Komodo Island Hopper — Self-Launched (Lombok to Flores)
9 days · Indonesia
TruTravels charges £790
No-markup version: ~£468 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of TruTravels' 9-day Komodo Island Hopper: Lombok's Sasak villages, waterfalls and surf beaches, the wilds of Sumbawa and Moyo Island, then a 3-day/2-night Komodo liveaboard out of Labuan Bajo via Satonda, Gili Lawa, Manta Point, Padar and Pink Beach. You book everything yourself — local bemos, public ferries, a shared shuttle, a cheap domestic flight and a budget liveaboard cabin — for roughly a third of the tour price. All costs are approximate and based on backpacker rates; the liveaboard price is the single biggest variable, so book 2-4 weeks ahead in high season and expect choppier seas in the wet season (Dec-Mar).
Day-by-day
Arrive in Lombok — settle into Kuta
Kuta, Lombok
Fly into Lombok (LOP) — there are direct flights from Bali (about 45 mins, ~£25-40) or you can take a fast boat from Padang Bai to Lembar/Bangsal, then a bemo. From the airport take a Grab/Gojek or a shared taxi to Kuta Lombok (~30 mins, £4-6). Check into a guesthouse or surf hostel in Kuta, walk the beach, hire a scooter for the next two days (~£5/day) and sort out a local guide for tomorrow's Sasak village visit through your guesthouse.
🚌Direct flight Bali–Lombok ~£25-40, or fast boat ~£20 + bemo; airport transfer to Kuta ~£4-6
🛏Surf hostel or guesthouse in Kuta Lombok (dorm £8-12, private £18-25)
- →Settle in, Kuta beach sunset
- →Hire scooter
- →Book local Sasak guide
Sasak village & Benang Stokel/Kelembut waterfalls
Sade / Tetebatu, Lombok
Ride north to Sade or Ende, a traditional Sasak village where you pay a small donation (~£2) to walk with a resident guide and see the thatched lumbung houses and weaving. Continue to the Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls near Aik Berik — entry is about £1-2 and the walk between the falls takes 40 minutes. If you want more waterfall options, a day trip to Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep near Senaru is also possible with a driver (~£35 for the car). Back to Kuta for dinner at a warung (£3-4).
🚌Scooter rental ~£5, fuel ~£2
🛏Surf hostel or guesthouse in Kuta Lombok
- →Sasak village walk (~£2 donation)
- →Benang Stokel & Benang Kelambu waterfalls (~£2 entry)
- →Optional Senaru waterfall day trip
South Lombok beaches — Tanjung Aan & Mawun
Kuta Lombok
Self-drive beach day: Mawun (calm bay), Tanjung Aan (two crescent beaches, warungs on the sand) and Merese Hill for sunset. All are free or charge a small parking fee (~£0.50). If it's your thing, book a beginner surf lesson at Tanjung Aan or Selong Belanak through a local surf school (~£15-20 for 2 hours) — the same operators the group tour uses. Eat grilled fish at a beach warung.
🚌Scooter ~£5
🛏Surf hostel or guesthouse in Kuta Lombok
- →Mawun Beach
- →Tanjung Aan Beach
- →Merese Hill sunset
- →Optional surf lesson ~£18
Kuta Lombok → Sumbawa (via Kayangan ferry)
Maluk / Sekongkang, Sumbawa
Ride or take a car to Kayangan Harbour (~2 hrs from Kuta) and take the public ferry across the Alas Strait to Poto Tano (~2 hrs, £2-3). From Poto Tano, a shared taxi/bemo or Grab down the coast to Maluk or Sekongkang takes 1.5-2 hrs (~£4-6). This is a travel day; the coastline here is wild and empty. Alternatively fly Lombok–Sumbawa (BMU) for ~£30-40 if you're short on time. Stock up on cash in Lombok — ATMs in Sumbawa are sparse.
🚌Kayangan–Poto Tano ferry ~£3, shared bemo/taxi to Maluk ~£5, local transport ~£2
🛏Basic beach bungalow or guesthouse in Maluk/Sekongkang (£10-15)
- →Public ferry crossing
- →Beach walk at Sekongkang
Moyo Island & Sumbawa waterfalls
Moyo Island
Day trip to Moyo Island: from Labuhan Haji or Ai Manis you can charter a local boat for about £25-35 (split between 2-4 travellers, so ~£10-15 each) and arrange it the night before through your guesthouse. Moyo has jungle tracks to the Mata Jitu waterfall (the 'Queen's Waterfall') and good snorkelling off the beach; the island is a nature reserve so you pay a small permit fee (~£2-3). Bring water and food — there's almost nothing on the island. Back by late afternoon.
