Komodo National Park

Komodo Island in addition to having the charm of the beautiful beach and sea is also home to the Komodo dragon habitat. Komodo dragons are ancient animals that are still alive and currently highly protected. This is what makes the Komodo island is the NEW 7 wonders of the world.

Hopefully the existence of natural resources in Indonesia and could be an asset that continues to be maintained. Until now only the island of Komodo dragons can campaigned up to the foreign countries. The slogan that there is always the Komodo island is the New 7 Wonders of the world.

Bunaken National Park

Bunaken National Park is very representative of Indonesian tropical water ecosystems consisting of mangrove ecosystems, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and land / coastal ecosystems.

In the northern part consists of the island of Bunaken, Manado Tua island, the island Montehage, Siladen island, the island Nain, Nain Small island, and some coastal areas of Cape Pisok. While in the Southern Cape coast includes some of Palm.

Potential land islands national park is rich in species of palm, sago, woka, silar and coconut. Types of animals living in terrestrial and coastal including Sulawesi black macaques (Macaca nigra nigra), deer (Cervus timorensis Russa), and possum (Ailurops ursinus ursinus). The island in the Indonesian island deserves to be offered to tourists. An example is the Komodo National Park is already becoming known world wide.

Plant species in the mangroves of Bunaken National Park namely Rhizophora sp., Sonneratia sp., Lumnitzera sp., And Bruguiera sp. This forest is rich with various kinds of crab, shrimp, mollusks and various types of sea birds such as seagulls, herons, sea virgin, and cangak sea.

This type of algae found in this national park include the type of Caulerpa sp., Halimeda sp., And Padina sp. Seagrass beds are dominated mainly on the island Montehage, and Nain island of Thalassia hemprichii, Enhallus acoroides, and Thalassodendron ciliatum.

Recorded 13 genera of corals living in waters of Bunaken National Park, dominated by fringing reefs and coral reef barrier. The most interesting is the vertical cliffs as far as 25-50 meters.

Vote Komodo Island

Komodo island is the NEW 7 wonders of the world .., wow if it really happen would certainly be a very big pride for the Indonesian nation. Komodo Island is the mainstay of the government of Indonesia as a candidate in the election of seven wonders of the world.

slide show with music showing the natural and urban features of Manado and surrounding area. Manado is on the north part of Indonesia’s Island of Suluwesi. Please note the end title should be Dvorak String quartet no 12, I will re edit.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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Diving Komodo is like stepping on a Jurassic gyroscope – tilting and spinning at uncontrollable speeds. There are time when guest have been perched in a 2-knot current, holding on for dear life, mouth pieces vibrating, watching a halimeda ghost pipe fish while their buddy gesticulates wildly, trying to gain their attention to point out a hovering manta ray. Dives like this are common – it is hard to know where to look and what to focus on. Welcome to Komodo.

Komodo as well as the other islands between Sumbawa and Flores, belongs to another time and place. Rugged, dry, covered in scrub and borassus palms, it is just few degrees south of the equator, and represents an arid anomaly in the lushness of the monsoon-feed island of the Indonesia archipelago. But it is perfect habitat for one of world’s most awesome animals – the Komodo Dragons.

Biological Riches

The wild Komodo area offers just about every imaginable type of diving, from current swept sea mounds patrolled by groups of sharks, tuna and other big fish to plunging walls, covered in impressive corals, to calm reefs alive with invertebrates and hundreds of colorful reef fishes. The water temperature varies from chilly 22C to 30C bath water. Visibility ranges from a clear 25-30 meters to a dismal 3 meters, when clouds of tiny fish and plankton allow only macro photography.

The variety of marine life in the Komodo area rivals the world’s best. There are deep seas both north and south of the narrow straits running between the little islands and strong currents and upwelling bring nutrients and plankton, keeping all the marine creatures well-fed.

While the Komodo areas well explored, due to it is vastness there are new dive site discovered every year. In general, there are two habitats and two seasons for Diving Komodo – the winter for the cooler , temperate water southern sites and the summer for the warmer, tropical north. The main factor in enjoying diving Komodo is visibility and the north is more predictable in this regards.

Komodo is unique region because it offers divers to choice of both tropical and temperate diving within the scant space of 10 kilometers. The volcanic thrusts and limestone uplifts combined with half-meter differential between the south China

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Komodo and Rinca are hilly and desolate yet beautiful island, sandwiched between Flores and Sumbawa are home to Gargantuan Reptiles, The legendary Komodo Dragon. The worldâ??s largest wizard, known locally as â??oraâ?? itâ??s can reach over 3 meters in length, weight over 100 kg, and feed on animals as large as deer and buffalo.

