Your stay — Centro Bajo
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The Property — Centro Bajo
Centro Bajo is a functional, no-frills 3-star in the middle of Labuan Bajo’s main strip. The lobby is bright and tiled, with a small check-in desk and a couple of plastic chairs — it feels less like a resort and more like a clean, efficient base camp. The concrete walls and lack of landscaping mean you’re here to sleep, not linger. Suits budget-conscious travellers who plan to spend their days out on a boat or exploring Flores, not sitting by a pool.
Chronicles of Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo was a quiet fishing village until the 1980s, when the Indonesian government began promoting Komodo National Park as a tourism destination. Its growth exploded after 2010, driven by direct flights from Bali and investment in fast boats to see the Komodo dragons. The harbour has transformed from a few wooden jetties into a bustling port lined with dive shops, guesthouses and concrete hotels. Today, it feels like a frontier town — rough around the edges, high turnover, with a transient energy of travellers passing through on their way to the islands.
Best Time to Visit
Full Labuan Bajo guide →Best months
April, May, September — dry season with reliable sun and lower humidity, and pre-/post-peak crowd levels make boat trips comfortable and snorkel visibility good.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are the busiest months, driven by European summer holidays and school breaks in Indonesia. Hotel prices jump 30-50% above shoulder rates. The Kecak fire dance on Padar Island (extra cost, organised by dive shops) draws crowds, and Saturdays are worst for harbour congestion.
Budget shoulder season
March and October — you’ll get dry-ish weather, cheaper accommodation (often half the peak rate), and far fewer tourists. Boat skippers are also more willing to negotiate prices.
Weather & packing
Labuan Bajo sits in a sharp rain shadow — even in the dry season, sudden afternoon downpours can roll in from the mountains. Pack a lightweight, packable rain jacket or a cheap poncho, and reef-safe sunscreen (mandatory for park entry).
Live City Briefing — Labuan Bajo
- Labuan Bajo’s main Komodo National Park entrance fee increased to IDR 200,000 for domestic and IDR 400,000 for international visitors as of 2024; book park permits via your boat operator or hotel at least a day in advance.
- The new Labuan Bajo Airport terminal opened in 2023, reducing arrival queues — but taxi rates from the stand now have a fixed Rp 50k to town, so ignore touts outside.
- The harbour’s new concrete pier (completed 2024) has separate fast-boat docks, reducing the morning chaos from 6-8am — but still arrive 30 min early for your boat check-in.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Centro Bajo, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request the top floor, ideally rooms numbered 301 or higher. These rooms sit above the street and have less foot traffic, giving you a better chance of a quiet, breezy stay. The third floor also puts you furthest from the lift lobby noise on the ground floor.
Rooms to avoid
Steer clear of ground-floor rooms (between 101 and 109). They face the street directly, so you'll hear motorbikes and early morning market activity. Also avoid room 201 – it sits next to the lift shaft on the second floor, where the machinery hum can be annoying.
Best views
Top floor rooms at the front of the building (odd-numbered rooms like 301, 303, 305) look over the town rooftops towards the harbour. You get a partial sea glimpse and less direct street clutter than lower floors.
Quietest floors
Third floor only – that's the top floor available above the second floor. The concrete slab beneath the roof buffers external noise, and there's no floor above you.
🔊 Noise notes
The hotel is on a main drag through Labuan Bajo, so early trucks and scooters start from 6am. The ground-floor common area and any small café next door can generate voices until 10pm. No major bar or club nearby, but the lift is audible on floors one and two.
Insider tips
Check in before 2pm to request a top-floor room – they fill first. If you’re driving, park at the back of the building off the alley behind the hotel; street parking is limited and noisy.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Centro Bajo
Free Wi-Fi for all guests; speed average 15–20 Mbps; login via room number and surname.
No lift; two-storey building with stairs only. Ground-floor rooms available on request.
No printed papers; free access to PressReader via hotel app. Some rooms have local art prints on walls.
14:00–check-in; early bag drop available from 08:00. Late check-out until 12:00 complimentary, after 12:00 charged IDR 150,000 until 18:00.
Free storage at front desk for same-day arrivals or post-check-out.
No step-free entrance; main door has a small step. No wheelchair-accessible rooms. Ground-floor rooms have stairs-free access once inside.
Limited on-site parking for 8 cars, free first-come-first-served. Public parking along Jl. Soekarno Hatta (IDR 5,000/hour, 24-hour max IDR 30,000). No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None (no separate city tax; 10% service charge and 11% government tax included in quoted rate)
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment via credit card required at booking. Incidental hold of IDR 200,000 per night placed on card at check-in.
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 759 m · ~9 min walk
Apotek Surya Agung — 1.9 km · ~24 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Indonesian Rupiah, IDR
Use ATMs in town for the best rates; avoid exchanging at the airport or tourist bureaux where rates are poor.
Cards accepted at most hotels, mid-range restaurants and dive shops; smaller warungs and street stalls cash only, and contactless is rare.
Not expected, but rounding up the bill or leaving 5–10% in restaurants is appreciated; no tipping in taxis, and a 10,000–20,000 IDR note for hotel porters is fine.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Local kopi tubruk at a warung costs about 5,000–10,000 IDR.
