About Komodo Island
Komodo National Park is located
between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores in the Lesser Sunda Islands, at a
distance of 200 nautical miles to the east of Bali.
It has a total land area of 75,000 hectares and encompasses a number of
islands, the largest of which are Komodo (34,000 hectares), Rinca (20,000
hectares), Padar, Nusa Kode, Motang, numerous smaller islands, and the Wae Wuul
sanctuary on Flores.
A total of 112,500 hectares of the surrounding waters are also under the jurisdiction of the park rangers.
History
In 1938 Padar and the south and west of Rinca were declared
a Wildlife Sanctuary, but it was only in 1965 that the island of Komodo was
formally included in the sanctuary. Komodo National Park was established by
government decree in 1980 followed by the designation of Komodo National Park as
a World Heritage Site in 1991.
Komodo National Park has the lowest annual rainfall in all of Indonesia, with an abbreviated rainy season in the month of January. For most of the year Komodo is dry and hot, parched by arid winds from the Australian desert that blow from April through October. Maximum temperatures reach 43 C, with minimums of 17 C in August.
Topography
Most of the Park is dry, rugged and hilly, a combination
of ancient volcanic eruptions and more recent tectonic uplift of sedimentary
seabeds. The irregular coastline is indented with rocky headlands and sandy
bays, many framed by soaring volcanic cliffs.
Komodo island is 35km long and 15km wide, and is mountainous on a north to south axis, with an average altitude of 500-600m. The highest peak is Satalibo (735m) in the north. Most of the island is lontar palm savannah with remnates of rainforest and bamboo forest at higher elevations. On Rinca the land rises gradually from the north coast to a plateau that ends at Mount Dora (667m) in the south. The rugged south coast is very sheer as a result of volcanic activity in the distant past, as evidenced by the crater bay in which Nusa Kode nestles.
Fauna
The Park encompasses most of the recognized habitat of the
largest known lizard, the world famous Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis). The
Park is also home to Sunda deer (Cervus timorensis), wild buffalo (Bubalus
bubalis), wild boar ((Sus scrofa), the macaque monkey (Macaca fascicularis), and
wild horse (Equus qaballus).
All the large mammals have been introduced by man, but indigenous frogs, snakes and lizards abound on the island.
The sole endemic species found on Komodo is the aptly named Komodo rat. Over
150 species of birds have been identified in Komodo National Park, many of which
are migratory and more representative of Australasian than Asiatic species.
Distinctive species include sulphur-crested cockatoos, imperial pigeons, white-breasted sea eagles and maleos. The seas surrounding the park teem with over 1000 species of fish and marine mammals.
Komodo is no longer a remote island accessible only by wealthy tourists on private boats. Today there are over 20,000 visitors a year that visit the park. The majority of visitors still arrive by cruise ship, despite the fact the most popular, Spice Island Cruises, ceased operations in 1999.
The gateway to Komodo is arguably the island of Bali. While most visitors to
Komodo National Park enter through the gateway cities of Bima in eastern
Sumbawa, or Labuanbajo in the west of Flores, the departure point is actually
Bali. Both Bima and Labuanbajo are serviced by regularly scheduled flights that
depart daily at 9:30am from Denpasar to Bima, with connecting flights to
Labuanbajo on Monday and Saturday.
The gateway cities are also connected to Bali by overland buses and
inter-island ferries. There are local coastal ships that travel between Lombok and Labuanbajo.
These boats cater to tourists and take passengers on a four day trip that includes a day and night in Komodo National Park (cost $50 per person).
After arriving in Sumbawa, a ferry service from the port of Sape in the east
of the island to Labuanbajo picks up and drops off passengers in Komodo in the
July-August peak tourist season.
Otherwise local tour operators organize shared boat charters from either Bima
or Labuanbajo to Loh Liang and the smaller islands in Komodo National Park.
Grand Komodo Tours operates a four day/three night package from Bima to Komodo return for US$190, with two nights in a hotel, and one on a live aboard boat.
Park Facilities
The Komodo National Park administrative offices are
located in Labuanbajo in west Flores. An information center and travel agents
where transportation to and from the Park can be arranged are also found in
Labuanbajo.
The majority of tourists to the Park pass through the Loh Liang ranger
station nestled in the sweeping arc of Slawi Bay on Komodo island.
This is the largest facility in Komodo National Park with bungalows and
rooms, a restaurant and a dormatory for the park rangers. The most popular
tourist activity is a hike to the Banugulung viewing area, a two-hour roundtrip
level walk that originates from Loh Liang.
Hikes to other areas of Komodo are also
possible, and vary from one to two days: Gunung Ara, Poreng, Loh Sebita, Gunung
Sata libo, Soro Masangga.
On longer walks overnight accommodation can be arranged at ranger posts at
Loh Sebita and Loh Genggo.
For certified divers there is a compressor and diving equipment available for
hire at Loh Liang as well as masks and fins for snorkellers.
Handicrafts made in the nearby village of Komodo are for sale at the arrival jetty.
The entrance ticket to Komodo National Park costs Rp 25,000 and is valid for
three days. It is easily renewable, so a prolonged stay in the park is possible.
There are two ranger stations which provide spartan accommodation for tourists:
Loh Liang on Komodo and Loh Buaya on Rinca.
The charges are minimal and start at Rp 30,000 per room. Be advised that
everything is basic, including beds, communal toilets and food availability.
Fortunately most travellers are not deterred by the limited facilities, accepting this as a part of the Komodo experience. Advance booking for accommodation are not accepted.
The hiking on Rinca is less strenuous than that on Komodo, and has the added
attraction of viewing the wild horses and monkeys which are not found on Komodo.
On Rinca wild buffalo are more common and easily seen as well.
On the north side of the island, behind Rinca village, is a large cave with a resident bat colony. Rangers at both Loh Liang and Loh Buaya are readily available to lead walks, and are knowledgeable about the local fauna and birdlife.
