We’re going to spend two entire days for the visit to Komodo
National Park and the near highlights. We plan to hire the tours once
there the previous day and the idea is having one day for Komodo area
and other day for Rinca area.
The spots marked at map are:
0- Wae Molas Hotel in Lebuan Bajo
1- Rinca Island
2- Padar Island
3- Komodo National Park
4- Pink Beach
5- Manta point
6- Kalong Island(flying foxes)
After
We’re picked up at 5:45 AM, when we didn’t expect
to be at daylight. We’re the last ones to join the van as we’re the
closest ones to the quay. We’re going to be a group of 12 in a boat
with room for 40 people. We must thank this to the low season.
While sailing to our first destination they
explain the rules for the boat and the agenda for today. They take
300,000 rupees per person as admission fee for Komodo National Park. In
less than one hour we’re in Padar Island. We’ve got one hour and a half
for the visit which, basically, should be used to climb to the top for
the best views in the area..
At the beginning, there is a staircase with regular
steps, but this is changing as you’re getting further up and, in the
final part there is no stairs and you must make your way by the rocks.
I’m the first one at the top, so I can make pictures of the
breathtaking views alone.
Once back down, we spend the rest of the time in
the beautiful beach. When our boat is available, we come back to it for
our next stop: Pink Beach.
The sand of this beach is pink because of the
small pieces of red coral in the white sand. A part of the beautiful
beach, there are lots of sea turtles in the water and we can swim with
them. This is an amazing experience.
Next visit is to Komodo Island. We’re assigned
three rangers which will guide and protect us with the use of a stick
ending by Y shape. We quickly can see the first dragons, as they’re
resting on the shadow of the buildings. As they’re usually still and
quiet it’s easy not having any fear for them, but when one gets up and
move rangers are all on guard.
We follow the rangers through the peculiar
vegetation of this island until we find two dragons in the only place
with water in kilometers. When we’re back I can barely believe it’s
been a one hour and a half trekking as I’ve felt it so quick.
Back in the boat, we get a big plastic box with
our lunch
in five sections. The two bigger ones have chicken and white rice. We
reach our next stop before we could finish with our meal: Taka
Makassar. It’s a small island of pink sand in the middle of the sea,
like a 360° beach.
The next stop is very close, in the middle of the
ocean:
Manta point. As the name suggests this is a place where manta rays use
to pass. In the first try I don’t manage to see it, but for the second
attempt I jump to the sea at the same moment they spot one and I can
see one of these huge fishes just below me. There is no way of
following them as they’re very fast, so it’s a short experience.
The last visit is out of the National Park and
close to
Labuan Bajo: Kanawa Island. A sort of tropical island, with hammocks
and bar. Water is warm and clear, like in all the places we’ve been
today.
Once in Labuan Bajo, most of the group have a
dinner
together at 7 PM. We get some fun as an end for so fantastic day.