These isolated islands are surrounded by some of the most tempestuous water in Indonesia, fraught with riptides and whirlpools. From the sea they look a far more fitting habitat for monstrous reptiles than for the few hundred fishermen and their families who eke out a living in these parched lands.

Rinca receives just as many visitors as Komodo, because itâ??s nearest to the port of Labuanbajo in Flores â?? the main jumping â?? off point for trip to Komodo National Park. A steady stream of visitor make their way here these days, but to understand how far of the beaten track it used to be, read Zoo Quest for a Dragon by naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough, who filmed the dragons in 1956. Dragon also inhabit Padar island and coastal areas of northwestern Flores.

Though these are hiking trails, itâ??s not permitted to walk them without a guide as dragons have very occasionally attacked (and killed) humans â?? two villagers have died in the last twenty years. Dragon are docile bunch for the most part, but they could snap you leg as fast as they will cut a goatâ??s throat.

You are pretty much guaranteed to see dragons whichever island you visit, as they have and extremely keen sense of smell and thereâ??s usually one or two sniffing around the kitchen at the visitors camp.

Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park is a World heritage site, encompasses Komodo, Rinca and several neighbouring islands and their incredible rich surrounding coral reef, mangrove and seas.

With Rp. 40,000.00 park entrance fee and the conservation fee (USD 15 for adult and USD 7.50 for under 16s), collected on arrival by rangers, buy three-day permit for both Komodo and Rinca.

Hiring a guide (Rp. 30,000) is both mandatory and very useful, as all speak some English and are very knowledgeable about the islandsâ?? flora and fauna and very carry a big stick. A Camera permit is another Rp 25,000.00.

Komodo is one of the driest corners of Nusa Tenggara and heavy rains are not common. However the seas are calmest between April and September.

Komodo Activities
Rugged Komodo, its gulley ridden hillside frazzled by the sun drying winds to a deep rusty red for most of the year, is the largest of the islands in the national park. The accommodation cam of Loh Liang, run by PHKA, is on of the east cost of the island. Various treks around the island can be organized with the PHKA office located here.

A half hour walk south of Loh Liang is the fishing village of Kampung Komodo. Itâ??s friendly Muslim Bugis village of stilt houses that full of goats, chicken and children. The inhabitants are said to be descendants of convicts exiled to the island in the 19th century by one of Sultans in Sumbawa.

Dragon Spotting
You are likely to see Dragons all year and Banu Nggulung, a dry river bed about a half hour walk from Loh Liang. The organized feeding of goat the dragons is a things of the past and dragons are now only fed here when PHKA wants to do a head count. Banu Nggulung still attracts dragons, but since the feeding stopped fewer dragon are turning up.

A Little â??grandstandâ? overlooks the river bed where the dragons gather. Spectator are fenced of from the dragons â?? donâ??t expect to walk up to the dragon and have them say â??cheeseâ?. A telephoto lens is handy but not essential. Itâ??s possible to spot dragons on some of the other walks, and a few â??pensionerâ? dragons (and lazy ones) can often be seen around the camp looking for food.

Hiking
Mosy visitors stay one night at Komodo and only visit Banu Nggulung, but Komodo has a number of other hikes and offer. All hikers must hire a guide to accompany them.

Walk from Loh Liang include the climb to Gunung Ara (mount Ara, 538 meter), around 3.5 hours return. The chance of seeing a dragon are slim, but there are expensive views from the top. Poreng Valley, 5.5 km from Loh Liang is another favorite dragons haunt and has a more out in the wild feeling than Banu Nggulung , the trail continuous to Loh Sebita. Event if you donâ??t spot Komodo, there is plenty of other wild life, such as buffaloes, wild boar and some of Komodoâ??s bird life.

Snorkeling, Diving and Liveaboard
Snorkeling and Diving in Komodo can arranged from Loh Liang , equipment coast about Rp. 50,000.00 and boat rental is Rp. 225,000.00 for 4 people. Good under water view can be found at Pantai Merah (Red Beach) and the small island, called Lasa island near Kampung Komodo.

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Located 200 nautical miles east of Bali, Komodo National Park nestles between the large islands of Sumbawa and Flores, all of which are part of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusa Tenggara on current maps).

