Komodo Islands

October 7, 2022

Travelling to the Komodo islands has been on the bucket list for a while, So when my best mate and I decided we where stinging for an adventure it didn’t take us long to book our flights (for a couple weeks time) and get prepared to head for the islands!

Bags packed with free dive gear, a camera, bikinis and hiking boots. Not knowing where the adventure would take us but we were set with our pretty standard basic essentials!

With and easy flight into Bali from Sydney we were ready to chill for the night for an early flight into Flores the next morning!

The Flight into Flores was beautiful spotting crystal clear Sand bars, deserted islands, volcanos and the most beautifully rugged landscapes you will ever see. With doing little research when we were descending and seeing nothing but mountain ranges, palm trees, coral reefs and the occasional corrugated shack we new we has chosen the right place.

After arriving and making it to our home for a few nights (which was one of the most amazing places your have ever seen) we were already itching to jump on a scooter and explore Flores.

Exploring the island we headed along the cliff side roads with barely another person to be seen to find little wooden shacks that made the perfect pit stop to admire the islands dotted throughout the distance. We then made our way down the windey roads dodging goats, monkeys, and cows and headed into town to scope out a dive boat and see if we could head out to the reefs at first light the next morning. It was a successful trip finding a local dive shop that would take us and our gear out the next morning for our fist full day of diving the Komodo Islands. So it was time to head back for dinner and a good sleep to get ready for day two of our trip.

First stop in the morning we geared up and free dived a beautiful reef filled with some of the biggest turtles I have ever seen, reef sharks, and amazing corals the water was so warm and crystal clear with the rugged mountain backdrop of the islands every time we popped our heads up for a quick breath. we then headed off to the world renowned Batu Balong, an 100m tall underground mountain absolutely packed with every coral, fish, turtle, shark you could ever imagine. Even though we were only allowed in the water for a short time this will forever be one of the best dives I will ever do. Absolutely in awe of what we had just witnessed the bean bags on the boat were calling our names. Eating Mango and listening to tunes in the sun whilst motoring to our next stop. Next up was a drift dive, getting to dive effortlessly through that water amongst the sea life is the best feeling but as an extra surprise we spotted 4 huge Manta rays which were more then happy to let us cruise along with them on their journey. This was an experience I won’t forget any time soon.

Salty, sun bitten and a quick stop off to mingle with the Komodo Dragons on Rinca Island it was time to start the mission back to dock heading through a storm to finish off will an incredible sunset to end the day as we headed toward the mainland.

Stoked from a day on the water we headed into town for the most to a hidden away Italian restaurant for pizza’s (arguably the best pizza and bruschetta you will ever taste ) and a cocktail as we reminisced and laughed about the day we had and planning what tomorrows mission will be.

After asking some lovely locals it looked like we were going into town for some breakfast and supplies and with a rough guess of where we were going heading out to find some waterfalls in the jungle. A few wrong turns, a few small villages, and a few torrential rain storms later paradise was found! A beautiful waterfall to swim in for the afternoon before finding our way back home for a sunset hike.

Day 4 we were up at 4.30am for a sunrise mission in the mountains. Navigating our way through Villages, farm land and off roading our scooters in places a scooter maybe should never go to find our selves in jurassic park’ esk hills dotted in cattle and palm trees over looking a tiny fishing town… all though the sunrise wasn’t much that morning being up in the mountains with the most breath taking views whilst everyone else was still sleeping was a moment in itself.

Then back home for to spend the rest of the morning tackling cliff faces to the beach and a quick accomodation change. Then the afternoon spent boating from local villages to ocean caves. Ranko Cave had the most beautifully clear and warm water that we were happy to never get out of floating around with the cave all to ourself until late feeling so grateful for the experience and a smile from ear to ear the whole boat ride back.

With a quick last minute decision over dinner to jump on another dive boat early the next day we packed and tried to rest after before another early start.

After the morning coffee we were up and ready to go! The boat was to take us to Padar Island, Manta Point, Turtle bay and a secluded sand bar each place just as beautiful as the next. The day was hot and the water was clear and we were stoked. Starting with the hike up Padar Mountain which once again like everything here exceeded our expectations finding our own little spot to take in the views of the island. A short boat ride after we were at one of the 7 pink beaches in the world and one of the most beautiful rugged beaches I have ever come across. A couple of hours spent hear exploring the life underwater and taking in the moments.

Naps on secluded sand bars in the sun were had after lunch and then strait back in the water to dive with Manta Rays in the deep. The to Turtle Bay the most incredible under water live we had ever seen! we are talking David Attenborough! We could not take our eyes of the bright corals and fish life this is definitely a place we will never forget and it was hard to get us out of the water! but feeling well and truly weathered we headed back to land.

Then the last dinner in Labuan Baju at the fish markets before heading of to our new island home.

A cocktail before bed then straight up in the morning for coffee and dragon fruit bowls before we had a 45 minute boat trip to Seraya, for our beach front bungalows and private reefs. The perfect last days to our trip.

The next 2 days was spent swimming, snorkelling, diving, kayaking, eating, watching the stars from mored boats, searching for fishes in the reef by night, drinking a few too many cocktail, laughing too hard, sunburn, jelly fish stings and early mornings.