Indonesia’s Komodo Island has a pink beach that has become famous for its light reddish sand color and turquoise water, and the good news is that it’s also quite easy to visit on a day trip from Labuan Bajo.
You might be surprised to find out that this beach is actually not the only pink beach that Indonesia has to offer; there are several other pink beaches in Komodo National Park, as well as one in Lombok Island, near Bali, but pink beaches are very rare, and there are only a few of them in the world.
This travel guide will explain how to visit two of Komodo’s unique beaches: Komodo Island’s Pink Beach and the equally famous (and more colorful) Padar Island’s Pink Beach.
Where to stay in Labuan Bajo?
Where is the pink sand beach?
The pink sand beaches are located in Komodo National Park, a group of islands in eastern Indonesia.
The closest town is the fishing town of Labuan Bajo in Flores, which has its own airport and plenty of hotels and restaurants to enjoy between visits to the park.
Read more. Guide to Komodo Island
How to get there?
The only way to visit Pink Beach is by boat from Labuan Bajo.
Komodo Island Beach is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city as the crow flies, and the trip usually takes 3 hours by slow boat or less than half that by speed boat.
You can knock out all the best Komodo National Park attractions (including the pink beach) in one full-day tour, or you can stay on a liveaboard and spend several days sightseeing.
There are a number of daily flights from Bali to Labuan Bajo Airport (LBJ) with a flight time of 1 hour, and several airlines offer ticket prices as low as 1 Juta (US$70).
Getting to the Komodo Islands from Bali is easier than ever now that AirAsia flies between them several times a week. There are also flights from Jakarta, Surabaya, Ende or Kuala Lumpur.
After arriving in Labuan Bajo, it is possible to book a boat excursion to the port’s pink beach, or you can book an excursion online (more on that later).
What to expect?
1. Pink Beach on Padar Island
If you are looking for the most colorful pink beach in Indonesia, you can find it in Padar Island. The sand color here is actually brighter than the Komodo Island beach, and we even found a heart-shaped piece of red coral on the sand.
The color of this pink sand beach may be a little exaggerated in the photos you see all over the internet, but the sand definitely has a noticeable pink tint, especially if you go on a sunny day. The red/pink sand color is brighter in the sun :
This pink beach is located in a hidden bay on the northwest side of Padar Island, just a short boat ride away from the popular viewpoint.
The beach has a number of warungs (food tents) which make us kind of nervous 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, home to the famous Komodo dragons, although you’re unlikely to see them walking here as they mostly stay over the hills.
The sand on this Komodo beach is not as pink or red as Padari Beach, but it is surrounded by high hills and mountains, and the beach itself is more photogenic (sand color aside).
There are also viewpoints you can climb for better views, and the cucumbers on Komodo Beach are shaded by trees so they don’t obstruct the view too much.
A drone photo of the pink beach of Komodo Island
Which Komodo pink beach is better?
Of the two main pink beaches in Komodo National Park, it’s hard to decide which is better, Padar Island or Komodo Beach.
Padar Pink Beach definitely has more colorful sand, but Komodo Pink Beach has a nicer backdrop for photos with lots of steep hills and trees.
Overall, if you can only see one of the pink beaches in Indonesia, I think I’d give a slight edge to Padari Beach.
Why is the sand pink?
Pink beaches apparently get their color from foraminifera, which are microscopic red organisms that live in coral reefs and wash ashore.
In general, a pink sand beach is very rare and there are only a few of them in the whole world. They are even rarer than black sand beaches.
Entrance fee
FREE since 2024.
There is no fee to visit the Pink Beaches, although if you are coming there for a day trip, you may have to pay Komodo National Park fees as the beach is part of the park.
I’ve explained more about park fees in my complete Komodo Island travel guide.
Best pink beach / komodo tour and day trip
If you’re looking for a verified tour company to visit Indonesia’s famous pink beach, here’s the top-rated Komodo National Park tour with Klook starting at 600k rupiah (US$42) from Labuan Bajo.
This tour includes the best Komodo attractions such as Padar Island, Pink Beach and Komodo Dragon Safari and their prices are very competitive compared to similar tours in Labuan Bajo. Online reviews are also positive.
We have used Klook for many tours and events around the world and they are great.Highly recommended.
Book now: Pink Beach / Komodo Day Tour
Is there a pink sand beach in Bali?
No, unfortunately there is no pink sand beach in Bali.
There are many beautiful white sand beaches and black sand beaches in Bali and Nusa Island, and there is also a pink sand beach in Lombok. However, the pink beach in Lombok is not as good as the beaches in Komodo.
If you really want to see a pink sand beach, the best solution is to come to Komodo Islands. Getting to Komodo from Bali is easier than ever now that there are cheap daily flights.
Labuan Bajo Hotels
More Komodo travel tips
Thanks for looking. I hope you enjoyed these tips for visiting Komodo Islands. It’s the best pink beach Indonesia has to offer.
Don’t forget to check my integrity Komodo Travel Guide for more information on seeing dragons and islands.
Don’t forget to check out my complete Komodo travel guide.