Anna is a co-founder of Adventure in You and has been traveling the world for the last 9 years. She has spent time living in Thailand, Mexico, Indonesia, and Spain and is our local expert in these areas. Her expertise on travel, gear, and building businesses have been featured on Foundr, Business Insider, Yahoo Travel, and more.
After spending a couple of days on the Gili Islands and Lombok, Flores is a popular destination that backpackers frequent next. On a map, it doesn’t seem that far, but transport in Indonesia can be quite tedious. If money wasn’t a problem, flying would be the best option as it is the most efficient. However, if you’re like every backpacker I know, flying would be the last option! Here are some other alternatives on how to get from Lombok to Flores.
There are flights from Denpasar or Lombok airport to Lubuan Bajo (although this is the most efficient way to get to and out of Flores, it can be a little pricey (worth checking and looking into though!)
If you need to go to Bali for visa purposes like us, book your flights ahead of time specially during peak season. Depending on the weather, you may enjoy a spectacular view of the Nusa Tenggara Barat and Nusa Tenggara Timur island groups. We use Skyscanner to check flights.
Editor’s Note: I recommend downloading the Skyscanner app to compare flights and find cheap deals! It’s FREE and super easy to use!
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We saw a lot of tourist agencies offer a 24 hour bus/boat combo to flores from Lombok and the Gilis. Average cost would be around 350,000rph-450,000rph (depending on where you book and how good you are at haggling) Doing it yourself is a cheaper option but can get very frustrating as the bus schedules are often not accurate.
You will also have a constant group of people telling you that the bus isn’t coming or is late so you avail of their transport service. I heard of some people doing an insane 36 hour trip from Bali, passing through Lombok-Sumbawa-Flores.
Personally, this was the option that we went for as we felt that it was good value for money as it included 4 nights accommodation, all meals, and a stop at all the highlight must see places along the way. To those of you that are interested in traveling from Lombok to Flores, here is a detailed itinerary of the boat trip, including some essential insider tips! If you want to read the full account of our journey, check out the full article at Komodo Boat Trip Review: Lombok to Flores.
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(we reached this place at night due to delays which meant that we couldn’t explore the island anymore.) We left Gili Air at 8am and boarded the vessel at 4pm
-sunset on the boat
-dinner
-sleep until we start traveling to Moyo Island at 2am.
Day 2: Moyo and Satonda Island
-breakfast
-waterfall trek in Moyo Island
-snorkel around Santonda Island
-Hike to the view point of the Lake (inside Satonda)
Brings snacks for the boat trip (cookies, chips, or cup noodles)
Bring a book as there will be loads of idle time when the boat is moving
DO NOT let your guide collect any fees- pay them yourself so you can be sure you are being charged correctly.
Bring baby wipes (useful for getting the salt off your skin at night as there aren’t any showers
Bring a bottle of rum (trust us, it will come in handy!)
Be ready with motion sickness pills
Do not pay the camera fee at the Komodo Park (this is no longer imposed but some guides will still try to charge it)
Do your research on which boat company to go with
Essential items to pack are: sunblock, sarong, a hat, and shoes (for the hike in Gili Laba, Komodo National Park, and Rinca
Editor’s Note: Looking for more Indonesia Travel Tips? Check out our complete guide featuring the best things to do, where to stay, and more.
Recommended Activities in Komodo
There are heaps of incredible things to do in Komodo National Park. From diving to seeing the komodo dragons in real life, here are a few of our recommended activities in the area that are worth checking out.
