Experience the best of Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo is a fishing port on the western tip of Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara, looking out over a bay dotted with small islands. Wooden boats fill the harbour, and the hills behind the town have viewpoints that catch the sunset over the water. The town is the main gateway to Komodo National Park, a World Heritage Site that protects the Komodo dragon, the largest living lizard.

Boat trips from the harbour run to Rinca and Komodo, where dragons roam the dry savannah, and to Padar, whose hilltop viewpoint looks down on curved bays of different coloured sand. Pink Beach, on Komodo, gets its tint from fragments of red coral, and the reefs of the park are known for manta rays, turtles and coral. On land, the canyon pools of Cunca Wulang and the cave of Batu Cermin are near town, and the village of Wae Rebo, with its conical thatched houses, lies deep in the mountains, reached on foot.

Grilled fish and squid with sambal made of lime and chilli are cooked along the waterfront. The dry season from April to November gives clear skies and calm seas, while the rains of December to March bring heavier showers. Flores coffee, grown in the highlands, is served strong.