Labuan Bajo 2023 1/4 - Solo Traveling and One Day Before Sailing Komodo Island

I overflowed with those thoughts "What if.." for this trip, it's one of my bucket list and I wasn't confident enough to go alone but eventually I still go..

Yay, another bucket list checked! I always want to go to Labuan Bajo even before pandemic but never get a chance. I also planned to go there last year but I changed my mind and went to another destination because I gained my weight a lot during pandemic haha and I just thought if I go there hmm my picture wouldn't look that good kkk and in addition if I go there alone, it might be hard to get a picture of mine since some people will travel in a group. But this year in 2023, I try to change my mindset, because if I keep thinking that way I might can't go as soon as possible I want to.

I searched the travel agent through Instagram and also asked some friends who already been there before, and eventually I chose this travel agent, my friend told me that since I went there alone  and will sleep on the boat so make sure to get the big boat so I can sleep comfortably. I did the research for the boat when the travel agent gave me their catalogues, I checked how big the boat was one by one, like how the length and width the boats were, also still in my budget.

The open trip will last for 3 days so start on Friday and back on Sunday, I booked a flight a day earlier so I will stay in a hotel at Labuan Bajo on my first night, because the trip will start around 10 AM on Friday and I also want to avoid hassle if I take the flight on Friday so it might be good idea to arrive earlier.

Day 1 - Thursday, March 23, 2023

I arrived on Thursday, Mar 23th 2023 and the open trip will start on Friday, Mar 24th - 26th, 2023. Well, I had a bit of annoying story back then, I booked a flight via Tiket.com for Citilink, actually I got discount Rp600k from Gift Voucher BCA Tiket.com Credit Card for my flight but unfortunately the airlines cancelled my flight and it was so annoying because I need to change my flight and ended up paying more like extra Rp 1mio, my flight before costed Rp 2.7mio and due to cancellation I ended up paying Rp 3.7mio, I tried to ask how about my gift voucher to Tiket.com and they said no replacement for the Gift Voucher which was really sucks like they give compliment with Gift Voucher but I ended up can't use the voucher and paid extra for my ticket. 

Anyway I changed my flight to Batik Air, departed on Friday at 11.40 AM (CGK) and will arrive at Komodo International Airport around 3.05 PM (Flight took around 2 hours), Labuan Bajo time is an hour ahead from Jakarta. I thought I am going to get free lunch on the flight so I hadn't my lunch but it's actually just snacks, muffin, bread and a glass of water. So I was famished when I arrived at Labuan Bajo.

Staying at Seaesta Hostel was the best decision during my trip, I booked private room via Agoda (Rp 760k/room/night). I asked the travel agent to pick me up at the airport to my hotel, I paid Rp 70k for the pick up. When I arrived at the airport, it was sooo hot, the temperature was crazy, the airport is not far from the beach. The airport was nice even not too big, probably similar size with Yogyakarta New Airport. The journey to my hotel was about 5 - 7 minutes since it was just 2 km from the airport.

The driver, the staffs in the hotel were all very welcoming, so I felt so comfortable during my stay even though I was alone. The interior, the rooftop bar & restaurant was so pretty and the view was amazing. I had my late lunch, potato with watermelon juice (Rp 72k). I sat there pretty longer with my laptop and did some work that I skipped the sunset trip to Bukit Sylvia, they said the sunset was nice there, if you want you can try (Rp 100k). I ordered my dinner Sweet & Sour Chicken with Rice and Pina Colada (Rp 95k), the food was so tasty.

inside my cozy room

 

The room also nice, clean and smells good. Since I arrived on Thursday, there will live music at night. It's nice though. I went out for a while around the area and ate at some Seafood stall, I actually had my late lunch and dinner already at the hotel but it's just too pity not to try the seafood there, even I just ate a grilled fish with rice and some veggies (Rp 70k). From there back to the hotel, looking around, ordered a beer (Rp 36k).

I still had things to do with my work so I went to my room, continuing to do some work then sleep and get ready for tomorrow trip. So excited and can I make it? sleep on the boat for 2 nights are pretty challenging and new experience for me, so we will see tomorrow.

Cheers,

MJ

p.s I wrote this during my flight back to Jakarta from Labuan Bajo :D