Pink Beach is the pink-sand beach inside Komodo National Park, and you reach it by boat from Labuan Bajo. There is no road and no way to visit on your own: you go on a day trip, a liveaboard, or a private charter. On our day trip you are on the sand from 10:00 to 11:00, after the Padar hike and before the Komodo dragons.
That is the short version. Below is what makes the sand pink, which "Pink Beach" you are actually getting, when the colour looks best, and which boat gets you there before the crowd.
Quick answer
| Where | Komodo National Park, reached by boat from Labuan Bajo |
| How | Day trip, liveaboard or private charter |
| Time on the beach | About an hour on the day trip |
| Best light | Morning or late afternoon |
| Cost | Day trip from IDR 1,450,000 per person |
Why is Pink Beach pink?
The sand is mostly white, mixed with crushed red coral. Those red fragments tint the whole beach pink. The effect is subtle when you first step onto dry sand and much stronger when a wave washes over it or you scoop up a wet handful.
Bright midday sun washes the colour out. Early morning and late afternoon show it best, which is one reason the boats that sleep in the park see a better Pink Beach than the boats that arrive at midday.
Which Pink Beach are you going to?
There are two or three beaches in Komodo National Park that get called Pink Beach. The main one is genuinely pink. If your boat pulls up somewhere that looks plain white and the crew still calls it Pink Beach, you are at a lesser version.
Ask which one is on your route before you book. Every route we run stops at the main one.
How to get to Pink Beach from Labuan Bajo
All three ways leave from the harbour in Labuan Bajo. If you are not sure where to stand at dawn, the Labuan Bajo harbour guide walks through the piers.
On a day trip
The Komodo day trip is how most people see Pink Beach. Hotel pickup is at 06:30, the boat leaves around 07:00, and the ride out to Padar takes about 75 minutes. You hike Padar first, then land on Pink Beach from 10:00 to 11:00, then cross to Komodo Island for the dragons. You are back in town between 16:15 and 17:00.
It costs IDR 1,450,000 per person, with snorkel gear, lunch, a towel and a guide included. For most travellers it is the right call. If you want to compare it against the overnight options first, start with our Komodo island tour from Labuan Bajo guide.
On a liveaboard
On a liveaboard you sleep on the boat inside the park, so you reach the beach before the day-trip fleet arrives from town. Our Komodo tour 3 days 2 nights has breakfast on board at 08:00 on day two and lands on Pink Beach at 09:30, with the reef and the sand far quieter than at midday. It starts from IDR 6.5M per person, with 9 cabins on board.
Pink Beach is also the first stop on day two of the Ballona Phinisi liveaboard, which anchors nearby overnight and goes ashore early.
On a private charter
A private trip from Labuan Bajo gives your group the whole Phinisi, so you choose when you land. If seeing the pink at its best matters to you, ask the crew to put Pink Beach first thing in the morning.
Pick the trip that fits
Padar, Pink Beach, dragons and Manta Point by speedboat, back before dinner.
Komodo Day Trip: Speedboat to 6 Top Destinations
Three days on a phinisi with sunrise Padar before the crowds arrive.
Komodo Tour 3 Days 2 Nights: Phinisi Open Trip
The whole boat to yourselves. Your route, your pace, your music.
Komodo 3D2N Private Charter: Whole-Boat Phinisi
Snorkelling at Pink Beach
The swimming and snorkelling are the real reason to stop. The reef starts a few metres off the beach, so you walk in from the sand and you are over coral almost straight away, with plenty of fish.
Snorkel gear is included on the day trip and the liveaboards, so you do not need to bring your own. If you have a mask that fits you well, bring it anyway: a good seal makes the hour far more enjoyable.
What to bring
- Reef-safe sunscreen, because you swim straight over live coral
- Sunglasses and a hat
- Swimwear, worn under your clothes so you can get in quickly
- A dry bag for your phone (we can lend one)
- Light closed-toe shoes for the Padar hike earlier the same morning
- A camera
Snorkel gear is included on every trip, and a towel on the day trip.
Pink Beach and the other Komodo stops
Pink Beach is one stop on a full day, not a day on its own. The same route takes in the Padar viewpoint, the Komodo dragons at Loh Liang, the Taka Makassar sandbar and Manta Point.
- For the hike before the beach, read the honest Padar Island hike guide.
- For every beach worth your time in the area, see Labuan Bajo beaches.
- For the rest of the park, see things to do in Komodo National Park.
- Park entry fees are charged separately from any tour; the Komodo National Park guide has the current amounts.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Pink Beach Komodo without a tour?
Not in practice. Pink Beach is inside Komodo National Park and only reachable by boat, so you need a day trip, a liveaboard or a chartered boat from Labuan Bajo.
How long do you spend at Pink Beach?
About an hour on the day trip, from 10:00 to 11:00. On a liveaboard the stop is in the morning of day two, and on a private charter you decide.
Is Pink Beach really pink?
Yes. The sand mixes white grains with crushed red coral, which gives it a pink tint. It looks strongest when the sand is wet and in morning or late-afternoon light, and paler in harsh midday sun.
Can you snorkel at Pink Beach?
Yes, and it is one of the best parts of the stop. The reef starts a few metres off the beach, and snorkel gear is included on our trips.
What is the cheapest way to see Pink Beach from Labuan Bajo?
The shared day trip, from IDR 1,450,000 per person. It also covers Padar, the Komodo dragons, Taka Makassar and Manta Point in the same day.
