Labuan Bajo is a fishing town located at the western end of the large island of Flores in the East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia.

Once a small fishing village, Labuan Bajo (also spelled Labuhanbajo and Labuanbajo) is now a tourist center as well as a centre of government for the surrounding region.

Wae Rebo Village, 5 hours away by car and another 4.5 km on foot, can be visited to learn about the indigenous culture of the area.

There are numerous diving sites in the islands close to Labuan Bajo - but in some places currents can be dangerously strong and much carefulness is required - notably at Batu Bolong site (whose name means "hole in the rock", in the Linta Strait), also called "Current City" for that reason[10][11] To the north are Sabolon kecil, Sabolon besar and Seraya kecil; to the west are Sebayur (outside Komodo park), Tatawa besar and Tatawa kechil (within the park[12]), Karang Makassar (Manta Point),[10] Kanawa,[13] Mauan,[14] The Cauldron[15] and many more.

The location of Labuan Bajo at the tip of Flores Island makes it the initial destination for incoming tourists.

[16] Facilities to support tourist activities are expanding quickly but the rapid rise in the numbers of visitors is imposing some strain on the local environment.

A 2023 documentary by Dandhy Laksono has highlighted problems such as marginalization of local people, denial of indigenous peoples' rights, privatization of coastal areas and water resources, destruction of forests, control by big business players with strong political connections, and the resistance by residents to defend their living space.

"[23] Those people have lived on Komodo island for over a thousand years, but in the name of tourism development the gouvernment has declared them to be "wild settlers" and wants them out: in the national park, "There will be no human rights, only animal rights," says governor Victor Laiskodat[21] Which raises questions about the existence of the luxury Komodo resort[a] on Sebayur Besar island.

[25] In regard to employment, tourism development has created job opportunities for the local population;[19] but a 2017 assessment underlined the low wages,[26][b] the high proportion of businesses which do not fully comply with labour laws, insufficient provision of social security throughout the industry and a lack of structured efforts in staff training - which limits career perspectives.

[citation needed] The wider area produces fish and palm oil; there is also a large amount of subsistence agriculture in the villages in the region where living standards are still low.