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Labuan Bajo 2023 Part 1 - Hotel and Food




This time I am going to take a little break from the overdue Japan 2019 series and write about our most recent trip to Labuan Bajo. If you are not familiar with it yet, Labuan Bajo is part of East Nusa Tenggara in central Indonesia, a starting point to visit the Komodo National Park famous for being the only place in the world where you can see the Komodo dragons. Well, unless you count the zoos. Having been the host of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in May 2023, Labuan Bajo has gone under a major facelift.

Labuan Bajo area is actually pretty small, but it boasts several luxury resorts like Plataran Komodo, Meruorah Komodo, and AYANA Komodo. These resorts are super nice to unwind by the beach without the overwhelming crowd you would find in Kuta or Seminyak area in Bali. That being said, the main experience in Labuan Bajo is to go on a live-on-board Phinisi boat! We'll talk more about this later.

Our Hotel

We took a 3-hour flight from Jakarta CGK airport and landed at Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo at around 1 pm local time. We booked 2 nights at Sudamala Resort Komodo and even though they have a first-come-first-served shuttle service from the Komodo Airport to the resort, the liveaboard company that we booked was able to arrange a private transfer for us so we did that instead. 

Located just under a 15-minute car ride away from the Komodo Airport, Sudamala Resort boasts a tranquil and green complex. We loved the pool area right at the beach, perfect for sunset viewing or a drink by the pool. In the evening, walk to the beach and use their beanbags for stargazing. Amazing!

Our room type was called Kelimutu Deluxe Suite with no extra charge for a child if we do not require an extra bed. It was quite spacious for the three of us and even though some things are still lacking, it was an enjoyable stay overall.

Kelimutu Deluxe Suite at Sudamala Resort

Single sink, outside of the toilet. Could be better.

No fuss shower. Pretty clean!

The stairs make a nice backdrop

Pond in the resort complex

Met up with our travel buddy who took an earlier flight

Happy faces!

Beach view infinity pool

Shells from the beach


Enjoying sunset with Miss Kiki


Looks like a pet-friendly beach too!


Photo by VC



Stargazing at Sudamala Resort

Sudamala Resort pool at night

Food in Labuan Bajo

We didn't have a lot of chances to try the food in Labuan Bajo, but we tried to make the best out of it. Note that Grab Food is available in Labuan Bajo (they don't have Grab Car though), so it was very convenient to try food in the area without having to leave our hotel if we don't want to.

First, we tried Pork Sei rice bowls from Nusa Eatery. I ordered sei with original sauce, sei with rica-rica sauce, and babi kecap. The set comes with Brenebon soup (red bean soup) and we all loved and finished the whole meal. The grab driver cannot enter the resort area so you will have to meet them at the security post at the resort gate. We enjoyed the food outdoors at one of the outdoor tables at the resort. 

Ordered Sei Nusa Eatery from Sudamala Resort



We tried food in our hotel, and that was disappointing. Very disappointing. I would not recommend eating at the resort at all if you don't have to. They do have breakfast to go though, which is convenient for those who need to go early for a day tour.

Breakfast to go

Mushroom soup

Spaghetti Aglio Olio

Massaman Curry

We ordered pizza from La Cucina via Grab Food again, it was fine but nothing to write home about. It was a good option for late night snack after the disappointing dinner and a snack for our tour the next day. Sorry, forgot to take a picture!

The next evening after being out all day, we decided to have dinner with a view at the La Cecile Komodo. The food was pretty good but the view was amazing! They had live music after sunset to boot!

Golden hour at La Cecile

Fried Squid

Bamboo grilled rice set

Beef Sei rice set


Komodo National Park

When you hear Labuan Bajo, Komodo National Park comes to mind. How could it not?! The fascinating Komodo dragons, the mesmerizing pink beach, and the crystal blue waters with a plethora of marine life inside, all can be found in the world-famous national park. We covered Komodo National Park's top non-diving sites all in a one-day tour booked via Traveloka, and it deserves a blog post of its own. :) Stay tuned for the next post!

Sneak peek of the Pink Long Beach





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Location: Labuan Bajo, Komodo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

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