10 Reasons to Visit the Magnificent Komodo National Park
Learn about the incredible beautiful Komodo Park and make sure you definitely need to visit it to experience the incredible nature.
Komodo National Park is located in Indonesia, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores, consists of the islands of Komodo, Padar and Rinko and 26 small islands that are part of the Lesser Sunda Islands archipelago. The islands of volcanic origin are located at the junction of two continental plates, between the Australian and Sunda shelves, in one of the most active seismic regions of the Earth. Komodo National Park is one of the most amazing places in the world. This place is unique in that it is the only one along the entire equator where the flora and fauna of the Indian and Pacific oceans mix. Dolphins, turtles, sharks and other types of marine life are found here. There are more than a thousand species of fish in the coastal waters of Komodo alone. The marine environment is still relatively unexplored. The 2,000 km2 park (including protected lands and waters) is recognized as a Global Conservation Priority Area and has many natural attractions. It was created in order to preserve Komodo lizards (today there are up to 2500 of them) - the largest of the existing lizards in the world, which are called Komodo dragons for their huge size and aggressive behavior, as well as their habitat and the ecosystem of coral reefs located between the islands. The landscape of the park is uniquely varied and consists of mountainous slopes, tropical rainforests, savannahs with grassy forests and pristine white sandy beaches.
If you doubt whether it is worth planning a trip to this amazing corner of Indonesia, then you are doing it in vain. We have compiled for you 10 reasons why you should explore this great national park. Believe me, you will get incredible emotions.
The Komodo Dragons
The Komodo dragon is a large lizard with a flat head, a strong, muscular body, a long tail and powerful clawed feet. Lizards reach up to 3 meters in length and weigh about 70 kg. The Komodo dragon can run and swim at speeds up to 20 km/h and has excellent eyesight, which allows it to see objects up to 300 m away. The largest known specimen of the Komodo dragon was recorded at the St. Louis Zoo: with a weight of 166 kg, its body length from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail was 3.13 meters. The island's dragons are ferocious predators that can eat up to 80% of their body weight in one feeding. Reptiles can consume very large prey such as water buffalo, deer, carrion, pigs, and even humans. Therefore, when going on a trip, you should be extremely careful and move around the island accompanied by rangers. The chest of drawers has a unique way of killing, it bites its prey, especially if it is a large water buffalo, and then patiently waits until the poison in his saliva slowly kills the victim. After that, he has already torn the prey apart and devoured it. Usually, the animal dies within 24 hours due to the poisoning of the blood by poisons and bacteria-contaminated saliva. Komodo dragons are majestic Jurassic creatures that are no longer found in any corner of the globe.
Climate and Geography
The climate in Komodo National Park is one of the driest in Indonesia. The national park has virtually no rainfall for about 8 months of the year and is heavily influenced by the monsoon rains. Daytime temperatures from summer to mid-autumn are around 40 degrees. Because of this dry climate, the land is uneven, with rocky hills, and plant species are limited to grass, shrubs, orchids, and trees. The sea area has a rich and colorful landscape. The national park is part of the Asia-Pacific Coral Triangle and is full of a variety of seaweed beds, colorful coral reefs and dense mangrove forests. Here you can snorkel and see the underwater world, in particular, manta rays - large stingrays. In local waters you can see sperm whales, dolphins, sea turtles. And the beaches themselves on Komodo are very picturesque: there are snow-white ones, there are reddish or pink ones.
Land and Marine Fauna
In addition to the magnificent Komodo dragon, the Komodo Natural Park is home to other land and sea creatures. It is inhabited by deer, wild boars, various frogs, Timorese deer (the main prey of Komodo), horses, water buffaloes, rare species of birds (more than 40 species). Visitors have the opportunity to watch all the animals roam freely around the island in special conditions.
The marine life is remarkably diverse and includes over 1,000 species of fish, 70 species of sponges, 10 species of dolphins, 6 species of whales, green turtles and various shark species, extant manta rays, rays, marine reptiles and crustaceans. This is an incredible place for snorkeling.
Dynamic Diving Sites
Komodo National Park is conveniently located in the heart of the Asia-Pacific coral triangle - you can find a huge number of different mammals in it. This is a great diving spot. People from all over the world come here to admire tropical fish and corals. Variations for diving can be very different. You can choose a difficult dive and get the chance to see manta rays, sharks, or dive into the muddy mud with poor visibility, where you can get a closer look at rare invertebrates.
Diving in Komodo National Park will definitely give you unforgettable emotions. However, when choosing this type of entertainment, you should be extremely careful and contact only experienced and reputable instructors. In addition to a large number of marine mammals, one should also be wary of strong currents that can carry divers right into the open Indian Ocean.
Hiking up Padar Island
Padar Island is located about 30 km from Labuan Bajo, a fishing town in the westernmost part of Flores Island. Padar is small, but it is the third largest island in the Komodo National Park and was once home to the huge monitor lizards that gave the reserve its name. The island is mostly covered by savannas, and its surreal landscape is complemented by a border of bright green mountains of fabulous shapes. It is surrounded by three bays with turquoise water. It is curious that on each of the beaches the sand is of a different color: on one it is pearl white, on the other - jet black, and on the third - a rare pink color. This infrequent combination makes the island special. The observation platform from the highest peak will give you a stunning view of the four sparkling crescent-shaped beaches - a mesmerizing sight. It will take about 2-3 hours to climb to the top, so you should wear comfortable shoes, clothes made from natural fabrics, take water and apply sunscreen on your skin.
Pink Beach on Komodo Island
Pantai Mera Beach in Indonesia, commonly referred to as Pink Beach, is located within the popular Komodo National Park. It is one of the seven pink sand beaches in the world. The sand at this beach takes on a pinkish hue when exposed to sunlight because small pieces of red coral mix with the bright white sand. The picture is truly mesmerizing - green hills, pristine turquoise waters, glowing pink sand and azure blue skies.
Pink Beach also offers some exciting snorkeling and diving spots. However, the island is inhabited by Komodo dragons, so you should definitely hire an experienced ranger for these purposes.
The traditional village on Mesa Island
Mesa Island is a must visit place for people who want to experience the traditional life of the wonderful sea gypsies (otherwise known as the Bajau people). This small fishing village has about 1,500 residents and visitors can watch the locals go about their daily activities such as drying cucumbers, processing shellfish and cooking various seafood.
Snorkelling at Kanawa Island
This is a place to visit for those who want to relax as much as possible, enjoy the incredible places for scuba diving and get to know marine life better. Diving enthusiasts can start their underwater adventure right from the jetty as the sea is very calm and the strong waves are protected by the surrounding coral reefs. Colorful flocks of tropical fish, mystic corals and unique marine life such as stingrays, dolphins and turtles will not leave anyone indifferent.
Having decided to spend time on this island, take cash with you - there are problems with communication and the Internet on the island, and therefore it will not work to pay by card.
Sunset at Kalong Island
The name of this amazing island, Kalong, comes from the local language for giant fox bats. It is they who are the main attraction of this island, creating a breathtaking spectacle of the sunset, which you will not see anywhere else. As the day draws to a close, visitors are invited to witness thousands of these mystical creatures migrate off the island against the spectacular hues of the sunset. The loud flutter and noise of these bats as they escape from the mangroves and soar into the sunset will leave you with incredible memories.
Komodo spotting on Rinca Island
Rinca Island is a great place to relax. The nature of Rink is diverse, there are several colonies of monkeys, wild bulls, deer, eagles and turkeys live there. And here you can see the famous Komodo monitor lizards. This is a wilder island and therefore you should be much more careful when traveling around it.
