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7 Unbelievable Facts about Komodo Dragons

August 26, 2019 by Local-Guides 1 Comment

The Komodo dragon is the largest living species of lizards that is only found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang. While they have lived for millions of years, they have only been discovered by Western scientists in 1910. And because the immense size and killer appearance of the Komodo Dragon is already impressive, some fascinating facts about them remain overlooked.

7 Unbelievable Facts


About Komodo Dragons

  1. Inspiration for King Kong. In 1926, William Douglas Burden set sail with a team of adventurers to capture the mythical Komodo dragon. Other explorers had already confirmed the existence of these ‘land crocodiles’ in the East Indies, but none of the animals had been brought to the west alive. William Douglas Burden did manage to capture 2 Komodo dragons alive, that were debuted at the Bronx Zoo and attracted tens of thousands of captivated visitors. Burden’s friend, the filmmaker Merian Cooper, injected elements of Burden’s adventurous trip into his then-upcoming movie, King Kong (1933).
  2. Reproduction without partner. Even without partners, female Komodo dragon can produce eggs. Interestingly, all hatchlings from eggs without outside fertilisation are males. It has been hypothesised that this reproductive adaptation allows a single female to enter an isolated ecological niche (such as an island) by establishing a sexually reproducing population with her male offsprings.
  3. Short Age in Captivity. While Komodo dragons can live up to 30 years in the wild, they only live a few years in captivity.
  4. Two Penises. Male Monitor Lizards, a close relative to Komodo dragons, have a double penis that are often used in alternation.
  5. Cannibalism Ten percent of their diet is made of newly hatched Komodo dragons. Young Komodo dragons therefore dwell in trees, safe from cannibalistic adults who are less proficient in climbing trees than the young dragons.
  6. Very sensitive tongue. With their tongue, they are able to locate carcasses of dead or dying animals that are located up a distance of 9.5 km (5.9 mi).
  7. Komodo Dragons Avoid Humans. Unlike anecdotes of unprovoked Komodo dragon attacks – often from unreliable sources or caused by defensive attacks – Komodo dragons avoid encounters with humans. Juveniles are very shy and will flee quickly into a hideout if a human comes closer than about 100 metres (330 ft). Older animals will also retreat from humans from a shorter distance away. If cornered, they will react aggressively by gaping their mouth, hissing, and swinging their tail. If they are disturbed further, they may start an attack and bite.
    Note: Because Komodo dragons can lay very still up to the point they look asleep or even dead, unaware visitors can get very close for a picture/selfie – this could trigger a dangerous, defensive attack. Therefore, always follow the strict guidelines from rangers and keep a safe distance at all times.
Reading Tip:
The Ultimate Guide to Flores & Komodo

Would you like to see Komodo dragons yourself? Read about the Komodo Boat Tours by Local Guides and meet the Komodo dragons in Komodo- and Rinca Island, as you snorkel and trek around the majestic landscapes and fascinating underwater world around Komodo National Park!

Filed Under: blog Tagged With: Flores

Ultimate Guide to Flores & Komodo

August 23, 2019 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

In A Nutshell. Flores is the gateway to see the world famous Komodo dragons in Komodo- & Rinca Island. While it’s home to an alluring archipelago with lush, volcanic landscapes, it is also the perfect destination for hikers and adventurous travellers to get off-the-beaten-path.

Flores & Komodo


The Ultimate Guide

What are the best Komodo & Flores Overland Tours?

The most popular activity around is a Komodo Island Boat Tour to see the Komodo dragons in Komodo Island or Rinca Island, enjoy the viewpoint from Padar Island, snorkelling/diving around the rich corals and colourful fishes and swim with Manta Rays.

Reading Tip:
7 Unbelievable Facts about Komodo Dragons

For budget travellers, there are 1-day boat trip in (packed) boats that have basic facilities. If you don’t have high expectations on the boat and just focus on the activities, you will enjoy this affordable tour. You can book a shared 1-day Komodo tour upon arrival in Flores

Travellers that care more about comfort, book a Komodo Island Liveaboard Tour in a private boat with private staff. We recommend to use a boat with AC cabins because it can be quite hot at night.

Reading Tip:
Day-to-day-itineraries for all Komodo & Flores Tours
(for the itineraries, click on the tabs above the image slider)

While there are 2 Day / 1 Night (2D1N) and 4D3N Komodo Tours as well, the most popular is the 3D2N version. Below is the day-to-day itinerary for the 3D2N Komodo Tour.

Itinerary for 3D2N Liveaboard Komodo Tour

DAY 1: Labuan Bajo >> Kelor Island – Rinca Island – Kalong Island

Pick up at the airport or hotel in the early morning, and drop off at the harbor where you enter the boat and meet the staff. You start sailing around 8 am towards Kelor island. Here, you can snorkel and have short hike to enjoy the beautiful panorama from the top of the hill.