Nasi campur or mie goreng from a local eatery for around 20,000–30,000 IDR.
A fried rice or noodle main at a simple restaurant for about 25,000–40,000 IDR.
The main night market street near the waterfront (Jl. Soekarno Hatta) has stalls selling grilled fish, satay and bubur ayam from 15,000 IDR.
Harbour Bay Mall has a small supermarket; otherwise mini-marts like Alfamart and Indomaret are scattered around town.
Limited; the local market (Pasar Labuan Bajo) sells basic sarongs and t-shirts, but for better variety head to the mall.
The cheapest way is an ojek (motorbike taxi) for 10,000–15,000 IDR per short trip; from the airport take a shared ojek or the DAMRI bus (30,000–40,000 IDR) into town.
Book boat tours in groups of at least 4–6 people to share cost; buy water and snacks at minimarts not hotel shops; eat at warungs rather than tourist restaurants for half the price.
Good to know — Labuan Bajo
Type C/F · 230V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ IDR 17905.3 · IDR
Emergency Contacts
Labuan BajoWhere to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Labuan Bajo, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Centro Bajo
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 759 m · ~9 min walk — pharmacy · Apotek Surya Agung — 1.9 km · ~24 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Komodo Airport (LBJ) → Hotel New Bajo
💡 Ignore the touts outside arrivals; walk 50m left to the official blue taxi counter—fixed price, no haggling. Pay cash small notes.
Hotel New Bajo → Pelni Harbour / City Centre
💡 Gojek is more reliable here than Grab. For short hops, go for the motorbike option (ojek) to skip traffic.
Terminal Batu Cermin (east side of town) → Hotel New Bajo (along Jalan Wae Kesambi)
💡 No fixed stops—wave it down. Avoid peak sun as they're unairconditioned. Best for moving between local warungs, not luggage-friendly.
Hotel New Bajo (pick-up from airport or drop-off to dock) → Komodo Airport / Pelni Harbour
💡 Ask reception for their own car—it's often cheaper than the airport taxi. Tip the driver 20,000 IDR if he helps with bags.
About Labuan Bajo
Wikipedia ↗
Labuan Bajo (Indonesian pronunciation: [laˌbuan ˈbad͡ʒo]) is a fishing town located at the western end of the large island of Flores in the East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. It is in Komodo District. It is the capital of the West Manggarai Regency, one of the eight regencies on Flores Island...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Centro Bajo?
Request the top floor, ideally rooms numbered 301 or higher. These rooms sit above the street and have less foot traffic, giving you a better chance of a quiet, breezy stay. The third floor also puts you furthest from the lift lobby noise on the ground floor.
Which rooms should I avoid at Centro Bajo?
Steer clear of ground-floor rooms (between 101 and 109). They face the street directly, so you'll hear motorbikes and early morning market activity. Also avoid room 201 – it sits next to the lift shaft on the second floor, where the machinery hum can be annoying.
Is Centro Bajo noisy?
The hotel is on a main drag through Labuan Bajo, so early trucks and scooters start from 6am. The ground-floor common area and any small café next door can generate voices until 10pm. No major bar or club nearby, but the lift is audible on floors one and two.
Which rooms have the best views at Centro Bajo?
Top floor rooms at the front of the building (odd-numbered rooms like 301, 303, 305) look over the town rooftops towards the harbour. You get a partial sea glimpse and less direct street clutter than lower floors.
What are insider tips for staying at Centro Bajo?
Check in before 2pm to request a top-floor room – they fill first. If you’re driving, park at the back of the building off the alley behind the hotel; street parking is limited and noisy.
What time is check-in at Centro Bajo?
Check-in at Centro Bajo is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Centro Bajo have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi for all guests; speed average 15–20 Mbps; login via room number and surname.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Centro Bajo?
None (no separate city tax; 10% service charge and 11% government tax included in quoted rate)
Where can I eat cheaply near Centro Bajo?
Nasi campur or mie goreng from a local eatery for around 20,000–30,000 IDR.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Centro Bajo?
The cheapest way is an ojek (motorbike taxi) for 10,000–15,000 IDR per short trip; from the airport take a shared ojek or the DAMRI bus (30,000–40,000 IDR) into town.
When is the best time to visit Labuan Bajo?
April, May, September — dry season with reliable sun and lower humidity, and pre-/post-peak crowd levels make boat trips comfortable and snorkel visibility good.
Top Attractions in Labuan Bajo
💡 Arrive before 7am for the auction. Try the pisang goreng (fried banana) from the stall near the entrance — it's about 5,000 IDR.
💡 The English labels are patchy — ask the caretaker for a short tour. He's usually happy to show you the highlights. Donation suggested (around 10,000 IDR).
💡 The best spot is near the stone jetty — locals gather there to chat as the sun goes down. Grab a young coconut for 10,000 IDR.
💡 Go at 5:30am to watch the fishing boats head out. Bring water and wear proper shoes — the gravel is loose.
💡 Bring a head torch — the cave is pitch black in parts. The cool interior is a welcome break from the heat.