Asik OriginalFrom
$2,520
per boat
Labuan Bajo, Flores
Private Komodo Charter 3D2N from Labuan Bajo
3 Days / 2 Nights (or 2D1N)Small groups
island · Labuan Bajo
Kelor Island
The nearest island stop: a quick hill climb, a small beach, and easy swimming.
At a glance
- Entry fee
- Covered by Komodo National Park entry, IDR 250,000 per person per day for international visitors.
- Opening hours
- Daylight. It is the nearest island stop to Labuan Bajo, so it is usually the first or last thing on a boat day.
- Time needed
- About an hour, which is the point of it.
About Kelor Island
Kelor is the closest island stop to Labuan Bajo, which is why so many boats make it the first or last thing they do. It is small, with a single grassy cone rising straight off the beach, and you can climb it in roughly 15 to 20 minutes for a view over the surrounding islands and whatever flotilla is anchored below.
The hill is short but deceptive. The slope is steep, the ground is loose and dusty in the dry months, and there is essentially no shade between the sand and the summit, so people arrive at the top hotter and more out of breath than a fifteen-minute walk suggests. The descent catches more people out than the climb, because the same loose grit that was awkward on the way up is genuinely slippery on the way down.
At the bottom there is a short curve of sand and clear, shallow water that is pleasant for a swim, with some coral and fish near the rocks at either end for a quick snorkel. It is not the best snorkelling in the area and it does not need to be, because the appeal of Kelor is that it packs a viewpoint and a swim into a stop of an hour or so.
Because it is so close to town it can get crowded. When three or four boats land at once, the beach is small enough that it feels busy immediately, and the narrow path up the hill turns into a queue.
Getting there
Kelor is a short boat trip from Labuan Bajo harbour, often the very first stop on an island-hopping itinerary because of how close it sits. It is included on most shared speedboat day tours, and private speedboats can reach it quickly enough to make it a half-day outing on its own. It lies at the edge of the wider Komodo area, and whether national park fees apply depends on your exact route and which zones your boat enters. This is worth asking your operator directly rather than assuming, since the answer differs between itineraries.
Best time
Early morning is best on every count: the water is calmest, the light is softest, and the climb happens before the sun has had time to bake the hillside. The dry season, roughly April to November, gives clearer water for swimming. Arriving ahead of the main wave of day boats makes a noticeable difference to how the beach feels.
Good to know
Wear shoes with grip rather than sandals. The slope is loose and dusty and most slips happen on the way down, so take the descent slowly and use the flatter edges of the path where you can. Bring water and sun protection, because there is no shade, no shop and nothing sold on the island. If your boat is one of several landing at the same time, going up the hill immediately while everyone else swims is usually the quickest way to get the viewpoint to yourself.
Labuan Bajo
Things to do at Kelor Island
01
Climb the grassy cone
A single hill rising straight off the beach, roughly 15 to 20 minutes up, for a view over the surrounding islands and whatever flotilla is anchored below.
02
Swim off the small beach
Easy water and a quick stop. The snorkelling is not the best in the area and does not need to be.
Labuan Bajo
Tours that include this
Good to know
Kelor Island FAQs
How long is the Kelor Island hike?+
Around 15 to 20 minutes to the top for most people. It is short, but the slope is steep and the ground is loose, and there is no shade at all, so it is harder work than the time suggests. Grippy shoes and a steady pace make it straightforward.
Can you swim and snorkel at Kelor?+
Yes. There is a small sandy beach with clear, shallow water for swimming, plus some coral and fish around the rocks at either end for a quick snorkel. It is a pleasant stop rather than a destination snorkel site.
Is Kelor worth it if I am short on time?+
It is, precisely because it is so close to Labuan Bajo. It fits a viewpoint and a swim into about an hour, which is why so many tours use it to open or close the day. If your boat arrives alongside several others, expect the small beach and the narrow path to feel busy.
Labuan Bajo
More to see in Labuan Bajo
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