Lunch is served on the boat. Then, you cruise to Rinca island to meet the dragons and other wildlife such as buffaloes, deers, monkeys, and wild boars. A ranger will accompany you on a 1.5 hour trek, during which you also go up hill and enjoy the panorama view.

The last destination of the day is Kalong Island where you see thousands of bats fly around you with sunset.

Enjoy a traditional Indonesian diner onboard and prepare for the night.

DAY 2: Padar Island – Komodo Island – Pink Beach

Enjoy the delightful breakfast on the boat and prepare for a 30 minute trek up hill to the top of Padar Island. This may be the absolute highlight of the day as the view is totally breathtaking!

Then continue to Pink Beach, one of favourite snorkelling spots during the trip. And yes, the beach is pink, so bring your camera with you! Lunch is served at this exotic place.

In the afternoon you sail to Komodo island, and a ranger accompanies you on a trek to spot the famous Komodo dragons. They are a bit bigger than in Rinca island.

Traditional Indonesian diner onboard, and then prepare for the night.

DAY 3: Taka Makasar – Manta Point – Sebayur Island >> Labuan Bajo

Note: The itinerary for this last day will be adjusted to your flight schedule. Below is the default itinerary assuming an overnight in Labuan Bajo.

Your first stop is at the picturesque white beach at Taka Makassar, where you can relax or swim. The next destination – Manta Point – is nearby, and here you meet the giant Manta while snorkelling!

Continue to Sebayur island, where you can enjoy for the last time the beautiful underwater scene. Then it is time to sail back to Labuan Bajo, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel or the airport.

Flores is also known for its beautiful overland tours through the lush, volcanic landscape via off-the-beaten-paths. Popular tours are the 2D1N Kelimutu Tour and 2D1N/3D2N Wae Rebo Tour. But the most beautiful and recommended tour is the 4D3N Flores Overland Tour during which you visit both Kelimutu, Wae Rebo, and other traditional villages, and beautiful nature and rice fields.

Below is the day-to-day itinerary for our 4D3N Flores Overland Tour. You can find the day-to-day itineraries of all other Flores Overland Tours on our Komodo & Flores Overland Tour page (click on the tab “Overland Tours” above the image slider).

4D3N Flores Overland Tour Itinerary

This tour starts in Labuan Bajo and ends in Maumere or Ende. The reverse itinerary is also possible.

DAY 1: LABUAN BAJO – RUTENG

Pickup at your hotel in Labuan Bajo around 8 am (or at the airport as long as you land before 9 am). As we drive towards Ruteng, we make stops at Melo village for a panorama of Labuan Bajo, at Lembor to see a large rice terrace and at Cara Village to see the beautiful Spire Web Rice Terrace Field. In Ruteng we stop at Ruteng Pu’u to visit the traditional houses of the Manggarai tribe, before we check-in at our hotel.

DAY 2: RUTENG – BAJAWA

After breakfast we continue the tour with the first top at Tepo Rakot, where we can enjoy a panorama of the rice terrace. Next we visit the Rana Mese Lake in the rain forest, and then visit Aimere village and learn about the process of making palm wine. The next village Bena is located in the slope of Mount Inerie and is the traditional village of Bajawa people. In the afternoon, we will relax in the Hot Spring at So’a. Then we check-in at the hotel in Bajawa.

DAY 3: BAJAWA – MONI

We continue the journey after breakfast and drive to the hot spring where we can swim and relax. The next stop is at Nanga Penda, where walk along the Blue Stone Beach [picture] and where we have lunch. We continue towards Ende and stop at the Museum of Bung Karno and visit the traditional villages in Saga [picture] and Wolo Gai [picture]. Finally, we arrive in Moni where we stay overnight in a hotel.

DAY 4: MONI – KELIMUTU – MAUMERE

We start the trip at 4 am and drive for an hour for the starting point of the mountain trek. The hike to the top of Mt Kelimutu takes about 45 minutes.

Here we will witness a beautiful sunrise, relax and enjoy the magnificent view of the Kelimutu lake. We drive back to the hotel for breakfast and check-out, and then we continue either to Ende or Maumere, depending on where you are flying from. If you fly from Ende, we will drive you directly to Ende; if you fly from Maumere, we will drive to Maumere and make stops at Koka Beach, Old church and Waring traditional village.

Online Booking Form:
Book your Komodo Flores Tour with Local Guides

How to get to Labuan Bajo

Fly. The gateway to Flores is Bali. There are frequent flights from Denpassar (Bali) to Labuan Bajo and it takes ± 1 hour. You can book both your international flight to Bali as well as domestic flights to Labuan Bajo via Skyscanner. Consider booking a window seat to enjoy the beautiful view when approaching Flores.

