Destination: Lesser Sunda Islands --> East Nusa Tenggara

• Eco-tourism

1. Komodo National Park

This tourist spot is another of Indonesia's famous icon. Situated between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores, it includes three major slands, Komodo, Padar and Rinca and is the habitat to around 2500 komodo dragons.

Komodo Dragon

The komodo dragons are giant lizards that can grow up to 3 meters long and weigh up to 90 kilograms and are also endemic to this region, which makes them as a part of the endangered species list. Based on this, Komodo National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.

There are plenty of other terrestrial animals here such as the Timor deer which is the main prey of the lizards, the Rinca rat, a rat species which also is endemic to this island and Russel's pit viper. However the land animals are rather poor in diversity compared to the marine animals. Because Indonesia is located between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans, the waters here are rich in diversity. You can find reef-building corals, crustaceans, dugongs and sometimes whales. This is the reason why this island has many great diving sites.

    2. Labuan Bajo

A small harbor on the westernmost tip of the Flores Island, this a small town that provides accommodation and is also the entry point for tourists who are visiting the Komodo National Park. 

Here you can find travel agents and dive operators that can take you the surrounding Kanawa and Seraya Islands where you can dive their pristine seas ornamented with beautiful corals and other marine lifeforms such as manta rays and reef sharks. There are plenty of bungalows there where you can rent at a reasonable price. The white sandy beaches here is also a great place to enjoy the spectacular view of sunrises and sunsets. 

Another place nearby that you would want to go is Kalong Island (kalong is Indonesia for giant flying fox bats). As it name suggests, this island is filled with thousands of bats. To get here,  you can rent a boat for $30 from Labuan Bajo. 

Kalong Island