One of Indonesia’s most popular tourist attractions has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the place is called Rinca Island. Located in Komodo Island National Park, the island is one of the most famous and Instagrammable spots. Many media also brought up about the Komodo reserve and the infrastructure of accommodation to support the tourism industry in the Komodo Island National Park region.
Both Rinca Island and Komodo Island are sanctuaries for ancient Komodo dragons. The difference between the two islands lies in the geographical contour of the islands where Komodo Island consists of more forest while Rinca has more savanna area.
The Location & The Route
Being one of the islands in West Flores, the original habitat of ancient Komodo dragons, Rinca can be reached within two hours from Labuan Bajo port. The trip certainly should be carried out by boats.
The government strictly protects Rinca Island. The island has an area of 190 km in width. Even though the magnificent ancient creatures’ live side by side with humans on the island, they hardly scare the local people who live in two villages with approximately only 1,000 people. They are called Kampung Rinca and Kampung Karora. The largest population is inhabited in Kampung Rinca. They earn a living working as fishermen.
The island of Rinca and Komodo Island are not far away from each other. However, the Komodo dragons on Komodo Island are bigger than the ones on Rinca Island. They also have a more violent nature due to the land’s extreme weather and dominated by the savanna. It explains why Komodo dragons have attacked many rangers on the island.
The Attractions & the Amenities
On Rinca Island, you can enjoy the beauty of a beach with its unique pink sand. You can see Komodo dragons more closely on this island. After you buy entrance tickets, you will be briefed to see a display of the skulls of victims of the Komodo attacks. The Komodo rangers will instruct you not to get too far away from him because Komodo dragons are dangerous animals. You will be invited to go through the forest, and you can see Komodo dragons roaming around.
Once you get satisfied walking around on the island, you can take a short break in a canteen provided there while having some snack. Visitors usually come to Rinca Flores Island using a Live On Board boat with bed facilities in it. The fee depends on the size of the boat and the duration of your stay. If you want more convenient accommodation, you may stay in Labuan Bajo where there are plenty of different kinds of accommodation.
One of the most recommended hotels in Rinca Island is the beautiful La Cecile Hotel & Cafe. Situated on the cliffs above the sea, the hotel offers a stunning view. You can savor a wide array of delicious foods and beverages at the hotel’s restaurant. There is a swimming pool overlooking the bay underneath so you can enjoy a swim while seeing a great panorama. The hotel charges you about USD 43 for an overnight in a rather low season.
When to Visit the Island
Visiting Rinca Island is not recommended between January and February, where the rains pour a lot more. It is not safe to walk through the Komodo dragons reserve in the wet season that will cause excessive puddles on its paths. Thus, you had better visit the island around April to December (dry season).
How to Get to the Island
To reach Rinca Island, all you need is to fly on a plane into Labuan Bajo, the small capital of the entire Flores Island. Direct flights to Labuan Bajo’s Komodo Airport are scheduled every day from several locations. Check out the following list of the airports that provide direct flights to the airport:
- Bali (AirAsia, Wings Air, NAM Air, and Garuda Indonesia)
- Lombok (WingsAir)
- Surabaya (WingsAir)
- Jakarta (Garuda Indonesia and Batik air)
- Kupang (WingsAir and TransNusa)
- Makassar (TransNusa)
WingsAir supports a direct round-trip flight between Bali and Labuan Bajo. Each ticket costs only about USD 100. To reach the Rinca region, you can take a flight from Jakarta to Denpasar. Once you arrive, continue the trip to Labuan Bajo, Regency of West Manggarai. As the main access to the Komodo Island National Park, the Labuan Bajo Airport offers a round-trip ticket of only IDR 2 million. It is considered cheap enough.
In conclusion, how much does it usually cost to visit Rinca Island? When estimated, the cost of the whole trip is not too high. It is safe enough to say you have to prepare more or less IDR 3 million to enjoy the beauty of both islands. Try searching for promo tickets for Jakarta – Labuan Bajo trips.
