Komodo National Park (KNP) has secured its place among the BBC Travel’s 20 Best Travel Destinations for 2026, joining a global list of locations recognised for offering meaningful travel experiences while supporting local communities and protecting the environment.
The annual list focuses on destinations that use tourism as a force for good. According to the BBC, these places welcome visitors responsibly and encourage travel that has a positive impact on nature and culture.
“To compile this list, we enlisted the help of BBC staff, our trusted journalists, and some of the world’s leading authorities on sustainable tourism to identify places that enthusiastically welcome visitors, and where your trip can have a positive impact,” the publication wrote on its website on Sunday (14 December 2025).
Located off the coast of Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Komodo National Park is recognised for its rare wildlife, fragile marine ecosystems, and ongoing conservation efforts. The BBC cited prehistoric species, coral reef preservation, and habitat protection as key reasons for its inclusion.
“Rising from the turquoise Flores Sea, the Komodo Islands remain one of the planet’s greatest wildlife theaters,” the outlet wrote.
The national park is home to landscapes that combine land and sea in close proximity. “Within this UNESCO World Heritage-listed national park, pink-sand beaches meet rolling savannah hills, coral gardens teem with manta rays, and the world’s last population of Komodo dragons roam free.”
The BBC also noted that 2026 will mark the park’s 45th anniversary, a milestone Indonesia plans to celebrate with new initiatives aimed at long-term sustainability. These include “new conservation programs and visitor management measures designed to protect the dragons and their fragile coral reefs.”
Accessibility is also improving. According to the BBC, “Improved access, direct flights from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to the Bajo islands, make them even more accessible,” opening the destination to a wider international audience.
Pink Beaches, Coral Gardens, and Komodo Dragons
Beyond its global recognition, the Komodo Islands continue to attract attention for their natural diversity. One of the most famous sites is Pink Beach, located on Komodo Island itself.
As reported by Kompas.com on 15 August 2025, Pink Beach was previously named the most beautiful beach in the world in 2025 by international travel experts. The beach is known for its distinctive colour and calm coastal setting.
“Pink Beach on Komodo Island offers a stretch of ‘rose’ sand where reef fish twinkle and starfish hang from coral gardens. Beyond the shoreline, rolling green hills roll like velvet in the UNESCO-listed Komodo National Park,” Forbes wrote on Sunday (14 December 2025).
Kompas.com explained that the pink hue comes from a natural blend of white sand and fragments of red coral. These fragments originate from microscopic organisms known as Foraminifera. Over time, ocean waves carry the coral particles onto the shore, where they mix with the sand and create the beach’s soft pink tone.
This phenomenon makes Pink Beach one of only a few pink sand beaches in the world. The surrounding waters are equally rich. Coral gardens support a wide range of marine life, including manta rays that glide through the currents near the islands.
On land, Komodo National Park remains the only place on Earth where wild Komodo dragons still roam freely in their natural habitat. Together with its marine ecosystems and conservation focus, the park continues to stand out as one of Indonesia’s most significant natural treasures.
