Ta'aktana, Labuan Bajo: A luxury island resort for slow travel

Business Times

24-07-2025

The sky over Labuan Bajo looked like ink being poured into water – smoky purples and molten orange bleeding across the Flores Sea. Just off the coast, the island silhouettes were jagged and calm, like the spines of sleeping dragons. On the balcony of Ta'aktana Resort & Spa, we paused. No music, no phones, just wind and the rustle of trees.
This was the beginning of something still and slow.
Labuan Bajo, tucked on the western edge of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara, used to be a fishing town with one road, a few homestays, and no one selling sarongs in English. Now it's quietly emerging as one of South-east Asia's more surreal escapes – a gateway to Komodo National Park, a hop from the gorgeous islands of Rinca and Padar, and part of Indonesia's 'Five Super Priority Tourism Destinations' plan.
Sunset paints the Flores sky in a wash of blues, oranges and purples. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
But even with airport upgrades and a sprinkling of new resorts, Labuan Bajo isn't racing anywhere. Roads still wind loosely, chickens casually cross them, and the town is only now getting its first taste of modern shopping centres. You can come here and forget which day it is, and Ta'aktana encourages that.
A new addition to The Luxury Collection by Marriott, Ta'aktana stretches across 16 hectares of what locals call 'ta'aktana' – 'green land' in the indigenous Manggarai language. 'To me, Ta'aktana is a grounding philosophy,' said general manager Peter-Paul Kleiss. 'It speaks of growth, abundance and our connection to the land.'
You don't get the usual fanfare. The check-in area overlooks a quiet bay, where fishing boats bob gently in the water. Staff greet you with chilled tea brewed from island plants. Someone hands you a warm towel with a faint scent of herbs. You're not rushed.
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The best Ta'aktana villas sit above the sea, so you wake up to uninterrupted ocean views. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
The most luxurious villas overlook the sea – the kind of water you'd draw with crayons as a child: shimmering cerulean in the morning, mysterious cobalt by night. Inside, the spaces feel warm and grounded, finished with carved wood, rattan and textured stone. Architectural features such as layered terraces and pitched alang-alang roofs echo the traditional Mbaru Niang homes of the Manggarai people.
'There's a lot to do,' Kleiss told us, 'or it can be the perfect place to do nothing.'
Evenings of quiet luxury
That first evening, we dined at Taba, a robatayaki-style grill perched just above the waterline, where the breeze carried the scent of the sea. Plates of smoky eggplant, grilled squid and catch-of-the-day nigiri arrived one after another, each more surprising than the last. The restaurant looked practically empty, even though the resort was running at near-full capacity.
Taba serves freshly caught sashimi, tsukune and Flores' corn rolls. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
'It's designed to feel empty,' said Kleiss. 'We want guests to feel like they have the whole place to themselves.' No surprise, given there are just 70 guest rooms – 25 villas and 45 suites – spread across 16 hectares.
The next morning, we drove past banana trees and wooden huts to Batu Cermin (Mirror Cave), nestled in the hills outside Labuan Bajo. Inside, the limestone passages narrowed quickly, forcing us to crawl. Overhead, bats slept and fossilised coral clung to the walls – a reminder that this part of Flores once lay beneath the sea.
Later, we headed to Melo Village, where sweeping views of the coast unfolded below. We were greeted by men in woven sarongs and women playing drums and flutes. They presented the Caci dance, a traditional Manggarai martial art performed with whips and shields. It felt like being invited into a memory the village was keeping alive every day.
The Caci dance performed by Melo villagers. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
That night at Umasa, Ta'aktana's signature Indonesian restaurant, dinner felt like a quiet conversation with the land and sea. The courses were served in a traditional rantang (stacked tiffin): tender smoked beef, grilled tuna with sauteed vegetables, squid and eggplant bathed in sambal, and a crisp, golden duck that crackled with every bite. Dessert was something unexpected: caramelised fermented cassava with tapai ice cream.