If you’re looking for cheap, go no further as Bajo view allows you to stay in tents for a pretty unique experience. We personally stayed at Gardena (another budget place) but they do not take bookings online. The tents here in Bajo view show off a spectacular view, but please do note that it does get quite hot in the rooms. (Prices start at $15 for two people/ $8 for one person)
To see prices, read reviews or to find similar deals, check:
This mid range hotel is located behind an Italian restaurant (which serves amazing food). Ignore the long walk up the stairs and stay in a relatively well priced room offering you all the amenities that you need. Although it has mixed reviews online, our friends had a lovely stay there. Read the reviews and decide for yourself. (Prices start at $40 for a double room)
To see prices, read reviews or to find similar deals, check:
For those of you that want to splurge a little bit, spend a little bit more and  stay in this lush place which has a beautiful outdoor pool. Although the rooms could use a facelift, the pool and outdoors area make up for it. The hotel is  located a little bit outside of the main town, the hotel provides a shuttle for guests to use. (Prices start at $50-70 for a double room)
To see prices, read reviews or to find similar deals, check:
For those of you that are looking for a luxurious getaway, this is as good as it gets! The Plataran Komodo Beach Resort has a beautiful resort compound whose helpful staff go above and beyond to accommodate your needs. (Prices start at $300 for a beach front villa)
To see prices, read reviews or to find similar deals, check:
Overall, the trip itself was highly enjoyable and fun. It is a great way to get from Lombok to Flores without having to spend too much money on flights. Although it isn’t luxurious, if you get lucky, it is a great way to meet new people and make the most of the scenery.
Planning on traveling around Indonesia? Check out other popular related articles.
Hey, sorry, I know it’s been a couple of years since you posted this but I was wondering: Do you know if we can arrange a trip like this at an office on one of the Gili islands, or if we need to go to Lombok? I know it leaves from Lombok but can we organise it while relaxing on Gili?
Hi @disqus_oNIPaBviTX:disqus You can definitely organize this while in the Gilis. I believe we did it through an agency in Gili T or air! x Enjoy and let us know if you want any recommendations for Labuan Bajo and Komodo!
Hey Anna and Tom, dearbhla here (we met in berastagi!) We’re really interested in doing Lombok-Flores but I want to hop off at Flores to do some diving and then we want to return to Lombok/Gili. However most tour companies don’t seem to leave many days before the return route! Is the bus/ferry route easy to organise from Flores back to Lombok? We can probably just about sit through the 24 hours!
Hi Guys, sorry for the delay with our reply. Been a busy week!
Yes. It’s pretty easy and as we mentioned you really need to check out the diving there. It’s awesome!
You could either jump on a bus back which is easy to sort out but long.. or look into flights. We flew back to Bali. Worked out only 15 pound more expensive!
If you are in Flores make sure to check out the seafood market at the end of the street and say hello to our friends over at Uberscuba 😀
Hey, sorry, I know it’s been a couple of years since you posted this but I was wondering: Do you know if we can arrange a trip like this at an office on one of the Gili islands, or if we need to go to Lombok? I know it leaves from Lombok but can we organise it while relaxing on Gili?
Hi @disqus_oNIPaBviTX:disqus You can definitely organize this while in the Gilis. I believe we did it through an agency in Gili T or air! x Enjoy and let us know if you want any recommendations for Labuan Bajo and Komodo!
Perfect! Thanks for replying 😀
Hey Anna and Tom, dearbhla here (we met in berastagi!) We’re really interested in doing Lombok-Flores but I want to hop off at Flores to do some diving and then we want to return to Lombok/Gili. However most tour companies don’t seem to leave many days before the return route! Is the bus/ferry route easy to organise from Flores back to Lombok? We can probably just about sit through the 24 hours!
Hi Guys, sorry for the delay with our reply. Been a busy week!
Yes. It’s pretty easy and as we mentioned you really need to check out the diving there. It’s awesome!
You could either jump on a bus back which is easy to sort out but long.. or look into flights. We flew back to Bali. Worked out only 15 pound more expensive!
If you are in Flores make sure to check out the seafood market at the end of the street and say hello to our friends over at Uberscuba 😀
Have fun!
very interesting!
what was the price of the boat tour from Senggigi to Lubuan Bajo?
any spots which were NOT worth seeing?
thanks!