Labuan Bajo is the gateway town to the unbelievable Komodo Nationwide Soil at the island of Flores, Indonesia. I’ve been broadly all through my proceed time as it’s the place I did my divemaster route, and spent many months of my time diving in one of the vital easiest websites on the earth.
Labuan Bajo previous to 2020 was once an overly unpleasant town with truly negative explanation why to stick. I got here right here for the primary life in 2015 and it was once merely a town to fly into sooner than escape for the Komodo Nationwide Soil once imaginable. Upcoming COVID, this town was once utterly re-done in mad speedy and mad advanced model. There are eating places, cafes, or even 5* inns which might be unfathomable a decade in the past. It’s briefly becoming a town that will probably be a vacation spot in and of itself throughout the later 5 years.
Attending to Labuan Bajo
Positioned east of Bali, one of the simplest ways to get here’s to shoot a gliding from Bali or Jakarta to Labuan Bajo. Unforuntately, there are not any direct flights from playgrounds like Lombok and even Sumbawa (the island later to Flores) as you’ll want to fly again to Bali for those flights. The primary airways that fly to Labuan Bajo are Garuda Indonesia, WingsAir, AirAsia and BatikAir.
The gliding life from Bali is simply over 1 while and also you’ll have superb perspectives all of the approach. From the airport, you’ll shoot a taxi to town for 75-100k IDR and the power isn’t even 10 mins to town middle.
Notice that you just utility Gojek from the airport because the taxi mafia controls it which is why it’s so pricey. On the other hand, as soon as you might be in Labuan Bajo town, you’ll shoot a Gojek taxi again to the airport which is far less expensive. A scooter Gojek for instance is handiest 20k IDR.
Easiest life of pace to seek advice from Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo and Komodo Nationwide Soil apply the similar atmosphere as in Bali and Lombok. The wet season is typically from November to March with the crispy season following go well with. Flores island could also be somewhat drier than Bali which means that that the crispy season will typically be extra brightness with much less probabilities of rainfall.
The top season is typically between Would possibly and October however don’t leisure at the wet season within the section. The most efficient occasions to peer the manta rays are within the wet season!
Date journeys from Labuan Bajo to Komodo Nationwide Soil
In the event you’re no longer a diver, don’t concern as many of the vacationers that come to Labuan Bajo aren’t divers both. The a lot more usual journeys to Komodo are the 1 to three time cruises across the terrain visiting the highlights like Padar Island, red seashore, and snorkeling with the mantas.
Relying on how a lot life you’ve and your price range, there are other boats with various levels of reassurance. From Labuan Bajo, there are so many firms throughout the city that may prepare a travel for you and there are lots of boats that manufacture the travel. For a time travel boat to the nationwide terrain visiting the Komodo dragons and snorkeling with mantas, you’ll be expecting to pay about 1.5m IDR for the time.
Diving in Komodo Nationwide Soil
I spent many days scuba diving in Komodo Nationwide Soil. That is the place I did my divemaster route next all and I spent two months right here in overall.
Wow, the diving in Komodo is admittedly unbelievable. Komodo Nationwide Soil is a part of the Coral triangle, a petite a part of the South Pacific this is house to the perfect marine time density on the earth. The corals are out of this international. Wholesome, colourful, and considerable, I used to be stunned at how a lot more intensely gorgeous it was once in comparison to the alternative playgrounds I’ve dived. Komodo and Raja Ampat are top-of-the-line dive locations on the earth.
Along with the unbelievable variety of fish and coral, Komodo is legendary for its resident manta rays that decision this park house. They may be able to be noticeable within the terrain all the time of the pace, every now and then diverse mantas without delay. I’ve been on more than likely loads of manta dives in Komodo and it by no means will get used. I’ve been on dives the place I’ve noticeable 1 manta, and dives the place I’ve noticeable nearly 100 mantas. You by no means know what you’ll to find!
Easiest dive stores in Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo has at all times been the gateway to the Komodo Nationwide Soil and there are diverse dive stores in Labuan Bajo that deal simply that. I’ve dived broadly within the Komodo Nationwide Soil and it is among the lead dive spots on the earth individually. Diving in Komodo isn’t just unbelievable underwater however above H2O as neatly with dramatic soils throughout.
I’ve at all times dived solely with Scuba Junkie which has a dive lodge about half-hour outdoor of Labuan Bajo within the within sight village of Warloka which is truly in the midst of nowhere. Their lodge is gorgeous and is a splendid retreat clear of the hundreds in Labuan Bajo.
On the other hand, lately, Labuan Bajo has reworked itself right into a town that you just in fact wouldn’t thoughts staying in so diving from the primary the city is as excellent of an choice as any. I’ve handiest dived with a couple of dive stores within the the city however they’re nearly all fairly excellent and deal the similar dive journeys.
Neren Dive ShopAzulBlue MarlinUber ScubaSea CreaturesManta RheiDive Komodo
I went diving with Neren for a couple of days purely as a result of I preferred the dimensions in their boat. Manta Rhei additionally looked as if it would have a pleasant time boat from what I noticed on the pier.
