La Boheme Bajo

La Boheme Bajo is part of a small hostel group with sister properties in Bali, the Gili Islands and Lombok. The Labuan Bajo branch sits on the water south of the main harbour, built around a tiled courtyard with brick walls, hammocks, a pool table and an open-sided bar and restaurant that looks out over the anchored boats.

Rooms are mostly dorms with bunk beds, privacy curtains and safety boxes, some with fans and some with air conditioning. Free tea, coffee and drinking water are available all day, there is a guest kitchen, and kayaks can be rented to paddle to the islands just offshore. Showers are cold, which is normal for budget stays in town. On Hostelworld it holds a rating of about 8.9 from more than 1,000 reviews, with staff singled out most often.

This is a good base for backpackers joining shared day trips or budget liveaboards, as the tour desk can book both. Cash is appreciated at check-in. Book through Hostelworld, Trip.com or by calling the hostel.