See Komodo Dragons On Komodo Island
Still to do
Walk dry island trails with a ranger and a forked stick, past the world's largest lizards tasting the air.
The adventure
The boat drops anchor in a bay ringed by bare brown hills, and a ranger meets you on the jetty holding nothing more than a long forked stick. Within minutes of setting off on the trail, you spot the first one: a Komodo dragon sprawled in the shade, heavy-bodied and far bigger than you'd imagined, its yellow forked tongue flicking out to taste the air.
Up close they look prehistoric: armoured skin, powerful curved claws and a slow, swaggering walk that can turn into a sudden burst of speed. Rangers keep you at a respectful distance, and you'll soon understand why. Back on the water, the rest of the park is just as wild, with the pink sand of Pink Beach, the three-bayed view from the top of Padar Island and manta rays gliding through the channels.
Why it’s epic
- Komodo dragons are the largest lizards on Earth, growing to around 3 metres and over 70 kg.
- They live wild only on Komodo, Rinca and a few nearby islands, plus parts of western Flores.
- Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of Indonesia's richest diving.
- The climb up Padar Island at sunrise gives one of the most photographed views in Indonesia.
What it is
Komodo dragons are the world's largest lizards, growing up to 3 metres long.
How to do it
Fly to Labuan Bajo and take a boat tour to Komodo or Rinca island with a ranger.
Top tip
Book a liveaboard trip to combine dragons, diving and pink beaches.
Need to know
- You must walk with an official park ranger on Komodo and Rinca; never wander off the trail.
- Labuan Bajo on Flores is the gateway, with flights from Bali taking about an hour.
- April to December is the dry season, while seas can be rough from January to March.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 days
- Best time to go
- April to December
- Fly into
- LBJ airport
Day boats from Labuan Bajo are reasonable; liveaboards, park fees and long-haul flights to Indonesia push it up.
Make it happen
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Why it’s on my list
The Komodo dragon exists only in this one part of the world – on four small islands in the Komodo National Park, in the southern part of Indonesia. This isolation has largely kept humans away, but despite this they are in no way cute cuddly reptiles. They are DANGEROUS!
They have been known to attack humans, whom they see as prey, and have a regular diet of buffalo, deer, goats and birds.
It is because of this isolation that I really want to visit them and learn more about them in their natural habitat.
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