After excellent coffee and a hearty breakfast at our hotel, we were picked up by Johnny and Paulos and on our way to the boat for our trip to Komodo National Park. It is next to impossible to visit the park without a guide, and there are several options for visiting the park with various tour groups that are based in Bali. Only an hour away by plane and then a few leisurely hours by boat from Labuan Bajo, and you can find yourself face to face with the largest lizards on earth. We were beyond excited!
Our boat was a fantastic surprise. We were the only passengers. Other than Paulos, our crew numbered five and made life wonderfully easy for us. We read of the strong currents in Indonesia, a byproduct of the ocean flowing among so many islands of varying sizes. Our captain did a great job keeping the seas smooth, even when they seemed less-than friendly.
With so many cabins, we were allowed to sleep in one cabin and stow most of our gear in another cabin. The quarters were cozy and comfortable. We certainly had the luxury of space without having to worry about stepping over the gear that we would not be using.
The ride to our first stop in the park, Rinca Island, also allowed me some good birding opportunities. I had my first good looks at a White-bellied Sea Eagle - so beautiful!
Paulos offered us some background on the park, the people who live in the area, and answered all of our questions with ease and authority. He admitted that he was more familiar with the history of the park, but was interested in the birds and we shared my bird guide and binoculars for a bit. I am sometimes apprehensive about guides, but Paulos was a critical part of our trip to Komodo National Park.
Our first entrance to the park was at Loh Buaya on Rinca Island. Paulos explained that "Loh Buaya" translates to "Crocodile Bay," and there are hints when you arrive that you might see some. We did not see any, but we kept our eyes peeled when near the water just the same.
There were other animals at the Visitor's Center where we paid for our 2-day entrance fee and camera fees. As is typical with most parks in southeast Asia, foreigners pay a higher price than Indonesians. If our fees help with conservation, promotion of the park, and education of young guides as naturalists, then I am seldom concerned with the foreigners' premium. Seeing new creatures and knowing that guides are looking out to ensure I have a safe visit is worth every rupiah.
I should start keeping track of the world heritage sites we visit. I think this is number two for the year?
Paulos, Ryan, and I met our guide and saw our first Komodo dragons after walking about 10 meters. They were hanging around one of the buildings in the main area near the visitor's center. Our guide explained that they did not feed the animals, but that the smells of the nearby kitchen probably encouraged them to remain close. I suspect there are some stray food scraps that appease the dragons, but must admit that I was so happy to see so many and get an excellent look at them.
These photos do not fully convey the size of these animals. The four lying down at the base of the kitchen building had to have been nearly 2 m in length, longer than I am tall! Strong claws, huge feet. The knowledge that they could outrun me if they wanted to kept me alert, despite the fact that two of them seemed to be soundly alseep. A younger one walking towards the kitchen caught my attention because of its quick movement and the fact that it was riddled with ticks.
Rinca Island is a dry tropical island. I assume that the komodo dragons are one of the few sources of water on the island, and even this medium-sized dragon could probably host a good number of ticks at a time. It then gave us all a treat by climbing a nearby tree, an ability that I did not appreciate until I saw it. No wonder visitors are not allowed to wander through the park unaccompanied!
Note the long, forked stick that our guide has in the photo with Ryan. All of the young guides who live in the park carry these when they escort visitors along their preferred hike. Each group has their choice: short hike, medium-hike, and long-hike. For our trip, we settled on the medium hike, which would show us a good combination of forest and grassland habitats, both of which could offer more views of the dragons. We did not see any more dragons on our hike, but we did see one water buffalo taking a cool breather.
The latter half of our hike led us through hilly grasslands unlike anything I've ever seen. Very dry and hot. I was thankful for the cold water we grabbed from the boat before entering the park! And I should say that while cargo pants are not runway chic, there is nothing better to wear for extra pockets because your camera and binoculars are occupying your arms and shoulders.
Just before returning to the main park area, our guide spotted a young komodo dragon. He nearly shrieked with excitement himself, stating that he'd never seen a baby dragon before. I would have noticed it had it not been for our guide, The lizard was just shy of 12-inches in length and was sunning itself peacefully on a dead log.
We arrived back at the visitors center, thanked our guide for his knowledge, and headed back towards the boat. The walk from the dock to the visitors' center is a bit of a walk, offering a glimpse at some mangrove but mostly mudflats. The sign heralding the entrance to the park has to be once of the best in the world.
Back on the boat, Paulos explained that we were going to visit Komodo Village as our last stop before anchoring for the evening. We had a bit of time before arriving, so we enjoyed the views and Ryan took a moment to recover from the heat.
There are a few villages within the boundaries of the park. The residents are allowed to maintain their current boundaries but they may not expand further into the park. If you only visit Bali, you don't appreciate just how diverse the country is. In Bali, most of the people are Hindu. In Flores, Paulos explained that the majority of the population is Christian. In Komodo Village, nearly 100% of the population is Muslim.
The mayor, or some community official, met us and provided a tour of the village. Paulos translated for us, and pointed out some of the sights of the village. During our walk through the village, we were followed by very young boys and girls, some more clothed than others, offering us carved komodo dragons and other souvenirs.
We both were thankful for all the opportunities we'd had, because they were leaps and bounds beyond what we could see for these children in terms of education and income. Not that everyone desires such things, but in the U.S. we take for granted that everyone has a choice.
We anchored in a bay not too far from the village for the night. Our dinner consisted of fresh fish, noodles, rice, and fruit. We asked if it would be OK for Ryan and I to enjoy a cigar and a clove cigarette, respectively. Paulos smiled and asked why we didn't ask him sooner! Apparently, the crew had been sneaking drags on cigarettes at the back of the boat all day long for fear of disrupting our day. Next time, we will be more forthcoming about our vices. Conversation, smokes, a beautiful sunset, and a full moon helped us celebrate the day and primed us for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, a visit to Komodo Island, snorkeling at Pink Beach, and a visit to Manta Point.
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