Komodo National Park

Indonesia

Untouched nature, beautiful sandy beaches and the home of real dragons - Komodo National Park in Indonesia.

With an area of almost 2000 km2 the Komodo National Park has an incredible variety of flora and fauna to offer. Probably the best known inhabitants of the park are the Komodo dragons, the largest lizards in the world. But also under the water surface you can discover a lot. The park is part of the so-called "Coral Triangle" and thus home to over 1000 tropical fish, more than 260 species of corals and rare marine mammals, such as the dugong. Whether hiking through the green hills, diving among coral reefs or relaxing on colorful beaches, the national park has something for everyone.

Founded the National Park in 1980 with the aim of protecting the Komodo dragons that only occur in this area. Later, protection was extended to the park's entire flora and fauna, both on land and in the water. The park consists of the three larger volcanic islands of Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as 26 other small islands and the surrounding water. Thus, he comes to a total area of 1733 km2, of which 603 km are2 land area. In 1991, Komodo National Park was established by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is also one of the "New 7 Wonders of Nature".

The national park is located on the border between East and West Nusa Tenggara, within the Lesser Sunda Islands and not far from the island of Flores and the fishing town of Lebuan Bajo there, from which most tours take place. The landscape is of volcanic origin and is characterized by rounded hills with heights up to 735 meters. The prevailing climate is one of the driest in all of Indonesia and rainfall is very rare during the dry season. Temperatures average 40° from May to October and it is extremely dry. For this reason, the vegetation changes a lot during the year. In the months from January to April, the islands are covered by green grasses and shrubs, which first turn yellow in the summer and finally brown in the fall. With the arrival of the rainy season from December to February, this cycle starts anew every year.

Each of the islands has spectacular attractions to offer. On the islands of Komodo and Rinca you can observe the giant Komodo dragons. On Padar Island you will find very special sandy beaches; from white as snow, to black as coal, to pink as cotton candy. Some of the islands offer unforgettable accommodations, such as the private island Sabalón, where you can stay in small beach huts right on the water. The waters around the islands contain a rich marine biodiversity and are favorites among scuba divers and snorkelers.

About 4000 people currently live in the national park, distributed among the settlements of Komodo, Rinca, Kerora and Papagaran. These villages already existed before the area was declared a national park. The inhabitants live mainly from tourism and fishing. Not much is known about the history of the settlement of the park, as the area is very isolated. The original natives of Komodo Island, the Ata Modu, still live on the island, but their culture and language is disappearing more and more with the mixing of diverse cultures.

Illegal fishing is a key problem in the region, reducing fish stocks and destroying coral reefs. The Indonesian government is very strict against such violations and the conservation of natural resources is paramount. Numerous proposals for nature conservation have already been developed and tested, some of them also against the increasing tourism. However, the latter is strongly opposed by the local residents, as otherwise an important source of income will be lost. Already now, the prices for a visit are relatively high and could increase further in view of the strict regulations. In 2020, authorities even wanted to close the park for the whole year to do some conservation work. This plan was not enforced, but the park was still closed for 6 months due to the Corona pandemic.

Despite the remote location, Komodo National Park can be easily reached. There are daily flights from Denpasar Airport in Bali to Lebuan Bajo on Flores. This is where most hotels, accommodations and restaurants are located and the start for most tours. Most attractions can be covered within one day tour, including the Komodo trekking. However, tours of several days are also offered, usually with an overnight stay on a traditional boat.

The pricing for the park is quite complicated and varies depending on the activities you want to do. In general, however, you can expect an amount of around 30 euros for a day visit.

Komodo trekking is available on the islands of Komodo and Rinca and if you are with a guide, you don't have to worry about your safety. The guides are trained to deal with the giant lizards and attacks on humans are very rare. Shorter or longer routes are offered in each case and the chance of seeing one of the approximately 2500 native Komodo dragons is pretty high either way. The Komodo dragons can be observed all year round, but generally the milder months of July and August are considered the best time to travel. However, with good weather comes larger crowds and at this time the park is very crowded. Therefore, it is advisable to consider an off-season visit. The rainy season lasts from December to February.

On our ultimate Indonesia adventure we visit the Komodo National Park and go in search of the largest lizard in the world! Are you with us?

Fun Fact

Komodo dragons grow up to 3m long and 170kg in weight. They can sniff the smell of blood over a distance of 10km and build up speeds of up to 20km/h! However, attacks on humans are extremely rare.

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