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Traveling to Comodo Island, i assume you like to see the dragons. (LC)

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Traveling to Comodo Island

Pulau Komodo (ComodoIsland) - How to reach Comodo of Dragon? From Lombok or the Gilis, you can get a 3/4 day boat trip costing around 250 000 rupiahs which isn't much (13000 to the £ when I was there) and they'll take you in a wooden boat of about 15m in length to Flores stopping off at numerous reefs to scuba as well as Komodo and Rinca where the dragons live. The reef off Komodo is spectacularly colourful and the fish is abundant but be wary of the current. I would also suggest you take your own snorkel gear though they are supplied and quality can be dubious.

Excellent fun though check the boat and make sure you have agreement on the food and water as they will skimp if you do not keep an eye out and you will become very familiar with noodles and rice. The fee also includes travel back to Lombok via the ferry and buses. It is worth looking around Flores as there is Kelimuti, the 3 coloured volcanic lakes.

Source : fixtures4all.com/comodo-island.html

Foto : Istimewa

About Komodo National Park

LOCATION : Komodo National Park lies in the Wallacea Region of Indonesia, identified by WWF and Conservation International as a global conservation priority area. The Park is located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores at the border of the Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) and Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTP) provinces. It includes three major islands, Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and numerous smaller islands together totaling 603 km2 of land. The total size of Komodo National Park is presently 1,817 km2. Proposed extensions of 25 km2 of land (Banta Island) and 479 km2 of marine waters would bring the total surface area up to 2,321 km2. (Click on the map to enlarge - 70kB)

How to reach Komodo Island

Pulau Komodo (ComodoIsland) - Komodo the last dragon on earth, wildlife, marine life, white sandy beach, sea cruise, snorkeling & diving, trekking.

ACCESS/ENTRY POINT:

* BIMA (on Sumbawa Island). Bima is accesible by one hour flight from BALI.

* LABUAN BAJO (on Flores Island), accesible by flight from Bali.

DURATION: 3 - 4 Days. 
BEST SEASON: April - November (dry season, the sea is normally calm during this time of year).
GROUP SIZE: Min: 02 Person / Max: 10 Persons.
DEPENDENCIES:

Sea weather during the peak of rain season especially between January - February is dangerous to sail to Komodo Island.

This is one of the highlights of Indonesia travel tour. Encounter the world's largest lizards, the Komodo Dragons (Varanus Komodoensis), considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. Its ancestors roamed the earth up to about half a million years ago. Nowadays the dragons estimated at 5,000 - 7,000 inhabited the islands of Komodo, Rinca and other tiny surrounding islands, and on the westernmost part of Flores Island in Indonesia.

To reach the islands we will board on a fisherman wooden boat which have been modified to enable and suitable for carrying tourist, equipped by Radio Navigation, Electricity, Toilet, One big cabin which has 6-8 beds, Life jackets and Mattress. and cruising to Komodo and Rinca Islands, the home of the Last Dragons on Earth, belong to Komodo National Park system designed to protect and preserve the endangered Komodo Dragon.

Along with the national park's rangers we will silently explore the islands on foot for the encounters with the dragons. The dragons are large, ferocious predators that are fully capable of killing and eating a human being and capable of running as fast as a dog! But don't worry, the rangers are experiences and know well how to deal with dragons which can reach a length of 3 meters (about 10 feet).

Besides the dragons, you can also experience Indonesia wildlife tour on Rinca Island by trekking through the island to observe the other wild animals such as deer, horses, birds etc, in their wild life.

We will spend an adventurous nights on the boat. In the morning or afternoon you can snorkeling and diving around Komodo, some of the best in the world, especially for seeing soft corals. Some of the beaches nearby have beautiful pink sand, tinted by fragments of red coral mixed in with other shell and coral fragments. This is a complete set of adventure in Indonesia.

To reach the islands, firstly you just need to take an about 2 hours from Bali and landing at both Bima or Labuan Bajo Airstrips where you can take the boat to reach the islands of the dragons. Complicated? No. You will find all of these are well arranged in our tour packages.

