Gateways to Komodo Island
Komodo is no longer a remote island accessible only by wealthy tourists on private boats. Today there are over 20,000 visitors a year that visit the park. The majority of visitors still arrive by cruise ship, despite the fact the most popular, Spice Island Cruises, ceased operations in 1999.
The gateway to Komodo is arguably the island of Bali. While most visitors to Komodo National Park enter through the gateway cities of Bima in eastern Sumbawa, or Labuanbajo in the west of Flores, the departure point is actually Bali. Both Bima and Labuanbajo are serviced by regularly scheduled flights that depart daily at 9:30am from Denpasar to Bima, with connecting flights to Labuanbajo on Monday and Saturday. The gateway cities are also connected to Bali by overland buses and inter-island ferries. There are local coastal ships that travel between Lombok and Labuanbajo. These boats cater to tourists and take passengers on a four day trip that includes a day and night in Komodo National Park (cost $50 per person).
After arriving in Sumbawa, a ferry service from the port of Sape in the east of the island to Labuanbajo picks up and drops off passengers in Komodo in the July-August peak tourist season. Otherwise local tour operators organize shared boat charters from either Bima or Labuanbajo to Loh Liang and the smaller islands in Komodo National Park. Grand Komodo Tours operates a four day/three night package from Bima to Komodo return for US$190, with two nights in a hotel, and one on a live aboard boat.
Airfares: Denpasar to Bima US$ 60 o/w
Denpasar to Labuanbajo $80 o/w
Denpasar to Labuanbajo $80 o/w
