The pink beach on Komodo Island in Indonesia has become famous for its light reddish sand color and turquoise water, and the good news is that itโs also pretty easy to visit on a day trip from the town of Labuan Bajo in Flores!
Komodo Beach is actually not the only pink beach Indonesia has to offer โ there are several other pink beaches in the Komodo National Park, and also one on the island of Lombok, near Bali โ but pink beaches in general are very rare, and there are only a handful of them worldwide!
This travel guide will explain how to visit both of Komodoโs unique beaches โ the pink beach on Komodo island, and also the equally famous (and more colorful) pink beach on Padar Island!
Where To Stay In Labuan Bajo
Where Is The Pink Sand Beach?
The pink sand beaches are located in the Komodo National Park, a group of islands in east Indonesia.
The closest city is the fishing town of Labuan Bajo in Flores, which has its own airport and plenty of hotels and restaurants to enjoy in between visits to the park.
Read More: Komodo Island Guide
How To Get There
The only way to visit the pink beach is on a boat trip from Labuan Bajo.
This Komodo beach is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away from town as the crow flies, and the journey normally takes 3 hours with a slow boat, or less than half that with a speedboat.
You can knock out all the top sights of Komodo National Park (including the pink beach) in one full day tour, or itโs possible to stay in a liveaboard boat and spend several days sightseeing!
There are a bunch of flights to Labuan Bajo airport (LBJ) every day from Bali, with a 1 hour flight time and several airlines offering ticket prices as low as $40 USD.
Getting to the Komodo islands from Bali is easier than ever now that AirAsia flies between them several times per week. You can also fly to the Labuan Bajo airport from Jakarta, Surabaya, or Ende. You can shop for flights to Labuan Bajo at Skyscanner.
Once you get to Labuan Bajo, itโs possible to book a boat tour to the pink beach at the harbor, or you can book a tour online (more on that later).
What To Expect
1. Pink Beach On Padar Island
If youโre looking for the most colorful pink beach Indonesia has to offer, this is it! The sand color here is actually brighter than the beach on Komodo Island, and we even found a heart-shaped piece of red coral on the sand.
The color of this pink sand beach may be exaggerated a bit in the photos you see all over the internet, but the sand definitely has a noticeable pink tinge to it, especially if you go on a sunny day. The red/pink sand color is brighter in the sun.
This pink beach sits in a hidden bay on the north side of Padar Island, just a short boat drive away from the famous viewpoint.
The beach has a row of warungs (food tents), which we found kind of annoying for photos, but they can be handy if you want to buy snacks, drinks, or souvenirs.
2. Pink Beach On Komodo Island
This second pink beach is located directly on Komodo Island, the home of the famous Komodo dragons, although youโre not likely to see them walking around here since they mostly stay over the hills.
The sand at this Komodo beach isnโt quite as pink or red as the one on Padar Island, but itโs surrounded by tall hills and mountains, and the shoreline itself is more photogenic (sand color aside).
There are also vantage points you can hike up to for even better views, and the warungs on the Komodo beach are shaded by trees so they donโt interfere with the scenery too much.
Drone pic of Pink Beach Komodo Island
Which Komodo Pink Beach Is Better?
Out of the two main pink beaches in Komodo National Park, itโs hard to decide which one is better: the one on Padar island, or the one on Komodo island?
The pink beach on Padar definitely has more colorful sand, but the Komodo pink beach has a nicer background for photos, with lots of steep hills and trees.
Overall, if you can only see one of the pink beaches in Indonesia, I think Iโd give a slight edge to the pink beach on Padar.
Why Is The Sand Pink?
Pink beaches apparently get their color from foraminifera, which are microscopic red organisms that live in the coral reefs and get washed up on the beach.
A pink sand beach in general is very rare, and there are only a handful of them worldwide. Theyโre even rarer than black beaches.
The pink color is more noticeable on the pink sand beach at Padar, but both beaches are very nice, so try to knock out both if you have time!
Entrance Fee
FREE as of 2021.
Thereโs no fee to visit the pink beaches, although if you come there on a day tour you may have to pay the Komodo National Park fees, since the beach is part of the park.
Iโve explained more about the park fees in my complete travel guide for Komodo Island.
Best Pink Beach / Komodo Tour & Day Trip
If youโre looking for a vetted tour company for visiting the famous pink beach in Indonesia, hereโs a top rated Komodo National Park day trip with Klook starting at 600k IDR ($42 USD) from Labuan Bajo.
This tour includes the top sights in Komodo like Padar Island, Pink Beach, and the Komodo Dragon safari, and their prices are very competitive based on what weโve seen being quoted for similar tours in Labuan Bajo. The online reviews are positive too.
Weโve used Klook for lots of tours and activities around the world, and theyโre great! Highly recommended.
Book Now: Pink Beach / Komodo Day Tour
Is There A Pink Sand Beach In Bali?
No, there isnโt any pink sand beach in Bali, unfortunately.
There are loads of nice white sand beaches and black sand beaches in Bali and the Nusa islands, and thereโs also a pink sand beach in Lombok. However, Lombokโs pink beach is not quite as good as the ones in Komodo.
If you really want to see a pink sand beach, then the best solution is to come here to the Komodo islands. Getting to Komodo from Bali is easier than ever now that there are cheap daily flights.
Is There Hotel Accommodation?
No, at the moment there isnโt any hotel or accommodation at the Komodo pink beach.
That may change someday, but for now these islands are completely undeveloped and wild, which I think is a great thing.
Most people visiting the pink sand beaches (and the Komodo National Park) stay in the nearby town of Labuan Bajo, on Flores island.
There are lots of great hotels and accommodation in Labuan Bajo. You can find some of our recommendations below!
Labuan Bajo Hotels
More Komodo Travel Tips
Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed these tips for visiting the Komodo pink beach on Padar Island. Itโs the best pink beach Indonesia has to offer!
Donโt forget to check out my complete Komodo Travel Guide for more information about seeing the dragons and islands!
Donโt forget to check out my complete Komodo Travel Guide!
See Also
- Komodo Travel Guide - Islands, Dragons, & Beaches
- Most Beautiful Indonesian Islands - Best Places To Visit In Indonesia
- Best Hikes In Indonesia - Volcanoes, Jungles, & Waterfalls
- Indonesia Beach Guide - Best Beaches In Indonesia
- Indonesia Waterfall Guide - Best Waterfalls In Indonesia
- Best Things To Do In Indonesia - What To Do In The Islands
- Indonesia Travel Guide - Tips, Info, & Photos