◊ 3 DAYS KOMODO DRAGON ADVENTURE (VIA BIMA)
◊ 4 DAYS KOMODO DRAGON ADVENTURE (VIA BIMA)
◊ 3 DAYS KOMODO DRAGON ADVENTURE (VIA LABUAN BAJO)
◊ 4 DAYS KOMODO DRAGON ADVENTURE (VIA LABUAN BAJO)

3 DAYS KOMODO TOUR (VIA BIMA) Grade: Easy Start/End: Bima Airport

DAY 01: BALI - BIMA (SUMBAWA ISLAND) - KOMODO ISLAND

On arrival in Bima met and transferred to Sape Harbor and cruise to Komodo island on a wooden vessel, a local boat which have been modified to enable and suitable for carrying tourist. Equipped by radio navigation, electricity, and toilet, one big cabin that has-6 - 12beds, life jacket and mattress. Late afternoon arrive at Komodo Island. Accommodation on the boat (L,D).

DAY 02: KOMODO ISLAND - SAPE - BIMA

Boarding down the boat and proceed trekking to meet and observe the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Swim and snorkeling at the white sandy beach and coral life at the island nearby. Back to Sape and drive to Bima. Overnight at hotel in Bima (B,L,D).

DAY 03: BIMA - BALI

Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Bali or to next destination (B).

4 DAYS KOMODO TOUR (VIA BIMA) Grade: Easy Start/End: Bima Airport

DAY 01: BALI - BIMA (SUMBAWA ISLAND) - KOMODO ISLAND

On arrival in Bima met and transferred to Sape Harbor and cruise to Komodo island on a wooden vessel, a local boat which have been modified to enable and suitable for carrying tourist. Equipped by radio navigation, electricity, and toilet, one big cabin that has-6 - 12beds, life jacket and mattress. Late afternoon arrive at Komodo Island. Boarding down the boat and proceed trekking to meet and observe the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Overnight on boat (B,L,D)

DAY 02: KOMODO ISLAND - RINCA ISLAND

Second visit to Komodo Island. Proceed cruise to Rinca another island inhabited by the Komodo. Trekking on the island to observe the Komodo dragons and other wildlife such as deer, horses, bird etc. in their wild life. Return to the boat for overnight (B,L,D).

DAY 03: RINCA - BIMA

Swim or snorkel on clean and white sandy beach. Boating back to Sape and proceed drive to bima. Overnight at a small hotel in Bima (B,L,D).

DAY 04: BIMA - BALI

Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Bali or to next destination (B).

Back to Top

3 DAYS KOMODO TOUR (VIA LABUAN BAJO) Grade: Easy Start/End: Labuan Bajo Airport

DAY 01: BALI - LABUAN BAJO (FLORES ISLAND)

On arrival in Labuan Bajo by flight from Bali, met and transferred to a small hotel for your accommodation (L,D).

DAY 02: LABUAN BAJO - KOMODO DAY TRIP - LABUAN BAJO

Boarding down the boat and proceed trekking to meet and observe the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Swim and snorkeling at the white sandy beach and coral life at the island nearby. Cruise back to Labuan Bajo. Overnight at hotel (B,L,D).

DAY 03: LABUAN BAJ0 - BALI

Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Bali or to next destination (B).

4 DAYS KOMODO TOUR (VIA LABUAN BAJO) Grade: Easy Start/End: Labuan Bajo Airport

DAY 01: BALI - LABUAN BAJO (FLORES ISLAND) - RINCA ISLAND

On arrival in Labuan Bajo by flight from Bali, met and transferred to harbor and board on a wooden boat to cruise to Rinca Island. Afternoon arrive at Rinca Island. Accommodation on boat (L,D)

DAY 02: RINCA ISLAND - KOMODO ISLAND

Trekking on the Rinca island to observe the Komodo dragons and other wildlife such as deer, horses, bird etc. in their wild life. Return to the boat and proceed to Komodo Island. Afternoon beach activities at Pink Beach known as the best underwater corals. Return to the boat for overinght (B,L,D).

DAY 03: KOMODO - LABUANBAJO

Boarding down the boat and proceed trekking to meet and observe the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Boating back to Labuan Bajo. Overnight at a hotel (B,L,D).

DAY 03: LABUAN BAJ0 - BALI

Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Bali or to next destination (B).