🚌Chartered local boat ~£12 pp shared, transport to jetty ~£4
🛏Basic beach bungalow or guesthouse in Maluk/Sekongkang
- →Boat to Moyo Island
- →Mata Jitu waterfall hike
- →Snorkelling
Sumbawa → Satonda Island: liveaboard begins
Satonda Island / Sumbawa coast
Make your way to the liveaboard departure point — most budget Komodo boats leave from Labuan Bajo, so many independent travellers fly Sumbawa (BMU) to Labuan Bajo (LBJ) via Bali or take the gruelling overland+ferry route via Bima and Sape (~12 hrs). The simplest self-launched plan: fly BMU–LBJ (~£40-60, 1 stop) or take the public ferry Sape–Labuan Bajo (~4-5 hrs, £4). Board your 3D/2N Komodo liveaboard (booked online or via a Labuan Bajo agent, £110-160 for a shared dorm cabin including meals). Sail to Satonda Island — the saltwater crater lake in the island's centre is the afternoon stop, with dinner served on deck as the boat anchors overnight.
🚌Sumbawa→Bima bus/bemo ~£6, Sape–Labuan Bajo ferry ~£4 or flight ~£50
🛏Shared cabin on a Komodo liveaboard (included in boat price)
- →Board liveaboard
- →Satonda Island crater lake
- →Sunset on deck
Gili Lawa, Manta Point & Padar Island
Komodo National Park
Early hike up Gili Lawa for the sunrise view over the strait (bring a headtorch, it's steep and rocky). Then snorkel at Manta Point — manta rays are common here but wild, so no guarantees; a snorkel guide is included on most boats. Late afternoon or next dawn climb Padar Island for the iconic three-bay viewpoint (£10-ish park fee usually wrapped into boat costs, but budget ~£12 for Komodo park fees per day). All meals on board.
🚌Liveaboard sail (included)
🛏Shared cabin on the liveaboard
- →Gili Lawa sunrise hike
- →Manta Point snorkelling
- →Padar Island viewpoint
Komodo dragons & Pink Beach → Labuan Bajo
Komodo Island / Pink Beach / Labuan Bajo
Land on Komodo or Rinca Island for a ranger-led walk to see Komodo dragons (ranger fee ~£6-8, park fee covered by your boat package, always with an armed ranger). Then Pink Beach for snorkelling on the coral before sailing back to Labuan Bajo, arriving around 15:00-16:00 — don't book a flight out the same day. Check into a Labuan Bajo guesthouse or hostel, sunset at the fish-market warungs on the harbour (£5 dinner).
🚌Liveaboard return to Labuan Bajo (included), short walk/taxi to guesthouse (~£1)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Labuan Bajo (£10-18)
- →Komodo dragon ranger walk
- →Pink Beach snorkelling
- →Labuan Bajo sunset & seafood market
Labuan Bajo — optional cave & Cunca Wulang, depart
Labuan Bajo, Flores
Morning at Batu Cermin cave (~£3) or a half-day trip to Cunca Wulang waterfall and Rangko Cave (~£15-20 shared tour booked through your guesthouse). Then fly out of Labuan Bajo — direct flights to Bali (DPS) are ~£35-60, or continue overland across Flores to Bajawa, Ruteng and Kelimutu. Ask your hostel about onward buses and flights; book flights a few days ahead in high season.
🚌Local transport ~£4, Labuan Bajo–Bali flight ~£45
🛏None — or one more night if continuing
- →Batu Cermin cave or Cunca Wulang waterfall
- →Onward travel to Bali or across Flores
Self-launched vs. TruTravels
| This itinerary (self-launched) | TruTravels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£468 | £790 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £322 per person (41%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more TruTravels-style trips? Check them out here.~£468
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Komodo Island Hopper — Self-Launched (Lombok to Flores) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £468 per person for 9 days in Indonesia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with TruTravels?+
Yes — TruTravels charges around £790 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £468 — a saving of roughly £322 (41%) per person.
How long is the Indonesia trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Indonesia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, beaches, hiking trip through Indonesia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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