in a straight line, but struggle to turn. And if you’re near a stilted house jump on it as the dragons won’t be able to get up. Trees are not recommended though, as they can sometimes climb them!
The adolescents are the more dangerous ones. Some of the bigger, senior ones however tend to be less active in their older age (aren’t we all) and so it’s good to get a photo or two near them. The rangers are pretty good at getting you into a position that’s safe and far away from them as to not disturb them, but also get a great shot of you at the same time!
It really does get your heart racing at times being out in the open completely exposed with these enormous reptiles. And definitely one of you favourite memories from travelling and something we would highly recommend for families.