Souce : http://www.indonesiatravelinfo.com/Komodo.htm

The Biogeography of the Komodo Dragon

Pulau Komodo (ComodoIsland) - (Varanus komodoensis) by Craig Jung, student in Geography 316, Spring 1999

photo source: Ciofi 1999

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus:Varanus
Species: V. komodoensis

Description of Species: Indonesia there is a type of lizard that can reach sizes that you may have thought only existed in fairy tales. These unique reptiles have been able to develop in an area where there is little for large animals to live on. They were there long before humans but like many organisms around the world they are subject to the growing human populations. These monitor lizards are known as Komodo dragons.
The Komodo dragon, also known as Varanus komodoensis, may reach lengths of up to three meters and may weigh as much as 500 pounds. They have claws that may be as long as ten centimeters, teeth that operate like little scalpels and saliva that contains a deadly bacteria, staphylococcus (Cherrington, 1997). These monitors are known to be strong swimmers and may dive down to depths of 15 feet. Most importantly they possess great intelligence, displayed best when they hunt or search out their next meal.

Habitat:
These unique animals are only found on the island of Komodo and three nearby islands in Indonesia. These islands are located in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor. Human populations are small on these three islands. The island of Komodo contains about 1,700 dragons, Rinca has 1,300, and the tiny island of Gili Motang possesses around 100 dragons. Komodo National Park consists of these three islands and various other islets. Around 2000 more Komodos live on the island of Flores located to the east (Ciofi, 1999). These unique animals are only found on the island of Komodo and three nearby islands in Indonesia. These islands are located in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor. Human populations are small on these three islands. The island of Komodo contains about 1,700 dragons, Rinca has 1,300, and the tiny island of Gili Motang possesses around 100 dragons. Komodo National Park consists of these three islands and various other islets. Around 2000 more Komodos live on the island of Flores located to the east (Ciofi, 1999).

Natural History:
Komodo dragons are one of the largest carnivorous reptiles. These large lizards start out as hatchlings only a foot long. Young dragons live in the trees for protection from larger predators and adult Komodo monitors. Their diets consist of insects and small lizards. When they reach adolescence their diets may consist of rodents, birds, and large mammals occasionally. Adult Komodo dragons can take down large animals fifteen times their size, like water buffalo (Cherrington 1997). When large mammals are not available adult monitors will scavenge or eat rodents. Monitors tend to rely on the element of surprise in order to catch a meal. They will lie and wait in heavy brush waiting for some unsuspecting deer or wild boar to cross their path.
Large prey usually will be struck at the ankles causing them to fall to the ground where they will be finished off by the monitor's powerful jaws. Their deadly saliva causes serious infections with no known cure. Even if the prey manages to escape the initial strike, they inevitably will die from an infection or bleed to death . These large monitors are rather fast for their size, 11 m.p.h., but only for short distances. Adult dragons have voracious appetites and can eat up to 80% of their empty body weight (Diamond 1992). They will eat everything from the bones to the hooves. Yet a 100 pound adult can survive on only 30 pounds of meat a month when it becomes necessary (Diamond, 1992). Their diets today, water buffalo and deer, were introduced by humans.
No distinguishing physical features provide any indications in determining their gender. Males tend to be larger than females but other than that there are no striking morphological differences. One slight difference lies in the arrangement of their scales in front of their cloaca, the cavity that contains their genitalia (Ciofi, 1999). Regardless of our inability to determine the proper gender, Komodo dragons know who is who and what is what. They tend to mate between May and August. Before mating occurs the dominant males battle to determine who will be their mate. They do not fight to the death, but blood is usually drawn. Their tails play an integral part during battle as they get in upright positions and wrestle (Ciofi, 1999). The winner of the wrestling match gets to choose his mate.
Courtship begins with the male flicking his tongue on the female's nose and then over her body. The male must expose a pair of hemipenes from his cloaca before mating can be accomplished. Once this has happened he then climbs on the back of his mate and inserts one of the two hemipenes into the female's cloaca (Ciofi, 1999).
A couple of months after the hot season female dragons will lay their eggs in September. Cooler conditions provide a better environment for the developing eggs. Usually the female monitor will dig out an area on a hill or takeover the nest of a Megapode bird (Ciofi, 1999). During the incubation period she will lie on the nest and protect her future offspring. Once the young hatch the female will tend to the young alone which is common for Komodos.

