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With Bali’s most beloved spots now overrun, travelers are looking east, to Labuan Bajo, gateway to Komodo National Park and one of the 10 “new Bali” destinations the government has been eager to promote.
But does it have what it takes?
Bali has long been the reigning champion of Indonesian beach getaways, not just for its natural beauty, but for its well-oiled tourism infrastructure. With endless options for hotels, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and tourist activities, the island offers the kind of seamless service and variety that keeps travelers coming back.
The same cannot quite be said yet for up-and-coming Labuan Bajo.
So when Katamaran Hotel & Resort Komodo invited me to experience one of the island’s newest luxury stays, I said yes immediately. Labuan Bajo, dubbed “the City of a Thousand Sunsets”, promised raw beauty with fewer crowds.
The five-star resort’s opening last December marked one of the biggest developments in the destination over the past year. The question is no longer if Labuan Bajo will take off, but how soon.
Could this island really be Indonesia’s next go-to destination?
Day One: No traffic, no crowds
From the airport, the drive was blissfully short, already a win compared to Bali’s legendary traffic.
At the resort, I was welcomed into a grand lobby framed by large wooden pillars, each carved with motifs inspired by kain songke Manggarai, a distinctive woven textile of the region.
Further in, I was treated to a postcard view, from Flores island’s lush green forests on the left to the expansive blue sea on the right.
That lush greenery, hotel manager Okta Aristiana tells me, would soon become another hotel. I guess I really did come at the right time.
Someone handed me a cold lemongrass drink, and I felt my shoulders drop and relax.
As it was time for lunch, I was led to the resort’s Layar Restaurant, which serves everything from local dishes like ikan kerapu merah (fried leopard coral grouper) to fusions like chicken katsu spaghetti and pepperoni pizza with pineapples. I would spend the next two mornings having breakfast at the same restaurant, overlooking the same breathtaking view of the sea.
Then came the first highlight of my trip: a massage at Soul Bliss Spa. Faced with the choice between a Balinese massage or the Katamaran special, I opted for the latter. Why not go all in?
With the sound of waves and soothing traditional Balinese music, I could not tell if I was still in Labuan Bajo. I melted into a 60-minute bliss session that turned my limbs to jelly. I even missed the sunset after dozing off on the table, and honestly, no regrets.
Before I knew it, it was time for dinner, this time at The Kliff, the resort’s rooftop restaurant on the seventh floor. The mood was decidedly more elegant, soundtracked by crashing waves and the smooth stylings of Cole Porter and Etta James.
Beyond the walls, the pitch black was interrupted by Katamaran’s overwater bungalows lit like minimalist Christmas trees. The view reminded me of that one Keeping Up with the Kardashians episode in Bora Bora, except this time, it was real in front of me.
Unlike in Canggu or Seminyak, there was no booming music or drunk crowds here. Just stillness. I used to love the Bali party scene, too, but I have grown to crave this kind of quiet.
The meal, seafood soup, chicken jidori, and molten chocolate cake, sealed my first impression: This place gets it.
Day Two: A free cabana and no influencers
Day two was water day. I jumped off the dock for a snorkeling trip with Noldi, my endlessly patient guide.
Unlike my first, and smoother, experience in Belitung, the water here was murkier than expected. Still, sunlight slicing through to reveal colorful corals and darting fish made it worth it, burning eyes and all.
After an hour, I begged to go back. Noldi graciously obliged after snapping a million photos to prove I had tried. He even dove back in to bring me a starfish.
Back on land, I grabbed my copy of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and found a poolside cabana. Between the plush pillows, sea breeze and the illusion of the pool blending into the ocean, I fell asleep, again, outside my hotel room.
The best part? The cabana was free. In Bali, I would have paid Rp 1 million to 2 million for the same setup and battled influencers for a spot. Here, I had it to myself, by the pool, with no one livestreaming or posing for photo shoots in my view. Just me, a Komodo dragon sculpture, and peace.
Determined not to miss the sunset this time, I joined Okta for tea by the Beach Club, a hidden gem that is due to open on New Year’s Eve that promises the best views of the day’s end.
At 5:43 p.m., the sun dipped behind a hill, painting the sky in oranges and reds, as Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” played in the background. Then, as if on cue, the waves grew louder and a school of fish shimmered past, heading home for the night. It felt like the final scene of a feel-good movie, and I was not ready for the credits to roll.
While I was having dinner at The Kliff later that evening, Okta apparently snuck into my room to surprise me with a flower bath. It was all a bit cinematic, and I loved every second.
Day Three: A room worth the hype
By this time, I realized I had not spent enough time in my actual hotel room yet to fully appreciate it.
My Grand Premier Ocean View room was a 55 square meters sanctuary with minimalist Japanese design, warm wood accents and a bathroom with a vanity window that opened toward the sea. It was the perfect size between their smallest 45 square meters room and their 87 square meters pool villa.
A king bed faced the floor-to-ceiling balcony doors. In the daylight, the view alone could heal you.
It also had a sofa and a desk, because, yes, this was technically a work trip.
But as it was my last day in paradise, I headed out to sea again, this time aboard the Black Swan, the hotel’s private boat. A full-day trip to Komodo Island or Pink Beach was not in the cards, but a short ride around the nearby isles would do.
Out on the water, dolphins leapt in and out of the waves as if escorting us home.
So could Labuan Bajo really be, as the government calls it, a ‘new Bali’?
If they are referring to a globally popular tourist attraction that offers both raw natural beauty and world-class amenities, then yes. For now, it is half the price with half the crowds and double the rest and relaxation.
But if they are referring to the overcrowded, overdeveloped Bali we know now, I hope not.
As Nevi Febria from Katamaran’s sales team puts it, “This is Bali six years ago.”
And honestly, I hope it stays that way.
