The numbers
- Distance from Komodo Airport (LBJ) to Labuan Bajo harbour: 2.5 km
- Driving time: 8 to 12 minutes
- Fair taxi fare (2026): IDR 100,000 to 150,000
- Typical tourist overpay: IDR 250,000 to 400,000
- Walk time: 30 to 40 minutes downhill (yes, possible)
- Gojek/Grab: runs in town, IDR 30,000 to 50,000
The honest version
Komodo Airport (IATA: LBJ) sits on a small ridge just east of Labuan Bajo town. When you exit the terminal you are 200 metres above sea level; the harbour is at the waterfront below. The drive is short and almost entirely downhill.
The price difference comes down to whether you take a taxi from the airport stand, hail one off the street, use a Gojek, or get a transfer from your hotel.
Option 1: Hotel transfer (recommended for first-timers)
Almost every hotel in Labuan Bajo offers free or low-cost airport pickup if you book 24 hours ahead. Email your booking confirmation, ask "do you offer airport pickup?", and you will get a driver with a name sign waiting in the arrivals area.
Cost: usually free (included with the room) or IDR 100,000 to 150,000 paid to the hotel directly.
This is what we recommend if it is your first time. The driver knows where your hotel is, you are not negotiating in a new city while jet-lagged, and the rate is fixed.
Option 2: Gojek/Grab
The Indonesian ride-hailing apps work in Labuan Bajo. You will see Gojek drivers waiting near the airport exit. Open the app, set destination to your hotel or "Marina Labuan Bajo" for the harbour. Price shows in-app.
Cost: IDR 30,000 to 50,000 from the airport.
This is the cheapest legitimate option. You need a working SIM with data; pick up an Indonesian SIM at the airport kiosk for IDR 50,000 if you do not have international data.
Option 3: Airport taxi stand
There is an official taxi counter at the arrivals exit. Walk past the first group of touts and find the marked counter inside or just outside the terminal. The fixed rate to the harbour is typically IDR 100,000 to 150,000.
The trick: if the first driver you talk to says IDR 250,000 or higher, walk away. Walk to the actual counter and ask for "harga resmi" (official price). The number will be substantially lower.
Option 4: Walk
Yes, you can walk. The airport sits above the town, so it is a 30 to 40 minute mostly downhill walk to the harbour area. The sidewalk is patchy in places but the route is straightforward: exit the airport main gate, turn right onto the road, follow it down for 2 km.
Do this if you have one carry-on bag, it is not raining, and you want to see the town arrive on you slowly. Do not do this with a big suitcase or after a long flight.
What a
bout the boat side
Most tours pick up directly from your hotel, not from the harbour. The skipper or his runner shows up at your hotel between 06:00 and 07:00 (yes, that early) and drives you to the actual departure spot.
The harbour itself has three areas: the main pier (commercial ferries to Bali and Sulawesi), the marina (where the liveaboards and bigger boats anchor), and the speedboat pickup zone slightly south. Tours will tell you which one to find them at.
If you booked a tour directly from your hotel via WhatsApp, the operator will text you the morning of the trip with a meeting point.
Common scams to avoid
"My friend will drive you to your hotel for IDR 300,000." Politely refuse and walk to the official counter.
"The harbour is too far, you need a special taxi." It is 2 km. Any standard car can do it.
"Your boat is leaving from the other harbour." There is only one main harbour. If your tour operator told you a different pickup location, trust your operator, not the random man at the airport.
"This is the only ATM working today." ATMs at the airport itself are reliable; if one is out of service, there are several others in Labuan Bajo town within 15 minutes. Do not let a "helper" pressure you to use a specific one.
What time should you arrive
If you are doing a Komodo day trip the morning after arrival, fly into Labuan Bajo by 16:00 the day before. Sunset is around 18:00 (equatorial); you want daylight to find your hotel and dinner.
If you are joining a liveaboard cruise, the boat boards around 08:00. Arrive Labuan Bajo at least one full day earlier. Some flights from Bali get delayed by morning weather; you do not want to risk missing the boat.
ATMs, SIM cards, and water
ATM: Several at the airport, most accept Visa and Mastercard. Daily withdrawal limits IDR 2.5 million on most cards. There are more ATMs in town.
SIM: Telkomsel and Indosat kiosks at the airport. IDR 50,000 for 10GB of data, valid 7 days. Bring your passport (required for SIM registration).
Water: Buy a 1.5-litre bottle of mineral water at the airport convenience store for IDR 5,000 to 8,000. Do not drink tap water in Labuan Bajo.
Bottom line
- Easy and fixed-price: Hotel transfer.
- Cheapest: Gojek/Grab via the app.
- Old-school: Airport taxi counter (negotiate to the official rate).
- Adventurous: Walk.
Total time door-to-harbour is under 30 minutes any way you slice it. Do not let the touts convince you otherwise.
For the rest of the planning (when to go, what to pack, what to book), see our Komodo National Park guide.