Evolution:
They share a common past with dinosaurs but are not direct descendants. Both dinosaurs and monitor lizards belong to the subclass Diapsida (Ciofi, 1999). The earliest fossils from this subclass go back to the late Carboniferous period, about 300 million years ago. Monitor lizards are related to Lepidsauria which emerged from Diapsida, about 250 million years ago at the end of the Paleozoic era. About 100 million years ago, during the Cretaceous era, a species related to contemporary varanids appear in the fossil records of central Asia. Marine lizards from this species went extinct, along with dinosaurs, about 65 million years ago. During the Eocene, 50 million years ago, land monitors spread throughout Europe and South Asia. The Varanus genus appeared and evolved about 40 and 25 million years ago in Asia. Varanids made it to Australia about 15 million years ago when Australia collided with southeast Asia. Then 2 million years later a second lineage differentiated and moved throughout Australia and the Indonesian archipelago when the two were much closer. Lower sea levels allowed the dragons to reach their destination. Varanus komodoensis differentiated from its earliest Australian relative about 4 million years ago (Ciofi, 1999). Komodos migrated to the islands of Flores, Rinca and Gila Motang, which were joined about 10,000 years ago. The island of Komodo joined the other islands around 20,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.
Fossil evidence supports the idea that Komodo dragons may be relics of a larger distribution, stretching as far as the eastern portion of Flores to Timor. Fossils from pygmy elephants, stegodont, found on both Timor and Flores suggest that the two islands may have been close enough to allow migration during the Pleistocene era. The existence of large mammals provided an adequate supply of food to feed lizards as large as Komodo dragons and possibly larger. Megalania prisca, a varanid, could have reached lengths up to 23 feet and weighed up to a ton due to the existence of stegodonts or pygmy elephants (Diamond, 1992). These enormous varanids, that have been extinct for 25,000 years, may explain how Komodo dragons evolved to be such large carnivores in an ecosystem that has a limited amount of resources.

Distribution
There are two routes they could have traveled to reach their present location. They either arrived directly from Asia or came through the island of Java or Australia. The Komodo dragons are endemic to the islands of the Lesser Sunda. Their biomes consist of savanna, tropical scrub forest, and tropical grasslands. They managed to fill a niche on the islands which allowed them to evolve into modern day dragons. Komodo monitors colonized these small islands due to their cold blooded body types, and the conditions of the islands. The island of Komodo falls within the rain shadow of the larger island of Sumbawa (Cherrington, 1997). Komodos are known to go about a month and a half without water in the dry season. As reptiles, Komodo monitors do not require as much energy or food as carnivorous mammals, like tigers. Warm-blooded animals tend to have higher metabolisms that may limit their range to areas with sufficient food supplies. Cold-blooded animals require only one-tenth as much food as a mammal the same size (Diamond, 1992).

Map of Distribution:


Map Source: Ciofi 1999

Other interesting issues:
Deer poaching has created problems for some of the lizards to the point were they have been put on the endangered species list. Poaching combined with human interactions make the Komodo's situation worse. The island of Flores has both of these problems for the monitors. Slash and burn is practiced in the monsoon forest leading to the disappearance of the dragons (Ciofi, 1999). Once again humans are at the heart of some serious environmental problem. The fate of the Komodo dragon lies in the hands of people. Our choices will effect how another species will live or die. Hopefully we will all see the importance of such a rare reptilian species.

Bibliography
Cherrington, Mark. 1997. "Here Be Dragons." Earthwatch 17(1): 26-35.
Ciofi, Claudio. 1999. "The Komodo Dragon." Scientific America 280(3): 84-91. Maps of the Lesser Sunda came from the web site:www.sciam.com/1990/0399issue/0399ciofi.htm
Claudio Ciofi's article provided valuable information concerning the evolutionary history of Varanids.
Diamond, Jared. 1992. "The Evolution of Dragons." Discover 13(12): 72-80.
Quammen, David. 1996. The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions. New York, NY. Scribner.
Stevens, Jane. 1993. "Facing The Dragon." International Wildlife 23(3): 30-34.
Winters, Chris. 1995. Varanus komodoensis. University of Michigan [online] http://www.http.itd.umich.edu/bio /doc.cgi ...uamata/Varanidae/Varanus_komodoensis.

