We were lucky enough to visit Komodo Island in Indonesia to see the legendary Komodo Dragon, the largest living lizard species in the world. The lizard grows to 3 metres (10 feet) in total length and attains a weight of about 135 kg (about 300 pounds). It occurs on Komodo Island and a few neighbouring islands of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands.
Indonesia: Flores – Kelor and Padar islands and the Pink Beach
We had arrived on the Indonesian Island of Flores where we would be staying one night before heading off on a 3-day boat tour of the surrounding islands. At the airport, we were met by Marty, the local manager for Local Guides, a small eco-tour company operating small group and private tours throughout Indonesia. We have used them for several tours and they have always communicated well and the local service has been fantastic.
At 8:00 am the following morning a van arrived to collect us from our hotel. Marty had mentioned we could stop at a shop to buy some snacks, and more importantly, beer to take with us on the boat. This sounded like a great idea, so this is what we ended up doing.
Fully stocked we headed to the harbour where we climbed aboard a small tender that carried us out to our boat. I had expected there would be other tourists on the boat, but it was all for us. I don’t remember booking a private tour. In some ways, it would have been nice to have new people to connect with but having the boat to us was also great.
Once we were on the boat we were introduced to the crew. Our captain was Hannigan, the chef was Heri and we had two boatmen, Iswan and Fermat. With Marty this was five people, all for us. The boat was largish, with a covered front deck, which was our space. There was an upper deck, but the crew tended to use this for praying and sleeping. We had a cabin, which was basic, but if did have a comfy(ish) bed and an AC unit, that just about worked. There was little storage space, so we’d be living out of our bags, which we were quite used to. There was an ensuite bathroom, which was a wet room. Yes, it was functional if you didn’t expect hot showers.
It was not long before we boarded before the boat’s motor started and we were headed out into the open waters.
It was a short 10km journey to our first stop Pulau Kelor, or Kelor Island. This small island is located in front of the beautiful hills of Flores. We climbed from our boat onto the tender which carried us across to the dock. We were not here to admire the beach but to climb the hill above. It was only a short and gnarly hike of 15 minutes to the top where we had a panoramic view of Flores, Rinca Island, and many other small islands. The view from here is simply breathtaking.
When we got down to the beach there was a group of three white girls in bikinis with thongs wedged up their bum cracks kneeling in the waves with their backs to the island having their photo taken. Undoubtedly, these would appear in the not-too-distant future on Instagram. This caused us a great deal of amusement. As we went to climb back onto the tender some local children climbed aboard too and as we pulled away, they used the boat as a diving board to leap into the sea.
It was now approaching lunchtime. We took our place on the front deck of the boat, which has a seating area and some comfy cushions to lounge on. We could, if we wanted some sun, go out onto the bow deck of the boat. But mostly we stayed sheltered from the hot sun.
As we sat food started to arrive, and then kept coming. And it was all vegetarian – the chef had done an amazing job. There was enough food to feed an army! Once we were done there was still so much food left, it was embarrassing.
Next, we’d be doing some snorkelling, which with our stomachs so full would be a challenge. Luckily, we had ninety minutes of cruising to reach the first swim location.
Since I had only had the operation on my chest about days ago, I was concerned about how it would feel in the salt water and with any swimming motion. Secondly, the last time we had been snorkelling was in the Surin Islands in Thailand, which were fantastic. Would the snorkelling here be a poor second at best?
We checked out our snorkelling equipment before climbing aboard the tender to head out to the reef. Both concerns I had soon melted away as the snorkelling was fantastic. The variety and quantity of fish were incredible (better than the Surin Islands) and the coral was amazing. And there was no reaction from my wound. Yeah! Anyway, we swam around the reef for 45 minutes before heading back to our boat.
