The first-timer’s guide to Indonesia’s Komodo Islands. Photo / Getty Images
With a group of friends, Erik Trinidad cruises around Indonesia’s Komodo Islands on a classic, but modernised schooner, on the prowl for wildlife
When I accepted an invitation to be a part of my friend’s trip on a luxury charter yacht cruise around the Komodo Islands of Indonesia, I was excited that I might encounter the endangered giant lizards that are eponymous with the region. With Komodo dragons on my mind, I’d somehow forgotten that Mother Nature has birthed many other creatures to behold – and it wasn’t long before some made their appearance. During our first sunset at sea, when our yacht anchored off the coast of Kalong Island, we gawked at not only our awe-inspiring star descending below the horizon but also the astonishing parade of fruit bats soaring above, ready to start their night. Gliding in the orange hues of twilight, they flew high enough above us not to conjure up any feelings of vampiric, supernatural dread, but rather, an appreciation for the wild, natural world.
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As the nocturnal creatures began hunting for breakfast, I couldn’t help but realise that we observed this spectacle of nature from the comfort of the KLM Celestia, just as we were about to enjoy a meal ourselves – no hunting required, and that perhaps our admiration for these wild fruit bats might not have been as magical if we hadn’t been observing them from the luxury of a yacht.
Celestia is a classic but modernised phinisi – a traditional Indonesian schooner – that made its maiden voyage in June 2023 and has since brought small charter groups on tours of the Komodo Islands, the Maluku Islands, Raja Ampa and other destinations around the archipelagic nation. Celestia is the result of a pandemic-times family project by Indonesian siblings Jason Tabalujan and Jasmine Chong, who commissioned the construction of the 45-metre vessel, combining old, Unesco-recognised boat-building techniques, new technologies, and modern amenities across its seven staterooms and common areas. It’s aesthetically held together by a clean and elegant interior design tastefully executed by Jasmine Chong herself, who works as a fashion designer in New York City. Celestia prides itself on exuding the “art of being with nature, at sea” while also being proudly Indonesian-owned and operated amidst many foreign-owned charter yachts.
By the third day of our five-day/four-night authentically Indonesian sea voyage, I’d still not yet encountered a Komodo dragon, and I wondered if that was due to their dwindled population. However, I was still enthralled by other creatures from Mother Nature, particularly ones underwater. Celestia is fully equipped with scuba equipment, and with the dive crew I marvelled at the multitude of colourful tropical fish, curious moray eels, a peacock mantis shrimp, and two magnificent giant manta rays gracefully soaring right beside us while traversing a bay. Above all, my mind was blown when stumbling upon a chameleon-like cuttlefish that first came into sight with its tentacles upright to appear as dark staghorn coral, but then magically color- and shape-shifted back to normal right before my eyes when swimming away.
As enthralling as scuba diving can be, it certainly takes its toll on the body – but that wasn’t anything the onboard masseuse couldn’t knead away in a massage therapy session. However, one muscular organ still needed attention: my stomach, which was easily satisfied by Celestia’s galley staff, under direction of Indonesian Executive Chef Wayan Kresna Yasa. Over the five days, they prepared and served food ranging from Western dishes to classic Indonesian fare, including my local favourites beef rendang, tempeh lodeh (coconut milk-based veg stew), and gado gado (veg with tofu and fried peanuts) – all given a spicy kick with scratch-made sambal (spicy chili sauce).
Meals fuelled our bodies for water sports around the ship, and the several landings we made around the Komodo archipelago. For a change of scenery one morning, we laid out to relax on the rose-hued sands of Pink Beach. One afternoon, we hiked up the steps to one of the peak summits of Padar Island for another awe-inspiring sunset. Another time, we strolled the sandbar of Taka Makassar, which appears only at low tide. One evening, we landed on a private island for a friend’s birthday dinner party, perfectly executed by Celestia’s crew with great food and live music. And because we were in the Komodos, we made an obligatory landing on Rinca Island, home of the main visitors’ centre of Komodo National Park, where I finally had an encounter with the indigenous dragons that had captivated me since before the cruise began.
A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1991, Komodo National Park is home to the remaining majority of about 3000 of the world’s largest living, albeit endangered, lizards. With the guidance of a few park rangers, we sought to find the lizards in their natural environment, and it wasn’t long before one sauntered into our midst. Soon, we encountered a few more dragons. If those fortuitous encounters weren’t enough to gratify me, what followed was yet another scene of raw nature: a male mounted a female to enter a mating ritual, right before our eyes.
The sight of an endangered species procreating for its survival was another magical moment of Mother Nature and from here, we departed the wild to continue sailing in the lap of comfort and style; Celestia pampering us until the very last sunset.
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to Bali with one stopover in about 11 hours 30 minutes, or fly from Auckland to Jakarta in 16 hours 30 minutes with one stopover.
Cruises going to the Komodo Islands typically start from Labuan Bajo on Flores Island, an easy domestic flight from either Jakarta or Bali international airports. However, since Celestia cruises are bespoke, some guests have journeyed to the Komodo archipelago and Labuan Bajo by sea from Bali’s Serangan harbour.
DETAILS
When to go: It’s best to go to the Komodo Islands in the dry season, April through October.
Visas: New Zealand passport holders can get a visa on arrival, which is valid for 30 days.
To charter Celestia for groups of up to 14 people, visit celestiayacht.com
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