It transgress some islands when cruising to Komodo. Diving liveaboard komodo with Sea Safari Cruise start from Bali and will layover in Moyo Island, Tora Longkoy Rinca, Satonda and Nusa Kode. All of island s have amazing underwater habitat.

Komodo Island and national park reserve offers just about every type of tropical diving imaginable – from calm and colourful shallow reefs alive with hundreds of colourful reef fishes and crammed with invertebrates, to current-swept deep water sea mounts, walls and pinnacles patrolled by sharks, tuna and other big fish.

The variety of marine life for scuba diving in Komodo rivals the world’s best dive destinations. This is the world’s epicentre for marine diversity and you’ll see loads of stuff here on a diving cruise that you just won’t see anywhere else in the world – From whale sharks, sunfish, mantas and eagle rays to pygmy seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, clown frogfish, nudibranchs and blue-ringed octopus – all at home amongst a spectacular range of colourful sponges, sea squirts, tunicates and corals – a macro enthusiast’s heaven.

Geologically, Komodo and Rinca are part of Flores, separated from Sumbawa to the west by the Sape Strait. In the middle of the strait, the bottom drops to almost 300 metres. The many islands and relatively shallow seas between Flores and Komodo’s west coast mean very fast currents at tidal changes, especially when the higher tidal waters of the Pacific in the north flow through into the Indian Ocean to the south. The upwellings from the deep surrounding seas bring nutrients and plankton to keep the Komodo waters rich and well-fed.

Unlike other parts of Indonesia, the reefs around the south of the islands have suffered relatively little damage from dynamite fishing. Much of the area now lies within the protection of the national park. The shallow reefs between Flores and the northern region however, were bombed in the past but are now recovering their former splendour. The affected area covers around 15% of the archipelago, and even here steep drop-offs and current-swept points offer excellent Komodo diving.

The island is also famous for its Komodo dragon monitor lizard, the largest lizards in the world. An alert and agile predator and scavenger that can reach 2.5 metres in length and 125 kg, they are known locally as ‘Ora’ and now about 1,100 inhabit the island and about half that live on nearby Rinca Island.

Park information:

Located between the islands of Flores and Sumbawa Island.
Covers an area of between 1,875 and 2,321 square kilometers.
Consist of three main Islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar
Famous for its pre-historic and Komodo ‘’Dragons’’ – found only in this area of the world.
Home to one of the richest marine environments in the world.
Excellent coral reefs.
Outstanding diving spots.

Facilities

Rangers’ house, restaurant and information centers are located on both Komodo and Rinca Island
Currently the best way to stay overnight at the park is to rent a local excursion boat and sleep on deck. Anchored just off shore from the park, this will allow an early morning trek in the reserve.

How to get there

Labuan Bajo (West Flores) is the starting point to explore the Komodo National Park. Regular flights operate from Bali (Denpasar) to Labuan Bajo, or travel overland from Bali by private vehicle or public bus and inter-island ferries.
The travel time from Labuan Bajo to Komodo Island is 4 hours by boat, and 2 hours from Labuan Bajo to Rinca Island.
Overnight accommodation is possible either at the rangers’ house or on the deck of a local excursion boats
Arrangement for accommodation at the Park can be with Travel Agents,� West Flores guides or directly with the local boat owners.
Local excursion boat.

Komodo Island

Loh Liang is the main landing point to see Komodo ‘’dragons’’ on Komodo Island.
Komodos are often seen at the dry river bed Banu Nggulung, a half-hour walk from Loh Liang. When komodos were still fed before park visitors (a practice discontinued many years ago), Banu Nggulung was the traditional feeding ground. You are also likely to spot dragons looking for food around the Rangers’ camp in Loh Liang.
Hiking around the Island is possible with a local guide. A round-trip climb up the slopes of Gunung Ara (580m) takes around 3.5 hours. Or, consider hiking to Poreng Valley, located 5.5km from Loh Liang. Along the way you may encounter komodos as well as buffaloes, wild boar, and a wide variety of bird species.
Visit Komodo village, a friendly, Muslim Buginese village only a half-hour walk from Loh Liang.
Snorkeling and relaxing at Pantai Merah (Red Beach) or Pulau Lasa is on the ‘’must do’’ list for Komodo Park visitors.