Source : http://www.sfsu.edu/~geog/bholzman/courses/316projects/komodo.htm

KOMODO DRAGON EXPEDITION

Pulau Komodo (ComodoIsland) - Rates Contact Address Main page

01 Denpasar - Bima - Komodo ( LD )
Upon arrival at Salahudin airport in Bima, direct transfer by minivan around 45 kms to Sape seaport. Board the boat crossing the Sape strait around 7 hours to reach Komodo island passing barren and strange island such as an expedition to unknown place. Lunch and dinner on board.
02 Komodo - Bima ( BLD )

After breakfast walk around 2 kms to Banugulung where the giant lizards usually gather. You will be guarded also by rangers of the national park. From a distance some times can see wild deers, snakes, geckos, and other small animals. Return to the boat for breakfast, and enjoy the time for swimming or just admire the scenery, before returning to Bima. Lunch will be served on board. Around 4.00 pm arrived back in Bima. Dinner and overnight at Lambitu hotel or similar in Bima.
03 Bima - Denpasar ( B )
After breakfast at hotel, check out hotel and depart for city tour visiting the market of Bima, king palace which is changed into a museum. Then direct transfer to airport for your flight to Denpasar.
2 Persons 3-5 Persons Single Supplement
US$ 395.00 US$ 350.00 US$ 85.00

Rates are per person based on TWN sharing room, not commissionbale and valid until 31 October 2009. Inclusion: Tours and transfers with English speaking tour guide, air conditioned minivan, meals as indicated with B for breakfast, L for lunch, D for dinner. Boat of simple cabin, only one cabin with some beds which is not private cabin. Also not available soft drinks or beer on board. Toilet is available but simple, and small accommodation is basic completed with hot/cold running water, split air-condition, TV with parabola antenna, small frizzier, private bath.. Exclusion: Tipping and any personal expenses, air fares and airport taxes. Current return air fares Denpasar - Bima - Denpasar is US$ 165.00

Other choice of visiting Komodo island


Komodo Island is a small island of 280 square Km, Komodo island is located between the island of Sumbawa and Flores. Komodo island is almost all full and barren except for palm trees and some wood but it is famous for its giant lizards which are considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. To many modern naturalist, East Nusa Tenggara is so particularly interesting because of this unique species, called the Komodo Dragon, Komodo Lizard called 'Ora" by the local people. Komodo Dragon (Varanus Komodoensis) is actually a giant monitor lizard species. Komodo Lizard growing up to 3 to 4 meters in length its ancestors roamed the earth up to about half a million years ago. Komodo live on carrions of goats, deers, and even the carcasses of its own kind. The only human population on the island is at the fishing village called Komodo too who supplement their income breeding goats which are used to feed the lizards. The Komodo is protected by law and though they are considered harmless, it is advisable to keep them at a distance. Komodo is now a nature reserve being part of a national park. It is home to a number of rare bird species, deer, and wild pigs, which are prey to the lizards as well. To see Komodo lizards in the day time, baits have to be set in the hinterland where local guides are necessary. The sea surrounding Komodo island offers visitors of sea life, crystal clear water, and white sandy beaches. The best time to visit Komodo island is between March and June, and between October and December. Komodo island is accessible from the sea only. Fly to Labuan Bajo or Bima than continued by boat to Komodo island. Labuan Bajo is a little town inhabited by fisherman, lies at the extreme western part of Flores. The town serves as a jumping off points for the trip to Komodo island. From Labuan Bajo to Komodo island will be taken around 3-4 hours by boat and from Bima to Komodo island will be taken around 4-6 hours by boat. From Denpasar to Bima and return, there is daily flight serving this sector while from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo and return the flight is seldom to fly and some time cancel without prior notice. We strongly recommend you to visit Komodo island via Bima. For overnight in Komodo, we suggest to overnight on boat for safety reason than overnight on ranger house in Komodo island.

Source : http://www.balitouring.com/tour/komodo/komodo/index.html

Komodo Island: Lizards, legends and natural beauty

Pulau Komodo (ComodoIsland) - Adji Kurniawan, Contributor, Komodo Island

Once upon a time, a mystical lady called the Dragon Princess lived on a barren and remote island. She was married to a man named Najo. She conceived and gave birth to an egg she kept in a cave. A komodo dragon hatched out of the egg and was given the name Ora. A child, Gerong, was born at the same time.

