Rinca Island
IslandsNature & Wildlife Areas
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Rinca Island, Komodo Island and Padar Island are the main islands of Komodo National Park. Famous for some of the world's best dive sites and their popular inhabitant - the Komodo dragon - the area attracts thousands of tourists each year. Treks on Rinca Island start from the ticket office at Loh Buaya. You also have the option to choose between three trails. The shortest trek takes 30 minutes. It is an easy, shaded walk that passes an artificial waterhole before ascending to a small hill with a view over the bay. The one-hour medium trek winds between dragon nests and out into the sunshine across an exposed savannah that is studded with lontar palms. For the best opportunity to see dragons and their prey, choose the two-hour trek past a permanent waterhole and across steep, exposed slopes that offer breathtaking views
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Attractions
2 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
  • writerandphotographer
    Asheville, North Carolina15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Magnificent, Komodo dragon encounters
    For many years, I had wanted to see the Komodo dragons in person. In September 2023 my husband and I took the 18 hour flight to Singapore and further on to Bali and boat to Rinca Island. it was well worth the massive amount of traveling when we stood in front of a 300 pound 10 foot Komodo dragon🦖 these magnificent creatures were very aware of what was going on, as their tongues flicked out, smelling and taking in everything, including us! The three huge, 300 pound dragons that we saw in the course of two days has given me images for a lifetime. We also saw, 4250 other dragons of various sizes, including a hatchling hiding in a closed area with its head poking out. We have had five Safari‘s, and they were all spectacular, but this experience of encountering these dragons rivals anything else I have ever done!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 March 2024
  • Smokie24
    Stafford, United Kingdom135 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unforgettable trip.
    We booked a private speedboat trip to the island, as we did not want to do 1 of the tours. The service was good and we had ample time on the island. The ranger on site was brilliant, knowledgeable and very friendly. He gave us a really good tour and we were able to see a number of Komodo dragons of various sizes, as well as buffalo, deer and monkeys. We had an opportunity to snorkel on the way back.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 June 2024
  • Kanyu T
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Informative and uncrowded 1.5hr ranger trek with sighting of 7 dragons on a July Sunday late afternoon
    We signed up for a half day tour with Komodo Resort on Sebayur Island. Boat departed resort 2pm and we were at Rinca ranger station dock 3pm. It was on a Sunday end of July. There were a few other groups but it did not feel crowded. We did a trek with the ranger from 3pm to 4:30pm and saw 7 dragons along our trekking path. Most of them were moving. Ranger told us that he saw no dragons the day before. The tour was very informative. I preferred it over the Komodo Village tour on Komodo Island, which was not very informative. A couple in the group did the ranger trek on Komodo Island the day before in one of the standard 4-6 stops speed boat tour package. They said they liked the Rinca Island better than Komodo Island. After Rinca the boat took us to Kalong Island to see the flying fox after sunset about 50-min boat ride away before heading back to the resort. Overall this half day itinerary was a lot more relaxed than the 6-stop full day speed boat itinerary.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 28 July 2024
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles731 reviews
Excellent
376
Very good
213
Average
93
Poor
23
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These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Margy v
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
During low season there are no/very few organized tours to Rinca, so we rented a private boat.
When we got to the ticket office they charged us with 2x entrance fee (Rp 150.000), tour guide (200.000), boat parking (100.000), 2x trekking fee (5.000) and 2x wildlife watching (10.000) !! Rp 630.000 in total.
We were there on flip flops. This was not allowed in the park and we were told that we had to rent shoes. So besides the Rp 630.000, we had to pay for shoes.
We did not hear the price for the shoes, as we were already on our way back to the boat. This felt like too much of a ripoff and we already saw the dragons at Komodo (where flip flops are not an issue).

