The popularity of the Komodo Islands in Indonesia has been growing since the island was nominated as one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. Apart from the immense variety of wildlife, such as it’s shining star – the famous Komodo dragons, their prey, the Timor deer, and in the surrounding waters, manta ray, dugong, dolphins, whales and sharks – the Komodo Islands also offer beautiful scenery like no other. The Pink Beach draws tourists simply because of its unique colour.
Komodo’s underwater world is a huge draw card for divers. The National Marine Park is home to coral reefs, seagrass beds and 1,000 species of fish and 260 species of reef-building coral. There’s also an incredible 70 separate types of sponges!
Getting there is now easier than ever with so many budget carriers serving Bali and Lombok, both convenient jumping off points. It’s a boat ride from Lombok to Labuan Bajo in the west of Flores, or a quick flight from Bali. There are overland buses and a sea ferry to Labuan Bajo, which take a little longer but are a lovely way to travel.
Once you arrive drop your bags off at one of the handful of hotels. Wego has both The Jayakarta Suite Komodo Flores and Bintang Flores Hotel listed on site. Then it’s just a question of grabbing those walking shoes, a camera and snorkel and begin a most enticing exploration.
Tip: the Komodo dragons are the dominant predators on the island and eat almost anything, including large water buffalo and humans (!). When hunting, they rely on camouflage and patience, lying in wait for passing prey. The larger are around three meters long and they may look slow can actually run up to 18 km per hour. They can also eat up to 80% per cent of their body weight in one sitting. A zoom lens is probably therefore better than a close-up!