Much of the produce came either from the ocean or the resort's own edible garden, where torch ginger, lemongrass, and leafy greens are harvested daily. 'It's not only about freshness,' Kleiss explained. 'It's about living more consciously. From the zero-waste cocktails at our bar to the coffee beans sourced directly from Flores, we apply the same philosophy of circularity and care.'
That night, we slept peacefully, as if the land itself had welcomed us.
With only 70 guest rooms spread across 16 hectares, Ta'aktana in Labuan Bajo is designed to feel spacious and secluded, even at full capacity. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
Dragons and dream beaches
On the second morning, a boat took us to Komodo Island. We spotted Komodo dragons – massive, muscular, more prehistoric-looking than majestic. One lay in the sand with its eyes half-shut. Another prowled through the underbush, looking for prey.
'They eat humans,' our guide whispered. 'Some years ago, a Singaporean wandered off by himself to take pictures. He was attacked. He needed 43 stitches.'
We took out our phones to google the story – then took a step back.
Komodo Island is one of the last places on Earth to see wild Komodo dragons. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
We thought Komodo Island would be the highlight. We were wrong.
Not long after, we set off for a tiny sandbar called Taka Makassar, where the famous Pink Beach shimmered – crushed red coral blending into powdery white sand. The water was some of the clearest we'd ever seen. Below the surface was a kaleidoscope of clownfish, anemones, cobalt sea stars. We slipped into our snorkelling gear and swam through it all, wide-eyed, like we were moving in a dream.
In these parts, the beaches appears pink because of the mix of crushed red coral and white sand. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
Back at the resort, we stopped by Di'a Spa. Inspired by the limestone caves of Flores, the space felt cool and hushed: stone-lined walls, soft curves, dim lighting, and the gentle trickle of water. 'Di'a means 'you' and 'beauty,'' Kleiss had said. 'It's where we invite guests to reconnect – with themselves, with nature, with stillness.'
Inside, the experience was deeply rooted in the island. Treatments drew on local culture – body wraps using island-sourced botanicals, coffee-based scrubs made from Flores beans, and massage techniques inspired by ancient healing practices. We slipped into the rhythm of the land itself.
Our last dinner was a surprise: a seafood buffet set up right on the beach. Wooden stalls lined the shore in the style of warongs – Indonesia's laid-back roadside eateries – each one serving something different, from freshly grilled seafood to traditional and modern desserts.
A surprise beachside seafood buffet with grilled catch, local sweets and sea breeze. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
We wandered from stall to stall, plates in hand. Overhead, bamboo lanterns cast light onto plates piled with grilled crab, tamarind-glazed octopus, and sambal clams. The tide murmured in the background, while the speakers played Indonesian pop – like the kind you'd hear in a real warong.
Life was good. The only thing we didn't have was a bigger stomach.
A soft, sad departure
On our final morning, some returned to the spa, while others headed for the jetty, where there were complimentary paddleboards, water bikes and snorkels. The sea was calm. The sky was still. In the distance, fishermen moved across the horizon.
Slip into the water and explore the reef beneath the villas. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
Ta'aktana doesn't insist. It simply offers. You can kayak or you can sleep in. Visit dragons or nap in the shade. The resort doesn't sell silence – but it makes space for it.
At checkout, it struck us how the place had slipped under our skin. Already in town, a few new European cafes had opened in the past few months. We wondered how long Labuan Bajo could remain untouched.
But Kleiss is more optimistic. 'This place has started attracting a more diverse group of travellers looking for lifestyle-driven spaces to dine and unwind – not just Komodo dragons. I do believe this tourism ecosystem will expand. And the key will be to grow mindfully, with collaborations between local communities, businesses and the government.'
Leaving behind the view of the island's tranquil bay was hard. PHOTO: TA'AKTANA
As we drove into the airport, a huge sign read: 'I Love Labuan Bajo'.
After a few days at Ta'aktana, it didn't feel like a tagline. It felt true.
The writer was a guest of Ta'aktana Resort & Spa. Scoot is launching direct flights to Labuan Bajo in October 2025.