Komodo

Komodo is best known for its famous lizards, but it also offers a landscape that is unique among the islands of Indonesia, the opportunity to explore some of the most beautiful reefs in the world and encounters with local villagers.

Komodo National Park covers over 1700 square kilometres and includes the islands of Kom0do, Rinca and Padar, in addition to dozens of other smaller islands. The area was made a national park in 1980 and, in 1991, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. With a guide, visitors can trek through the park’s dry and rugged landscape, watching for the famed Komodo dragons, the largest lizards in the world. The park is also home to large mammals, such as Timor deer, pigs and wild buffalo, as well as over 150 species of birds, including the sulfur-crested cockatoo, jungle chickens, and the white-breasted sea eagle, while its reefs are practically bursting with marine life, from clownfish and parrotfish to the occasional sea turtle and manta ray.

Villages are present on the islands of Komodo and Rinca, and grant visitors on Indonesia luxury cruises the opportunity to interact with the only people in the world to live among dragons! Many of the homes in the fishing village of Kampung Komodo, on the island of Komodo, are built on stilts to keep out of reach of curious dragons. Visitors to the village can buy handmade crafts and enjoy an intimate look into the lives of the locals.