Labuan Bajo, the jewel from the Southeast

Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) or East Nusa Tenggara is a province in Indonesia that located in the southeast area. The province consist of 550 islands in total. Kupang is the capital of the province in West Timor. But the three main big islands are: Flores, Sumba, and Timor. Labuan Bajo is in Flores island. Dividing the province into 22 regencies, Labuan Bajo is the capital of West Manggarai regency. To go to Labuan Bajo, there is a direct flight from Bali that only took an hour long.

Labuan Bajo is a harbour town located at the west coast of Flores island. The used to be small fishing village has flourished in to become a busy town. Labuan Bajo have beautiful natural scenery both in surface and underwater.

Rinca island is one of Komodo National Park (pictures above).
Note: Try not to come visit Komodo Dragon in their mating season (May-August). They will be hiding and so hard to find.

Pulau Bidadari

For the last couple of years, the peaceful Labuan Bajo has attract so many tourist (international and local). Aside of their lovely nature (beaches and diving sites), they have an endangered species, the largest living lizards on Earth, Komodo Dragon (Varanus Komodoensis) local people call it ‘Ora’. This giant lizard’s population can be found in islands of Komodo, Rinca, Padar, Flores, and Gili Montang. Komodo island and Rinca island are near Labuan Bajo, these national park of Komodo plays a big role in turning Labuan Bajo into a prominent tour destination.

www.florestourism.com

Exotic beaches
If you love to do nothing and just lay down on the beach, the small islands near Labuan Bajo are perfect! They have so many beautiful pristine beaches. Some of the islands have no population, some of them have a resort.   

By renting a boat to visit islands is perfect to explore our exotic beaches and national park. The rate for a boat rent and visiting 3 islands (one day trip) only cost you IDR 300,000-400,000/pax include a tour guide/boat. The tour starts at 8 am and finished around 4 pm.

Komodo National Park
Komodo Dragon, the heaviest lizard in family Varanidae, can reach up to 3 meters length including tail. Weight 200 kg for male and 70 kg for female. They could live up to 30 years or more. This carnivore reptile is a dominant predator. They will wait for a prey to pass by patiently. Once they targeted a prey, they’ll spring, with their powerful legs, sharp claws, and serrated sharp teeth to tear the prey. Animals that escape from their jaws, are not going to live very long. Komodo Dragon’s saliva contain over 50 strains of bacteria, that make the escaped prey dies of blood poisoning within 24 hours. Dragons will follow the smell on the corpse and finish what they started.

Pulau Kanawa

Pulau Kelor

Diving in Komodo island
Komodo island is not only famed for the endangered Komodo Dragon, it is also the extraordinary diverse marine life that makes this park unique. It’s a diving site haven. We have lots of pictures of underwater and a video from our diver contributor (Okki Ramadian).

Labuan Bajo currently is a busy harbour town, the warm climate is as warm as the people, who happen to be consist of 4 ethnics; Bajo, Flores, Makassar, and Bugis. A lovely pristine nature, something that city people need to escape from the modern metropolitan. The fresh breezes that makes who ever once visited this harbour wants to come back and explore more the beauty of Flores. –SK-  

Batu Cermin Cave
The mainland of Flores island has also a lot to offer such as beautiful sites. In Labuan Bajo, there is a Limestone cave that can be reached in 15 minutes by Motor Taxi (ojek) or drive by yourself. It is 4 km from central of Labuan Bajo. The Limestone cave is a prominent rock formation where sunlight filters into the cave and reflects itself creating a stunning effect. Because this effect is a mirror-like on rock surfaces, local people call it as Batu Cermin (mirror-rock) cave. 

Big thank you for our contributors:

Mr. & Mrs. Gustama
Daned Gustama.
Founder of KomtungTV. Instagram: @komtungtv.
Angelina Gustama.
A fashion designer. Instagram: @soangel.

---

Okki Ramadian.
A physician, an advanced open water diver & underwater photographer.
Instagram: @okkiramadian.