Five years ago, Padar island was just one tiny remote island in Indonesian frontier. Now, it’s a a travel sensation—and will definitely blow your mind. It’s hard to not be smitten by Padar’s otherworldly charm. Behind the rugged hills and deep bays, Padar hides a spectacular view that make any travelers come back for more. It’s one of the rare place on earth where its real landscape is far better than any photo editing trick can do.
Padar sits right in the middle of Komodo and Rinca Island and is the third biggest island in Komodo National Park after the two. It was once a home to UNESCO-protected Komodo Dragons as well, though now it’s completely devoid of dragons. The reptiles had long left the tiny Padar as they ran out of food, moved on to the neighbourhood where the islands are bigger and food are plenty. Lucky for us traveler, we can enjoy the wonderful Padar without getting stalked by the dragons.
Curios about this hidden gem? Keep scrolling down to know more about Padar Island before putting it to your destination bucket list.
A Mini Guide to Padar Island, Komodo National Park, Flores
How to get to Padar Island
Just like any other island in Komodo National Park, you can only reach Padar by boat from Labuan Bajo. You can make it as a standalone destination and go anytime with speedboat or prebook your Padar island trip with travel company such as Hello Flores. The latter allows you to arrange a whole visit to other nearby islands in one or multiple days. Call it an excursion! The island is about 30 km from Labuan Bajo, taking approximately 1.5 hours to get there by boat.
What’s In There
Padar island is unlike anything you’ve seen before; where dramatic landscape delicately blends with sense of remoteness and tranquility. The extraordinary jagged brownish hills dominating the island will capture your attention minutes before approaching Padar. Your main destination is where the hills ruggedly incline to peaks. You will have an hour of hike to reach these peak to get the most insane panoramic view ever. This is where the island reveals it’s otherworldly beauty. A view of the whole islands, with three individual bays lay hidden among the savannah hills. Each coves lined by different color of beach—pink, black, and white—in contrast with the deep turquoise ocean. Once you get there, it’s hard to go back down.
Best Time to Visit Padar
Sunsets and sunrise are the best time to hike into this epic spot. During this time, the sun is forgiving and the heat is bearable. It’s the moment when the sun lets its best light, turning the wonderful island into an even more surreal dreamscape. See how golden lights of the sun caress the crisp savannah, illuminating the whole island with incredible glow.
Visiting Padar Island in the middle of April-June will give you a view of green-carpeted island. It’s the time of the year when the island is the greenest, standing brightly against the blueness of the sea. But if you want to see the island in auburn savannah, come around August-September. It might be dry and sandy, but the browny terrain will unveil a completely different charm of Indonesia.
Happy travelling! Don’t forget to bring a good sport shoes and have a wonderful hike!