Mischief

Kelor Island (trekking) 

Departing from Labuan Bajo, we will cruise to the tiny uninhabited island of Kelor. This is a perfect first stop for a short 15-minute hike to the top of the hill, where you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of Flores, Rinca Island, and many other small islands within the Komodo National Park. Please note that although it is a short hike, the route is rather steep with loose scree making it a bit slippery, so be sure to wear suitable shoes or hiking sandals. Afterward, you can cool off with a refreshing swim off the white sandy beach.

Menjerite/Pink Rock (Snorkeling/trekking)

Our second destination is Menjerite/Pink Rock, great for snorkeling or trekking. Menjerite Island is distinguished by a long wooden jetty that extends over its crystal-clear waters and colorful corals, like a bridge to paradise. Trek up the hill for a stunning view of the mangrove forest and surrounding islands, or snorkel in the shallow waters around the jetty, where you’ll find thousands of reef fish and many Chocolate Chip starfish. 

Kalong Island (sunset on the boat)

At the end of the day, we will moor off Kalong Island, where after what will hopefully be a magnificent sunset, you will witness hundreds of thousands of flying foxes emerging in a steady throng from the forest, reminiscent of a fleet of enemy aircraft intent on avoiding radar detection. Unlike their smaller cave-dwelling cousins, these large fruit bats hang out in camps high above the rainforest floor, keeping cool by fanning themselves with their huge wings, which can measure up to 5ft 6 inches from tip to tip. They feed on a diet of fruit and nectar from night-opening flowers, thereby playing an essential ecological role by pollinating the plants and dispersing their seeds. As darkness grows near, the fox bats become increasingly restless, leaving the roost in enormous numbers, and navigating not by echolocation but by sight and smell, to fly to a feeding site on the mainland that may be as far as 25 miles away.

Padar Island (trekking)

Padar is the third largest island within the Komodo National Park. It offers beautiful short treks and is a hotspot for photographers. The hike to the peak takes about 20-40 minutes, and from the viewpoint, you will be rewarded with a knee-jerking vista of a series of crescent-shaped bays and curved ribbons of sand. 

Long Beach [Pink Beach] (beach/snorkeling)

Long Beach on Padar Island is the longest of several pink beaches in the Komodo National Park. The striking pink sand is formed by white limestone mixed with tiny particles of deep red, coral-like foraminifera. This is a beautiful beach for relaxing, swimming, and snorkeling. 

Loh Liang Komodo (trekking)

We will moor in Loh Liang Bay on Komodo Island, which sits against the backdrop of a jagged Jurassic landscape, a hot and dry monsoon forest surrounded by open savannah grasslands. Timor deer and wild boar darted nervously through the prickly palms; prey to the dragons that have no enemies apart from their own kind. Here, the park rangers, armed with forked sticks, will lead you inland on a choice of short, medium, and long treks. At the top of Sulphurea Hill, accompanied by birdsong and chirruping cicadas, you can enjoy spectacular views of Loh Liang Bay. You will see rare orchids, butterflies, lontar palms, and maybe a screeching flock of sulfur-crested cockatoos. You might catch sight of a water buffalo at a drinking hole, a flying lizard, a jungle chicken, or a pair of megapodes. Nevertheless, dragons are objective, and you could just chance upon one sunbathing on a rock, or you might find a female, guarding her nest against marauders – which are usually other dragons. These massive scale-covered monitors with spiked claws, armor-clad bodies, snake-like heads, fierce jaws, and long, yellow, forked tongues are Indonesia’s living dinosaurs, the most dangerous predatory lizards in existence. It’s a true privilege to see them in the wild. 

Taka Makassar (beach/snorkeling) 

Taka Makassar is the longest reef in the Komodo National Park. This tiny emerged crescent-shaped sandbar is smaller than a football field, and surrounded by shallow turquoise waters. It is an ideal spot for relaxing, snorkeling, or simply taking a dip in the sea. Exploration here is limited due to the sandbar’s minuscule size – in fact, it disappears at high tide – but it makes for great wanderlust-inducing photographs. Plentiful marine life can be seen just 30 feet from the sandbar. The location attracts large numbers of manta rays. 

