The island of Komodo is one of the many thousands that make up the country of Indonesia, and it’s a popular place for visitors thanks to its famous inhabitants, the Komodo Dragons.
The island itself is an attractive destination to tour, with white sandy beaches, beautiful blue waters and a mix of green hills and dry savannahs. There is however one beach that stands out, as it is one of only a few in the world that has pink sand. This is caused by the mix of white and red sand, formed from pieces of Foraminifera which are Amoeboid.
While there are other attractions of the island, the Komodo dragon remains one of the most popular due to the fascination around the species. The largest living species of any type of lizard, they are both exciting and scary, as they have been known to attack humans in the past and have a number of traits that can make them seem intimidating, such as an almost-armoured skin, claws, a sprinting speed of 12mph and venomous saliva.
The dragons were first discovered in the 1910s, with expeditions serving as part of the inspiration for the classic 1933 cinema release King Kong, with early scripts having a giant gorilla battling the dragons rather than dinosaurs.
The dragons are rated as a vulnerable species, with around 4,000 to 5,000 believed to live in the wild, approximately 1,700 on Komodo itself. With numbers in the wild dwindling, the Komodo National Park was created in 1980 and recognised by UNESCO, to help protect the species. It is this National Park that you are welcome to explore, with a guide, should you visit the island.
Kampung Komodo is another possible part of the island to discover. This relatively primitive ‘secret’ village is home to a friendly community who are happy to welcome visitors, giving visitors a fantastic feeling as they discuss cultures and traditions and make friends with the local children.
Seadream currently offer a number of cruise itineraries that pass through the area and provide access to these unique islands and their exotic fauna.
By Ian Lewis
Google