Experience the magic of Komodo Islands. Photo / 123rf
On the remote Indonesian island of Flores, a short flight from Bali, an encounter with Komodo dragons is just the start of an unforgettable adventure, writes Scarlett Cvitanovich.
As I follow a rather nonchalant guide waving a very thin stick, I do question my life choices, which currently find me in a dense forest on a remote Indonesian island, searching for the world’s largest, heaviest lizard, which also has a venomous bite. If we do come across a Komodo dragon, our guide jokes (I hope) that we should stay close to him, as there is no anti-venom on the island.
Eventually, we spot a few Komodo dragons lying lazily in the sun on the island beaches and are warned not to be fooled by their sprawl, as their long talons are on full display. Nerves run high as we creep further into the thick jungle. There are squeals from the jumpier group members when we hear scurrying ahead, but it’s only a wild boar going about its day. We then spot a fawn grazing in a sun-dappled clearing. Shortly after that there’s a shout from another guide, and bowling through the bushes comes a full-sized male Komodo – his flicking tongue and muscular body readily clears a path through foliage and tourists alike. You only appreciate the full extent of the power of these beasts when a stick and open air are the only things separating you.
The dragons are, of course, the flashing neon lights drawing visitors to Komodo National Park but it’s not the only thing you should see when exploring these islands. To make the most of our time, we join an island-hopping day tour organised by our resort, AYANA Komodo, Waecicu Beach, at Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores. Labuan Bajo is a one-hour flight from Bali and has all the hallmarks of a Balinese holiday – superb hospitality, balmy temperatures and picturesque views – minus the crawling traffic.
Within minutes of flying into this harbour town, we pull up at the five-star resort. The view from the lobby is breathtaking. The hotel is built down the hillside, so when you arrive you see only a view that belongs on a postcard. If you are dreaming of a tropical paradise, this is it.
My room – a Deluxe Ocean View – lives up to its name. Floor-to-ceiling glass sliders lead to a private balcony, where I gaze out on jagged islands, vibrant tropical flowers, aquamarine water and the white sand beach below. Jutting into the ocean is the resort’s private, 250m-long jetty, where I can see swimming platforms and a full bar at the end calling my name to come and sip a cocktail. The resort is a wonderful mixture of pure relaxation (there’s an on-site spa and plenty of sun loungers) and opportunities for adventure.
There are seven different dining options on-site (three of them bars – the jetty, a panoramic rooftop bar and the essential swim-up pool bar), including a seafood restaurant on the shoreline, and a waterfront international offering that is also where the daily buffet breakfast is served. Don’t let a buffet put you off – this is top-shelf and has an array of tasty options.
If you can tear yourself away from the bliss AYANA offers, the resort sits at the gateway to the Komodo National Park – a Unesco World Heritage Site. We set off on our day trip at 7am, perhaps not the preferred choice on holiday, but worth the effort before temperatures rise. The boat we travel on is exclusively for resort guests and takes only 10 passengers.
Our first stop is Padar Island. It is clearly a popular destination for multiple other tour groups, and we jostle for a place at the jetty. Immediately after disembarking, we are greeted by the ubiquitous vendors selling cold drinks and souvenirs as well as several deer on the beach (yes, you read that right). Timor rusa deer are native to the Indonesian islands, and a primary food source for Komodo dragons. Fortunately for the deer on this island, it’s Komodo dragon-free.
The hike itself, which is mainly uphill, involves a lot of uneven stairs and is narrow and crowded in some parts. Guides direct the traffic one-way at times, so you have some space to clamber up. While it’s a slog at certain points, you are rewarded with the sublime view. From the peak you can see stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters – a taster of what is to come later that day.
Our first chance to swim is Pink Beach, and it turns out there is more than one “pink beach” in the national park. Our captain steams past the overcrowded first options to arrive at rosy shores with no other tourists in sight. I wasn’t expecting the sand to be Barbie bright, but we were all stunned at just how vibrant it was. The distinctive colour is created by crushed red coral mixing in with the white sand. The vivid blue of the gently lapping waves makes the colours pop. It’s only after we’ve splashed around for an hour or so that someone notices a sign reading “Please be alert! You are on Komodo dragons’ corridors!” Apparently, dragons can swim as well, so I’m pleased one of them hasn’t joined us for a dip.
Despite being the beacon of the national park, the trip to visit Komodo dragons isn’t the only highlight of my experience with giant beasts that day. The tour usually stops at the appropriately named Manta Point, however after no manta rays were sighted the day before, our captain ventures to a new destination. It seems he has a direct line for the manta ray highway, as when we dive beneath the waves, we see ray after ray swim past below us – at one point there are five! It’s a truly magical experience and I feel like I’ve been plunged into a world-class aquarium as a stunning array of tropical fish and coral abound.
On our final evening, we join an evening cruise from the resort, mooring off Kalong Island to watch not only a spectacular sunset but also thousands of fruit bats take off from the mangrove forests into the purple sky. Komodo was so enchanting that I didn’t want to leave the following day. As fate would have it, while enjoying our final-night boat trip, a volcano erupted on Flores, the island on which we were based. Mt Lewotobi Laki-Laki is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanos, but thankfully it’s also 600km away from Labuan Bajo. Other than the eruption forcing the cancellation of our flight back to Bali, we didn’t hear, smell or see any volcanic activity. What it did mean, however, was an extra 24 hours in paradise before planes were once again cleared to return to the air. I couldn’t imagine somewhere I’d rather be stranded.
Currently, other than several domestic options, the only direct international flights to Labuan Bajo are from Singapore and Malaysia. There’s talk of more connections coming and as other hotels start to sprout up, it feels like now is the perfect time to explore this piece of paradise before it’s really put on the map. I can confirm there’s more to Komodo than its majestic dragons.
Bali, Indonesia
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to Bali with Air New Zealand, and then a one-hour domestic flight to Labuan Bajo with Batik Air.
DETAILS
For more information about AYANA Komodo Waecicu Beach, visit ayana.com/labuan-bajo/komodo.
New Zealand Herald Travel visited courtesy of AYANA.