Waiting when we got back was a plate of deep-fried bananas – delicious. As we ate our tasty snacks the boat cruised to our next snorkelling location. Here the fish were as plentiful, and the water was deeper. We were also on the boundary of where the reef drops down to deeper waters which is always an opportunity to see something different. After 20 minutes we were picked up by the tender and taken to a rocky outcrop close by on Stroberi Island. We exited the tender and climbed up the jagged rock. The view was quite lovely, but the main attraction here was the rocks themselves which were shades of pink with yellow formed in the most incredible patterns. Neither of us had ever seen anything like it!
After spending fifteen or so minutes exploring, we headed back to the boat as we had an appointment with flying foxes. The fruit bats or flying foxes are known as ‘kalong’ by the locals and there is an island, Kalong island, a low-lying circular island of 500 metres in diameter: it comprises a core of taller trees surrounded by dense mangroves. The colony is made up of thousands of bats which all take to the air around sunset in search of food. They leave Kalong and fly to neighbouring islands. From our boat, we had a fantastic view of these magnificent creatures flying wave after wave above us. It was a spectacular show that lasted for a good 30 minutes.
Once the bats had nearly all passed by, we set off for our overnight mooring which was around a 90-minute cruise. Along the way we got served dinner, which like lunch was spectacular and too much for us to eat.
When we finally went to bed the boat was still in transit to the mooring point.
On our second day of the island cruise, the alarm cruelly awoke us at 4:45 am. We were moored in the bay of Padar Island, which is famous for its stunning viewpoints, which are best seen at sunrise. So, we had to rise early and be on the island at 5:30 am.
From the dock area of Padar Island, it was a walk of about 45 minutes to get to the viewpoints, which are of course all uphill and involve many steps. For the most part, the steps were in good condition, but at the top, it was a little rough, but nothing too horrible. That said the effort was well worth it as the views were incredible, especially as the sun rose. The only annoying thing was noisy tourists who were primarily interested in getting their perfect Instagram photo rather than enjoying the spectacle of the island at sunrise.
Sadly, we could not get to the very top of the hill, which was being patrolled by a ranger, as eagles were nesting on the cliffs.
As we came down the hill, we stepped to the side to take some more photos. We were joined by a small entourage of four people and their official photographer. A couple of nights before we had seen an R&B concert from afar that was taking place down on the waterfront at Labuan Bajo. These two young men in this group were the artists from the concert who had come here to get some publicity shots. Marty knew these guys and started joking with them. Of course, being young twenty-something R&B artists, they were a bit cocky, but fun, and Karen decided to join them for some photos.
On the final steps down to the beach, we came across three stags who were happily chomping away on the grass on the side of the hill. Slowly they made their way down the hill onto the beach. We have seen many deer in our time but never any on a beach. It made for some great photographs.
We returned to the boat where a hearty breakfast was waiting for us as we set sail for Komodo Island, home to the famous Komodo dragons.
The Komodo dragon or Komodo monitor is a member of the monitor lizard family and is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores and Gili Montang. It is the largest species of lizard, growing to a length of 3m (9.8 feet) and weighs up to 70kg (150lb). See our full blog post on visiting Komodo Island.
Having got up so early it was still only mid-morning as we set sail once more. It was about 15 minutes to our next port of call, the Pink Beach on Komodo Island, where we’d be snorkelling. When we arrived at the Pink Beach, or Pantai Merah, rather than enter the water from the boat we were dropped off at the beach. It was a very nice beach, which indeed did have pink sand, it was one of only seven pink beaches in the world! What makes the sand appear pink under the sun are microscopic organisms called Foraminifera. They produce a red pigment on coral reefs that blends with the white sand forming a soft pink tint that glows beautifully.
We put on our masks and fins and less-than-glamorously entered the water. A short distance from the beach is the coral reef. The water was amazingly clear. The corals and anemones were stunning, and fish were abundant including beautiful angel fish, parrot fish and clown fish. The most unusual fish we saw was a huge cuttlefish, that constantly changed colour. We spent ages just watching this one fish. After about 45 minutes of swimming, we made our way back onto the beach which is gorgeous and just sat in the sun (getting burnt) drying off.
