Nowadays, Komodo Island becomes
one of popular natural site in Indonesia. This site discovered by western
scientist on 1910. They called as dragon. This is a cannibal animal and
resemble to dragon with thick skin, scaly, and having red tongue that always sticking
out. Now, there are approximately 2.500 ‘dragon’ that eat meat and lives at
Komodo National Park. This park lies at West Manggarai, NTT, Indonesia. There
area around 1.100 komodo lives in Rinca Island dan 1.300 Komodo Island. The
rate from Jakarta – Denpasar – Labuhan Bajo is around Rp3 million or US$312.
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| Pictures Suhendri-indonesiacantik.blogspot.com |
Labuhan
Bajo is the gate to enter to Komodo National Park. Your plane will land from
Denpasar or Kupang at Komodo airport. Then, you have to cross the sea to go to Komodo
Island or Rinca Island from Labuan Bajo Pier. At this pier, you will see all
big ship, small or middle size that will go to Komodo Island. Even, there are
luxury ships with different symbol and flag from around the world are permitted
to come there freely.
August
is the busiest time because it is the time for holiday. In this pier, you can
negotiate with the owner of ship if you plan to hire speed boat or motor boat.
Around 20 motor boats available every morning and most of them have been
booking by buyer. So, you have to come earlier. Now is the time to determinate
your place? Rinca Island or Komodo Island.
Firstly,
Rinca Island. If you want to go there, it takes 2 hours by boat from Labuan
Bajo. In this island, there is Loh Buaya Pier. In this pier, small boats can go
there. There is one bungalow, canteen and toilet. Commonly, tourist chooses
Rinca Island to see komodo because it is closer than Komodo Island, and this is
a terrain so you will see more komodo. Secondly, Komodo Island. This island can
be reached around 4 hours by boat or 1.5 hours by speed boat.
Komodo
Island has Loh Liang Pier. The wave and current of water to go to this island
is high, even can be 4 meters, especially on January to March. There is a
guesthouse and the rate per night is Rp400.000 or US$40. But, commonly tourist
prefers to stay in the boat or ship because there are kitchen and toilet
inside.
Ideally,
this area need mass transportation in order to attract more tourists to see
komodo. In order to get to those islands, there is no public sea
transportation. The only way you can do is by hiring boat from Labuan Bajo
Pier. The price for small boat with 8 passengers to Rinca Island is around
Rp600.000 or US$60 and US$80 to Komodo Island.
If you
choose bigger boat with kitchen and toilet for 10 passengers, you have to pay
Rp1 million or US$97 per day to go and back to Rinca Island. If you want
faster, you can hire speed boat with 8 passengers and you have to pay from Rp3
millions to Rp5 million or US$312 or US$520.
Since Labuhan Bajo
Pier exists till Komodo National Park, you will see foreign tourists. Actually,
there is cheaper trip to Komodo Island which is combined between land and sea
trip, but it takes longer. You will face challenging field and exhausted. But,
still tourist takes this way. From Senggigi Beach at Lombok, you can go there
in a group around 20 persons by hire a boat to Komodo National Park Rp2 million
or US$210 or US$10.5 per person. This trip is started from Lombok Island and
takes 3 days 2 nights. You will have fun by taking this way.
Admission for tourist
from Indonesia, international and local resident are different. Rp75.000 for
domestic tourist, US$15 for international tourist, and Rp10.000 for local
resident or student. After you pay the ticket, ranger will guide you to go
uphill. He always have a wood stick which is has letter ‘Y’. This stick will be
used if there are komodo attack you suddenly. After you arrive to Komodo
Island, you will see so many komodo with big tail that can be used to smack
down horses, buffaloes, or deer.
Komodo has 4 big
legs, sharp 26 teeth, red forked tongue, strong and big jaw, and komodo able to
swallow variety of animal only in one motion. This animal also can seek his
prey from long distance because komodo has sensitive nose and deadly bites from
the poisonous bacteria in saliva to paralyze its prey. After bite the prey,
komodo will follow it because the prey will die slowly. Mean, komodo will get
the party.
Tips to visit Komodo National Park
- You have to wear soft colors clothes in order not to attract the komodo.
- You have to keep silent.
- If you get menstruation, do not come to this place because komodo has very sensitive nose.
- Bring your drinking water because the weather can be hot.
- Apply your sun-block and comfortable shoes for trekking.
- Last but not least, do not go too far from ranger.
