First time in Indonesia before a Komodo sailing trip

Most visitors enter on a visa on arrival, or on the same 30-day visa applied for online before they travel, called the e-VoA. The table lists who qualifies, how long you can stay, the passport rule and the fee. Treat every line in it as verify before travelling. Rules and fees change, and the official immigration site wins over this page.

Two items catch first-timers out, and both are quick to sort. One is proof of an onward or return ticket. The other is the free All Indonesia arrival card, filled in within 72 hours before you land. If you enter through Bali, a separate tourist levy applies on top of the visa fee.

Komodo International Airport, code LBJ, is the only airport you need. The table gives the usual connections, the flight times and the airlines. Airlines change schedules, so verify before you book.

Book a flight that lands the day before you sail, and one that leaves after 13:00 on your last day, because day 3 ends in Labuan Bajo around midday. The harbour is a short drive from the airport. Most visitors clear immigration in Bali, Jakarta or Surabaya and fly on to Labuan Bajo on a domestic flight.

Our hotels and flights page lists partner hotels by area and explains the pickup.

The rupiah is the currency. Cash machines stand along the road beside the harbour and at airport arrivals, and there are none in the park or on the islands. Take cash before you board. The table gives withdrawal limits and the usual charges.

Cards work at hotels, boat companies and bigger restaurants, sometimes with a surcharge. Small eateries, markets and taxis take cash. Tipping the guide and crew is appreciated and never compulsory.

The park ticket is not paid in cash. It is bought online in your name, and the park fees page has the rates. Boat fares are quoted in rupiah, and the booking page lists the ways to pay.

Register a local SIM with your passport, or install an eSIM before you fly and activate it when you land. Telkomsel has the widest coverage in Labuan Bajo and offshore. Signal is still patchy between the islands.

Mobile signal is local and patchy between the islands, so treat the three days as mostly offline. Download maps and tickets first, and tell people at home the date you sail and the date you return. Mains power is 230 V with two-pin round plugs, so charge your devices before you board.

Buy travel insurance with medical cover and emergency evacuation before you leave home. The table names the hospitals in Labuan Bajo, including the one with a hyperbaric chamber, and the emergency numbers. Pharmacies in town have a limited range, so bring prescription medicines and sunscreen.

Mosquito protection matters. Dengue, chikungunya and malaria are present in Indonesia. Rabies exists in dogs and monkeys, so seek care at once after a bite. Tap water isn't safe to drink. Drinks are in the fare on both boats, so you won't need it.

Two offices decide whether a boat sails. The harbour master's office issues each boat's sailing permit, and the park office controls access to the park. Passengers on park boats need an electronic boarding pass, and the name on it has to match the passenger list. We register you.

The table lists recent closures. Staged closures ran from late December 2025 to early February 2026, and Komodo and Padar closed from 6 to 8 August 2026 for waves and wind. Closures come at a day's notice, so verify before travelling applies here too. If the boat can't sail, you get a phinisi of equal or higher class on the same date at no extra cost, or a full refund within 14 days.