Manta Point (snorkeling) 

Manta Point presents the opportunity to snorkel with the giant manta rays that come here to get cleaned by parasitic copepods and a variety of small cleaner wrasse species, which pick parasites from the mantas’ hovering bodies. Mantas spend many hours every day getting cleaned and can even wait in line for their turn. Reef mantas average about 10 feet in size from wingtip to wingtip, and will consume vast quantities of plankton and small fish each day by filter feeding. They are exceptionally graceful swimmers and appear to fly through the water as they flap their large wings. The water at Manta Point is clear with good visibility, making it possible to spot the mantas with relative ease. In fact, you are almost guaranteed to see them here. Drifting on the (often strong) current with your mask and snorkel, just a few feet above one of these beautiful creatures is an experience that you will never forget.

Siaba Besar Island (snorkeling)

Siaba Besar Island is Komodo’s best spot for turtles. A huge population of green turtles uses this hard coral-covered bay as a feeding ground. Snorkel here and more often than not, you’ll see the turtles scratching on corals and rubbing their shells on sponges to keep clean. 

Sebayur Besar Island (snorkeling) 

Sebayur Besar Island offers fantastic snorkeling with a reef full of life, including schools of bump head parrotfish and fusiliers, leaf scorpionfish and stonefish, morays, batfish, damselfish, butterflyfish, anthias, giant spiny lobster, cuttlefish, octopus, and electric clams. 

Kanawa Island (beach/snorkeling)

Kanawa Island is known for its white sand beaches and coral reefs. Another perfect place to relax and go snorkeling on the surrounding reef. Dolphins, stingrays, turtles and starfish, and many other species can be seen on or nearby the reef. Kanawa is a lovely place to finish the day, and admire the view of the Sangeang volcano. You may even see the much-coveted green flash – a fleeting spot of intense green light, caused by light refracting in the atmosphere.

*** The destinations on this itinerary may be subject to change depending on requests, beach lunch/dinner set up, flight timetables, weather, dry/rainy season, sea currents, and restrictions without prior notice from the National Park.

Kelor Island (trekking) 

Departing from Labuan Bajo, we will cruise to the tiny uninhabited island of Kelor. This is a perfect first stop for a short 15-minute hike to the top of the hill, where you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of Flores, Rinca Island, and many other small islands within the Komodo National Park. Please note that although it is a short hike, the route is rather steep with loose scree making it a bit slippery, so be sure to wear suitable shoes or hiking sandals. Afterward, you can cool off with a refreshing swim off the white sandy beach.

Menjerite/Pink Rock (Snorkeling/trekking)

Our second destination is Menjerite/Pink Rock, great for snorkeling or trekking. Menjerite Island is distinguished by a long wooden jetty that extends over its crystal-clear waters and colorful corals, like a bridge to paradise. Trek up the hill for a stunning view of the mangrove forest and surrounding islands, or snorkel in the shallow waters around the jetty, where you’ll find thousands of reef fish and many Chocolate Chip starfish (aka the nodular sea star). 

Kalong Island (sunset on the boat)

At the end of the day, we will moor off Kalong Island, where after what will hopefully be a magnificent sunset, you will witness hundreds of thousands of flying foxes emerging in a steady throng from the forest, reminiscent of a fleet of enemy aircraft intent on avoiding radar detection. Unlike their smaller cave-dwelling cousins, these large fruit bats hang out in camps high above the rainforest floor, keeping cool by fanning themselves with their huge wings, which can measure up to 5ft 6 inches from tip to tip. They feed on a diet of fruit and nectar from night-opening flowers, thereby playing an essential ecological role by pollinating the plants and dispersing their seeds. As darkness grows near, the fox bats become increasingly restless, leaving the roost in enormous numbers, and navigating not by echolocation but by sight and smell, to fly to a feeding site on the mainland that may be as far as 25 miles away.

Padar Island (trekking)

Padar is the third largest island within the Komodo National Park. It offers beautiful short treks and is a hotspot for photographers. The hike to the peak takes about 20-40 minutes, and from the viewpoint, you will be rewarded with a knee-jerking vista of a series of crescent-shaped bays and curved ribbons of sand. 