Rinca Island

Loh Buaya is the access point to see Komodo ‘’dragons’’ on Rinca Island.
You may see the dragon around the camp at Loh Buaya.

Local guides generally know the spots where the komodos sun themselves.

On a hiking tour you may also see long-tailed macaques, wild water buffaloes, Timor deer, wild horses, boars, and rare megapode birds.

Marine Ecosystem:

The three main marine ecosystems found at the Komodo National Park:

Sea grass beds
Coral reefs
Mangrove forests.�

Marine Fauna:

Komodo National Park has one of the richest marine environments in the word. Forams, cnidaria, sponges, ascidians, marine worms, mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, cartilaginous, bony� fishes, marine reptiles, marine mammals (dolphins, whales, and dugongs), sea cucumbers (Holothuria), napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), and groupers are major sub-sea fauna found at Komodo National Park.

Marine Flora:

The three major coastal marine plants:

Algae
Sea grasses
Mangrove trees.

Terrestrial Ecosystem:

Long dry season (April to October) with high temperatures and low rainfall.
A transition zone shared between Australian and Asian flora and fauna.
Open grass-woodland savannas, tropical deciduous (monsoon) forests and quasi-cloud forests.
A shared trait among many of the park’s terrestrial plants species is that they are xerophytes, capable of obtaining and retaining water to survive the cyclical drought period.
Terrestrial plants includes: grasses, shrubs, orchids, and trees. �

Important food trees include Jatropha curkas, Zizyphus sp., Opuntia sp., Tamarindus indicus, Borassus flabellifer, Sterculia foetida, Ficus sp., Cicus sp., ‘Kedongdong hutan’ (Saruga floribunda), and ‘Kesambi’ (Schleichera oleosa).

Terrestrial Fauna

Many mammals found at the park are Asiatic in origin – deer, pigs, macaques, civets. Other mammals include Timor deer (Cervus timorensis), wild horses (Equus sp.), water buffalos (Bubalus bubalis), wild boars (Sus scrofa vittatus), long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus lehmanni), the endemic Rinca rat (Rattus rintjanus), fruit bats, goats, feral dogs and domestic cats.�

Several bird species are Australian in origin – orange-footed scrubfowl, the lesser sulpher-crested cockatoo and the nosy friarbird. 27 species observed in the park’s savanna area include: Geopelia striata and Streptopelia chinensis.� Philemon buceroides, Ducula aenea, and Zosterops chloris are observed in the mixed deciduous habitat� that is home to 28 bird species.

Reptiles at the park include, of course, the legendary Komodo ‘’Dragon,’’ 12 snake species� including the cobra (Naja naja sputatrix), Russel’s pit viper (Vipera russeli), and the green tree vipers (Trimeresurus albolabris). Lesser lizards include 9 skink species (Scinidae), geckos (Gekkonidae), limbless lizards (Dibamidae), and the monitor lizards (Varanidae).� Frogs species include the Asian Bullfrog (Kaloula baleata), Oreophyne jeffersoniana and Oreophyne darewskyi.

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Parental care in Komodo dragons is restricted to the females, who guard clutches of around 20 eggs for seven months. After hatching, young Komodo dragons often move into trees in order to avoid predation by adults. Young dragons take five years to reach maturity, after which they can live for fifty years. In captivity Komodo dragons have reproduced by parthenogenesis.

In spite of their large size, Komodo dragons were only discovered by Western scientists in 1910. Their large size and fearsome reputation makes them popular zoo exhibits. In the wild their range has contracted due to human activities and they are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. They are protected under Indonesian law and a national park, Komodo National Park, was founded in order to protect them.

In the wild, large adults usually weigh around 70 kilograms (154 pounds).Captive specimens often weigh more. The largest verified wild specimen was 3.13 metres (10 feet 3 inches) long and weighed 166 kilograms (365 pounds), including undigested food.Komodo dragons have a tail that is as long as the body, as well as about 60 frequently-replaced serrated teeth that may be 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) in length.Their saliva will frequently be blood-tinged, because their teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue and this tissue is naturally lacerated during feeding.This creates an ideal culture for the virulent bacteria that live in their mouths.It also has a long, yellow, deeply-forked tongue.Males are larger than females, with skin color from dark grey to brick red, while females are more olive green, and have patches of yellow at the throat.[citation needed] The young are much more colorful by comparison, with yellow, green and white banding on a dark background.