The place to stick in Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo has modified tremendously lately. All over my first seek advice from in 2015, it was once handiest hostels and backpacker taste lodging. Speedy ahead to the current and there are diverse 5* luxurious inns everywhere in the the city, with many extra slated to be constructed within the coming years. There’s one thing for everybody now. In the event you’re diving from a dive store on the town, staying within the town is very best since you want to be on the port by means of 7am each morning to your travel.
Retain in thoughts that if you happen to keep in the primary the city, you’ll need to keep someplace with excellent home windows as the road visitors may be very raucous. As well as, there’s a mosque within the middle of town that has name to prayers origination from 430am.
Listed here are my favourite lodging choices in Labuan Bajo, fracture out in diverse worth issues.
Finances lodging in Labuan Bajo (<$50 USD in line with evening)
Mid-level ($50-$200)
Luxurious ($200 and above)
Easiest cafes and eating places in Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo is now house to an array of eating places and cafes with extra opening up all of the life. I can admit that the attribute right here might not be like Bali which is individually some of the lead cafe spots on the earth. On the other hand, give it at some point and it’s inevitable that the Bali impact will manufacture its method to Labuan Bajo love it already did in Kuta, Lombok. Listed here are one of the vital cafes and eating places that I preferred within the town.
This listing will keep growing as extra playgrounds discoverable up in Labuan Bajo which is handiest inevitable!
Chippie Cafe and Roastery
One in every of my favourite cafes in Labuan Bajo. Positioned at the primary strip, this in the neighborhood run cafe opens early and has one of the vital higher espresso on the town. They even have a great collection of pastries and baked items within the mornings.
Komodough
The craft bakery scene is origination in Labuan Bajo. Komodough (what a splendid identify by means of the best way) offer splendid bread, pastries, and baked items for the ones lacking their carb cure. They don’t have any alternative meals alternatively so it’s easiest to come back right here for a espresso and snack.
Cafe Melinjo
Satisfied Banana
Satisfied Banana is among the higher eating places on the town. They have got an in depth sushi menu this is in fact fairly valuable. I got here right here for dinner and brunch and truly loved my foods.
Alma
Alma is situated at the hill overlooking the bay and is among the more moderen and trendier eating places on the town. This Mediterranean themed eating place offer unbelievable perspectives of the bay in conjunction with splendid meals. I will be able to extremely counsel this park if you need splendid perspectives in a trendier environment.
Senja Eatery
Senja eatery is a splendid eating place for native Indonesian meals. It’s situated proper at the mainstrip however offer perspectives of the bay to exit together with your meal. I truly beloved their nasi campur right here and it’s splendid while you’re yearning extra native meals.
Mimamori
Mimamori is one in all my favourite cafes in Labuan Bajo. That is the exit to park for breakfast for me because it has all of the brunch classics with implausible espresso.
Fellas Pizzeria
Fellas Pizzeria offer the most productive pizza in all of Labuan Bajo. This park has a legitimate Napoli taste pizza over that churns our scrumptious pizza in a park a long way clear of the place you could suppose you can find excellent pizza.
Le Bajo
A few years in the past, the considered a complicated eating place and oceanfront bar in Labuan Bajo would had been unimaginable. Le Bajo modified all that with their gorgeous eating place with easiest perspectives of the sundown. Le Bajo even has Bali taste web beds which manufacture for easiest footage. I got here right here for sundown beverages on lots of the nights I stayed in Labuan Bajo. I even ordered a negroni which became out to be scrumptious and blew all my expectancies of what Labuan Bajo may well be.
Labuan Bajo Evening Fish Marketplace
Each evening, the fish marketplace comes alive with numerous fish distributors grilling up seafood without delay in entrance of you. Earlier than Labuan Bajo was once utterly redone as a town, the fish marketplace was once an used faculty marketplace. Presen it was once indubitably extra dirty, it had far more personality. This present day, the fish marketplace nonetheless offer splendid fish and meals, however is in a miles clearner environment. I went right here as soon as and grabbed some pristine grilled fish and prawns. The costs are particularly reasonable for the fish and you’ll at all times negotiate the costs.
I will be able to counsel the stall named “Grace” for those who need to consume extra native!
The place to exit round Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo itself, week it’s a lot nicer than it was once within the time, remains to be no longer the cosmopolitan vacation spot that one thing like Bali is, particularly the Canggu section.
From Labuan Bajo, head to the rolling hills north of town for one of the vital maximum impressive perspectives of the Komodo Nationwide Soil that you’ll to find. One of the simplest ways to do that is solely to hire a scooter which you’ll do at nearly any store on the town. In the event you’re no longer at ease renting a scooter, prepare a driving force via your lodging.
For starters, put into your map the “Amelia viewpoint” which is a ten modest scooter experience out of the city. You’ll see the rolling hills of the Labuan Bajo pocket.
From right here, experience additional north to the negligible peninsula on the lead of the map. This section is house to the luxurious inns of Labuan Bajo just like the Ayana and Marriott inns. You’ll even be upper up affording you splendid Greek Mediterranean taste perspectives over the sea and the Komodo Nationwide Soil. For the most productive perspectives, exit to G-Spot which is a restaurant this is easiest for a espresso or for a sundown beer.