Recurring Incident: Foreign Tourists Deceived Again In Labuan Bajo

An English tourist named Mattew (35) fell victim to a scam while vacationing in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, on Sunday (20/7/2025). He was deceived while looking for alternative snorkeling trips via social media. "Upon arrival, it turned out there were no snorkeling spots as promised, and we were taken back home," Mattew stated. This incident is not isolated, as 20 other tourists previously experienced similar scams while attempting to cross to Komodo Island.

What is the chronology of the scam involving the English tourist? Mattew and his companion had initially booked a snorkeling trip to Komodo National Park (TNK). However, they later sought alternative spots through a Facebook group.

Mattew's post was subsequently responded to by a man identified as YP (29), who offered a snorkeling trip to Nuca Molas or Mules Island.

"We were planning to go snorkeling at a good location because we had previously booked a trip to Komodo, so I posted on Facebook, hoping someone could take us to a good snorkeling spot," Mattew stated at the Manggarai Barat Police Station on Wednesday night (24/7/2025). He added that YP commented on the post and said he could take them to a good island for snorkeling. Initially, their destination was Kanawa Island, which is only a 20-minute distance from Labuan Bajo. However, YP assured them that Nuca Molas had better snorkeling spots. After reaching an agreement, Mattew and his companion headed to the crossing location. There, they were asked to board a styrofoam raft measuring approximately 1x2 meters, which was manually paddled for 10 minutes before they boarded a boat that was reported to be in poor condition and had engine issues. He claimed to have paid YP Rp 2 million for the trip. However, upon arrival at the location, there were no snorkeling spots as promised. "Then we were taken back home," Mattew said.

What is the resolution of this case? The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Manggarai Barat Police, AKP Lufthi Darmawan Aditya, stated that the victim has decided not to pursue this matter legally. "Earlier this afternoon, we facilitated a meeting between the victim and the alleged perpetrators. The victim has chosen not to proceed with the case as they have accepted an apology from the alleged perpetrators," Lufthi said on Wednesday evening. Lufthi clarified that the alleged perpetrators are identified as TS (29) and YP (29), residents of Labuan Bajo, Manggarai Barat.

"They are not tour guides but rather inter-district travel drivers," he added.

Tag: Komodo Island Komodo National Park Labuan Bajo