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The Komodo National Park nestles between the Sumbawa and Flores islands in the East Nusatengarra province in Indonesia. The Park consists of twenty-nine volcanic islands, with the most famous of these being Komodo, Rinca, and Padar.
The National Park hosts almost 2500 Komodo Dragons and other reptiles, birds, and mammals. The Park has a diverse terrain, with a mix of grass and woodland Savanah, tropical rain forests, exquisite sandy beaches with rich marine life, and mountainous hillsides. The Park measures 2,000km squared and includes protected water and land.
Here are some of the reasons you should visit the Komodo National Park.
1. The Komodo Dragons
Weighing more than 70 kilos and approximately 3 meters in length, the Komodo Dragon is the world’s largest lizard. They are identifiable by their vast flatheads, long thick tail, fork-shaped tongues, and bow legs.
These massive lizards can swim and run at 20 kph and see objects as far as 300 meters away. They are carnivorous and eat at least 80% of their body weight in one sitting. The Komodo Dragons are protected, and it is illegal for anyone to hunt them.
2. Climate and the Geography
The Park climate is arid and experiences little or no rainfall for at least eight months in a year. The monsoon rains heavily affect the Park when it does rain. The daily temperatures in the Park during May and October are the dry months hit up to 40 degrees.
The dry climate causes the geography of the area to be full of rough terrain with stony hills. The flora in the Park is shrubs, orchids, trees, and grass. The National Park marine life has colorful and beautiful coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds.
3. Land and Marine Life
Other than the Komodo dragons, the Park has mammals, birds, and other reptiles. There are nine lizards, 12 snake species, the Timor deer, different frog species, water buffaloes, wild boars, horses, fruit bats, Rinca rat, 40 bird species, and the orange footed scrub fowl.
The marine life includes 70 sponges, 1000 fish, ten dolphins, six whale species, green turtles, stingrays, manta rays, crustaceans, etc.
· Diving Sites
The Komodo National Park sits in the middle of the Asia Pacific Coral Triangle, making it home to diverse marine life. Scientists, photographers, and divers worldwide come to experience the rich marine biodiversity in the numerous dive sites on Rinca, Komodo, Padar, and other smaller islands making up at least 100 dive sites.
The Park area is famed for its strong currents, whirlpools, and riptides that bring nutrients from the Indian Ocean for the fish and corals. Some diving sites consist of blue water dives where you can view sharks, dugongs, and Manta rays. Some other diving sites are full of murky water dives where divers have discovered rare species.
4. Pink Beach
The red coral degradation mixed with the white sand creates a pink and unique beach. As the Pink Beach is called, the Pantai Merah is one of seven pink beaches globally.
The Pink Beach offers tourists the chance to snorkel in spectacular diving spots. The marine landscape is dotted with rich marine life with soft and hard colorful coral reefs.
5. Traditional Mesa Island Village
Mesa Island is perfect for tourists who want to experience the traditional way of life led by the sea gypsies or Bajau people. The laid-back village has approximately 1500 inhabitants, and tourists can see them go about their daily lives, such as processing shellfish, drying cucumbers, etc. Visitors also get to see the quaint stilt houses hovering above the shoreline.
6. Watch the Sunset at Kelong Island
The name Kelong is the local dialect for giant flying fox bats, which are the island’s major attraction. At sunset, tourists see a spectacle of thousands of bats fly to the neighboring islands to hunt for food against a backdrop of a spectacular sunset. Going to the Kelong Island is best done by paying for a sailing trip to Komodo, which comes as a package to all the surrounding areas.
7. Snorkeling at Kanawa
You can go to Kanawa Island to relax, swim, and snorkel at the beautiful snorkeling spots. The water is a clear turquoise blue, and you can see the extraordinary marine life above the water. You can enjoy the underwater view of beautiful corals, colorful tropical fish, turtles, stingrays, and dolphins if you wish to snorkel.
Conclusion
The Komodo National park is an enthralling and spectacular place every person should visit. There is a lot more to do, and these are just a few things to do there.
