Komodo National Park Guide: Dragons, Padar & Trip Planning

Komodo National Park is one of Indonesia’s rare trips where the headline is not exaggerated. You come for the dragons and end up remembering Padar at sunrise, Pink Beach, manta sites, dry savanna hills, and the feeling of moving through islands by boat. The park is managed by Balai Taman Nasional Komodo, and almost every visitor enters through Labuan Bajo on western Flores.

The planning challenge in 2026 is not deciding whether Komodo is worth it. It is choosing the right boat, understanding which official fees are included, respecting park rules, and booking early enough that permit allocation and popular dates do not become a problem.

Getting to Komodo from Labuan Bajo

Fly into Labuan Bajo’s Komodo Airport (LBJ) on western Flores, usually from Bali, Jakarta, or another Indonesian hub. From there, Komodo National Park is a boat trip, not a road trip. If you want to start a tour the same day you land, book an early flight and confirm the boat departure time; otherwise, spend the night in Labuan Bajo and begin fresh the next morning.

Padar, the dragons, and Pink Beach

Most trips are built around three sights, and for good reason. Padar Island is the postcard, a short steep climb to a ridge above three crescent bays, best at sunrise before the heat and the crowds arrive. Komodo or Rinca Island is where you walk with a ranger to see the dragons in the wild, unhurried and genuinely wild animals rather than a show. And Pink Beach earns its name from coral fragments that blush the sand rose, with easy snorkeling straight off it.

It is worth knowing what you are actually looking at. The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard on Earth, and the park authority lists Loh Liang on Komodo, Loh Buaya on Rinca, and Padar Selatan among the controlled tourism areas where visitors may observe wildlife with guides. That rarity, along with the reefs and island landscape, is why the whole park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.

Beyond the headline stops

The park keeps giving past the obvious. Manta Point, around Karang Makassar, is one of the most reliable places in Indonesia to swim with manta rays, which glide through all year. Kalong Island puts on a free show at dusk, when thousands of giant fruit bats lift off the mangroves against the sunset. And the diving, for those with a certification, is world-class, with sites like Castle Rock and Batu Bolong stacked with sharks and schooling fish.

Komodo park fees in 2026

Do not plan from one neat fee number. Komodo fees are built from official PNBP components, and operators may bundle them differently in day trips, overnight boats, and liveaboards. The important question is whether your quote includes park entry, activity fees, ranger or guide fees, harbor fees, and any island/site charges. The boat itself is usually the bigger cost, but unclear park-fee inclusions are what create awkward surprises.

For the detailed fee breakdown and what to ask before paying, use the Komodo park fees guide.

Park rules and visitor capacity

The official park site publishes carrying-capacity limits for major resort areas, including Loh Buaya on Rinca, Loh Liang on Komodo, Padar Selatan, and Gililawa. The exact permit process can change, but the travel lesson is stable: do not treat Komodo as a walk-up attraction in peak season. Book through a legitimate operator, confirm your visit date, and ask how they secure park access.

When to go

The dry season, April to October, is the time to come. The seas are calmer for island hopping, the skies are clear for the Padar climb, and the trekking is more comfortable. Manta rays show up year round, so they are not a reason to time your trip one way or another. The wet months from November to March bring rougher water and the odd cancelled boat, though the islands turn green and the crowds thin out.

Day trip or liveaboard?

How you see the park shapes the whole trip. A day trip or overnight boat from Labuan Bajo can cover Padar, dragons, Pink Beach, and a manta stop. A multi-day liveaboard reaches farther, sleeps you among the islands, and is the better fit for divers. To choose the right length first, read how many days you need in Labuan Bajo. You can compare real boats and dates when you plan a Komodo trip with us.