Since recently there is also a direct flight connection between Labuan Bajo and Makassar, Sulawesi! So this tour can be perfectly combined with a Tana Toraja Tour (known for its world famous funeral ceremonies and treks in breath-taking landscapes off-the-beaten-path).

Boat from Gili Island. An adventurous way to get to Labuan Bajo from Gili island is by boat, and the standard tour is 4 Days / 3 Nights. We only recommend this option for low budget travellers that have plenty of time, because the facilities onboard are very basic. Most travellers prefer to fly from Gili to Labuan Bajo via Denpassar (there are no direct flights).

Where to stay in Labuan Bajo

The recommended accommodation in the top segment (especially for families or for a peaceful stay) is Villa Domanik. While on a walking distance from the city centre, this peaceful resort is far from the city buzz and is located on a hill with a beautiful panorama of the mountains and the sea.

Villa Domanik in Labuan Bajo

Recommended accommodations in the budget and mid-budget segments are Wae Molas Hotel, and Ciao Hostel, respectively.

What is the best period to visit Flores

The dry season is the best and most popular season to visit Flores. In the Western part of Flores, the dry season is in the period mid April – mid October, while in the Eastern side the dry season starts a weeks earlier and ends a few weeks later. During this period the humidity is low and there is little rain.

Another good period to visit Flores is in the shoulder months October-December and March-April. In this period it only rains occasionally in Labuan Bajo and Maumere, and when it rains it is also for a short period. There are still enough sunny days to even visit the beaches and there will be much less crowd in this period compared to in the dry season. However in the mountains it will rain daily, typically in the late afternoon. Overland tours are still recommended as we expect only few limitations during this period that we can accommodate by having shelter or relaxing a little bit during the short rain fall.

The rain season is at its worst in January and February. It is expected to rain daily in most regions, especially at the end of the day, and there could be storms and high waves. These months can be very stormy and cause high waves. It is the best time to dive on the south side of the Komodo National Park. We do not recommend Flores Overland Tours in this period, and it is possible that the tour itineraries for the Komodo Tours will be adjusted depending on sea/weather conditions.

What are the entrance fees to Komodo National Park?

Entrance tickets are needed to enter the Komodo National Park. The tickets are valid for 1 day, and there are no discounts for children or KITAS/KIPAS holders. For Indonesian citizens, the entrance fees to the National Park is 5000 IDR and 7500 IDR per person during weekdays and weekends, respectively. The prices tend to increase annually.

Price Table Komodo National Park 2019
Ticket Price
Komodo Entrance weekdays 150.000 IDR
per person
Komodo Entrance weekends 255.000
per person
Padar Entrance 150.000
per person
Komodo/Padar Tourism Tax 100.000
per person
Komodo/Padar Ranger Fee 80.000
per group of 5 pax

What to Bring to your Komodo Tour

  • Long pants
  • Long sleeves
  • Swimming suits
  • Comfortable shoes for the trekking
  • Small backpack for the trekking
  • Towel
  • Insect repellent (DEET 40%)
  • Sun lotion
  • Flash light
  • Rain coat

Where to go after Flores?

The gateway to Flores and Komodo National Park is Bali. Travellers usually break their stay in Bali to explore Flores and then return back to Bali.

Since recently, there is a direct flight connection between Labuan Bajo and Makassar. Therefore, it is now also possible to combine Flores with visiting Tana Toraja, which is known for its funeral ceremonies, and has among the most scenic hiking treks through bamboo forests, coffee & cacao plantations and rice terraces.

Read more about tours in nearby Bali & Sulawesi:
  • Bali – 1 Day Tours with Local Guides
  • Tana Toraja Tours & Sulawesi Treks off-the-beaten-path with Local Guides

Filed Under: blog, The Ultimate Guides Tagged With: Flores

Comfortable private boat tour with family

April 14, 2019 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

Our boat tour in Tanjung Puting with local guides was perhaps the best holiday experience i have ever had in my life. Therefore we decided to do the komodo boat tour also with local guides, and again they were truly amazing. Upon arrival in Labuan Bajo, me and my family were picked up from the airport and then dropped off to the harbor where our 4 days of boat tour around the komodo and padar would start. The boat was so comfortable with 3 private cabins with AC, a beautiful deck where we could eat and enjoy the view, and simple but good toilet and shower. Our guide spoke english very well, was extremely enthusiastic, and very knowledgable. I loved how he was involving our kids with everything and at the same time he fell when to respect our family moment together. And for us it iwas also a big plus to see their respect for the environment and always putting the safety of the animals first, as opposed to what we have seen frequently in Indonesia when some guides appear to do anything to please the client’s wish for a good picture Both the nature, the snorkeling, the boat experience, and meeting the amazing local boat staff are amazing here. A great mixture of relaxing and adventure! Highly recommended to everyone, from young couples, to families to elderly people.

