Komodo Park Permits, Quota & SiOra From Bajo Port

Rp 250,000 flat per visit under PP 36/2024, confirmed via tnkomodo.ksdae.kehutanan.go.id as of August 2026.

Yes, SiOra online registration has been mandatory for all Komodo National Park visitors since April 2026, though your operator handles the registration on your behalf.

No — it’s a park-wide daily total released in three timed sessions, not a 1,000-a-day allowance for Padar or any other single site. Padar’s own share of that total is far smaller.

No. The current PNBP tariff under PP 36/2024 is Rp 250,000 flat for foreign visitors; Rp 700,000 traces back to an unenacted 2022 proposal or a bundled multi-component figure, not the official current rate.

Almost all leisure travelers go through their booking operator, who registers the visit as part of arranging the trip — this isn’t typically something individual tourists navigate independently.

We don’t have a verified, separately published child rate to cite here under the current PP 36/2024 structure — confirm directly with your operator or the park authority for your specific booking.

Liveaboard check-in happens at one of the main public pontoons or wooden jetties along the central waterfront, a 10 to 20-minute drive from Komodo Airport (LBJ). Your liveaboard will tell you exactly which jetty and what time to meet; most ask you to arrive 30–60 minutes before departure for luggage loading and a brief safety orientation. You normally walk to the end of the jetty and board via a gangway while crew transfer your main bags and check names against their passenger list. If you have already paid your Komodo National Park costs through the operator, they will typically handle SiOra registration and PNBP ticketing during or just after check in. Always keep your passport handy, as some boats photograph or record the ID page for their manifest and park reporting.

The PNBP tariff set by PP 36/2024 is the official non-tax revenue ticket your boat needs before it can enter the park. Under PP No. 36/2024 this is a fixed national tariff collected per person per visit; in practice you almost always pay it to your tour operator or liveaboard, not directly at a harbour window. The operator then remits the PNBP to the park authority as part of your SiOra booking, so you will not usually handle a separate government receipt at the jetty. To avoid confusion, ask your operator to show the PNBP line clearly on your invoice so you can distinguish it from the guide fee and any boat or conservation surcharges. If a quote feels unusually low, confirm that the PP 36/2024 tariff is already included rather than payable “later at the port.”

A single day forces a trade-off between distance, sea conditions, and how early you are willing to leave the dock. Most standard speedboat day trips combine three or four sites, typically mixing one dragon-trekking island (Komodo or Rinca), one viewpoint hike (often Padar), and one or two snorkeling stops such as a coral bay or a sandbar. Slow wooden boats move much more slowly, so they usually cover fewer places in the same daylight window. Shorter-range half-day options from the harbour focus on nearby snorkel spots or sunset bat-watching rather than the full Komodo circuit. When comparing tours, check not just the names of islands but how long you will actually spend at each stop once sailing times and the quota schedule are factored in.

Day-tour packages are sold all-in, wrapping boat transport, meals, guiding and park formalities into one price. The important point for this permits-focused page is that you should confirm whether the quoted rate already includes the PNBP park entrance fee, the mandatory ranger/guide fee, and SiOra registration. Some cheaper-looking offers exclude one or more of these and then ask you to pay “tickets” in cash on the boat, which can be confusing once you are offshore. If the itinerary lists highly regulated spots like Komodo or Padar, ask how your operator secures quota space for your chosen date and time slot. Because there is no scheduled public ferry into the park, joining a reputable day-tour operator from the harbour is the most straightforward way to make sure all permit and quota requirements are actually met.

Dock fees are small per-boat or per-passenger charges for using the local jetties. These are not part of the national PNBP Komodo entrance fee and are often set by the harbour authority or local communities, so the exact figure and whether it is itemised on your bill can vary by operator and type of boat. On packaged tours, dock and mooring fees are almost always folded quietly into your overall trip price and handled by the captain or company. If you are chartering a boat privately, clarify in advance whether quoted rates are “nett including dock fees” so there are no surprise add-ons at the pier. For the purposes of your budget, treat dock fees as a minor extra compared with the park entrance and guide costs, but still ask your operator so you know what is and isn’t covered.

There is no harbour-specific quota. What you are counted against is the park-wide daily cap that applies once your boat crosses into Komodo National Park. The official system limits total visitors per day across the whole park and splits this into three time-band sessions, rather than giving Labuan Bajo harbour its own separate allocation. In practice, your operator must secure session space through SiOra for whichever dragon-trekking island is on your itinerary, then align your departure time from the harbour so you reach the island during that slot. This is why many dragon tours insist on early-morning check in during peak season, when the most popular sessions can fill quickly. If you are booking late or for holiday dates, ask directly which session your ticket is tied to and what happens if your boat is delayed by weather or sea conditions.

The confusion between a conservation donation and the mandatory park fee comes from seeing several line items on one tour invoice. The mandatory element tied to Komodo National Park access is the national PNBP entrance fee under PP 36/2024, plus the required ranger/guide fee, both of which must be settled for you to legally enter and walk on the islands. By contrast, any “conservation donation” or similar label added by a boat company or community group is discretionary and can vary in amount and destination. These voluntary contributions may support local projects, reef clean-ups, or community facilities, but they are not a substitute for the official park tickets. When in doubt, ask your operator which fees go to the state park authority and which are optional, so you can decide whether and how much extra you wish to contribute.

Individual visitors almost never pay the park directly; the operator handles the entrance fee online. The standard process is that your tour company or liveaboard handles the online side through SiOra, bundles the PNBP entrance fee into your overall trip cost, and issues you a confirmation. As a result, there is usually no need to find a separate government payment portal for the entrance ticket itself. If you prefer everything prepaid, ask your operator to confirm in writing that PNBP, guide fees, and SiOra registration are all included before you transfer any money. Keep a copy of your booking and payment proof handy at the harbour in case the boat office needs to reconcile its passenger list or park payment records.

SiOra registration is not done at a harbour counter. Your boat operator files it online before your travel date. Before your travel date, the operator enters your details into the SiOra system, selects your visit date and time slot, and ties this to the PNBP payment for each passenger. At the harbour, what you will see is mostly the practical side of that admin: staff checking your name against a list and sometimes asking to confirm your nationality for the correct tariff. Because SiOra is mandatory for regulated islands, a company that cannot show you a confirmed booking for your date is taking a risk with park compliance. When enquiring or booking, it is reasonable to ask explicitly whether your trip will be registered through SiOra and how they handle any last-minute date or name changes.

Children go through the same permit rules as adults, but pacing and practicalities at the jetty matter far more. Your operator will still need each child’s details for SiOra and PNBP purposes, so expect to provide names and ages in advance and carry some form of ID if available. On the day, arrive slightly early so you can board calmly, keep kids away from the jetty edge during luggage loading, and settle them on the boat before the safety briefing starts. Many families find it easier to prepay all park-related fees so they are not juggling cash while supervising children on a moving gangway. If you are using a stroller or have very young kids, check whether your boat boards from a floating pontoon or a higher wooden jetty, as this affects how easy it is to get everyone on board safely.

Spend the night in town before departure if your flight into LBJ lands the same day. Komodo trips often start early to meet their park session slots, and any flight delay can cause you to miss your boat or lose your place in the quota. Overnighting in town gives you time to visit your operator’s office, confirm that your PNBP fees and SiOra registration are in order, and clarify exactly which jetty and time you will be leaving from. It also offers a buffer to buy last-minute essentials such as seasickness tablets or sun protection before you are offshore. For peace of mind with permits, timing, and children or heavy luggage, arriving at least one calendar day before your scheduled cruise is the safer option.