Livin' the good life

The start in Komodo was a bit rocky, as our flight was delayed by 1.5 hours, Google Maps showed us the wrong address for our accommodation, and there was a power outage in the whole village. But after asking about 5 times, we finally found it. We didn't have anything planned for Komodo, so on the first day we had to book a tour for the next day. After a few phone calls with our host, we managed to book a tour that takes us to 6 different places with a Fast Boat:

1st Stop: Padar Island

A beautiful island where you can hike up and be rewarded with an indescribable view. The special thing is that from the viewpoint you can see 3 beaches, one is white, one is black, and one is pink - simply beautiful!

2nd Stop: Pink Beach

There are several pink beaches in this area. The reason for this is that there is a certain red coral species here, and small pieces of it are washed up on the beach, creating a beautiful pink color when combined with the white sand.

3rd Stop: Komodo Island

The famous Komodo National Park, home to over 3000 Komodo dragons. We didn't have much time, so we only did a short hike. It's also mating season, so normally you don't get to see any Komodo dragons. The guide also told us that out of 5 tours today, he only saw 1 Komodo dragon, so we didn't have any expectations. We were even more excited when we found 2 baby Komodo dragons and one large Komodo dragon on our way. It's quite scary to stand just 2 meters away from the largest lizard in the world and the closest descendant of dinosaurs! Especially when you know that a bite can kill you in 2 hours because these creatures are also venomous.

4th Stop: Taka Makassar

A small sandbank in the middle of the sea. It's almost impossible to describe how beautiful it was there! White to pink sand and the water so clear that I have never seen anything like it in my life. It looked like the advertisements for the Maldives. 100 meters around it was only knee-deep water, and there were a few small turtles swimming around. But unfortunately, there were also a lot of people there, as always. Unfortunately, I couldn't take a photo that even remotely describes how amazing it was there :)

5th Stop: Manta Point

Just a few hundred meters away from Taka Makassar is a famous spot to encounter manta rays. We were all ready to jump in the water with our snorkeling gear on when the guide spotted a manta ray - but unfortunately, it was in vain. It's really difficult to see mantas around this time of year.

6th Stop: Kanawa Island

Another small island with a white beach and great for snorkeling. But I was exhausted for the day, so I just laid down on the beach and took a power nap :D

Although it wasn't cheap, it was definitely one of the most adventurous days so far!

In general, I have to say that the Komodo National Park, including all the surrounding islands, is the most beautiful place I have ever visited! You simply can't capture how it really looks like in photos. Unfortunately, the National Park will be closed for tourists indefinitely starting in January next year - but at least nature will be able to recover :)