The public boat ticket from Labuan Bajo to Komodo Village costs IDR 50,000 per person as of 2026, bought on the spot at the harbor — no online booking. Boats depart Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10:00 and 12:00, and the crossing takes roughly 4 hours each way. It is the cheapest legal way to reach Komodo village by sea, though it is a working local ferry, not a tour.
Most travelers arriving in Labuan Bajo never hear about this boat. The tour desks push speedboat day-trips and liveaboards because that is where the margin sits. But the public local boat still runs, still costs a fraction of a tour, and still drops you directly into Komodo Village where villagers, park rangers and a handful of guesthouses actually live. This guide lays out exactly how it works.
What is the public boat from Labuan Bajo to Komodo Village?
It is a scheduled local passenger boat — a slow wooden ferry used mainly by residents of Komodo Village moving between their island and the mainland town. It is not a sightseeing vessel. There is no guide narrating Padar Island, no snorkel gear handed out, no lunch buffet. You get a seat, a roughly 4-hour open-water crossing, and a one-way trip to the village jetty.
Because it serves locals first, its rhythm is built around them, not around tourists. That shapes everything below: the fixed departure days, the mid-morning window, and the cash-only, buy-at-the-dock ticketing.
How much does the ticket cost in 2026?
The fare is IDR 50,000 per person, one way, as of 2026 and subject to change. That is roughly the price of a casual lunch in town, and it is dramatically cheaper than any organized trip. For context, here is how the public boat sits against the other ways of reaching the Komodo area by sea.
| Option | Price (2026, approx.) | Basis | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public local boat to Komodo Village | IDR 50,000 (~USD 3) | Per person, one way | Transport only, ~4 hrs |
| One-day shared speedboat tour | USD 50-80 | Per person | 4-6 stops, guide, return same day |
| Basic shared liveaboard (3D/2N) | ~IDR 3,334,000 (~USD 205) | Per person | Cabin, meals, multi-day route |
| Luxury phinisi (3D/2N) | From IDR 8,800,000 (~USD 545+) | Per person | AC cabins, full service |
The gap is enormous, and it should be. The public boat gives you passage; the tours give you an itinerary, park stops, food and a same-day return. Neither is “better” — they answer different questions. If your question is “how do I get to Komodo Village cheaply and independently,” the public boat wins. If your question is “how do I see Padar, Pink Beach and Manta Point in one day,” it does not serve that at all. When you are ready to compare every departure class side by side, our public boat ticket hub breaks down each option leaving the harbor.
One thing to note honestly: the IDR 50,000 fare covers the boat ride only. It does not include Komodo National Park entrance fees. A commercial 1-day island-hopping speedboat tour, for comparison, lists park and Padar Island entrance fees at around IDR 450,000 (about USD 33) per person, collected separately, and a 2026 guide confirms that Komodo tour prices generally exclude park entrance fees, which must be paid directly to park authorities. If your trip enters protected park zones, budget for those fees on top.
When does the boat depart? The schedule
The public boat runs on fixed days only — this is not an on-demand service. Here is the standing pattern as of 2026.
| Direction | Departure days | Departure window | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labuan Bajo → Komodo Village | Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 10:00-12:00 | ~4 hours |
| Komodo Village → Labuan Bajo | Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday | 10:00-12:00 | ~4 hours |
A few practical consequences fall out of this table:
- You cannot do a same-day round trip on this boat. Outbound days and return days do not overlap. If you sail out on Monday, the earliest return is Tuesday.
- You will overnight in or near Komodo Village. Plan at least one night. There are simple homestays and guesthouses on the island; this is not a place with resort infrastructure.
- The departure “window” is not a precise time. Locals treat 10:00-12:00 as the boarding range. Arrive by 09:30 to be safe, because once it is loaded and ready, it goes.
Seasons matter too. The dry season — described by one guide as April to December and by another as April to November — brings calm seas and the most reliable departures. The January-to-March window brings wind, heavy rain and big waves that can delay, alter or cancel boat departures across Labuan Bajo, the public ferry included. If you are traveling in those months, keep your plans flexible and confirm locally the morning you intend to sail.
How do you buy the ticket?
You buy it in cash, at the harbor, on the day of departure. There is no website, no app, no advance reservation. Here is the sequence.
- Get to the harbor in the morning. Komodo Airport (LBJ) is about 10 minutes by car from where liveaboards moor; a taxi from the airport to the ferry harbor is roughly 15-20 minutes and costs around IDR 100,000, while a motorbike ojek runs about IDR 20,000 if you are traveling light.
- Ask for the Komodo Village public boat. It is a local service, so ask harbor staff, boat crews or a guesthouse host to point you to the correct jetty and vessel. Confirm it is the village boat, not a chartered tour boat.
- Pay the crew or ticket seller directly — IDR 50,000 per person, one way. Carry small denominations of Indonesian rupiah; change for large notes is not guaranteed.
- Board when the crew signals. Luggage typically goes on with you; there is no formal check-in counter.
Because this is a working boat and not a booked tour, keep your expectations grounded: bring water, snacks, sun cover and motion-sickness tablets if you are prone, since it is roughly 4 hours of open sea with basic facilities.
Who should take the public boat — and who shouldn’t?
Take it if you:
- Want the cheapest legal sea route to Komodo Village
- Are traveling independently and comfortable with rough-and-ready logistics
- Plan to stay overnight on or near the island
- Are visiting outside the choppy January-March window, or can stay flexible
Skip it and book a tour instead if you:
- Want to see multiple park highlights (Padar, Pink Beach, Manta Point, Taka Makassar) in one day
- Need a same-day return to Labuan Bajo
- Prefer a guide, meals and a fixed schedule
- Are traveling in peak wave season and want a more managed experience
There is no single official authority website that lists, compares and prices every boat class leaving Labuan Bajo harbor — the information stays scattered across operators and word-of-mouth. Bajo Harborline exists to close that gap as a neutral directory. The public boat is one honest, low-cost option among many, and it deserves to be documented clearly rather than buried.
Quick facts recap
| Detail | Public boat, Labuan Bajo → Komodo Village |
|---|---|
| Price (2026) | IDR 50,000 per person, one way |
| Outbound days | Monday, Wednesday, Friday |
| Return days (from village) | Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday |
| Departure window | 10:00-12:00 |
| Crossing time | ~4 hours |
| Booking | Cash, on the spot at the harbor |
| Included | Transport only (park fees NOT included) |
| Best season | Dry season (April onward); avoid or stay flexible Jan-Mar |
All prices and schedules above are stated as of 2026 and are subject to change. Because this is a local, informally ticketed service, confirm the current fare, departure days and sea conditions on the ground the day before you sail, and verify Komodo National Park entrance fees directly with park authorities.
Bottom line: the public boat ticket from Labuan Bajo to Komodo Village is IDR 50,000, sold in cash at the harbor, running Mon/Wed/Fri between 10:00 and 12:00 for a roughly 4-hour crossing. It is the budget backbone of independent travel to the island — slow, simple, and exactly what it claims to be.
*Published by Juara Holding Group. Bajo Harborline is a neutral boat directory operated by Komodo Luxury, a Labuan Bajo operator founded in 2015; bookings and questions are handled by its reservations team via WhatsApp 628113823875 or sales@komodoluxury.com.*