There are two famous pink beaches in the Komodo National Park, but the best is on Padar Island. In this guide, you'll find out why the beach is pink, how to get there and why you should visit the pink beach on Padar over the one on Komodo Island.
Although the beach is famous for its soft pink sand and crashing turquoise waves, don't be fooled by the filtered photos you see on social media! In real life, the sand looks more like a soft pastel pink sugar.
Where Is Pink Beach?
Padar Pink Beach
You will find one of Komodo's pink sandy beaches hidden in a bay on Padar Island, located within the Komodo National Park. It's situated just on the other side of the island's famous viewpoint.
Komodo Pink Beach
The slightly more popular pink beach is on Komodo island itself. It's visited more than Padar, mainly because of its location and proximity to the Komodo Dragons, which live just on the other side of Komodo island.
Why Visit Padar Island Pink Beach vs Komodo Pink Beach?
The backdrop to the beach on Padar island is like nothing you've ever seen! Think Jurassic Park! Not only do you get to walk barefoot along the pink beach you'll also get some of the most spectacular views in the whole of the Komodo National Park. It's a bit of a hike up to the famous viewpoint but it's absolutely worth it! It's breathtaking... literally!
How To Get To There?
The pink beach on Padar island is located within the Komodo National Park and sits between Komodo & Rinca Island. To get there, the easiest way is to book a day trip from Labuan Bajo which is also where you'll find the closest airport, Komodo International.
Another option is to visit the beach as part of a Komodo liveaboard diving trip. Pink beach is usually on the itinerary as one of the popular land activities along with a visit to the Komodo dragons on Rinca Island. If you're interested in diving around Komodo, have a read of my dive trip here.
Are There Komodo Dragons on Pink Beach?
It's very unlikely that you will see one on Komodo pink beach as they tend to stay on the other side of Komodo island. As for the pink beach on Padar, there haven't been any sightings of dragons for centuries and are believed to be extinct on that particular island. If you want to see Komodo Dragons, the best place is on Rinca Island. Read all about when I came face to face with mating Komodos here.
Why Is Komodo Beach Pink?
The pink beaches in Komodo get their name from thousands of tiny pieces of broken red coral, shells and microscopic marine creatures that wash up onto the shore colouring the sand a soft shade of pink. This is why it's so important never to remove sand or shells from any beach as it all plays a part in the ecosystem.
Like I said earlier, don't be fooled by the over-saturated pink beach photos you see on Instagram. How vivid the pink sand is when you visit all depends on luck! As the pink hue is a result of a natural reaction in the sand, some days it is pinker than others. When we visited it was just about noticeable.
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