Garuda Indonesia Airlines’ inspection tour to the Flores Island and its vicinity in Indonesia. In the third and last leg of the tour, we are finally going to see Komodo dragons. We woke up a little early on the morning of the third day in Labuan Bajo. This was because there was a special program called “Sunrise Hill Breakfast,” where we could have breakfast while watching the sun rise (for a minimum of two people). However, Plataran Komodo Resort & Spa, where we are staying this time, faces west, which means that we cannot see the sunset over the ocean to the east where the sun rises. What to do, I was told, is to go to “Sunrise Hill” near the hotel. This meant we had to leave a little earlier than sunrise, which meant we had to wake up early. The sunrise at Labuan Bajo on that day was around 5:30 a.m., so we gathered in front of the reception desk at 5:00 a.m., when it was still dimly lit. Even though it was the rainy season, the weather was looking good. It must be someone’s good conduct that we haven’t been rained on so much so far. We got into the car and headed for our destination (……), but within 5 minutes, the car stopped on the side of the road. We followed the hotel staff up through the bushes in the dark, our footing still a bit dim, and within five minutes we arrived at a slightly open area with tables set up on a hill overlooking the sea. In addition to the main course, there was a full menu of sandwiches, pancakes, fruit, and other items typical of a hotel breakfast. As the monotone world gradually changes color from the eastern sky, it is almost sunrise time. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast as the sun slowly rose, and returned to the hotel with our stomachs and hearts full.
Finally, we are going to meet the main dish of this trip, the Komodo dragon (……), or Komodo dragon. Komodo dragons inhabit only a small part of Komodo National Park, and tourists can only see them in limited facilities such as Loh Liang Komodo National Park on Komodo Island and Loh Buaya Komodo National Park on Rinca Island. However, it is said that several people are attacked each year, so it is not advisable to meet them outside of these facilities. Since these two facilities can only be visited by boat, it is basically possible to take an optional tour offered by hotels and other organizations. Also, the number of visitors per day is limited, so it is better to make reservations in advance. Plataran Komodo Resort & Spa owns two sailing boats and a cruiser, and visitors can board the boats from the hotel pier and go directly to the island. You can get on a car, transfer at the port, and return the same way without any hassle, which is only possible at the resort. It’s so easy that you can leave your hands empty, but don’t forget to bring sneakers because you cannot enter the island in flip-flops. This time, our destination was Loh Buaya Komodo National Park on Rinca Island. We departed from the hotel pier and headed south along the west coast of Flores Island. Looking up, the sky was blue, which was hard to believe that it was the rainy season, although there were a few clouds, and the waves and wind were calm. The 40-minute cruise was exotic and enjoyable, as we passed by small islands with emerald-green beaches and white sandy beaches, and tropical scenery with thick green forests peeking out from steep cliffs. Although I was sitting on the rear deck and could not confirm it, I heard that dolphins could be seen swimming from the captain’s seat. After disembarking at the pier where a large statue of a fighting Komodo dragon stands, we soon arrived at the entrance to the park. From here, a guide accompanied us to show us around and explain about the park. The guide told us that there are about 3,400 Komodo dragons living in the national park, and that a large one can grow to 3 meters in length and weigh as much as 80 kilograms. While listening to this story, we walked along the well-maintained pier to the information center. On the way to the information center, our guide pointed to a “small one” in a muddy area along the river, and we saw a Komodo dragon about 1 meter long slithering about 50 meters ahead of us. I was so impressed! I was impressed and thought it would be cute if it was that big. He told me that the speed is about 20km/h when it runs and that small ones climb trees. I was very impressed and thought they looked cute at that. …… Two more rangers from the information center accompanied us, covering the front and back of the group to protect us. After giving us a lecture on safe observation, we finally started our one-hour trek. Before we left, I was hoping to see some lizards, but I was a little disappointed to see a few standing right in front of the center. I was a little disappointed to see a few lizards standing right in front of the center, and a sign on the side of them saying “Those lizards are very dangerous! （I braced myself, but the lizards themselves seemed relaxed, moving only occasionally. I was told that lizards don’t move much when they are full, so I guessed it was after eating something. But aside from that, it was a perfect situation to observe the lizard from a close distance. I observed it as if I was licking it, and found its rugged skin (?), large mouth, and sharp claws. The rugged skin (?), large mouth, and sharp clawed fingertips gave it the appearance of a mini-dragon. I was strangely impressed by the fact that real or imaginary dragons can fly with such a thing, which is why they are so feared. After a short observation, we started trekking. Walking through the forest with the Komodo dragon nesting site and a troop of monkeys by our side, the landscape changed to grasslands and we gradually climbed up the hill. At this point, the Komodo dragons are no longer in sight, and we can relax and enjoy the scenery while hiking. At the top of the hill, there is a pavilion with a spectacular view of Rinca Island, the islands in the distance, the bright blue sky, and the ocean. It was humid and hot near the ocean, but here it was a different world. Although the temperature was high, the breeze was breezy and pleasant. Satisfied with our encounter with the Komodo dragon, we left Rinca Island and headed home. Originally, we were going to return to the hotel, but the captain responded to the tour group’s strong request to “get into the beautiful ocean! The captain responded to their strong request to go back to the hotel. We stopped at pulau kelor (Kelor Island), a small uninhabited island about 1 km off the coast of Flores. Although small, the beach, with its white sand and emerald green shallows, was sparsely populated, giving it a sense of seclusion. We gave up snorkeling and hiking to the top of the island because we ran out of time. We left the island after only 40 minutes.
© Source travel watch
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.