Day 9: Visiting Komodo Dragons and Starfish by Boat

Today's excursion was many things at once: exciting, outrageous, funny, and surprising. We set off on a small fishing boat, which also serves as home for the two ferry captains, from the island of Flores to the small island of Rinca, where about 1500 of the Komodo dragons, which are only found in the Komodo National Park, live. On the way there, dolphins appeared, but they only wanted to show us their fins.

Upon arriving at Rinca, a guide greeted us and then took us to the (overpriced) ticket office. But our rising frustration quickly disappeared when we saw them: the dragons, three or four at once. They were lying in the sun and actually seemed harmless. However, this is deceiving as these animals can reach speeds of 20 km/h and can kill humans with their venomous saliva.

When one dragon started approaching us, the guide told us to slowly walk backwards and not to run. What started as excitement quickly turned into a moment of fear.

Afterwards, our two friendly boatmen took us snorkeling at a truly breathtaking reef near the island of "Kanawa". Corals of different colors and shapes were growing there, and the fish swam among them. They shimmered in various colors (parrot fish) or were blue and yellow striped (gobies). "Nemos" (clownfish), black and purple shimmering fish, and starfish as big as pans with black knobs on them (knotty rolling star) frolicked in the coral reef. Shoals of fish swam by.

Sitting on the bow of the boat, we then returned to Labuan Bajo.