Following on from the previous post, about the first part of the tour in Alor, this post will deal with the second part of the tour in Komodo.
After a superb week in Alor, we travel by plane via Kupang to Labuan Bajo, a small town on the western tip on Flores, a large island further west, and the jumping off point to the famous Komodo National Park. Here we will be met by our drivers and taken via the main resort office to the port where we embark on a 1h30min private boat trip to the island of Seyabur, and location of our next stop.
Arriving mid afternoon, we will settle into our amazing beachfront bungalows. These gorgeous bungalows have four-poster beds, mosquito nets, desks and bar fridges. (Soft drinks and snacks in the fridge are free of charge for in-room consumption). The ensuite bathrooms come complete with towels, shampoo and body wash. Each bungalow has a private balcony with bean bag and chairs, as well as a little deck with deck chairs and umbrellas for relaxing and sunbathing by the waters edge. Each bungalow also has extra towels for guests to take and use on the boats during the day.
Here we enjoy our meals in the dining area, where the menu includes Indonesian, Italian and other western style choices, and is served al la carte. Drinks can be enjoyed at the beach bar watching spectacular sunsets.
The long jetty runs over the stunning house reef. Here the corals are pristine and alive with schooling fish in huge numbers, passing eagle rays, moray eels and critters, and can be snorkeled at any time with surface boat support.
Our time here will be spent exploring some of the reefs that make Komodo one of the most well known marine parks in the world. Famed for it’s biodiversity, this area more than lives up to it’s reputation as home to the most species of coral and fish in the world.
We will have private use of a large wooden double story boat. The roof deck has a sun shade and several bean bags for relaxing on, while the bottom bed has benches for sitting on and preparing for water entry from the back lowered deck. A large sturdy ladder makes for easy re-entry onto the boat. The boats have tea, coffee and drinking water and a small marine toilet. Boats are equipped with flotation devices as well as long ropes to help tired snorkelers back to the boat. Our expert snorkel guides are always available to help or just point out fantastic marine life, and the experienced captain and boat crew help to make our time on the boat comfortable and enjoyable.
When not snorkeling we will visit Rinca island, one of the last few islands in the world where Komodo dragons can be seen in the wild. Other species living here include deer, monkeys, buffalo and more and our walk is guided by a park ranger who can tell us lots of information about the island and wildlife living there, Another day-trip takes us to Pandar Island, known for its stunning beaches and magnificent hill-top view point. Here, weather permitting we have a BBQ on the beach between hiking and snorkeling sessions.
The water temperature in this area is generally a little warmer than Alor, mostly around the 84F mark and above. Here we often snorkel in rash vests and leggings (for sun protection) but some people prefer wet suits as after several days of snorkeling we sometimes feel a little colder than expected.
The final morning of the tour involves a very early start, with a light breakfast on board the boat as we head back to Labuan Bajo to catch a 9.30 flight to Bali where the tour comes to an end.