Komodo dragons’ sense of hearing is not particularly acute, despite their visible earholes, and their visual discrimination (especially of stationary objects) is poor, although they can see in color. They use their tongue to detect taste and smell stimuli, as with many other reptiles, with the vomeronasal sense using a Jacobson’s organ, a sense that aids navigation in the dark. With the help of a favorable wind, they may be able to detect carrion up to 9.5 kilometres (6 miles) away. Komodo dragons’ nostrils are not of great use for smelling, as they do not have a diaphragm. They have no taste buds on their tongues, only a few in the back of the throat.

Their scales, some reinforced with bone, have sensory plaques connected to nerves that facilitate their sense of touch. The scales around the ears, lips, chin, and feet bottoms may have three or more sensory plaques.

Formerly, Komodo dragons were thought to be deaf when a study reported no agitation in wild Komodo dragons during whispers, raised voices, and shouts. This was disputed when London Zoological Garden employee Joan Proctor trained a captive monitor to come out to feed at the sound of her voice, even when she could not be seen.

Komodo dragons are found exclusively in Indonesia, on the island of Rinca and on several islands of the Lesser Sunda archipelago. They prefer hot and dry places, and typically live in dry open grassland, savanna and tropical forest at low elevations. As poikilotherms, they are most active in the day, although they do exhibit some nocturnal activity. Komodo dragons are largely solitary, coming together only to breed and eat. They are capable of running rapidly in brief sprints (up to 20 kilometres per hour [12.4 miles per hour]), are excellent swimmers (may dive up to 4.5 metres [15 feet]), and climb trees proficiently through use of their strong claws. To catch prey that is out of reach, they may stand on their hind legs and use their tail as a support.[ As Komodo dragons mature, their claws are used primarily as weapons, as their great mass makes climbing impractical.

For shelter, dragons dig holes that can measure from 1-3 metres (3-10 feet) wide with their powerful forelimbs and claws. Because of their large size and habit of sleeping in these holes, Komodo dragons are able to conserve body heat throughout the night and minimize their basking period the morning after.

Although attacks are very rare, Komodo dragons have been known to kill humans. On June 4 2007, a Komodo dragon attacked an eight year old boy on Komodo Island. He later died of massive bleeding from his wounds. It was the first recorded deadly attack in 33 years.

Komodo island is an original habitat of the biggest lizard in the earth. Komodo island offers visitors with the beautiful landscape, quite and calm, bring you close with a touch of Nature and beautiful under water scene. The island located between eastern Sumbawa and western Flores lie three tiny grass-covered islands Komodo, Padar and Rinca.

Each islands together form the Komodo National Park, a protected wildlife reserve. This is the home of the giants lizard known as the “Komodo Dragon” it was thought to be a myth until the turn of the century.

Not just amazing while look the giant Komodo Dragon, explore the Komodo’s under water and ecosystems which has well known as the best diving site in the world. Beautiful corals, reefs, thousands sort of fishes to the crystal water and beautiful beach are await to visit. Bali Sea Safari cruises offer luxury sailing program to adventures, exploration and expedition to enjoy the beautiful of the tropical islands a long the Lesser. Sailing with Indonesia traditional Boat, Phinisi Cruises, your journey will be unforgettable moment.

Started this year off with two things: a shiny new engineering degree, and an overwhelming desire to remove myself from the heart of another ridiculous Canadian winter. Having lived on a student budget for the past 4 years, I wasn’t in a financial situation that would allow me to fulfill my desire. Fortunately, I knew my daily sacrifice of a roll of film and relentless praying to the photo contest gods were heard when I received an email from Jason Heller. Apparently, I had been awarded an 11 day trip aboard the Archipelago Adventurer II as a prize from thie 2008 Wetpixel & DivePhotoGuide underwater photo contest at Our World Underwater. In the following few weeks, I also found out about a few more prize trips coming my way from other contests. All of a sudden I had myself the ultimate graduation present – a two month Indonesia/PNG voyage!

After convincing my brother, Kris, to join me, I secured a pair of spots aboard one of Archipelago Fleet’s Komodo itineraries near the end of May. Andy Shorten and Gede Sartana made this process a breeze by doing something important that other liveaboard staff sometimes don’t…..that is, efficiently responding to emails.

In addition to being prompt, they made sure to accommodate my ‘economic’ lifestyle by setting me up with an affordable hotel and cheap domestic flights. The next few months were a bit of a blur. I was busy trying to pay off my new (large) credit card debts, going to scuba shows, and spending quality time with my girlfriend before I abandoned her for the summer. As quickly as the trip was booked, it was time to pack and leave.

