Padar Island: How to See Indonesia’s Most Stunning View

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You’ve probably seen this island at least once on your Instagram feed. Over the years, Padar Island has become one of those places every backpacker ends up talking about. If you’re traveling through Indonesia, this is a non-negotiable stop.

This article won’t be very long, but here’s everything you need to know about the place: why it’s so famous, how to get there, and a few tips to make the most of it.

What Makes Padar Island So Unique

Padar Island isn’t just another pretty Indonesian island. It’s the third-largest island in Komodo National Park, and it sits in a rare geographic position that gives you a full 360-degree view from a relatively short hike up.

Padar Island is Part of Komodo National Park

In case you didn’t know, now you do. Padar Island Indonesia sits within the world-famous Komodo National Park, home to one of the most dramatic landscapes you’ll find anywhere in Southeast Asia. Knowing it’s part of this protected territory helps you understand just how special this area is.

The park has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1991, which means strict protections are in place against overdevelopment. That’s a good thing. It keeps the island as raw and real as it looks in those photos.

The Three-Color Bays Phenomenon

This is what everyone comes for. From the summit, you get three distinct crescent-shaped bays all visible at the same time, each with a different sand color:

White sand — the classic tropical look you’d expect
Black volcanic sand — a direct marker of the island’s geological past
Pink sand — yes, it’s real, and Padar is one of only eight places on earth where you’ll find it naturally

The colors shift depending on the time of day, the angle of light, and the tides. In other words, no two visits look exactly the same.

Dramatic Volcanic Topography

The island itself looks almost prehistoric. Jagged volcanic ridges, deep bays carved by centuries of erosion, a semi-arid landscape covered in savanna and dry brush — and surrounding all of it, the most intense shade of blue water you’ve ever seen.

That contrast between the dry rugged terrain and the ocean below is what makes every photo from this island look almost unreal. It’s why the Padar Island drone footage you see online is consistently some of the most striking in all of travel content.

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Planning Your Padar Island Visit from Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo, on Flores Island, is your main gateway. All tours to Komodo National Park depart from here. If you’re putting together a broader Indonesia trip, check out my full Indonesia itinerary from Sumatra to Komodo for context on how Labuan Bajo fits into the bigger picture.

Padar Island Sunrise: What the Morning Actually Looks Like

Here’s the typical Padar Island sunrise visit: you wake up around 3-4am on your boat, hike up to the viewpoint in the dark, and watch the sky shift colors over those three bays as the sun rises. Then you head back down to the boat and make your way to the pink beach on the same island.

Written like that, it sounds basic. In reality, it’s one of those moments that stays with you. The silence, the colors, the scale of it all, it hits different when you’re standing there.

Day Tour Option

If you’re short on time or working with a tight budget, a Padar Island tour as a day trip from Labuan Bajo is a solid option. You’ll hit several key spots in Komodo National Park – including Padar – in a single day via speedboat.

It’s fast, efficient, and works well if you can only spare one day. That said, you’ll be moving quickly and sharing the experience with a big group.

Check out this full-day Komodo speedboat tour on GetYourGuide

Multi-Day Boat Tour: My Pick

This is what I did, and I’d recommend it without hesitation. A 3-day sailing tour gives you time to actually breathe, explore multiple islands, swim, snorkel, and not feel rushed at every stop.

There are options at various price points — here are two worth looking at:

If you’re already considering a multi-day boat adventure, you’ve made the right call.

Flying a Drone at Padar Island

As a travel content creator, I always travel with my drone. And there are a few things you need to know before you show up with yours.

Drone Permit at the Sunrise Viewpoint

You need a permit to fly at the viewpoint, and there’s no getting around it. The viewpoint is compact, and there’s a ranger stationed right there to check.

You can get the permit on arrival at the island, there’s a small ranger house with a posted price list. I got mine sorted in advance through my tour company. And the price? At the time of my visit in January 2025, it was around 2,100,000 IDR – roughly €100.

That’s steep. You get to fly for however long your group is at the viewpoint, which in my case wasn’t that long, we had the pink beach waiting right after.

Honest take: a bit expensive for what it is. But if having drone footage of the sunrise at Padar Island is your goal, there’s no way around it at the official viewpoint.

Drone at the Pink Beach

After the viewpoint, we moved to the pink beach, also on Padar Island. My permit was still technically valid, so I flew freely there. Here’s the thing though: the pink beach is only accessible by boat, there are no rangers patrolling it, and pretty much every guide and traveler with a drone was flying without a permit.

So the honest reality: I was the only one who paid the €100 at the viewpoint. At the pink beach, nobody checks. I got incredible photos and footage either way, but was the permit worth €100? Genuinely not sure.

Nevertheless, whether you fly your drone or not, one thing I always recommend before any trip to a remote destination like this, get travel insurance. Boat trips, hikes at 4am, volcanic terrain, things can happen. Better to be covered.

A Few Recommendations Before You Go

Visit in the First Half of the Year, Seriously

Most Western backpackers plan their big trips around July and August, during their summer holidays. The photos you’ll see from that period show Padar baked dry under a harsh sun, brown hills, no vegetation.

I visited in January 2025, deep in the rainy season. And look, the island was covered in lush green. Fresh grass, green trees, the whole landscape transformed. It contrasts so sharply with the blue water that it almost looks like a different place. It’s worth it.

The Rainy Season and Boat Availability

The rainy season runs roughly December to March. Doing a multi-day boat tour during this period comes with some risk, weather can be unpredictable, and seas can get rough.

But the rewards are real: fewer tourists, more intimate experiences, and that stunning green vegetation. If you’re planning a rainy season trip, here’s the key thing: book your boat well in advance. Most tour companies do maintenance on their boats between December and March, which means far fewer boats are available. Availability gets tight fast.

Ready to Watch the Sunrise at Padar Island?

Padar Island is one of those places I genuinely hadn’t seen anything like before. The shape of it, the three bays, the way the ridges drop into the ocean — it’s unlike anything else. You need to see it with your own eyes.

If you’re building your Indonesia trip, start with my full one-month Indonesia itinerary — and if you’re looking for where to base yourself before the Komodo trip, my guide to where to stay in Bali is a good read too.

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I'm Hugo, a traveler driven by curiosity and a passion for discovering the world's hidden corners. After exploring over 30 countries across Latin America and Southeast Asia, I've learned that every adventure shapes who we become. I'm here to share those lessons and inspire your next great journey.

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