Your stay — Gio's place
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The Property — Gio's place
Gio's Place is a modest three-star guesthouse a short walk from Labuan Bajo's harbour. The small lobby feels more like a friend's front room than a hotel desk, with a tired sofa, a fan spinning overhead, and a noticeboard covered with boat-tour leaflets. Rooms are basic but clean, with air-con and hot water, and a small rooftop terrace offers sunrise glimpses over the bay. It's a sound budget base for travellers who plan to be out diving or island-hopping all day and just need a safe bed for the night.
Chronicles of Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo was a sleepy fishing village on Flores' western tip until the 1990s, when backpackers discovered it as the gateway to Komodo National Park. The town expanded rapidly after Komodo Airport was upgraded in the 2010s, and tourism dollars replaced fishing as the main economy. Architecturally, the original stilted wooden houses along the waterfront are being replaced by concrete hotels and dive shops. Today it's a bustling, dusty frontier town with a transient energy—more launchpad than destination—where the main street is lined with travel agencies, warungs, and souvenir stalls. The local culture remains Manggarai, but the town's identity is now overwhelmingly defined by the dragon-viewing boats that come and go each morning.
Best Time to Visit
Full Labuan Bajo guide →Best months
April to June: stable dry season, calm seas, and fewer tourists than July-August. October also works, though it's hotter and the haze from burning fields can reduce visibility.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are the absolute peak: European summer holidays, dive-festival crowds, and Komodo cruises booked solid. Hotel prices often double. The Labuan Bajo Festival (usually in August) adds extra demand. Expect queues at the airport and packed boats.
Budget shoulder season
September and early November are good shoulder months: the crowds thin, hotel rates drop 20-30%, the seas are still calm, and the weather remains dry. Flights are cheaper too.
Weather & packing
Labuan Bajo has a distinct dry season from April to November, but even then a sudden tropical downpour can appear and vanish within an hour. Pack a lightweight rain jacket and quick-dry shorts year-round; flip-flops are standard footwear, but bring one pair of closed-toe sandals for rocky trails on Rinca and Komodo islands.
Live City Briefing — Labuan Bajo
- The new Labuan Bajo Airport terminal opened in 2024, handling more flights and shorter queues at arrivals, but taxis from the rank still charge a fixed 50,000 IDR into town — haggle for share-rides.
- Sinkhole damage on the main road to the harbour (Jalan Soekarno Hatta) was repaired in early 2025, but motorbike traffic still chokes the intersection by the fish market during evening rush hour.
- Komodo National Park entry fees are now collected online only — you must buy a ticket via the park's official website before departure, or risk being turned back at the jetty.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Gio's place, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on floors 3 or 4. These are high enough to avoid most street noise but still within easy stairs range if the lift is slow. Rooms at the rear of the building face away from the main road.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the ground floor (noisy from lobby and street) and any room directly above the small bar on the ground floor, as night noise can be an issue. Also skip rooms near the lift shaft on all floors.
Best views
Ask for a rear-facing room on floor 3 or 4. The front overlooks the main road; the rear gives a view of the neighbourhood hills and a glimpse of the harbour from the higher windows.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are the quietest, offering the best balance of height and minimal disturbance from street and lobby noise.
🔊 Noise notes
This is on Labuan Bajo's main road – traffic noise, especially scooters and trucks, is constant during the day and fades after 10pm. The ground-floor bar has music until late on weekends.
Insider tips
Check in early afternoon to secure a rear-facing room – front desks often release these first. If you're a light sleeper, bring earplugs; the thin walls let through hallway noise from other guests.