After about a month of diving Raja Ampat and a few parts of PNG, the time came to make our way to Labuan Bajo (western tip of Flores). The short flight from Bali to Flores gave a nice view of the ocean peppered with small islands.

We were greeted in Labuan Bajo by the talented photographer and Scuba Diver Australasia field editor, Simon Buxton, who would be our cruise director for the trip. We made our way to the massive Archipelago Adventurer II (second largest liveaboard operating in Indonesia), and within 2 hours we geared up and got in for a check-out dive just off of Tebolon island at a site called “Coral Garden”.

Somewhat typical for a ‘check-out’ dive, it was rather uneventful, but still yielded some interesting nudibranchs and gobies. My uncharged strobe batteries didn’t help my frustration. I came out of the water a bit disappointed, but very quickly my spirits changed drastically.

I wrapped a towel around my waist, pulled off the old trunks, and was planning to take a nice warm shower, when I noticed something tiny skip a few feet across the surface beside the boat. After walking down the side steps to water level, I realized what it was… a juvenile flyingfish (about an inch long), drifting by in the current. I’d only seen a juvenile one other time in 13 years of diving, so I decided that I wouldn’t let the opportunity pass. I jumped into the current bare-assed sans mask to stay with the little guy, knowing someone eventually would come to help me.

Sure enough, Kris jumped in and made his way over with my housed D300 and mask in hand, and was followed soon after by one of the crew in a support boat. I’m glad I took that naked leap of faith, since a few nice images resulted, including this one. Those are clouds in the background, shot from below.

Still in the harbor of Labuan Bajo, we had a night dive at the same site, before a much needed gourmet dinner. The night dive was very productive, and so was dinner… my stomach hadn’t been stuffed like that in recent memory. Overnight, we ‘sailed’ west toward Komodo, stopping midway in the Tatawa Besar region for a pair of frustrating, but beautiful, morning dives.

I say they were frustrating because I had my macro setup when the 2 eagle rays, giant trevally, and school of sweetlips decided to make an appearance in the crystal clear water! Nonetheless, typical for most Indonesian waters, there were still plenty of macro subjects to keep me happy and busy. After surfacing, we continued the trek from Tatawa Besar to Komodo, arriving in time for a late afternoon and night dive at “Pink Beach” and “Sodo Lia”, respectively. On the night dive, one of my strobes “went Caribbean” on me (i.e. worked when it wanted to), so I had to do some ‘macgyvering’ to get it back in proper working order.

I have to commend Archipelago Fleet designers for designating such a large area of the boat for underwater photo gear…the camera area is larger than most liveaboard dining areas, iit’s on the main level of the ship, and is a controlled indoor environment perfect for taking care of your expensive gear. An overnight steam brought us to one of the holy grails of diving, Rinca Island, where we would remain for the next few days.

Visibility was not the best and the water was cold (77 C), but the green nutrient-rich water brought with it a reason for the reef to come alive. Someone even likened the experience to swimming in a tropical fish tank on steroids. In spite of the poor visibility, I couldn’t help but take a stab at shooting wide-angle in such a beautiful area. I gave it my best shot, but came out with somewhat mediocre images, so I opted for the trusty 105mm macro to maximize my productivity while still stationed at this gold mine. As fascinating as the creatures were in the waters around Rinca, the ones on land got very much attention as well.

Monkeys, deer, and boars occasionally made an appearance on shore, but the main attraction was the giant monitor lizards (aka Komodo dragons). Each morning, a few dragons would come to the beach to catch some rays….some from the sun and some from our flashes. In hindsight, it was probably foolish to get as close as we did, but Simon and I found ourselves sprawled out in the sand only a few feet (in some cases inches) from the reptiles. The time came to pull anchor and start heading toward northern Komodo.

We stopped for a pair of manta dives along the way at a site called “Toro Lenkoy”, and had varying success. Our first attempt was uneventful, having only one show up at the end of the dive. However, the second attempt was much more exciting. The current was powerful so our group decided to go with the flow and cross our fingers. My brother and I stopped for a moment for a few quick photos, and were immediately separated from the rest of the group. We drifted on and on, figuring we’d catch up to the group at some point, but came to a split in the current so stopped to decide which path to take.

