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Are you planning to visit Komodo National Park in Indonesia, and wonder what the operators and their tours are like? In this article, we talk about our experience joining Red Whale Dive Centre on a day trip around the park. We decided to go with them, as their sustainability credentials stood out from the rest. Here is what we found.
If you want to learn more about Komodo National Park, its most famous residents and how to organise a trip that best meets your preferences, head on over to our Komodo National Park Guide.
In case you're wondering: We paid for this experience ourselves, and we did not disclose (until much later) that we might be writing about it. So you can be sure that the experience we had is what anyone else is likely to experience too.
Who is Red Whale Dive Center?
Red Whale is based in Labuan Bajo on the Indonesian island of Flores. With a fleet of modern speedboats, the company offers open/shared and private day tours, as well as custom dive trips around Komodo National Park.
Pending demand/group size, tours of the park are conducted on
- Red Whale I (suitable for up to 12 guests),
- Red Whale II (fitting up to 20 guests) or
- Red Whale III (used for smaller groups).
Red Whale I and III are semi-open (covered top but open sides) with benches along either side of the boat. Red Whale II has comfortable, forward-facing seats in an enclosed cabin (though windows can be opened). The two larger boats have a sun deck. There is also a toilet on board all boats.
Map of Accommodation, Points of Interest, Eateries and Transport
Below is a map of the recommended accommodations, points of interest, eateries, and transport terminals or stops mentioned in this article.
Red Whale Dive Center, based in Labuan Bajo, has a fleet of modern speed boats suitable for up to 20 passengers
Why did we choose a day tour (with Red Whale Dive Center)?
What we did
We looked into the multi-day options, but couldn't justify the price compared to day excursions. I get seasick very easily and wasn't sure I would enjoy myself on a boat for 2 to 3 days.
Given that we had settled on doing a day excursion, we arrived in Labuan Bajo without a booking. That said, we looked up a few operators with good reviews and contacted some in advance to understand their availability during our visit. Upon arrival in Labuan Bajo, we visited the operators on our short list (and a few others) at their shops, talked to the staff and then decided to book with Red Whale Dive Center.
At the beginning of September 2023, we paid IDR 1,450,000 (plus National Park entrance fees of IDR 300,000) per person.
The Komodo Island National Park entry fees are to be paid in cash and may change during your visit, as a further increase has been discussed for some time. Your tour operator will confirm the fees at the time of booking.
Labuan Bajo's main street (Jl. Soekarno Hatta) is lined with operators for dive and mixed activity tours into Komodo National Park
What stops does the Red Whale Day Tour make?
Our Red Whale Day Tour around the Komodo National Park had scheduled stops at
- Padar Island – for a short but steep (out and back) hike to a viewpoint, as well as snorkelling off Pink Beach,
- Komodo Island – for a flattish, 2.5km loop hike to observe Komodo Dragons and their prey (especially deer and wild boar),
- Taka Makassar – a sandbank with picture-perfect white sand and turquoise water (and some more snorkelling),
- Manta Point – a cleaning station for manta rays and a good spot to see these gentle giants up close, and
- Turtle Bay – as the name suggests, is a great spot to observe sea turtles (in a beautiful coral garden).
Each stop is unique and offers a different experience.
Apart from more well-known sites like Pink Beach, Manta Point or Turtle Bay, our day tour also included a tranquil stop at the Taka Makassar sandbank
What is included in the price of the Red Whale Day Tour (and how does this compare with other operators)?
Our Red Whale Day Tour included
- Hotel pick-up/drop-off in Labuan Bajo. We stayed at the Mehara Hotel and would recommend it for 2-3 nights at most.
- a (certified) English-speaking tour guide (and Indonesian-speaking crew),
- snorkelling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins) and life jacket,
- snacks, fruit, lunch, water (tepid or hot for coffee/tea) and soft drinks.
Each guest on our tour also received a large beach towel and (reusable) plastic water bottle to use on the day. The price of the tour was at the top end of the day tours offered in Labuan Bajo.
No need to bring water or a towel - we received both (and more) from Red Whale Dive Center
What was our experience on a day excursion to Komodo National Park with Red Whale Dive Center?
[wp-review id=”286830″]
Red Whale Dive Center is doing pretty well when it comes to sustainability - now only the plastic wrapping and soft drink cans (in the ice box) need to go
Would we recommend a day tour (with Red Whale)/do it again?
The Komodo National Park is worth visiting. The sights included on our day tour were all different yet amazing. So, for the sights alone, we would do it again.
While we don’t have the comparison of a multi-day liveaboard, we felt that a day excursion by motorboat was sufficient (to see all the sights we wanted to experience). We also don’t have the experience of joining other day tour operators in Labuan Bajo on the same tour, so we can’t judge how well Red Whale Dive Center did in comparison to them.
The Red Whale Day Tour wasn’t perfect, but we never felt like we didn’t want to be there or that we needed to get off the boat/back to Labuan Bajo as quickly as possible. We hope Red Whale Dive Center will take our recommendations to heart and improve their day tours – to make them a safe, inclusive and enjoyable experience for all their guests.
While our day tour with Red Whale Dive Center wasn't perfect, we would join one of their tours again (especially if improvements are being made)
Where to stay in Labuan Bajo
With day trips starting (very) early in the morning and finishing in the late afternoon/early evening, you will need to book (at least) two nights in Labuan Bajo. Here are our suggestions for good quality hostels, hotels and apartments right in the centre of town.
| Name | Property Features | Book Now |
|---|---|---|
| Bajo Bunkhouse | Shared lounge | Book Now |
| Komodo Suites Downtown | 24-hour front desk Airport transfers | Book Now |
| Mehara Hotel | Clean rooms Central yet quiet location | Book Now |
| Puu Pau Hotel | Coffee Shop Certain documented environmental practices implemented at property | Book Now |
| Seaesta Komodo Hostel and Hotel | Certain documented environmental practices implemented at property Outdoor Swimming Pool | Book Now |
On a day tour, you will miss out on the sunset in the park, but the sunsets in Labuan Bajo are pretty spectacular too
Thinking about a day tour to Komodo National Park?
If you’re considering a trip with Red Whale Dive Center, or have already explored Komodo’s wonders, I’d love to hear from you! What questions do you have, or what experiences would you add to this review? Let’s dive into the details together.
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