The wild edge of Indonesia
Far to the east of Bali, past a scatter of volcanic islands, lies a landscape that feels older and rawer than anywhere else in the archipelago. Here the savannah-covered islands of Komodo National Park rise from turquoise seas, home to a creature that has walked the earth largely unchanged since prehistoric times. Beyond them stretches Flores, a rugged island of volcanoes, traditional villages and jewel-coloured crater lakes. This is Indonesia at its most elemental, a region for travellers drawn to wildlife, diving and dramatic scenery.
Komodo National Park and the dragons
Komodo National Park was established to protect the Komodo dragon, the largest living lizard on earth, and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991. These formidable reptiles can grow up to three metres long and weigh as much as a grown person. They survive on the islands of Komodo and Rinca, patrolling the dry hillsides with a heavy, prehistoric gait, and are found nowhere else in the world.
Visitors explore the islands on guided walks accompanied by rangers, who know the animals and keep a safe distance between dragons and people. Along the trails you may also spot Timor deer, wild boar, long-tailed macaques and a rich birdlife, all set against a backdrop of golden grasslands that turn tawny in the dry season. Seeing a dragon in the wild, unhurried and utterly indifferent to onlookers, is a humbling encounter with a living relic of a vanished age.
- UNESCO World Heritage since 1991
- Komodo dragons grow up to three metres long
- Found only on Komodo, Rinca and a few neighbouring islands
- Always explore with a licensed ranger
Pink Beach and the island of Padar
The park is not only about its dragons. Pink Beach, or Pantai Merah, is one of the very few beaches in the world with naturally rose-tinted sand, its colour created by fragments of red coral mixed into the white. The effect is most vivid where the waves meet the shore, and the shallows here are superb for snorkelling.
Nearby, the island of Padar offers the most iconic view in eastern Indonesia. A short but steep climb leads to a ridge from which three curving bays fan out below, each cradling a beach of a different shade — one pale, one golden, one dark. At sunrise the scene is breathtaking, and it has become one of the defining images of the whole region.
Diving and snorkelling among manta rays
The waters around Komodo are among the finest dive destinations on the planet. Strong currents feed an extraordinary abundance of marine life, from coral gardens in every colour to reef sharks, turtles and vast schools of fish. The highlight for many is the manta ray. At cleaning stations and feeding grounds these gentle giants, some with wingspans of several metres, glide slowly past divers and snorkellers in a spectacle that stays with you for life.
Labuan Bajo, gateway to the park
Almost every journey into Komodo begins in Labuan Bajo, a former fishing town on the western tip of Flores that has grown into the region's main harbour and tourism base. From its docks, day boats and multi-day liveaboards set out among the islands, and its hillside cafes offer some of the best sunsets in Indonesia. It is the natural place to organise a boat trip, whether a single day among the dragons and beaches or a longer cruise through the archipelago.
Flores and the crater lakes of Kelimutu
Flores itself rewards those who travel deeper. Its Portuguese-influenced name means flower, a reminder of the Catholic heritage that sets it apart from much of Indonesia. The island is threaded with volcanoes, waterfalls and traditional villages, and its highland farms produce a prized Arabica coffee.
Its greatest natural wonder is Kelimutu, a volcano crowned by three crater lakes that glow in startlingly different colours — turquoise, green and sometimes black or deep red — their hues shifting over the years as volcanic gases alter the mineral chemistry of the water. Reaching the summit before dawn to watch the lakes emerge from the mist as the sun rises is one of the most magical experiences in the country. For the best weather and calmest seas, plan your visit to Komodo and Flores in the dry season, roughly between April and November.