As a youth, Gerong went out to hunt deer in a forest. He ran into Ora, who wanted to eat the deer being pursued. Gerong became enraged and was on the verge of killing Ora. The princess appeared at the last moment to remind them that they were twins. Gerong calmed down and behaved kindly toward Ora.

Locals on Komodo Island, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), believe the story above dates back to time immemorial. The old folk tale about the origin of the giant komodo lizard has become an enduring island legend.

Remembering this myth, islanders treat the lizards they call Ora humanely. They feed aged komodos who are no longer capable of stalking prey, while the youngsters are free to chase deer and other animals in the forest. Thus, there are thousands of these rare dragons today.

The cave where Ora is said to have hatched is called Loang Atawini, on southern Komodo Island. There, the grave of Najo is also highly venerated. The Dragon Princess herself has no burial place, because locals feel certain that she is immortal and comes back when necessary to protect the island.

Komodo village is located around two kilometers west of Long Liang, a local sea terminal and village. Its inhabitants live in closely built houses on stilts, some 200 meters from the sea. With wooden walls and galvanized iron roofs, the large dwellings are usually occupied by several families. Behind their homes are open fields where village youths play football. Motorboats and sampans are moored off the coast. The village also has a mosque.

The island's barren, wild and remote conditions seem to defy human habitation. But people have lived on Komodo for a long time, long before the island's conversion into a national park. Hunting and occasional fishing used to be their livelihood. After they moved, they were banned from hunting. Now they are mostly fishermen, with some working as vendors and craftsmen producing wooden komodo replicas.

Komodo villagers consider themselves indigenous to the island because of their decades of occupation and their spiritual bond with the dragons. But are they? That is hard to prove. However, records indicate they are descendants of the Bajau or Bajo ethnic group from South Sulawesi. They settled in Komodo and have since been living in harmony with nature, including komodo lizards.

Magnet

The old story and the Komodo culture are only part of the charm the island has to offer. Various beautiful places can be found in Komodo National Park (TNK), including Banu Nggulung, Merah Beach, Poreng-Sabieta, Mt. Ara and Mt. Satalibo. Komodo lizards also remain a major magnet bringing tourists to the island.

Komodos are the last surviving monitor lizard species capable of reproduction. The cold-blooded reptiles were first discovered by a Dutchman, JKH Van Steyn, in 1911. They became famous in the world of science in 1912, after researcher and biologist Mayor PA Ouwens in his article ""On a Large Varanus Species from the Island of Komodo"" gave the dragons a scientific name, Varanus komodoensis.

The prehistoric lizards can reach over three meters long and weigh as much as 90 kilograms. Besides Komodo Island, they are scattered on Rinca Island and a number of surrounding islets. Rinca's dragons are a bit fiercer, with yellowish skin. Komodos are solitary animals, very seldom seen in groups except in Banu Nggulung.

Banu Nggulung is the location to watch and photograph komodos with ease. Some two kilometers east of Loh Liang, it is 45 minutes' walk along village paths lined with lush vegetation that for the most part resembles the trees of Darwin, Australia. This is due to the effect of the dry winds that sometimes blow into the area from that country.

Large, wild komodos often appear on the route to Banu Nggulung, poised to devour the unwary. Therefore, visitors are not allowed to walk alone; they must be accompanied by national park guides or forest rangers.

Pantai Merah, which means Red Beach, is among the island's most gorgeous spots. Tourists often call it Pink Beach. Its name comes from the reddish sand that covers its sloping shore. A favorite of sunbathers, the beach is also an interesting place for swimming, snorkeling, diving and fishing, since it offers a magnificent coral reefs as well as diverse commercial and ornamental fish species. Some tourists claim that its aquarium fish and coral are among the best found in Indonesia.

Komodo Island also boasts a beautiful panorama of two brownish hills, Poreng and Sabieta, with expanses of grassland and rows of palmyra trees. Wild buffaloes frequently graze there, and tourists who are lucky can see blackish adult komodos searching for their prey.

Poreng-Sabieta, 10 kilometers east of Loh Liang, can be reached via a footpath. It has a grave marked with a white cross in memory of a foreign tourist who was swallowed by a komodo dragon. According to reports, the man was taking pictures. He dropped his guard, and the giant lizard assaulted and devoured him. Nothing was left except his hair and the camera. The grave is intended to honor his soul and at the same time serve as a reminder to visitors to remain vigilant.