Long Beach [Pink Beach] (beach/snorkeling)

Long Beach on Padar Island is the longest of several pink beaches in the Komodo National Park. The striking pink sand is formed by white limestone mixed with tiny particles of deep red, coral-like foraminifera. This is a beautiful beach for relaxing, swimming, and snorkeling.

Loh Liang Komodo (trekking)

We will moor in Loh Liang Bay on Komodo Island, which sits against the backdrop of a jagged Jurassic landscape, a hot and dry monsoon forest surrounded by open savannah grasslands. Timor deer and wild boar darted nervously through the prickly palms; prey to the dragons that have no enemies apart from their own kind. Here, the park rangers, armed with forked sticks, will lead you inland on a choice of short, medium, and long treks. At the top of Sulphurea Hill, accompanied by birdsong and chirruping cicadas, you can enjoy spectacular views of Loh Liang Bay. You will see rare orchids, butterflies, lontar palms, and maybe a screeching flock of sulfur-crested cockatoos. You might catch sight of a water buffalo at a drinking hole, a flying lizard, a jungle chicken, or a pair of megapodes. Nevertheless, dragons are objective, and you could just chance upon one sunbathing on a rock, or you might find a female, guarding her nest against marauders – which are usually other dragons. These massive scale-covered monitors with spiked claws, armor-clad bodies, snake-like heads, fierce jaws, and long, yellow, forked tongues are Indonesia’s living dinosaurs, the most dangerous predatory lizards in existence. It’s a true privilege to see them in the wild.

Taka Makassar (beach time/snorkeling) 

Taka Makassar is the longest reef in the Komodo National Park. This tiny emerged, the crescent-shaped sandbar is smaller than a football field, and surrounded by shallow turquoise waters. It is an ideal spot for relaxing, snorkeling, or simply taking a dip in the sea. Exploration here is limited due to the sandbar’s minuscule size – in fact, it disappears at high tide – but it makes for great wanderlust-inducing photographs. Plentiful marine life can be seen just 30 feet from the sandbar. The location attracts large numbers of manta rays. 

Manta Point (snorkeling) 

Manta Point presents the opportunity to snorkel with the giant manta rays that come here to get cleaned by parasitic copepods and a variety of small cleaner wrasse species, which pick parasites from the mantas’ hovering bodies. Mantas spend many hours every day getting cleaned and can even wait in line for their turn. Reef mantas average about 10 feet in size from wingtip to wingtip, and will consume vast quantities of plankton and small fish each day by filter feeding. They are exceptionally graceful swimmers and appear to fly through the water as they flap their large wings. The water at Manta Point is clear with good visibility, making it possible to spot the mantas with relative ease. In fact, you are almost guaranteed to see them here. Drifting on the (often strong) current with your mask and snorkel, just a few feet above one of these beautiful creatures is an experience that you will never forget.

Sebayur Besar Island (snorkeling + dinner set up on the beach) 

Sebayur Besar Island offers fantastic snorkeling with a reef full of life, including schools of bump head parrotfish and fusiliers, leaf scorpionfish and stonefish, morays, batfish, damselfish, butterflyfish, anthias, giant spiny lobster, cuttlefish, octopus, and electric clams. 

Siaba Besar Island (snorkeling) 

Siaba Besar Island is Komodo’s best spot for turtles. A huge population of green turtles uses this hard coral-covered bay as a feeding ground. Snorkel here and more often than not, you’ll see the turtles scratching on corals and rubbing their shells on sponges to keep clean. 

Kanawa Island (beach time/snorkeling) 

Kanawa Island is known for its white sand beaches and coral reefs. Dolphins, stingrays, turtles and starfish, anemones, clowns fishes, and many other species can be seen on or nearby the reef. If you snorkel under the jetty, you may spot the resident lionfish; these guys are incredible to look at but be sure to stay clear of their venomous spines. You may also see a few baby black-tip sharks swimming close to the shore. Kanawa is a lovely place to finish the day, and admire the view of the Sangeang volcano.

*** The destinations on this itinerary may be subject to change depending on requests, beach lunch/dinner set up, flight timetables, weather, dry/rainy season, sea currents, and restrictions without prior notice from the National Park.