Hiking on Padar Island in the Komodo Islands offers a glimpse of Indonesia's most breathtaking scenery, and it's surprisingly accessible!

This place resembles a land of dinosaurs, with rocky hills, vast bays, and beaches stretching out in all directions.

A trip to the Komodo Islands isn't complete without embarking on this hiking adventure! You can join a day tour to explore Padar Island or spend a few days island-hopping on a liveaboard cruise.

Even the north side of Padar Island boasts a pink beach with unique red sand, making it a renowned tourist attraction within Komodo National Park.

This travel guide will explain how to reach Padar Island and provide all the essential information you need to know before departing!

Where is Padar Island?

Padar Island is located within Komodo National Park, a cluster of islands in eastern Indonesia.

The nearest city is the fishing village of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores, which has its own airport and numerous hotels and restaurants for you to unwind during your park visit.

How to Get to Padar Island

The only way to reach Padar Island is by boat from Labuan Bajo.

It's approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) away from Labuan Bajo by a straight-line distance, and the journey typically takes 3 hours by slow boat or less than half that time by speedboat.

You can cover most of the major attractions in Komodo National Park, including Padar Island, in a full-day itinerary or stay on a boat for a few days to sightsee!

Multiple flights operate daily from Bali to Labuan Bajo Airport (LBJ), with a flight duration of 1 hour and ticket prices as low as 1 juta Indonesian rupiahs (around $70 USD) from various airlines.

Getting to the Komodo Islands from Bali is now more convenient than ever, thanks to AirAsia's weekly flights between the two destinations. Additionally, flights are available from Jakarta, Surabaya, Ende, or Kuala Lumpur to Labuan Bajo Airport. You can purchase flights on Skyscanner.

Upon arriving in Labuan Bajo, you can book a boat to Padar Island at the port or reserve a tour online (more details later).

Hiking on Padar Island

The hike to the top of Padar Island takes approximately 20 to 40 minutes, depending on your pace.

A cobblestone path now leads to the summit, but it's still steep and tiring. There are some viewpoints along the way where you can stop, rest, and continue climbing to enjoy the best views.

There's little shade during the Padar Island hike, and the equatorial sun in Komodo can be quite harsh, so be prepared to get roasted on your way up!

Bring some water, a hat, and sunscreen, especially if you're hiking later in the day. Morning is the best time to go.

Padar Island Day Tour from Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

Nowadays, park rangers patrol the trail at intervals to ensure people's safety. They're friendly but a bit clingy.

Perhaps because we were the only tourists at that time, they kept trying to help us with everything and constantly warned us, which was a bit annoying. We didn't really feel free to wander around and take photos.

This is Indonesia, and we didn't want to be babysat on such a simple hike! Let us take some photos and enjoy the scenery!

Padar Island Viewpoint

The viewpoint at the top of Padar Island is incredibly beautiful. The scenery here truly resembles the setting of Jurassic Park.

Although Padar Island is one of the smallest islands in Komodo National Park, this scenic viewpoint has become a famous natural landmark in Indonesia and even appears on the 50,000 Indonesian rupiah note.

The island forms a huge X-shape with three bays where you can see white sand beaches, black sand beaches, and a pink sand beach.

Each type of sand color is special on its own, but seeing all of them in one place is truly crazy. This might be the only place in the world where you can witness such a sight!

In the distance, you can see Komodo Island, home to the famous Komodo dragons. Padar also has wild Komodo dragons, but they live on the north side of the island, so you might not see them here.

Padar Island Entrance Fee

The ticketing system in Komodo National Park is confusing, with various entrance fees that you need to pay at a small kiosk on Padar.

Adding up all the fees, you'll need to spend nearly 1 million Indonesian rupiahs (around $70 USD) per person for a 1-day park pass, which allows you to hike Padar Island and explore other highlights of Komodo Island in Indonesia.

This ticket price is valid as of 2024 but seems to increase annually. In my opinion, considering the stunning natural scenery you'll see on Komodo Island, this price is worth it, but I hope they don't continue to raise it.

Flying Drones on Padar Island

Since 2021, park rangers in Komodo National Park no longer allow anyone to fly drones on Padar Island unless you pay a hefty fee of 1 million Indonesian rupiahs (around $70 USD). No prior application is required; you just need to pay the fee in cash on the spot, and they'll allow you to fly.

I understand that some restrictions are understandable because the viewpoint is crowded, and I'm sure many people want to fly drones there every day, so they must control it slightly.

If you're creative, you can still capture Padar Island with a drone for free by launching it from one of the many hidden bays or islands nearby where the rangers can't see you. I might or might not know someone who has done this.

Are There Komodo Dragons on Padar Island?

Yes, wild Komodo dragons live on Padar Island but are rarely seen.

There are also venomous snakes, such as the Insular Pit Viper (Trimeresurus Insularis), although they usually hide in trees during the day and come out to hunt at night.

Occasionally, we'd see Javan deer running around Padar Island, but overall, there aren't many large prey for the lizards here. This is a very dry island, so the giant lizards prefer to stay on Komodo Island.

According to local hiking guides, the few Komodo dragons on Padar Island tend to stay on the north side of the island, so you might not see them while hiking to the viewpoint.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Padar Island actually depends on your purpose.

The peak season in Komodo National Park is from July to August, when the weather is cool and comfortable, but the park is also more crowded. The climate in the Komodo Islands is drier and sunnier than other parts of Indonesia, such as Bali.

The main months to visit the Komodo Islands are from December to February, as Indonesia experiences its rainy season during this time, making it less suitable for sailing or hiking.

Generally, the only reason to visit Padar during the rainy season is to avoid the crowds. Even then, there's no guarantee that you'll have it all to yourself, as this place is becoming very famous.

The color of the grass changes with the seasons. By the end of the rainy season (January to April), the grass is green. Most of the photos we took here were captured in early March. By April or May, the grass usually starts to turn yellow. During summer and autumn (July to November), the island is very dry, and the grass is all brown.

Most boat tours visit Padar Island in the morning when the temperatures are cooler and suitable for hiking, and the lighting for the scenery is also beautiful. Since the Padar Island hiking trail offers panoramic views from the top, both sunrise and sunset are spectacular to watch!

Padar Island's Pink Beach

Padar Island boasts the world-famous pink beach!

There are actually two pink beaches on Padar Island, and one of them is visible from the viewpoint, but the best one (with the reddest sand) is hidden in a bay on the north side of the island.

This unique beach is a must-see attraction when visiting Komodo National Park, and most tour packages include it.