The endogenous Komodo dragons are the iconic mascots of West Flores. Komodo and its surrounding islands were designated as a National Park in 1980. In 1996 UNESCO declared the Park as a "Word Nature Heritage Site,” with the further designation of “Men and Biosphere."
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The endogenous Komodo dragon |
Ancient Lizard |
Park information:
- Located between the islands of Flores and Sumbawa
- Covers an area of between 1,875 and 2,321 square kilometers
- Consist of three main Islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar
- Famous for its pre-historic Komodo ‘’Dragons’’ – found only in this area of the world
- Home to one of the richest marine environments in the world
- Excellent coral reefs
- Outstanding diving spots
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An areal map of the Komodo National Park
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Facilities:
- Rangers’ house, restaurant and information center are located on both Komodo and Rinca Island
- Currently the best way to stay overnight at the park is to rent a local excursion boat and sleep on deck. Anchored just off shore from the park, this will allow an early morning trek in the reserve
How to get there
- Labuan Bajo (West Flores) is the starting point to explore the Komodo National Park. Regular flights operate from Bali (Denpasar) to Labuan Bajo. You can also travel overland from Bali by private vehicle or public bus and inter-island ferries
- The travel time from Labuan Bajo to Komodo Island is 4 hours by boat, and 2 hours from Labuan Bajo to Rinca Island
- Overnight accommodation is possible either at the rangers’ house or on the deck of a local excursion boat
- Arrangement for accommodation at the Park can be done with Travel Agents, West Flores guides or directly with the local boat owners
- Local excursion boat
Komodo Island:
- Loh Liang is the main landing point to see Komodo dragons on Komodo Island
- Komodo dragons are often seen at the dry river bed Banu Nggulung, a half-hour walk from Loh Liang. When Komodo dragons were still fed before park visitors (a practice discontinued many years ago), Banu Nggulung was the traditional feeding ground. You are also likely to spot dragons looking for food around the Rangers’ camp in Loh Liang
- Hiking around the island is possible with a local guide. A round-trip climb up the slopes of Gunung Ara (580m) takes around 3.5 hours. Or: Consider hiking to Poreng Valley, located 5.5km from Loh Liang. Along the way you may encounter Komodo dragons as well as buffaloes, wild boar, and a wide variety of bird species
- Visit Komodo village, a friendly, Muslim Buginese village only a half-hour walk from Loh Liang
- Snorkeling and relaxing at Pantai Merah (Red Beach) or Pulau Lasa should be on the ‘’must do’’ list for Komodo Park visitors
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Loh Liang area on Komodo Island
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Rinca Island:
- Loh Buaya is the access point to see Komodo dragons on Rinca Island
- You may see the dragon around the camp at Loh Buaya
- Local guides generally know the spots where the Komodo dragons usually take a sunbath
- On a hiking tour you may also see long-tailed macaques, wild water buffaloes, Timor deer, wild horses, boars, and rare megapode birds
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Loh Buaya area on Rinca Island
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Conservation fund
Effective May 1, 2006, all visitors to the Komodo National Park must pay a contribution to the park’s Conservation Fund.
The current conservation fund contributions per visitor:
| Length of stay |
Foreign visitors
In US$
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Indonesia Nationals &
KITAS Holder
In Rupiah |
East Nusa Tenggara Residents
In Rupiah
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Indonesian Students
In Rupiah
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1 – 3 days
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$15
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75,000 |
10,000 |
1,000 |
4 – 8 days
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$25
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125,000 |
9 – 15 days
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$35
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175,000 |
16 days or more
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$45
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225,000 |
50 percent discount is granted for foreign visitors aged below 16 years.
In addition to the mandatory contribution to the Park Conservation Fund, visitors to the Park are also required to pay a Park Entrance Fee and a West Manggarai Retribution Fee for the provincial administration:
| Fee |
length of stay |
Foreign/KITAS in Rupiah
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Domestic in Rupiah
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| Komodo National Park entrance fee |
1 – 3 days |
20,000 |
2,000 |
| West Manggarai retribution fee |
1 – 3 days |
20,000 |
10,000 |
The conservation fund is collected by PT. Putri Naga Komodo
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Panoramic view of the crystal blue waters at the Komodo National Park
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Marine Ecosystem
The three main marine ecosystems found at the Komodo National Park:
- Sea grass beds
- Coral reefs
- Mangrove forests.
Marine Fauna
Komodo National Park has one of the richest marine environments in the world. Forams, cnidaria, sponges, ascidians, marine worms, mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, cartilaginous, bony fishes, marine reptiles, marine mammals (dolphins, whales, and dugongs), sea cucumbers (Holothuria), napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), and groupers are major sub-sea fauna found at Komodo National Park.
Marine Flora
The three major coastal marine plants:
- Algae
- Sea grasses
- Mangrove trees
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Schools of reef fish at Komodo National Park. |
Colorful underwater life at Komodo National Park |
Terrestrial Ecosystem:
- Long dry season (April to October) with high temperatures and low rainfall
- A transition zone shared between Australian and Asian flora and fauna
- Open grass-woodland savannas, tropical deciduous (monsoon) forests and quasi-cloud forests
- A shared trait among many of the park’s terrestrial plants species is that they are xerophytes, capable of obtaining and retaining water to survive the cyclical drought period
- Terrestrial plants including: grasses, shrubs, orchids, and trees.
Important food trees include Jatropha curkas, Zizyphus sp., Opuntia sp., Tamarindus indicus, Borassus flabellifer, Sterculia foetida, Ficus sp., Cicus sp., ‘Kedongdong hutan’ (Saruga floribunda), and ‘Kesambi’ (Schleichera oleosa).
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Lontar palm trees at Komodo National Park. |
A wild water buffalo at Komodo National Park |
Terrestrial Fauna
Many mammals found at the park are Asiatic in origin - deer, pigs, macaques, civets. Other mammals include Timor deer (Cervus timorensis), wild horses (Equus sp.), water buffalos (Bubalus bubalis), wild boars (Sus scrofa vittatus), long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus lehmanni), the endemic Rinca rat (Rattus rintjanus), fruit bats, goats, feral dogs and domestic cats.
Several bird species are Australian in origin - orange-footed scrubfowl, the lesser sulpher-crested cockatoo and the nosy friarbird. 27 species observed in the park’s savanna area include: Geopelia striata and Streptopelia chinensis. Philemon buceroides, Ducula aenea, and Zosterops chloris are observed in the mixed deciduous habitat that is home to 28 bird species.
Reptiles at the park include, of course, the legendary Komodo Dragon, 12 snake species including the cobra (Naja naja sputatrix), Russel’s pit viper (Vipera russeli), and the green tree vipers (Trimeresurus albolabris). Lesser lizards include nine skink species (Scinidae), geckos (Gekkonidae), limbless lizards (Dibamidae), and the monitor lizards (Varanidae). Frogs species include the Asian Bullfrog (Kaloula baleata), Oreophyne jeffersoniana and Oreophyne darewskyi.
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Komodo dragon inspecting a burrow prior to laying eggs |
A Komodo dragon at its burrow |
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Water buffalo in close proximity with a Komodo dragon at the park
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A macaque monkey keeping a careful distance from a Komodo dragon
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A Komodo dragon explores a rock face |
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