Kelor Island — The Perfect First Stop

Kelor Island is the closest national-park stop to Labuan Bajo — a 30-minute boat ride from the harbor — and it’s the first stop on most day-tour itineraries. The island itself is small enough to walk around in an hour, with a 15-minute hilltop trail that opens onto a clean 360-degree panorama over the surrounding islets.

Below, the protected bays hold healthy fringing reefs accessible directly from the beach, with calm conditions that suit first-time snorkelers and families. Kelor isn’t a long visit, but as an introduction to what makes Komodo special — pristine reefs, ridge-line viewpoints, the turquoise water — there are few better.