What “tourism open” means in Labuan Bajo after the Flores quake

Labuan Bajo — Tourism activities in Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park have largely resumed under controlled conditions after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Flores on 15 August 2026, but officials stress that this does not mean every destination across East Nusa Tenggara is safe or fully accessible.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority (BPOLBF), marine tourism around Labuan Bajo was operating normally, smoothly and in a stable condition by 16 August, including at Marina Labuan Bajo Port.

Updated data shared by BPOLBF show that on Sunday, 16 August, the Labuan Bajo Class III Harbourmaster and Port Authority (KSOP) recorded 308 tourist boats departing with 3,651 passengers, comprising 2,840 international tourists and 811 domestic visitors.

Officials and local tourism authorities continued to collect and verify damage reports across the wider Floratama area—Flores, Alor, Lembata and Bima—including accommodation, attractions, accessibility and supporting infrastructure, especially in areas affected by power and telecommunications disruptions.

What has reopened

BPOLBF reports that Marina Labuan Bajo resumed normal operations shortly after the quake, with sea access to Komodo National Park reopened for authorized marine tourism activities.

The Ministry of Tourism and BPOLBF confirmed that key destinations inside Komodo National Park, including Padar Island, Loh Liang on Komodo Island, Loh Buaya on Rinca Island and Gili Lawa, safely resumed normal visitor operations.

Outside the core Komodo circuit, Batu Cermin in West Manggarai was reported undamaged and reopened to visitors on 16 August, receiving more than 100 visits that day, while other nearby attractions such as Goa Rangko remained closed temporarily despite not suffering structural damage.

The vessel and passenger counts are useful indicators of restored movement on the Labuan Bajo–Komodo marine route. They do not, on their own, establish that every hotel, inland road or attraction elsewhere in Flores has been inspected or is operating normally.

• 308 tourist vessels departed Marina Labuan Bajo on Sunday, 16 August.
• 3,651 passengers were recorded, including 811 domestic and 2,840 international visitors.
• Sea access from Marina Labuan Bajo to Komodo National Park was reported open under controlled conditions.

What remains closed or restricted

Despite the reopening of coastal tourism around Labuan Bajo, several major destinations elsewhere in Nusa Tenggara Timur remain temporarily closed or restricted as a safety precaution.

The Ministry of Tourism and BPOLBF stated that Wae Rebo and Ruteng Pu’u in Manggarai are subject to temporary closures while safety assessments continue.

Kelimutu National Park in Ende was affected by landslides on the crater wall, prompting temporary closure and closer monitoring of visitor access around the volcanic lakes.

The Teluk Maumere Marine Tourism Park

For travelers, this split picture matters: confirmation that ports and marine routes near Labuan Bajo are operating should not be assumed to cover inland communities, mountain attractions or less-publicized sites elsewhere on Flores.

Visitors are advised to obtain up-to-date information from local operators, accommodation providers or official tourism hotlines before traveling, particularly to areas mentioned as closed or under restricted conditions.

Air transport and airport status

The earthquake also affected air transport across Flores, with different airports experiencing varying levels of disruption.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation reported that H. Hasan Aroeboesman Airport in Ende was temporarily closed from 18 to 20 August 2026 due to the impact of the quake, and that all flights were canceled during that period.

Tourism authorities and public broadcasters noted additional flight disruptions, including cancellations and suspensions on certain routes to Ende and to Frans Sales Lega Airport in Ruteng, even while other airports in the province—such as El Tari International Airport in Kupang—continued to operate.

These aviation changes underline why a reopened marine route from Labuan Bajo cannot be treated as a complete transport update for the wider island. Travelers should check the status of their departure airport, connecting flights and overland routes separately from the condition of coastal tourism services.

Understanding “tourism is open”

Government and tourism officials have described Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park tourism as “normal” or “open” after the quake, referring specifically to the restoration of core marine tourism infrastructure and the resumption of operations at major coastal attractions.

In practice, “tourism is open” in this context means that selected ports, marine routes and visitor facilities are functioning again under monitored conditions, while damage assessments and repairs continue at other sites across Flores.

It does not constitute a blanket, island-wide clearance for every hotel, road, attraction or community. Safety status remains location-specific, and inland destinations affected by landslides, access disruptions or utility outages may stay closed or restricted even as Labuan Bajo’s coastal tourism returns to normal.

For now, the most reliable approach for visitors is to treat official updates on Labuan Bajo and Komodo as confirmation of conditions along that particular circuit, and to seek separate, detailed information on any additional destinations they plan to visit elsewhere in Flores.

Sources

• Medcom.id - Gempa Flores: Labuan Bajo dan Taman Nasional Komodo mulai normal, sejumlah destinasi masih tutup
• BPOLBF / Ministry of Tourism release - Pariwisata Labuan Bajo kembali berjalan normal, BPOLBF lanjutkan pendataan dampak gempa di Floratama
• RRI English - Labuan Bajo Tourism Activities Resume After Flores Earthquake
• Ministry of Transportation - Informasi Pembatalan Seluruh Penerbangan di Bandara H. Hasan Aroeboesman Ende
• Investortrust.id - Kemenpar Pastikan Pariwisata Labuan Bajo Kembali Normal Pascagempa NTT
• Pear Anderson - Indonesia: Southeast Asia Travel Industry Pulse