Before we knew it, there were three large mantas swooping only feet from our heads. We remained at the base of a large coral head as they circled, but they suddenly got spooked and bolted away with the flick of a fin. Confused, my brother and I looked at each other with ‘what the hell?!?’ faces, but immediately realized what had happened…a flock of divers had just poured into the water above us and turned on their hyper-jets toward the mantas to get a closer look.

The sight of this new group scaring off the mantas was quite disturbing, so we called it a dive and started surfacing. After doing our safety stop, and briefly encountering another pair of mantas, we popped up to find ourselves dangerously far away from the ship. Without the sea floor as a reference, the strength of the current was impossible to detect. Safety sausages were inflated and after a few tense minutes, we were spotted and retrieved by one of the two sharp-eyed tenders. We continued the journey north, stopping at Tatawa Besar again.

The current was strong when we entered, making photography difficult. After momentarily being distracted by a beautiful scene of soft corals, Kris and I once again found ourselves separated from the rest of the group. As if the manta dives we just did weren’t enough to complete the trip, a few eagle rays and white-tips came by, and then out of the blue, a 12-foot Minke whale graced us with its presence. Sadly, I was only able to get ‘proof-shots’ of it. Kris and I surfaced expecting others to have had a similar experience, but were surprised to find an empty support boat. Apparently, the current where we stayed had died down, while the rest of the group was whisked away in a torrent, ending up on a beach more than a kilometer down the coast. This is Komodo diving. We stayed overnight near a small island (Gili Lawa Darat) just off the northern tip of Komodo, and did two morning dives close by.

These sites, “Hard to Find Rock” and “Easy to Find Rock”, were stunning underwater pinnacles. Current was minimal since we entered during slack-tide, and had encounters with a small group of pygmy seahorses, large schools of jacks and sweetlips, and a platoon of nearly 100 mobula rays. In the afternoon we moved to Banta, our final dive destination. We dropped anchor in an idyllic bay and got in the water. Not expecting any large animals, everyone setup for a macro dive…then Murphy’s law presented itself in the form of mantas, mobula rays, and eagles rays coming at us from all directions.

That’s the way it goes sometimes, I guess. Again, as frustrating as that was, the macro life in this area made up for it within a few minutes. Before the night dive, a few of us chose to go for a little hike up the hills of Banta, since we’d heard that the view was incredible. What an understatement. The final night dive of the trip did not disappoint. Ghost pipefish, shortfin lionfish, napoleon snake-eels, and several bobtail squid were all waiting for us, allowing for loads of macro photography. After the night dive, we had our final dinner on board, accompanied by the crew playing, singing, and dancing to traditional Indonesian music.

The following morning everyone was eerily quiet, since we all knew the trip was two dives away from being finished. Thankfully, we ended on a high note, since “Tanjung Tanduk Rasa” and “GPS Point!” impressed us all with reefs teeming with life. Eagle rays, cuttlefish, a colony of pygmy seahorses (barbiganti), large schools of various species, and more anthias than you could shake a stick at were the highlights of these dives. By the time I dried off and showered after the last dive, the crew had already washed all of my gear and hung it in the sun to dry, which was a very pleasant surprise. I should note that the level of pampering in general on Archipelago Adventurer II was a few notches above most other liveaboards that I’ve experienced.

Simon Buxton (cruise director), the dive guides, and the whole crew were knowledgeable and well prepared for any issues that needed addressing, including the safe transport of a couple’s bulky rebreather equipment to and from a support boat on each dive, which isn’t often encountered. Thanks to you all, you did a wonderful job. By the early afternoon, we had already made it west to Bali, and were promptly transported by a pre-arranged taxi back to the airport where we all went our separate ways. That marked the end of my first ‘Archipelago Adventure’, but I’m sure it won’t be the last. A big thanks goes out to staff Archipelago Fleet for continuing to sponsor underwater photography competitions and making my trip possible!

Once they are extinct they will never appear on this earth again and you will lose this world`s rarest species, the komodo dragon, Indonesia`s giant lizard. So, if you care about it, vote for it. Your vote will safeguard it and usher it into one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

“Therefore, we request the people at home and the international community to vote for the Komodo National Park so that it will win the contest as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature,” Director for Culture and Tourism Development Marketing Development, Syamsul Lussa, said.

Indeed, the Indonesian government is doing its best to help promote one of the world`s ancient heritage so that it would become one of the winners in the New Seven Wonders of Nature that would be announced in 2011.

