Yacht Charter Asia

Sample Itinerary 3 days/ 2 nightsKomodo Trekking and Snorkelling expedition

This article has been provided by Luxury Custom 75 Yacht in Bali

Map of Komodo

Located some 500 kilometers east of Bali, the Komodo National Park is an archipelago of about eighty islands set between Flores to the east and Sumbawa to the west, in the general area known as the Lesser Sunda Islands. Born out of volcanic activity as well as the tectonic uplifting of coral rocks, the islands offer spectacular sights of rugged mountains, peninsulas and promontories, quiet coves fringed by white sand beaches, narrow channels with swift currents, and a vegetation of open grassland, scrubs and monsoon forest. Most islands of the National Park are uninhabited, except for just four villages of predominantly Bajo people, ‘the sea gypsies’ whose livelihood depends entirely on the sea.

The Komodo National Park

The Komodo National Park was established in 1980 to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), the world's largest lizard which can reach 3 meters long and weigh 90 kilogram. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986.One of the highlights of this expedition is to see these famed Komodo “dragons” in their native habitat, on the island of Komodo itself as well as on nearby Rinca. Here the fauna also includes deer, buffaloes, boars, monkeys, wild horses, sea eagles, sulfur crested cockatoos, flying foxes etc…

Under Water

The National Park is also world-known for its teeming underwater world and colorful coral reefs. The plankton-rich seas around Komodo support amazing reefs and a range of large marine life, including whales and dolphins.

90% of Reef are in top 4 meters

The magnificent underwater gardens have an assortment of sponges, sea fans and corals covering every centimeter of available space. What few people realize is that ninety percent of reef life lives in the top 4 meters of water, so snorkelers will not miss out on anything by not donning scuba gear….

Day One

On day one when you arrive at the airport of Labuanbajo on the western tip of Flores, cars are waiting to take you to the harbour, where our beautiful Yacht is either tied up to the dock or at anchor. Once you are aboard the skipper will first give you a general briefing to familiarize you with the vessel. Then we lift the anchor, hoist the sails and set a course to the Island of Kelor, at approximately one hour sailing time from the mainland. Once we have dropped the anchor at Kelor, we will go ashore in our dinghy to land on the first of several beautiful beaches that we visit during our cruise, an excellent location for snorkeling. Afterwards, once you are back on board you have your first lunch and we sail on to the village of Kukusan, or to the island of Mesa, both settlements of the Baju, the ‘Sea Gypsies’. (The majority of the fishermen in and around the Park are originally from Sumbawa, Flores or South Sulawesi. Those from South Sulawesi refer to themselves as ‘Suku Bajau’. They were originally nomadic and moved from location to location throughout the Flores Sea.)

Weather Conditions

It is important to understand that local situations may vary considerably between spring tides and neap tides. At certain times the currents are extremely strong. Of course much depends on the winds as well so the captain of the vessel may always decide to change the itinerary in order to best take advantage of the sea and weather conditions. At the end of the day we reach the North Coast of Rinca and find an anchorage in Loh Buaya Bay. Here we have dinner under the stars and spend the night at anchor.

Day Two

On day two shortly after sunrise, we will go ashore on Rinca Island. Here we make a trek through the Park in the company of some experienced rangers and other than some of the infamous dragons we are likely to encounter much more wildlife such as wild buffaloes, deer and horses. From the top of the hills, the scenery is spectacular. When the heat of the day hits the island, we escape back to our yacht and lift the anchor again. We have lunch while passing by Padar Island and our destination is the famous Pink Beach off Komodo Island, one of the most spectacular postcard-picture beach locations in the Park. Here we spend the entire afternoon for some exceptional snorkeling. We will have dinner in the cockpit or if the conditions are right, we have a BBQ on the beach.

Day Three

On day three, early in the morning we will go ashore at Loh Liang on Komodo , the island that has given the dragon as well as the National Park its name. Accompanied by a ranger, we will make a second nature hike and spend several unforgettable hours on this very special island that is covered by steppe and forest. The ranger shows us the dens and nests of the dragons and we learn a lot more about this mysterious creature.

Getting Home

After the trek we sail out of Loh Liang Bay and once we have rounded the Southwestern Cape of Komodo we go back on a Northeasterly course towards the Flores mainland. Depending on the wind and current we may make a detour for stops at Karang Makassar or Pulau Bugis, but in any case we will find another good spot for a last dip in the water and a last hour of beachcombing before we reach our Labuan (harbour) again. We say goodbye to the captain, go ashore and before we take you to your hotel in Labuan Bajo we make a dash to the village of Melo where we witness a spectacular ancient caci (whip) fight dance by the local Manggarai people.