Komodo Island Travel Guide

Komodo Island, part of Komodo National Park, is one of the only places in the world where Komodo dragons live in the wild, alongside 25 other endangered species. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site spread across Komodo, Rinca, and Padar islands, reached mainly through the gateway town of Labuan Bajo on nearby Flores. Visitors must go with an official park ranger to see the dragons, both for safety and because approaching them unaccompanied isn't allowed. Around 2,000 people live on the island, largely through fishing, and many of the park's other draws, like pink sand beaches and manta ray dive sites, are best combined with the dragon trek on a multi-day boat trip from Labuan Bajo.

It is well-advised that you carry all your essentials with you as facilities that are present in the fishing village can be few and far in between. There are a limited number of accommodation options available and those that are range from frugal to very basic. Komodo Island is comprised within the Komodo National Park which also encompasses the other two islands of Rinca and Padar. However, it is the Komodo and Rinca Islands that the Komodo Dragons inhabit.