How Komodo site quotas work, and why sources disagree on Padar

By Komodo Cabin Charter Editorial Desk

Yes. Neptune Liveaboards reports a limit of 1,000 people daily for the park's main sites since 1 April 2026, with advance registration and no walk-in tickets. Other sources describe timed sessions and limits at individual sites, but they disagree on the split, and on Padar they give three different figures. We set those out here and do not choose among them.

What is the daily cap?

The headline figure comes from Neptune Liveaboards: 1,000 a day for the main sites together. On its account the rule took effect on 1 April 2026, covers everyone through the SiOra booking system, and leaves no tickets to buy at the gate. Jakarta Globe tied the decision to crowding on the Padar trail, which the forestry minister likened to a busy marketplace. Komodo Island Tour, an agent, reports that the park authority recorded over 300,000 visits in 2024, which gives a sense of the pressure behind the decision.

The figure may not be the whole picture for late 2026. Samara Liveaboard, an operator citing the park authority, reports that the annual allocation was fully booked and that at least 500 extra daily places were added in stages for September to December 2026. We have not matched that against an official announcement. It suggests that the cap has already been adjusted once in response to demand. Neptune also expects some June to September dates to fill, so the cap can bite even when a seller still has cabins.

How do the timed sessions work?

The daily quota is reported as split into three windows. This comes from Komodo Island Tour.

The gap in the middle of the day stands out: on this account no session opens between 11:00 and 15:00. The guesthouse Casa de Capulet describes a registration tied to a date, named sites and one session, with a QR ticket to follow. Samara Liveaboard reports a date lock on e-tickets from September 2026. Whether a guest who misses a session can use a later one on the same day is something our sources do not address, so ask the party holding your registration.

What limits apply to individual sites?

Sources report site limits, but not the same limits, and they do not even divide the park in the same way. Komodo Island Tour names land sites, while Casa de Capulet names islands and an area. Samara Liveaboard gives a figure for Padar only.

Read the columns separately, because each is a different account of the same system. Casa de Capulet's four figures add up to 1,000, which suggests it is describing how the whole daily cap is shared out. Komodo Island Tour's figures are lower and are described as caps on land sites, which may be measuring something else. We cannot confirm either reading.

Why do sources disagree on Padar?

We do not know, and we will not name a correct figure. The three figures come from an agent, a guesthouse and an operator, all of whom have reasons to follow the rules closely, and none of them shows the document behind the number.

A few explanations are possible, and these are our own reasoning rather than anything a source states:

• Different units. One figure is per session and the others read as daily or as a share of the daily cap, so they may not be directly comparable.
• Different moments. Rules moved during 2026, and a figure that was right when written may have been overtaken. Casa de Capulet's guide was checked in August 2026, while the extra places Samara reports came later in the year.
• Different things counted. A trail limit, an island limit and a session size could each be reported under the name Padar. Samara's per-session number is close to the park-wide session size in the table above, which may or may not be a coincidence.

For a buyer, the disagreement has one firm consequence. If Padar is the reason you are going, do not rely on a general statement that places remain. Ask whether your party is registered for Padar, on your date, in which session, and ask to see the ticket when it exists.

Do marine sites have boat limits?

One agent says so. Komodo Island Tour's examples are Karang Makassar, at up to 32 boats a day, and Batu Bolong, at 8, where each group also gets only 20 minutes. Casa de Capulet's figure for the Manta Point area counts people rather than boats. Treat these single reports as indications of how the system works.

The effect on a trip is easy to picture. A cap on boats means a site can be out of reach even when your own party has a park ticket, and a time limit means a stop can be brief. Neither says anything about what you will see once there. Labuan Bajo Tourism cautions that wild animals are not guaranteed at Manta Point, and that the tide has its say before anyone swims, so a slot at the site is a chance to look for mantas and nothing more.

What does this change for your trip?

Mostly the order in which you settle things. A cabin on a boat and a place at a site are two separate matters, and both should be nailed down before you treat a trip as fixed.

The process itself, including who can use SiOra and what you must send, is covered in our guide to park permits. To see how sessions and sailing rules fit together over a day, read our page on the typical daily schedule. Timing your request around these constraints is the subject of our booking lead times page.

What other questions do readers ask about site quotas?

Is there a limit on visitors to Komodo National Park?

Yes. Neptune Liveaboards gives 1,000 people a day for the main sites together, in force since 1 April 2026. Samara Liveaboard reports extra daily places added for the last months of 2026.

What is the daily limit on Padar?

We cannot give one reliable number. Komodo Island Tour reports 60 a day, Casa de Capulet roughly 200, and Samara Liveaboard 300 per session across three sessions. Ask whether your own party is registered for Padar, on which date and in which session.

Can I buy a park ticket on the island on the day?

No. Neptune Liveaboards reports that there are no walk-in tickets, and Casa de Capulet says individuals cannot create bookings in the reservation system. On that guide's account, your boat operator registers you in advance, using the passport details you send.

Will the extra places continue in 2027?

We do not know. Samara Liveaboard reports added places for September to December 2026, and we have seen nothing covering 2027. If you are planning that far ahead, ask the operator what it knows, and treat any answer as provisional until your registration exists.

Do boats need clearance of their own as well?

Yes. Neptune Liveaboards reports that vessels pay their own daily park ticket and a harbour charge, and that since June 2026 West Manggarai Regency has made settlement of its taxes a condition of sailing clearance. Those charges are separate from your own registration.

Which sources support this page?

Each column and figure belongs to the source named. None of them is the park authority's own published tariff or quota notice, and we say so because you may wish to weigh them accordingly.

• Neptune Liveaboards, park fees guide
• Jakarta Globe: report on the visitor cap
• Komodo Island Tour: report on the 2026 entry rules
• Samara Liveaboard: guide to park regulations
• Casa de Capulet: guesthouse guide to booking the park
• Labuan Bajo Tourism: three-day cruise guide

How do I reach the desk?

Give the desk your date and the sites you care about most, and say which of the seller questions above remain unanswered. WhatsApp +62 811-3941-4563 or email bd@juaraholding.com. A reply cannot secure a place. On Casa de Capulet's account, only a licensed operator can register you.