Another lovely spot is Mt. Ara, which is 510 meters above sea level and has a campground. One can get there via an 8-kilometer path from Loh Liang. Finally, Mt. Satalibo is the farthest destination from Loh Liang. With an altitude of 735 meters, it is the tallest mountain on Komodo. One can see the whole panorama of the island, including the sea and nearby islets, from its summit.

How to reach Komodo kingdom

Komodo Island draws wealthy tourists and backpackers alike. Those with money to spend often visit the island after Bali and Lombok. Spice Island Cruises and Evening Star are among the luxury ships that ply the route.

Tourists who are adventurous or short on cash go by bus, passenger ship and ferry. According to some backpackers, the ferry journey is more challenging because of the storms that frequently break out in Batu Tiga waters, between Labuanbajo and Komodo. The violent storms locals call kala-kala have swallowed a motorboat and a ferry, claiming passengers' lives.

Labuanbajo, Flores, is the gate to Komodo and the other islands within the Komodo National Park (TNK). The other entrance is Sape, on Sumbawa Island in West Nusa Tenggara. Tourists can take a ferry from Labuanbajo or Sape and disembark in Komodo Island waters before proceeding by sampan to the Loh Liang terminal. Fishermen's motorboats or speedboats can also be hired at negotiable fares. It takes 4 hours to travel from Labuanbajo to Loh Liang by motorboat. A speedboat takes only about an hour, but is more expensive. It is cheaper to visit Rinca Island due to its proximity to Labuanbajo.

You can reach Labuanbajo by any major form of transportation. It takes four days by bus or sea from Jakarta. In order to save time, visitors can fly from Jakarta to Mataram, Lombok, and then go by bus to Sape and further by speedboat to Loh Liang.

The Loh Liang tourist village is the gate and ticket counter for Komodo Island. It has complete facilities, such as a forest rangers office, a hostel that houses dozens of guests at reasonable rates, a cafeteria offering typical seafood and a cooperative selling souvenirs. For a tour of Rinca Island, tickets are available in Loh Buaya. Rinca, also providing accommodation, has a five-kilometer path through a hilly area where tourists can see long-tailed monkeys, wild horses and komodos.

Remote land

Komodo National Park feels like a remote area. That is because its natural and geographic conditions are different from most other regions in the country. Some of its islands are hilly, the results of centuries-long geological shifting. Other islets were formed by coral reaching as high as 200 to 400 meters.

The climate is relatively dry, with average rainfall of 800 to 1,000 millimeters. Its rainy season, which runs from January to April, and its longer dry spell affect the forms and types of flora and fauna. Its vegetation is dominated by grassland interspersed with tamarind, waru (hibiscus), wild cotton, kesambi (lac) and lontar (palmyra) trees.

The park has a combination of mangroves, seasonal and tropical rain forests, which are not as dense as the jungles of Java, Papua, Kalimantan and Sumatra. Its wildlife has only about 185 species, representing such Asian-Australian transition species as eagles, pigeons, cockatoos, Timorese deer, snakes, wild horses, and komodos. But its marine creatures are diverse: a survey by an international agency found that TNK waters contained around 900 marine biota species, including over 100 fish species like napoleon, groupers, red snappers and rayfish, as well as 260 species of coral, especially Acropora sp. Dolphins, sharks and blue whales are often found, too.

Covering an area of almost 220,000 hectares, the TNK mainly comprises Komodo (33,937 hectares), Rinca (19,625 hectares) and Padar (2,017 hectares), plus Gili Motang and a number of islets and their waters. Flanked by two provincial borders, it lies in the Sape Strait between the western tip of Flores and the eastern tip of Sumbawa.

Given the natural wealth, beauty and unique features of Komodo Island and its adjacent islets, the government declared the entire zone a national park on March 6, 1980, with the primary aim of protecting komodos and their habitat. UNESCO designated it as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1991. Under the Soeharto government, komodo dragons were declared the national animal in 1992. And in 1997, UNESCO declared it a Man and Biosphere Reserve.