Written 16 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

fab959855
Nice, France60 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023 • Family
First of all, you will be charged for many things, boat parking, trekking, guiding, entrance fee, marine park fee and of course public holiday supplement because apparently there's public holiday every day in Indonesia! The place has been rebuilt recently. Many buildings, café, bridge, welcome to Disneyland. Then a guide will bring you into the museum. That one has been made for primary school I guess. Nothing interesting except maybe the 2 dragon skeletons. Then you will see 2 or 3 small dragons sleeping in a kind of garden behind the museum. If you are wearing proper shoes and not flip-flop they will bring you for a short tour but there is nothing to see according to the guests we asked for. Yes I didn't mention it, our guide didn't want to go for a 'trek' with us because of the new regulation. NO FLIP FLOPS! Ok and what about the people we saw coming back from a tour with flip flop? When I asked our guide, he didn't give me an answer. Rules are not the same for everyone apparently... The staff is rude with the guests. This is the first time we had such bad feeling with people in Indonesia. At the end it's just a very expensive zoo. Prefer Komodo island, avoid Rinca.
Written 19 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ton d
Zoeterwoude, The Netherlands264 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Since we visited Rinca Island 16 years ago, which was a great experience, we decided to choose this island again this time with friends. What a disappointment. Previously, after arrival and registration, you immediately set off with a guide, optionally via a large, slightly more difficult or smaller and less difficult route. We chose the more difficult route. We immediately came across various animals, including a number of komodo's. Nowadays you arrive at a large modern counter, located on high stilts. You then walk a few hundred meters on your own along a neatly laid out path high above the ground. You no longer feel like you are in the middle of nature here as before, but it now resembles a zoo. Walking across a large barren plain you see some deer and a short distance away a fully eaten Komodo. At some points of the walk, a so-called ranger tells you that there are 1300 komodo on the other side of the island, so you don't get to see them. At the end of the zoo walk you will go for a walk with a guide through the bush or optionally to the top of the highest point on the island, which we did. I understand that you have to be a bit lucky to come across such a komodo, but all in all it was a big disappointment.
Google
Written 8 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

writerandphotographer
Asheville, NC15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
For many years, I had wanted to see the Komodo dragons in person.
In September 2023 my husband and I took the 18 hour flight to Singapore and further on to Bali and boat to Rinca Island. it was well worth the massive amount of traveling when we stood in front of a 300 pound 10 foot Komodo dragon🦖 these magnificent creatures were very aware of what was going on, as their tongues flicked out, smelling and taking in everything, including us! The three huge, 300 pound dragons that we saw in the course of two days has given me images for a lifetime. We also saw, 4250 other dragons of various sizes, including a hatchling hiding in a closed area with its head poking out.
We have had five Safari‘s, and they were all spectacular, but this experience of encountering these dragons rivals anything else I have ever done!
Written 13 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mei-Mei F
49 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
My boyfriend and I went to Komodo Island before, the same day. We hesitated to go to Rinca Island considering it should be the same thing.
Rinca Island is quite empty and our guide was giving us just few informations.

Fortunately, we went to Komodo Island first were there are much more komodo dragons and much more informations and explanations.

I could not go to Rinca Island and enjoy longer in Pink Beach or Snorkeling or another thing better.
Written 9 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marie
Verbier, Switzerland97 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
Since Covid, visits to Rinca have changed. Currently, medium and long-distance trails are still closed. You therefore pay for access to the park, snorkelling, walking and taking photos, but it is not possible to travel far on the island. It therefore remains the visit of a territory of a limited area, within which live around 60 monitor lizards, 80 water buffaloes, Java deer, birds and macaques.
Let's say it straight away: we were extremely lucky. From the platforms, when we arrived, we only saw two large males dozing in the shade, then once in the park, an adult female, a juvenile and a more awake adult male.
At one point, the guards called us all because a monitor lizard had just caught a rusa deer.
We attended the feast: around ten monitor lizards, most of them large males, competing for the best pieces of the carcass.
It was a documentary, but for real!
An incredible moment, one of the highlights of our vacation in Indonesia.
Google
Written 25 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Smokie24
Stafford, UK135 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
We booked a private speedboat trip to the island, as we did not want to do 1 of the tours. The service was good and we had ample time on the island. The ranger on site was brilliant, knowledgeable and very friendly. He gave us a really good tour and we were able to see a number of Komodo dragons of various sizes, as well as buffalo, deer and monkeys. We had an opportunity to snorkel on the way back.
Written 3 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TheHumbleTravellers
Greater Noida, India710 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
The only second island after Komodo providing home to Komodo Dragons. We visited it before the Komodo Islands and were lucky to see amazing and dangerous Dragons near the admin areas. This island is not as exciting as Komodo Islands

This island is only visited for the purpose of sighting Komodo in there natural surroundings.
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AirFuss
Singapore, Singapore634 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Family
Many Komodo dragons were there but resting alongside the kitchen area which is very near to the ticketing counter. So you won’t see the dragons in their natural habitat.

Due to time constraint of our tour we did only 15 minutes trek in the jungle and we did not see any more dragons on the way. The Komodo dragons here were smaller than that on the Komodo island.
Written 13 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Purwitanto
Sengata, Indonesia2,734 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
We went to this island as part of a half day trip package in Labuan Bajo. There are 2 islands which are the habitat of Komodo animals, namely Komodo Island and Rinca Island. Rinca itself means the same as Komodo.
The infrastructure is quite good. There is a museum too. We don't need to pay entrance tickets because it is included in the tour package. We saw Komodo dragons but not too many and couldn't get too close because Komodo dragons are wild and wild animals.
Google
Written 12 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Rinca Island - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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