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Flores

Amazing Komodo Boat Tour!

April 14, 2019 by Local-Guides Leave a Comment

Last month I booked a boat trip to komodo island and other places with Local Guides. The tour was amazing!! I compared many different operators, and I found Sal from Local Guides extremely professional in his email responses and while they were relatively cheap, our boat was very comfortable – especially compared to what we saw during our tour – and the food was terrific! We went to different beautiful islands, swim with manta rays, visited beautiful beaches and national parks. Visiting Komodo island, seeing the dragons and the beautiful nature is honestly one of the best things I did during all my journeys. I would highly recommend booking a tour with Local Guides, since I find it a very professional and trustworthy organization.

Filed Under: Testimonial Tagged With: Flores

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We are a community of local guides in Indonesia with a passion for the outdoors and our environment. We fight for our rainforests, we support our local communities, and we provide ecotours for local prices to promote responsible travel.

Excellent Tour
Excellent Tour

This tour was more than we expected ! Beyond imagination…and it is not only about seeing orangutans and other animals. Delicious food, comfortable setting included shower and toilet (!) , fantastic service and endless serenity … I don’t what I like more seeing those beautiful creatures or just be taken away by boat cruise on ...

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Very Friendly & Helpful Guides
Very Friendly & Helpful Guides

Haben über local guides die klotok Tour gebucht. Budi holte uns einen Tag vor Beginn der Tour abends nach einer langen Busfahrt von Makassar in Rantepao ab. Wir besprachen die Tour, aßen lecker zu Abend und er brachte uns in unsere etwas entferntere Unterkunft von Rantepao,was wohl sonst nicht so üblich ist. Eine Unterkunft Nähe ...

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An Absolute Must!
An Absolute Must!

What an amazing time I had! I booked 3 nights and just had the most amazing time. So peaceful and feeling at one with nature. My guide Darmin was fantastic and everything you’d want from a guide. (I am actually a tour guide myself!!!) I felt so lucky to see so many orangutans. The feeding ...

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Comfortable private boat tour with family
Comfortable private boat tour with family

Our boat tour in Tanjung Puting with local guides was perhaps the best holiday experience i have ever had in my life. Therefore we decided to do the komodo boat tour also with local guides, and again they were truly amazing. Upon arrival in Labuan Bajo, me and my family were picked up from the ...

Flores

Very enthusiastic staff!
Very enthusiastic staff!

We were looking for a very authentic experience, where we would not only see some cultural highlights but also feel the iranian culture and be among the iranians. For these reasons we booked our Shiraz tour with local guides, and they did not disappoint at all! We had a young iranian lady as our guide, ...

Shiraz

Can’t recommend enough! Incredible 5D/4N tour
Can’t recommend enough! Incredible 5D/4N tour

This tour was absolutely fantastic, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience to see orangutans in the wild. Our guide, Nur, went above and beyond to make sure that all our needs/wants were taken care of, and was enthusiastic to explain all about the wildlife and conservation challenges they face. The 5 days/4 nights ...

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Highlight of Holiday!
Highlight of Holiday!

Me and my family visited mount Sibayak with the North Sumatran Local Guides team (local-guides dot org) as part of our 9D8N Sumatra tour. It was TRUELY AWESOME! The volcano hike was probably the most memorable experience I’ve had in my trip to Sumatra. The guys are really fun and easy-going and provide interesting details ...

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Amazing Tour! 2D1N
Amazing Tour! 2D1N

Deze tour geboekt, van te voren geen informatie ingewonnen, achteraf helemaal niet nodig! Super tour! Geweldige gids die alles wist en alle animals wist te vinden, ook veel informatie over de planten. Eten was ook super. Al met al een prachtige ervaring met deze geweldige organisatie. Amazing tour with these fantastic tour operator. The guides ...

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Excellent Service, Incredible Experience.
Excellent Service, Incredible Experience.

The tour was wonderful and well organised by our guide Nur. The residence is a boat known as a klotok. It’s basic sleeping and washing, which is fit for purpose, and makes you feel a lot closer to the jungle. We loved every minute. The food and drinks on board are excellent. The walks though ...

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A Week in Toraja
A Week in Toraja

Sal and Budi advised me very well with a choice of itineraries and Yulius and Lia were the best guides. Once he knew my interests, Yulius planned three varied and interesting days and took me to a number of villages and burial sites round Rantepao; as well as attending a funeral, we visited a village ...

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