I’m sure that I’m not alone when I say that Pink Beach Komodo Island is one of my favorite beaches in the Komodo National Park, and perhaps in all of Indonesia. Yes, it’s a pink sand beach, but truthfully, this epic location is so much more than that.
Pink Beach Komodo Island
You might be surprised to hear that there are in fact a few pink sand beaches in the Komodo National Park. In fact, the sand one of the most popular beaches; Long Beach, is also a permanent shade of light pink.
However, the beach that gets to take home the official title of “Pink Beach Komodo Island” is a small south-facing bay on the tip of the northeastern headland of Komodo Island.
The color of the water here is absolutely incredible. The way the pink’s contrast with the turquoise waters got me super eager to launch the drone to capture it from above as soon as I saw it.
But it doesn’t end on the beach or from the sky – Pink Beach is even more incredible below the surface. After diving at some of the best dive sites in the National Park, I still think that the outer reef slope of Pink Beach is just as good as the big names!
Why is it Pink?
Similarly to the other pink sand beaches in the world, the pink hue is caused by microscopic organisms in coral named Foraminifera. These organisms, when broken down, mix with the white sand, causing it to be “dyed” pink.
READ ABOUT ANOTHER INDONESIAN PINK SAND BEACH: PINK BEACH LOMBOK
How to Get to Pink Beach Komodo Island
People typically visit the pink sand beach in Komodo Island as part of an island-hopping or Komodo National Park boat tour. The reason for this is that it’s arguably the only way to see the majority of the Komodo National Park highlights.
Unfortunately, there are no public ferries stopping at Pink Beach or Komodo Island. Therefore, you’ll need to book a “tour” from Labuan Bajo harbor.
Although that might be disappointing to hear for the independent travelers, rest assured that these tours aren’t your typical hand-held tourist trap. Consider it more of a convenient way to access all the remote locations in the Komodo National Park.
The cheapest and best value boat tour I could find (including bartering on the strip) is run by Bintang Tours. Besides Pink Beach Komodo Island, this boat stops at the other two best highlights including Komodo Island to see the real-life dragons and the Padar viewpoint hike.
Alternatively, if you’d like to see more of the Komodo National Park on a multi-day liveaboard, you can book online from Labuan Bajo or from Lombok.
COMPARE ALL KOMODO ISLAND AND PINK BEACH BOAT TOURS HERE
Getting to Labuan Bajo – You can grab a cheap domestic flight to Labuan Bajo (also known as Komodo airport – LBJ) with daily connecting flights to Denpasar in Bali for $50-$80. You can compare cheap flights to Komodo airport on Skyscanner here.
RELATED: Exploring Batu Cermin Cave in Labuan Bajo
Komodo National Park Entry Fees
When booking a tour or even diving, it’s commonplace to have to pay the Komodo National Park entry fees in addition to your tour price. Since Pink Beach Komodo Island is a part of Komodo Island and therefore inside the Komodo National Park, you will need to pay 150 000 Rupiah per person, valid for the entire national park for 24 hours.
I’ve written a detailed summary of all the Komodo National Park fees in this post.
Pink Beach Map
Interested in knowing where the pink sand beach Komodo Island is on the map? Check out the pin below.
READ MORE ABOUT KOMODO DRAGONS AND THE KOMODO DRAGON ISLANDS IN FLORES
Things to Do at Pink Beach
Pink Beach makes the perfect stop when exploring the incredible Komodo region. If you’d rather explore than lounge on the beach, then I’ve got a few tips for you.
Snorkeling
At first, you might think that a pink sand beach on the regular Komodo National Park circuit would just be a mediocre snorkeling site. You’re wrong. Pink Beach Komodo Island was one of my absolute favorite snorkeling locations in Komodo.
However, you’ll need to swim out a little to reach the good stuff. Approximately 150 meters off the beach, there is a steep coral slope with incredible marine biodiversity. There’s a magnitude of different coral species, schooling fish, rays and turtles.
Pink Beach Viewpoint
After taking in the incredible underwater scenery on the outer slopes, head back to shore and walk up to the beach viewpoint on either end of the pink sand beach. Really, they’re just small hills, and should only take a couple of minutes to walk up. Regardless, at the top, you’ll have great views of the beach, which, depending on the time of day, is the best place to see how pink the sand really is.
WHERE TO STAY IN LABUAN BAJO – ACCOMMODATION GUIDE
WHERE I STAYED: CIAO HOSTEL
In terms of hostels, this is one of the best that I’ve found in Indonesia. Everything is clean and accommodation includes free transport to the airport or into town. The hostel sits on the hill above Labuan Bajo, offering some of the best views in town. This is also one of the closest hostels to the Batu Cermin Cave in Labuan Bajo.
BEST HOSTEL IN INDONESIA – SEAESTA HOSTEL
Even if you’re not staying here, visiting Seaesta Hostel is a must in Labuan Bajo. This place is insane! It has an incredible rooftop bar and pool, a fully airconditioned gym and super comfortable bunks with thick mattresses. Although we didn’t stay here, we chose to spend a lot of time here chilling by the pool and working.
CHEAP DOUBLE BUNK – SIOLA HOTEL
My second accommodation in Labuan Bajo was the Siola Hotel. This one is super basic and caters more for budget travelers. If you’re a couple, this is the cheapest double bed you can find in Labuan Bajo. For $9, you’ll get a double bed right next to the night market and harbor, free breakfast and a private bunk with a bamboo door.
EXPLORE ALL ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS IN LABUAN BAJO (KOMODO ISLANDS)
MORE TO DO IN KOMODO
