Padar Island Video

The video shows visitors trekking up the hill and an overall view from the top of the hill. You can see the entire island plus Komodo Island is the far distance.

Below is the Padar Island video which was shot and edited by me. 

In total, there are three types of beaches found on Padar Island, a normal white sand beach, black sand beach, and a pink sand beach.

However, the journey here only allows you to trek up the hill for the majestic view and not to explore the entire island.

It is said that Padar Island is one of the islands that you may find Komodo Dragons, but on my two trips here, I never did see any. 

I will be honest and say that it was not as easy as I thought it would be. The first time when I came here in 2015, I only made it up halfway and turned back down.

This was simply because of the time limit we had plus my hiking stamina was not there. So, the second time I visited Padar Island in 2016, I was well prepared, physically and mentally.

If your health is not that good or has weak knees, I would strongly recommend you do not attempt hiking up Padar Island.

However, if you are determined to do so, you can. Just keep in mind that you need to take a very slow trek up.

Update: Somewhere in 2018, the authorities created a stairway up to the peak of Padar Island, therefore making it easy to get to the viewpoint.

Panoramic photo of Padar Island. Click to see the full image. The photo was taken with Oppo F1S.

How Long Does It Take To Trek Up Padar Island?

In general, it takes about 30 minutes to trek up to the top of the hill. For those not in good shape, be prepared to spend at least 45 minutes to trek.

When you reach the peak of Padar Island, you will be rewarded with the best view of the entire island. The first part is a basic trek and caution needs to be observed.

Once you reach the halfway point, the trek becomes a little harder and here, you should be cautious as the path has a lot of gravel.

I recommend using proper trekking shoes to go up, but sadly when I went up, I saw many people using just flip flops.

Along the trek, there will be areas where many people make a rest stop and also to see the view. The final stretch up will lead you through rock walks and more gravel.

The trick is to take your time and be careful. Once you reach the peak, you will be rewarded with a magnificent overall view.

The story behind this place is that a few years ago, some people went up and took selfies and also stunning landscape photographs.

They then posted it on social media where it became viral and eventually Indonesians wanted to also get this epic selfie photograph on Padar Island.

Another selfie trend is that many people brought scarves or flags to hold it up there and have the photo taken.

On my last trip up in September 2016, I noticed middle-aged locals struggling to make their way up to the viewpoint.

The best part – they were dressed as if they were going to an event. Basically, they dressed up to get that epic selfie shot once they reached the peak.

View from the first hill of Padar Island, this is where the boats stop

When is the Best Time to visit Padar Island?

I would suggest going first thing in the morning before the general tourists start coming up. Plus the sky would be beautifully blue and overall clear.

This is where you will get the best photographs and selfie photos. If you come during or after lunch, the sun would be blistering hot and there would be a lot of people.

Plus you would have to wait your turn to take that epic shot and there would be tons of people all over your photo.

So, first thing in the morning, head up here, get your photo and then visit Rinca, Komodo Island, and Pink Beach.

If you are planning to visit this place, do read about how to get to Komodo Island which I wrote about and also this article on what to do in Labuan Bajo if you are staying there.

Also, the best way to get here is by taking a flight into Labuan Bajo, Flores. Note that you may require a minimum of three to four days here but I honestly recommend spending at least four to five days in Labuan Bajo to fully experience this place.

This trip was an initiative by Skyscanner Indonesia to promote some of the beautiful places around Indonesia. This is a personal travel blog site.

The opinions and comments expressed here are purely my own. If you have any comments on my Padar Island video, I would love to hear them and if you have any questions, please do ask in the comment form.