The Komodo National Park was built in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon (veranus Komodoensis) which is a venomous species of lizards that inhabit the islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, as well as numerous other smaller islands in Indonesia`s East Nusa Tenggara province.

It covers a total surface area (marine and land) of 1,817 km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area to 2,321 km2). As well as home to the komodo dragon, the park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer.

According to the official website of the Komodo National Park, the goals for the park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which is an indication of the park`s biological importance.

A research result by the Nature Conservation Agency of the park revealed that the population of the giant lizards is decreasing so that the world rare animal species is facing extinction. The very rare animal species have become increasingly on the brink of extinction because of illegal hunting by highly irresponsible people, just like the illegal hunting of deer and boars.

There was a time when the giant lizards were taken by a number of zoo operators in Indonesia as a new collection, but eventually these big animals did not develop or grow well as in their own habitat.

Thus, the world community needs to help preserve their habitat and population by bringing them to the world`s attention and include them into one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

“We are hoping for the support of the entire Indonesian people and the world community to vote for the Komodo National Park so that it would be included in the seven wonders of the world,” Gulam Husein of the East Nusa Tenggara Tourism and Culture Agency, said.

The voting is organized on-line on the web (http://www.new7wonders.com) or by phone (phone number: +41 77 312 4041, with code 7717 for voting for Komodo National park.
Tourism Marketing Director General Sapta Nirwandar said meanwhile that the Indonesian government was launching a `Vote for Komodo Park` campaign which was
integrated with the “Visit Indonesia Year 2009″ program.

“We hope a quarter of Indonesia`s population which totals over 230 million people will support the program and vote for the park,” he said.

Thank God, Indonesia`s Komodo National Park is now among the five finalists in a contest for inclusion in the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

“The Komodo National Park ranked fourth on Friday (July 24) after successfully brushing aside Malaysia`s Sipadan Island and Germany`s Black Forest,” head of the East Nusa Tenggara tourism, arts and culture office Ansgerius Takalapeta quoted director general of marketing at the Arts and Tourism Ministry Sapta Nirwandar as saying on Saturday.

The park became one of the finalists in the contest next to the Amazone Forest in Brazil, Bu Tinah Island in the United Arab Emirates, Galapagos Island in Ecuador and Iguanzu Falls River also in Brazil.

Takalapeta asked the Indonesian people and the world community to continue to promote the Komodo National Park to make it eligible for recognition as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011.

“We hope the entire Indonesian nation everywhere to vote for Komodo Island so it will be declared as one of the New Seven Wonders. I t is the voters who will decide,” he said.

The Amazone Forest and Black Forest were the strong contenders in the contest with the park which is believed to be the remnants of animals living in Jurassic period.
“We still have time until 2011 to vote for Komodo Island in the contest for the New Seven Wonders. Therefore, don`t waste your time because your vote in the contest will play a decisive role,” he said.

“Earlier, Komodo Island became one of the 28 finalists chosen among 77 nominees by a panel of experts. Also there were 261 landmarks in the world nominated as one of the Seven Wonders,” he said.

On July 21 2009, New 7 Wonders Foundation announced the National Komodo Park as one of the 28 finalists qualified to advance to the final stage (Third round).
The foundation will officially declare the theme parks eligible to be appointed as the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011.

Indonesia`s Komodo National Park – made up of three rugged volcanic islands – is the last remaining natural habitat of the famed Komodo dragon.

Komodo Island

Komodo Island is an island located in the Nusa Tenggara Islands. Komodo Island is known as the Komodo dragon habitat for native animals. The island is also the Komodo National Park that managed by the central government. Komodo Island to the west of Sumbawa Island, separated by Sape Strait.

Komodo

Administratively, these islands including Komodo subdistrict, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Komodo Island is the westernmost tip of Nusa Tenggara Timur province, bordering the province of West Nusa Tenggara.

In The Komodo Island, Komodo dragon animals live and breed well. Until August 2009, on the island there are about 1300 Komodo dragon’s. Plus the other islands, such as Island of Rinca and Gili Motang, their numbers totaled about 2500. There are also about 100 Komodo dragon’s at Wae Wuul Nature Reserve on the mainland island of Flores, but not including the Komodo National Park area.

Komodo addition, this island also store a variety of exotic flora, Sepang timber that is used by people around As with medicine and clothing dye, or nitak tree Sterculia oblongata in believed to be useful as a drug and tasty and good seeds like peas.