Source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2006/12/10/komodo-island-lizards-legends-and-natural-beauty.html

 Foto : Istimwa

The Legend of Komodo Dragon

Pulau Komodo (ComodoIsland) - Pulau Komodo (ComodoIsland) - By: Paul Edmundus, In a travel brochure of East Nusa Tenggara Timur Province or East Lesser Sunda Islands where Komodo is located that we published recently, I wrote that if there are 8 World Wonders on our earth, the eighth must be Komodo, one of the great wild life areas in the world, a National park, 59,000 hectares that occupied more than 3000 Komodo Dragons or Varanus Komodoensis or the giant lizards which are considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today and the largest on earth. I can understand if you will NOT believe this as many of my listeners when I told this story most of them interrupted me with questions:" is that really Paul?, is that true Paul, wow…….".


The locals name this animal: "Ora" or Grand Pa or Grand Ma, as they believe that it was changed or formed from human and they are the grand children and always appeal not to attack them. These giant lizards are growing 3-4 meters in length, 1 meter high (when stands), 150-300 kg weight, can run swiftly, dig holes, swim, dive and the young dragons can climb trees. I saw this myself in 1975 when the first time I visited Komodo island, unfortunately I had no camera YET to take pictures. I and my group accompanied by 5 police man who brought their guns, ready to shoot, we picked up them in Labuanbajo - Flores, no rangers, no tickets, no camera fee. Why did the young dragons climb? Because I hung a bait, a dead goat on the tree to enable the dragons to smell from far distance and come close to the tree on the beach where I and my colleagues have made a very good camouflage for our Italian journalists and tourists of 21 persons can make pictures. But about 10 years ago the local Authority has forbidden visitors to feed the dragon in order to live naturally.

The National park consists of 3 main islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar and other small islands surroundings. Komodo Dragons are carnivore; they can kill goats, deer, horse, buffalo and wild boars. Komodo dragons are NOT only live in the above islands, but also in Flores Island, they are scattered from the west part to the central of Flores about 200 km away to the east. Since 1975 I have visited this island and witnessed the activity of the dragons for more than 300 times and I have no boring at all.

Are they dangerous? The answer is YES and NO. No for the locals, but their goats and roosters some times gone. There was sadly story about a Swisstzerland tourist who disappeared on this island in 1974. There was a big rescue, 4 days police, armies, locals have searched the whole island, but unfortunately no sign that he was still there a live. They found his camera 8 km away from the spot that he should be with his tour group and his tour Guide, no sign that he was attacked, no blood, no evident, nothing. Finally, the local authority and his Swisstzerland family concluded that he lost in Komodo Island.

What you have to do if you wish to visit Komodo island to see the dragons?

1. Never, never and never walk in the jungle without a Ranger or more.
2. Always follow the instruction from the Rangers and your Tour Guide.
3. DO not wear red shirt, red hat or red pants. Red is the color of blood.
4. Ladies who are in "period" do not visit the island, the dragon has very sharp smell and will run after you.

How to get there?

There are 4 ways to reach Komodo island.

1. By fly from BALI to Labuanbajo-Flores. There are 4 flights in a week (1, 3,4,5). Then cruise to Komodo 3 hours.
2. By fly from BALI to Bima on Sumbawa island. There are daily flights. Drive to Sape harbor for 1 hour then cruise to Komodo 4-5 hours.
3. By fly to Maumere on Flores island, have an overland to experience the people, culture, nature and wild life and as the high light is the Three Colored Lakes Kelimutu. Then reach Labuan Bajo, cruise to Komodo.
4. By cruise from BALI which will take 5-7 days program, combine air, land and sea.

In May 2004 a lady wrote me in 4 days to question all information to visit Komodo, which I guessed she just want to find out information, probably she would like to visit by her own. I gave all the answers because she came to the right person. I have been very patient to answer all her needs. Here are the questions:

* How many kilometers is it from Bima to Komodo island?
* How many kilometers is it from Komodo to Rinca island?
* How many kilometers is it from Rinca island to Bima?
* How many kilometers from Sape to Bima?
* What are the road condition?
* Are there any other ports that I could sail to islands from or is Sape is the only one?
* Are there gate to the island? Is there a time to open and close the park?
* What are the sea condition? Are there water somewhat rough?
* Would I want to bring sea sickness pill? Or are they mostly calm?
* How many km is it from the Flores airport to the Labuanbajo port?
* How long and how much distance from Labuanbajo port to Rinca? Are there differences in the sea conditions and currents?

Source : http://www.floressatours.com/komodo-dragon/komodo.html
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