{"id":3177,"date":"2017-08-18T01:00:26","date_gmt":"2017-08-18T01:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.my\/stories\/?p=3177"},"modified":"2022-07-20T22:21:50","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T22:21:50","slug":"komodo-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.my\/stories\/activities\/komodo-island\/","title":{"rendered":"From Komodo Dragons to the Kelimutu Volcano: A Wild Adventure in Indonesia Beckons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dragons do exist, and so does a volcano with three-coloured crater lakes – and they can be found on Flores island, located in East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia. While Indonesia is more famous for Bali and Yogyakarta, Flores should unquestionably be on your #1 list if you are looking for a destination full of adventure.<\/p>\n

How to get there?<\/h3>\n

There are two major towns you can fly into to reach Komodo National Park. Take a flight to Labuan Bajo<\/a> or a flight to Ende<\/a>. There isn\u2019t any direct international flight at the time of writing, so most flights will have to transit in either Bali <\/a>or Jakarta<\/a>.
\n\"flying
\nLabuan Bajo is a fisherman town located on the westernmost coast of Flores island. It is the nearest port to Komodo National Park<\/a>, Indonesia\u2019s very own The Lost Word. Ende is the biggest town in Flores, and the closest town to reach <\/span>Kelimutu<\/a>, the mythical volcano with three crater lakes of differing colours.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I visited Labuan Bajo first before flying to Ende, and it was a great start to my magical journey in Flores.\u00a0Nonetheless, there shouldn’t be any problem with whichever order you choose.\"flores
\nP.S: <\/b>If you are looking for tons of Insta-worthy photos, you should visit Flores before it gets swarmed with travellers!<\/p>\n

Komodo National Park<\/h2>\n

From this bustling town, we have to use a boat to reach Komodo National Park<\/a>. Although it\u2019s recommended to spend 2D1N or 3D2N living on board, a day-long boat trip is also possible. In fact, I would suggest to keep it short if you do not have much time on your hands because there are plenty of things ahead in Komodo National Park.
\n\"komodo
\nView from the hill nearby<\/em><\/p>\n

Kanawa Island<\/b><\/h2>\n

The white sandy beaches and beautiful coral reefs make Kanawa Island a sweet spot for snorkelling. Get to the top of the hills to get a lovely panorama shot of the sunset.
\n\"Kanawa<\/p>\n

Snorkeling at Manta Point<\/b><\/h2>\n

The underwater world of Komodo National Park is very famous among the scuba divers for its rich marine biodiversity and the almost-guaranteed sighting of the majestic Manta Ray. Not a diver yet? Fret not as the Mantas can also be seen just by snorkeling!
\n\"Snorkeling<\/p>\n

Pink Beach<\/h2>\n

From the top of the hill, you can marvel at the soft hues of pink of the sandy particles, slowly getting washed away by the clear turquoise water. The pink coloration is caused by the red coral which gets weathered over time.
\n\"pink<\/p>\n

Kalong Island<\/h2>\n

“Kalong” means “bats” in English and as the name suggests, you would come across bats in every corner of the island. The moment I loved the most from this island was watching the beautiful sunset at Kalong Island. The clear magenta sky was made lively by a large flock of bats searching for fruits. If only I could witness this every day!
\n\"Kalong<\/p>\n

Komodo Island<\/h2>\n

Finally, the dragons\u2019 den! Komodo Island is the biggest island within the National Park, and it is also inhabited by the local population too! The natives live alongside the Komodo dragons – and even legend has it that human and Komodo are actually twins of a beautiful Dragon Princess.
\n\"komodo
\nHanging around kitchen area<\/em><\/p>\n

Rinca Island<\/h2>\n

Having been to both islands, I found Rinca Island to be a better spot than the iconic Komodo Island to watch Komodo dragons playing around. The island’s smaller size helps us to find the dragons more easily. Also, I was not surprised to find lots of them hanging out near the kitchen area. Well, they probably get hungry as often as we do!
\n\"rincaWelcome to the real Jurassic Park!<\/em><\/p>\n

Padar Island<\/h2>\n

While Komodo Island might amaze you with the magical Komodo dragons, Padar Island will likely blow you away with its view. You should prepare a good pair of trekking shoes because some parts of the journey might get pretty steep!<\/p>\n

\"padar<\/p>\n

Padar Island panorama!<\/em><\/p>\n

Labuan Bajo<\/h2>\n

Though I did not have the luxury of time to try, Labuan Bajo itself offers quite a number of adventures. You can do caving in Batu Cermin, or get stunned by an underground lake in Rangko cave or even venture for another trekking session to Cunca Rami Waterfall. If you feel like winding down after a long day full of activities, the sunset at Labuan Bajo is a gorgeous sight to enjoy!
\n\"Labuan<\/p>\n

Beyond the vast blue ocean and enchanting dragons, it\u2019s time to conquer the mythical volcano Kelimutu! There are several ways to reach there from Labuan Bajo, but it\u2019s recommended to take a 40-minute flight to Ende, especially if you are pressed for time. Travelling by land transport could easily take 14 hours!<\/p>\n

Kelimutu National Park<\/h2>\n

Most people visiting Kelimutu National Park<\/a> stay in a small village called Moni,which is 2.5 hours away from Ende. For convenience, try to arrange the transportation for the entire trip of Ende – Moni – Kelimutu in Ende because it would be more difficult once you leave Ende.<\/p>\n

\"Kelimutu
\nWaiting for the gorgeous sunrise while enjoying my cup noodles<\/em>
\nMoni itself would be rather quiet if not for Kelimutu. To enjoy the sunrise at Kelimutu, you would need to get an ojek (motorbike taxi) or a car transport and leave Moni by 4 am the latest. Most people stick to that out of convenience, but thrill-seekers can always opt for a more challenging task of hiking to Kelimutu from Moni. An independent hike without a tour guide is definitely possible, but you would have to leave Moni as early as 1 am.<\/p>\n

\"endeEnde town seen from the airplane<\/em><\/p>\n

Kelimutu is a small volcano and is famous for its three peculiar craters, which each has a different colour. Not only that, the colours change significantly over time. The best time to visit Kelimutu would be just before the sunrise. I had never seen a sunrise so beautiful and complete: a sea of clouds, the warm ray of the sun and colourful lakes.<\/p>\n

\"KelimutuThe mystical sunrise at Kelimutu National Park<\/em><\/p>\n

Each of the three craters of Kelimutu has its own name:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n