Are there Komodo dragons on the islands you visit during the Riung boat tour?

We have not found evidence of Komodo dragons on Ontoloe or any of the islands visited on a standard 17 Islands boat day. The documented Komodo/mbou population near Riung is at Torong Padang, a mainland peninsula, not one of the marine park's islands.

What is Bukit Latung and how do I get there?

Bukit Latung is a hill in Desa Latung, Kecamatan Riung, reported by local news as a viewpoint for sunset over the 17 Islands. Ask locally in Riung village for directions or a guide, as we do not have a verified independent access route to publish here.

Can I visit Torong Padang on the same day as the boat tour?

They are different activities in different directions — the boat tour goes out to sea, while Torong Padang is a mainland peninsula trek. Combining both in one day is possible in theory but would be a long day; most visitors treat them as separate outings on separate days.

Is snorkeling gear included in the boat tour price?

This varies by operator. See our boat tour page for what is and isn't typically included, bring your own mask if you have a preferred fit, and confirm what is included when you negotiate the boat rate.

How many nights should I stay to cover the main things to do in Riung Flores?

Two nights is the minimum that feels sensible: arrive from Bajawa or Ende, sleep, then do a full day out on the 17 Islands before leaving the following morning. Three nights lets you add Bukit Latung and a slow village/harbour walk, or Torong Padang. With four nights you can factor in a full rest or weather buffer, useful in the wet season when sea conditions can change quickly.

How hot does it get in Riung during the day and what does that mean for hiking and snorkelling?

Riung is low and exposed, so daytime temperatures in the dry season often sit in the low to mid-30s°C with strong sun and limited shade on the islands. Humidity rises in the wet months. Plan hikes at Bukit Latung or Torong Padang for early morning or late afternoon, and treat midday as boat-and-water time. Our packing guide for Riung covers sun protection and hydration in more depth.

Wooden jetty reaching over clear turquoise water toward a low green island

Things to do

The boat day is the headline. It is not the whole bill.

Six things worth your time at Riung, and an honest note on the ones we could not document.

Beyond island-hopping there is the flying-fox colony at Pulau Kalong, the sunset climb up Bukit Latung, the dragon habitat at Torong Padang, and the harbour town itself.

Snorkelling at the Pulau Bampa reef.
Bats leaving the mangroves at dusk.
Bukit Latung for the view over all seventeen.

What to do

Six that are worth the day

Each of these is documented. What is not documented, we say so further down.

Snorkeller floating above a shallow reef in clear water off Flores

Island-hopping

Three to five stops, snorkelling over shallow reef between them.

Manjarite, west Flores — representative. Photo: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

Flying foxes lifting off a mangrove island at dusk

Pulau Kalong at dusk

The flying foxes lift off the mangroves in their thousands, for the better part of an hour.

Kalong Island, Labuan Bajo — same species, same dusk flight. Photo: Khoirul Amri / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Bukit Latung

The documented sunset viewpoint. You see why the count of seventeen was always approximate.

Representative. Photo: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

Green island rising above turquoise shallows

Torong Padang

A customary peninsula that is also documented Komodo dragon habitat. Go with someone local.

Representative. Photo: Hotel Kaesong / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Wooden boats drawn up on the shore at Riung under an orange dusk sky

The village & harbour

A working fishing settlement. Walk it at four, when the boats come back.

Riung. Photo: MANSURKOI / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Empty sand beach along the Flores coastline

The outer beaches

Swimming and beach time on the outer islands, once the snorkelling stops are done.

Flores coast — representative. Photo: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

Dense hard coral growing on a shallow reef in Flores waters — Flores waters. Photo: Miranda Rachellina / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What we will not claim

The activities we left out

Other sites list diving, dolphin tours and waterfall trips at Riung. We could not document a permanent dive operator, a licensed dolphin operator, or a waterfall inside reasonable reach.

They may exist. Until we can point at something better than another listicle, they stay off this page.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to put dates on it?

Riung boats are arranged locally, at the pier. For the Komodo leg or a full Flores itinerary, the reservations desk answers on WhatsApp.

Book with Komodo Luxury

The boat day is the headline. It is not the whole bill.