- 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 — Gio's place
Free WiFi throughout; speeds 10–15 Mbps (sufficient for browsing and video calls); no login or time limit
No lift; three-storey building with stairs only. Ground-floor rooms available on request
No physical newspapers or digital newsstand. Common area has a TV with local channels
Standard check-in 14:00–22:00 daily; early bag drop allowed from 08:00 (free, in shared lounge). Late check-out until 14:00 for IDR 150,000, subject to availability; after 14:00 charges full night
Free, stored in locked office area; available from 08:00 to 20:00
No step-free access; entrance has one step (approx 15 cm). No wheelchair-accessible rooms or bathrooms. Not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility
On-site parking for 6 cars, free (first-come, first-served). Nearest public car park at Labuan Bajo port (500m walk, IDR 20,000 per night). No EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: IDR 15,000 per person per night (tourist tax, paid cash at check-in)
Deposit & card hold: Full stay amount charged at booking; IDR 250,000 incidental hold on card at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Gereja Maria Bunda Segala Bangsa, Wae Kesambi (252 m · ~3 min walk)
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Indonesian Rupiah, IDR
Change money at authorised money changers in town (rates are decent); avoid airport counters and hotel front desks—they take a big cut.
Visa and Mastercard accepted at mid-range hotels, dive shops, and some restaurants; small warungs and market stalls are cash-only. Contactless is rare.
Not expected, but 5–10% in restaurants is appreciated for good service; round up taxi fares; tip dive guides 50,000–100,000 IDR per day.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Kopi tubruk (strong, sweet local coffee) at a street-side warung costs about 10,000–15,000 IDR.
Nasi campur (rice with various sides) at a local eatery runs about 25,000–40,000 IDR.
Mie goreng or nasi goreng with an egg at a simple restaurant for around 30,000–50,000 IDR.
The evening food stalls along the waterfront near the fish market sell grilled fish, satay, and bakso for 15,000–30,000 IDR per portion.
Hypermart in the Lippo Mall is the main supermarket; small minimarkets (Alfamart, Indomaret) are scattered around town.
Pasar Baru (the central market) has cheap T-shirts and sarongs; there are no dedicated budget high-street chains.
Ojek (motorbike taxi) for short trips costs 10,000–20,000 IDR; from the airport, a shared shuttle to town is about 50,000 IDR per person.
Eat at warung for meals (half the price of tourist cafes). Book boat trips in a group from the harbour rather than through a hotel. Avoid buying bottled water at convenience stores—refill at your accommodation for free.
Good to know — Labuan Bajo
Type C/F · 230V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ IDR 18071.15 · 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 Gio's place
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 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 Gio's place?
Request a room on floors 3 or 4. These are high enough to avoid most street noise but still within easy stairs range if the lift is slow. Rooms at the rear of the building face away from the main road.
Which rooms should I avoid at Gio's place?
Avoid rooms on the ground floor (noisy from lobby and street) and any room directly above the small bar on the ground floor, as night noise can be an issue. Also skip rooms near the lift shaft on all floors.
Is Gio's place noisy?
This is on Labuan Bajo's main road – traffic noise, especially scooters and trucks, is constant during the day and fades after 10pm. The ground-floor bar has music until late on weekends.
Which rooms have the best views at Gio's place?
Ask for a rear-facing room on floor 3 or 4. The front overlooks the main road; the rear gives a view of the neighbourhood hills and a glimpse of the harbour from the higher windows.
What are insider tips for staying at Gio's place?
Check in early afternoon to secure a rear-facing room – front desks often release these first. If you're a light sleeper, bring earplugs; the thin walls let through hallway noise from other guests.
What time is check-in at Gio's place?
Check-in at Gio's place is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Gio's place have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi throughout; speeds 10–15 Mbps (sufficient for browsing and video calls); no login or time limit
Is there a city or tourist tax at Gio's place?
IDR 15,000 per person per night (tourist tax, paid cash at check-in)
Where can I eat cheaply near Gio's place?
Nasi campur (rice with various sides) at a local eatery runs about 25,000–40,000 IDR.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Gio's place?
Ojek (motorbike taxi) for short trips costs 10,000–20,000 IDR; from the airport, a shared shuttle to town is about 50,000 IDR per person.
When is the best time to visit Labuan Bajo?
April to June: stable dry season, calm seas, and fewer tourists than July-August. October also works, though it's hotter and the haze from burning fields can reduce visibility.
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.