Adventure and Diving at Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park is a national park in Indonesia, located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, between the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara. This national park consists of three major islands: Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, as well as several smaller islands, with a total area of 1,733 km² (603 km² of it land).

Komodo National Park. Source: wikipedia.org

In 1980 the national park was established to protect the Komodo dragon and its habitat. The hot and dry climate of the park, characterized by savannah vegetation, make it to a good habitat for the endemic Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). Other than the Komodo Dragon twelve terrestrial snake species are found on the island. Including the cobra (Naja naja sputatrix), Russel’s pit viper (Vipera russeli), and the green tree vipers (Trimeresurus albolabris). Lizards include 9 skink species (Scinidae), geckos (Gekkonidae), limbless lizards (Dibamidae), and, of course, the monitor lizards (Varanidae). Frogs include the Asian Bullfrog (Kaloula baleata), Oreophyne jeffersoniana and Oreophyne darewskyi. They are typically found at higher, moister altitudes.

There are 277 species of animal which is a mix of animals from Asia and Australia, which consists of 32 species of mammals and 128 species of birds. Mammals include the Timor deer (Cervus timorensis), the main prey of the Komodo dragon, horses (Equus sp.), water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), wild boar (Sus scrofa vittatus), long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus lehmanni), the endemic Rinca rat (Rattus rintjanus), and fruit bats. One can also find goats, dogs and domestic cats. One of the main bird species is the orange-footed scrub fowl (Megapodius reinwardti), a ground dwelling bird. In areas of savanna, 27 species were observed. Geopelia striata and Streptopelia chinensis were the most common species. In mixed deciduous habitat, 28 bird species were observed, and Philemon buceroides, Ducula aenea, and Zosterops chloris were the most common.

Kanawa Island, Komodo National Park.
Source: wikipedia.org

Cloud forests appear only in few areas above 500 metres but they provide habitat to several endemic flora. Coastal vegetaion includes mangrove forest, which generally appear in the sheltered bays of the three larger islands. The three major coastal marine plants are algae, seagrasses and mangrove trees. Algae are primitive plants, which do not have true roots, leaves or stems. An important reef-building algae is the red coralline algae, which actually secretes a hard limestone skeleton that can encrust and cement dead coral together. Seagrasses are modern plants that produce flowers, fruits and seeds for reproduction. As their name suggests, they generally look like large blades of grass growing underwater in sand near the shore. Thallasia sp. and Zastera spp. are the common species found in the Park. Mangroves trees can live in salty soil or water, and are found throughout the park. An assessment of mangrove resources identified at least 19 species of true mangroves and several more species of mangrove associates within the park's borders.

Big eye squirrelfish (Priacanthus hamrur)
being serviced by cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)
at cleaning station in Komodo National Park.
Source: wikipedia.org

Moreover, Komodo National Park includes one of the world's richest marine environments. It consists of forams, cnidaria (includes over 260 species of reef building coral), sponges (70 species), ascidians, marine worms, mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, cartilaginous and bony fishes (over 1,000 species), marine reptiles, and marine mammals (dolphins, whales, and dugongs). Some notable species with high commercial value include sea cucumbers (Holothuria), Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), and groupers. Fringing and patch coral reefs are extensive and best developed on the north-east coast of Komodo Island.

Scuba diving and snorkeling are popular because of the park's high marine biodiversity. You may also swim in the Flores Sea on your incoming or outgoing boat trip to one of the islands. Beware of sharp corals on the sea floor near some of the small islands.

How to get there?

The ferry service (to and from the cities of Sape, on the eastern tip of Sumbawa, and Labuanbajo on Flores) drops off passengers on Komodo once or twice every week. There is no port on the island, so passengers are unloaded onto small vessels which take them into the island's only village. Note that not all departures have this service, check beforehand. Bima, a short drive from Sape, has an airstrip with flights to Denpasar.

Travelers coming in from Sape to the west (those traveling overland through Sumbawa and also those arriving at Bima airport) should note that the once-daily ferries from Sape can be suspended indefinitely due to bad weather, so if you want to be sure of your travel arrangements, flying to Labuanbajo is a much safer bet. If you get stranded at Sape, the best Bima airport will be able to offer is a flight back to Denpasar on Bali.