Labuan Bajo tourist boats resume after quake, park areas reopen

Labuan Bajo — Tourist boat services to Komodo National Park were operating again after the Aug. 15, 2026, earthquake, and maritime authorities said sailing in the area had resumed under safety oversight. Government and local tourism reports also said Komodo National Park and Padar Island had reopened after temporary checks.

On Aug. 16, the Labuan Bajo Harbourmaster recorded 308 tourist boats departing with 3,651 passengers, according to a report published by a local tourism outlet that cited official monitoring by the harbourmaster office and the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority (BPOLBF). The same report said access to Komodo National Park had reopened after sailing authorization was issued.

By Aug. 22, BPOLBF monitoring said tourism activity in Labuan Bajo, including the Marina and KP-3 port areas, was continuing normally. A separate report from a local outlet said the park remained open and boat trips were proceeding as usual, while authorities urged continued caution.

Boat traffic and reopening

The West Manggarai regency government said activity in the tourism sector had remained stable after the earthquake. In a report carried by another local outlet, Regent Edistasius Endi said the district recorded 2,854 vessel departures and 32,692 tourist movements between Aug. 15 and Aug. 28, and that Komodo National Park and Padar Island had reopened after a safety assessment.

The same report said the regency was coordinating with the Harbourmaster and Port Authority Office, or KSOP, to keep marine tourism aligned with prevailing safety conditions. BPOLBF’s monitoring also indicated that boat departures through Labuan Bajo Marina were proceeding in an orderly manner.

Those figures support the picture of a rapid restart in marine tourism after the quake, though they do not imply that every route or operator was running on a full normal schedule. Visitors are still being advised to check local sailing arrangements before departure.

What was open

Reports after the earthquake said the marine tourism circuit serving Komodo, including Komodo Island and Padar Island, was back in service. BPOLBF monitoring also listed several destination points that were receiving visitors, including South Padar, Loh Liang on Komodo Island, Loh Buaya on Rinca Island and Gili Lawa.

West Manggarai authorities described the tourism situation as stable, and local reports said land-based activities in Labuan Bajo were also continuing. The reopening, however, was tied to safety assessments and maritime coordination rather than a blanket all-clear for every attraction or vessel type.

Reported figures:

• 308 tourist boats and 3,651 passengers recorded on Aug. 16, 2026
• 2,854 vessel departures and 32,692 tourist movements recorded from Aug. 15–28, 2026
• Komodo National Park and Padar Island reopened after safety assessments

Authorities said maritime safety coordination remained in place as sailing resumed in and around Labuan Bajo after the earthquake.

Sources

• Traveltext.id
• RRI
• Medcom.id