Five-star Indonesian resort is a dream base for famous national park

The hotel

AYANA Komodo Waecicu Beach

Island time – the hotel from above.

Check-in

The first five-star resort to open on Indonesia’s far-flung Flores Island, AYANA Komodo is a dream base for exploring the UNESCO Heritage-listed Komodo National Park. Guests arrive at a rooftop lobby for cascading 180-degree vistas of the stunning Indonesian Archipelago. Located on the island’s north-west coast, AYANA Resort Bali’s sister resort is 10 minutes’ drive from Komodo International Airport, a 30-minute drive from the fishing town of Labuan Bajo, and a one-hour flight from Denpasar. Until the resort opened in 2018, the only way to explore the Lesser Sunda archipelago (and see the famed dragons) in comfort was on a live-aboard boat.

The look

Clinging to a steep hillside on the edge of palm-fringed Waecicu Beach, the resort’s design takes full advantage of its locale with all 205 rooms and suites offering uninterrupted sea views. Sited in a lagoon with extraordinary marine life, the design by global architecture firm WATG is inspired by Flores’ cultural and ecological landscape, including the rugged Manggarai mountain range, local materials and traditional batik patterns. Descending towards the beach, the guest wing features a curved shape and rough-textured roof emulating the form of the Komodo dragon. There are also two large pools, seven restaurants and bars, a gym, kids’ club, 250-metre jetty, waterfront yoga deck, marine conservation activities and a 420-square-metre spa.

The room

The Ocean View suite with its own balcony.

Soak up superb views over turquoise seas and Kukusan Island through floor-to-ceiling glass doors in suites and rooms. Light-coloured timber and woven rattan add texture to the minimalist style 99-square-metre Ocean View suite, while towel animals left daily by housekeeping are a fun touch. There’s an elegant marble bathroom with a freestanding tub and rain shower, oversized armchair, desk, king-size bed, private balcony and small marble dining table and chairs.

Food + drinks

Breakfast by the pool.

Tuck into grilled seafood with sand between your toes at Kisik, enjoy teppanyaki, sushi and sashimi at HonZEN, enjoy sundowners at the rooftop bar or lobster tartare sandwiches with a Bintang beer by the pool. All-day restaurant Rinca sits poolside so you can waft from breakfast to a cabana and back for a lunch of nasi goreng or soto ayam. Order a Butterfly Pea G&T from the bar at the far end of the jetty and catch a blazing sunset. While guests are a captive audience, multiple outlets ensure plenty of variety. Food and drink prices are on the high side, but the quality is outstanding.

Out + about

AYANA Komodo’s private jetty is a launching pad for adventures to the island and reefs beyond. Join a sunset or glass-bottom boat cruise, go island trekking, enjoy a locally inspired spa treatment or take a full-day tour to see the famous Pink Sand Beach and Komodo dragons (extra cost).

Complimentary activities include coral planting and workshops with on-site marine biologist Lee Miles, guided snorkelling off the jetty, yoga and courtesy boat rides to a private island with an honesty bar. Multi-day or private charters are also offered on board AYANA Lako di’a, a 54-metre sailing ship with nine luxurious suites.

Komodo and its dragons.Credit: iStock

THE VERDICT
AYANA Komodo offers luxury digs and exceptional service in a tropical paradise where there are dragons to see and adventures to be had above and below the surface.

ESSENTIALS
From $411 a night.
See ayana.com/labuan-bajo/komodo

OUR SCORE OUT OF FIVE
★★★★½

Highlight
The warm, friendly staff who couldn’t do enough for you and the superlative vistas of the Lesser Sunda archipelago.

Lowlight
Tides and scheduled maintenance mean some boat tours and an overnight cruise aboard AYANA Lako di’a don’t happen. Check ahead.

The writer stayed as a guest of AYANA Resort and Spa Bali and AYANA Komodo Resort Waecicu Beach.