We departed the beach and returned to the boat where lunch was waiting for us.
As we ate the boat continued to cruise among the islands. We passed a very small island that was just a sand spit, but it looked amazing. Marty promised we’d come back here later.
Our next stop was not too far from the sand spit island. We were in an area of open water which is a popular spot for manta rays. The water here was a little deeper, around 10 metres or so. We climbed aboard the tender and headed out. Our little boat skimmed over the waves as Marty and the boatman looked out for signs of manta rays. We reached a spot and jumped into the water. After 10 minutes we had not seen a manta ray, so we climbed back aboard the small boat and carried on the search. This was repeated four times before we gave up looking.
As a reward for our efforts, we were taken to the sand spit. On this tiny island, there was a minuscule shelter made from driftwood that a couple of guides had commandeered as a smoking shack. Marty and our boatman joined them as we set out to look around. The island was only about 200 metres by 30 metres, so it did not take a lot of time to explore, but it felt very exotic to be on this little desert island.
We returned to the big boat for dinner. As we ate the boat moved a short distance to the spot where we’d be spending the night.
Getting to Komodo National Park
There are many ways to get to Komodo National Park. You’d have to get to Labuan Bajo first, which is located in Flores Island. Think of it as the first stop before you reach the three major islands in Komodo National Park.
The quickest, safest, and most convenient way to get to Labuan Bajo is by air. You can fly from the many main Indonesian islands such as Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, and Praya. Airlines frequent Flores Island daily, so you don’t have to worry about catching another flight if you miss a trip.
You may also take a ferry trip from Bali to Labuan Bajo, but it’s not advisable since it takes 36 hours to reach Flores Island. The trip may also be rocky. It may be a budgeted way of traveling, but you’d be spending a night at sea which might be a waste of time for some who would like to get to their destination and spend that extra night in Labuan Bajo already.
Getting to Komodo National Park
The Best Time to Visit Komodo Island
Located on the western coast of Flores Island in Indonesia, Komodo Island has two main seasons: the rainy and dry seasons. Komodo Island has a drier climate with a shorter monsoon than the rest of the islands in Indonesia because of the dry air mass flowing from the Australian continent.
This unique climatic condition has helped create the region’s savannah hills, which are often framed against a stunning blue sky in the dry months. According to Weather Spark, on Komodo Island, the temperature usually stays between 22 and 31 degrees Celcius (71.6 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit) or goes beyond 32 degrees Celcius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
However, the seasons in Komodo National Park are suitable for boat trips all year. Each period provides you with a beautiful perspective and offers a different experience that you can enjoy on this island.
1. The Dry Season: April to September
The dry season starts from April to September. This period is widely regarded as the best time to visit Komodo Island. During these months, the weather is mostly sunny and dry. Thus, this period provides ideal conditions for outdoor activities.
2. The Rainy Season: November to March
The rainy season, which starts from November to March, is marked by frequent rainfall and higher humidity.
When The Best Time to Visit Komodo Island
Even though Komodo Island can be visited throughout the year, however, the timing is crucial for the best unforgettable experience. Each period provides the best experience that you can choose. Below, we give the cheatsheet of the best time to visit Komodo Island special for you!
1. April to June
At this period, the islands are green and lush since the rainy season has just ended. You can see many manta rays and Komodo dragons in the park around June. The sea is usually very clear and calm from April to June. There is a good chance to see whale sharks during this period.
2. July to August
This period is the peak season in Komodo National Park since calm seas and favorable weather conditions make it the perfect time to visit Komodo Island. It might be tricky to see Komodo dragons around this time, as it is mating season for them.
3. September to November
This period is the best time to visit Komodo Island. It is manta season, whale season, and Komodo dragons season.
4. December to March
This period is usually still good for visiting Komodo. In these months, the sea is still calm, although it often rains at night. Komodo dragons are very active during this time of year.
More to Explore
