A Labuan Bajo Komodo boat trip costs roughly IDR 600,000–1,500,000 for a one-day speedboat, IDR 3,000,000–7,500,000 per person for a shared 3D2N liveaboard, or from IDR 10,000,000 per day for a private charter. Park fees, roughly IDR 300,000–400,000 per person, sit on top and are paid separately. (All figures as of 2026, subject to change.)
Most price pages quote one number and leave out the rest. That is how travellers get surprised at the jetty. Your real spend has three layers — the boat fare, the Komodo National Park fees the crew collects on top, and a short list of optional extras. Below, Driftwater Voyages breaks down each layer, then hands you an all-in estimator per duration so you can budget the whole trip before you pay a rupiah.
What actually goes into the total cost?
Think of it as three buckets. First, the boat fare — what you pay the operator for the vessel, cabin, crew, meals and route. Second, the park fees — government charges for entering the park, trekking, snorkelling and your ranger, almost always excluded from the fare and usually settled locally in cash. Third, extras — a drone permit, tips, drinks and anything beyond the standard inclusions.
Mix these up and a “cheap” trip stops looking cheap. Keep them separate and you can compare quotes honestly.
How much is the boat fare on its own?
The fare is the biggest and most variable line. It scales with trip length, whether you share the boat or buy it out, and how plush the vessel is. Here is the shape of the market as of 2026.
| Trip type | What you get | Fare (per person) |
|---|---|---|
| One-day speedboat tour | Day out, 3–4 island stops, no overnight | IDR 600,000–1,500,000 |
| 3D2N shared open trip (standard) | Shared cabin, full board, set route | from ~IDR 3,000,000–3,750,000 |
| 3D2N shared open trip (upper cabin/luxury boat) | Better cabins, nicer phinisi | up to ~IDR 7,500,000 |
| Private charter (whole-boat buyout) | Entire boat, your group, flexible route | from IDR 10,000,000 per day |
Shared “open trip” liveaboards run two to three days and up; the 3D2N is the volume seller. Private charters start around IDR 10,000,000 per day and climb with boat size and amenities, so a three-day private buyout begins near IDR 30,000,000 for the vessel — divide that across your group to get a per-head figure. A one-day speedboat, by contrast, is the budget entry point at IDR 600,000–1,500,000 per person.
What park fees do you pay on top?
These are separate from the fare and, as of 2026, usually not included. They are commonly quoted at weekday rates; weekends may carry a surcharge. The crew typically collects the full Komodo Park fee in advance, and guests often reimburse it locally in IDR cash on arrival, so bring notes.
| Fee (weekday, 2026) | Approx amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Park entrance | ~IDR 150,000 | per person |
| Trekking (Komodo, Rinca, Padar) | ~IDR 115,000 | per person |
| Snorkelling | ~IDR 15,000 | per person |
| Certified ranger | ~IDR 80,000–100,000 | per group |
| Weekend surcharge | varies | may apply |
Add entrance, trekking and snorkelling and you are near IDR 280,000 per person before the ranger, whose fee splits across the group. Call it roughly IDR 300,000–400,000 per person on a normal weekday, less per head the larger your group.
One myth worth killing: the widely repeated IDR 3,750,000 international-visitor conservation fee was never implemented. Earlier proposals floated figures between IDR 2,900,000 and IDR 5,800,000, but those are past proposals, not current charges — present fees are the modest ones in the table above. Anyone quoting you millions in “conservation fees” is working from an old headline.
What extras should you budget for?
The main one is a drone permit, reported at IDR 2,000,000 for a traveller — steep enough that casual flyers usually skip it. Drones require official permission, and night treks need a separate special permit. Beyond that, budget for crew tips, bottled drinks or alcohol not in the package, and any add-on such as a diving upgrade. None are mandatory, but they are the difference between your estimate and your final bill.
What will you actually pay, all-in?
Stack the layers and here is the realistic per-person total, weekday rates, as of 2026.
| Trip | Boat fare (pp) | Park fees (pp) | Typical all-in (pp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-day speedboat | IDR 600,000–1,500,000 | ~IDR 300,000–400,000 | ~IDR 900,000–1,900,000 |
| 3D2N shared (standard) | ~IDR 3,000,000–3,750,000 | ~IDR 300,000–400,000 | ~IDR 3,300,000–4,150,000 |
| 3D2N shared (luxury) | up to ~IDR 7,500,000 | ~IDR 300,000–400,000 | ~IDR 7,800,000–7,900,000 |
| 3D2N private charter | from IDR 30,000,000 / boat | fees per head | boat ÷ group + fees |
Longer 4D3N–5D4N routes scale up from the 3D2N range and extend toward Lombok via Saleh Bay’s whale sharks. Add a drone permit and you tack on IDR 2,000,000. These are planning estimates, not quotes — your exact number depends on the boat, dates and group size.
When does timing change the price?
Season matters. The dry season, April to November, brings calm seas, sun and the best visibility — and the strongest demand, so book early. The rainy season, December to March, runs rougher; most multi-day boat trips pause between January and March, though one-day speedboats generally keep running. Fewer boats in the water can mean tighter availability rather than deeper discounts.
How does booking work?
Getting to Labuan Bajo is straightforward: Komodo Airport takes daily flights from Bali, Jakarta and other Indonesian cities, and it is about 1–2 hours by boat from town into the park. Once you are booked, the flow is fixed.
- Pick your duration — one-day, 2D1N, 3D2N or longer — then choose shared open trip or private buyout.
- Get a written quote and invoice. Book only through a verified company with registered business details; request boat photos and safety-equipment confirmation, and avoid unusually low prices — local reports note some Labuan Bajo boats are not safe.
- Pre-register every passenger. As of 2026, submit a passport copy showing the photo, plus full name, nationality and passport number, to the boat host at least one day before departure. Passport details alone are no longer enough, and entry can be denied without it.
- Reserve your park spot. The park caps visitors at 1,000 per day across all sites (per a February 2026 regulation summary); spots must be booked and paid in advance.
- Settle park fees — the crew collects the full amount ahead, and you reimburse in IDR cash on arrival.
- Depart from Labuan Bajo, treks led by a certified ranger, life jackets on during speedboat legs and rough seas.
Get your exact quote
Ready to turn an estimate into a real number? Driftwater Voyages trips are operated by Komodo Luxury, an award-winning operator founded in 2015 in Labuan Bajo, with bookings handled directly by its reservations team. Send your dates, group size and preferred duration for a full, itemised quote — fare plus park fees, with nothing hidden.
WhatsApp the concierge: +62 811-3823-875 — or email sales@komodoluxury.com. You will get a written breakdown, boat photos and a confirmed invoice before you pay.
*This cost breakdown is maintained by Bimo Prasetyo, Driftwater Voyages’ Labuan Bajo trip editor. Published by Juara Holding Group. Figures are current as of 2026 and subject to change; confirm live rates and park fees at the time of booking.*