Journey to the Port: The Gateway to Komodo, Part 2

Waking up to the glassy stillness of the water as we cruised toward Komodo Island was a beautiful experience in itself. With a water bottle in hand, I brushed my teeth while gazing over the edge of the railing, surrounded by peace and quiet. I made my way to the bow and settled into the little nook by the anchor, taking in the fresh, salty air of the morning. The landscape ahead was barren yet stunning—small islands with rolling hills flanked us on both sides as we sailed on, the tranquility of the moment making everything feel timeless.

Once everyone was awake, breakfast was served, and we eagerly dug in, excited to see what the day would bring. After eating, we had about 30 minutes before reaching the dock at Komodo Island. People slowly began preparing, rinsing off under the open shower at the stern, brushing their teeth over the railings, shaving at the bow, and packing small day bags with essentials for the island.Per and I started getting ready, changing into clothes that would keep us cool for the hike. I packed my GoPro and slipped a small amount of money into my fanny pack, while Per did the same and brought his camera to capture the dragons and other wildlife. We were both excited to get off the boat and finally explore the island of dragons. Once we docked, Per, I, and two other guys from our group were the first off the boat. We tried to be patient as we waited for the rest of the group to disembark, eager to start exploring. The delay was a bit frustrating, though—no one else seemed quite as prepared, and it took longer than expected to get moving.

Island of the Dragons

Our guide finally called out, “Time to go!” and got everyone moving toward the island. As we approached the beach, we instantly spotted two medium-sized Komodo dragons lounging lazily in the sand. It was a unique sight—at first, we were mesmerized, almost forgetting these massive lizards could easily harm us. Locals began calling out for us to back away, snapping us back to reality. We quickly stepped back, still trying to capture photos of the dragons.

Once the whole group had gathered on the beach, we were led to the trailhead for a quick briefing before heading deeper into the island.

We walked along a winding trail for about 20-30 minutes, encountering a few more small to medium-sized Komodo dragons. We were shown a nesting site—a huge mound of dirt between two trees—before being taken to a watering hole, where a medium-sized dragon slowly made its way toward the brush. Some members of the group were able to take selfies with the dragons, with the guides helping out with the shots.

Then, one of the guides called out, and from the bush emerged the king of all the dragons—a massive male Komodo dragon. He walked with purpose, his thick footsteps thudding the ground, dust rising from each step, like Godzilla approaching the city. He wasn’t the least bit afraid of us, moving quickly past as we all stepped aside. His eyes were locked on the watering hole, and none of us dared stand in his way. When he reached his destination, he settled into the dirt, lazily observing us as we stood there, completely awestruck by his sheer size, snapping photos in disbelief.

Godzilla and I, Photo taken by local guide

Godzilla lingered with us for a while before rising and heading back into the bush. We continued on with the rest of the hike, eventually returning to where we started. The guides told us how lucky we were to have seen so many dragons, especially the large male that emerged from the brush. They explained that it’s rare to encounter so many dragons in one tour, let alone a big one like the male we had witnessed. At first, I was a bit skeptical of their explanation, but then Per mentioned that when he had done the same tour a few years earlier, he’d only seen one small Komodo dragon. Hearing this made the experience feel even more special.

Unfortunately, the Komodo dragon portion of the trip is being temporarily shut down—but for a good reason. The island is closing its doors to outsiders to give the dragons some time without human interference, allowing them to reproduce in peace. It’s unclear how long the island will be off-limits, but there are still plenty of other amazing aspects of the trip to enjoy!

Pink Beach

Back on the boat heading to our next destination, which wasnt far from where we were, some of us decided to go upstairs and soak up a little sun. That turned out to be a mistake on my part - since Per and I had forgotten to being any sunscreen, I ended up getting horribly burnt all along my backside.

Our next destination was the beautiful, quaint island of Pink Beach, named for the soft pink sand that covered the shoreline. The sand reminded me of strawberry milk powder—sweet and pastel, though undeniably beautiful. Per and I took some silly photos and videos in the water, pretending to be influencers but mostly just goofing off. Afterward, we decided to take a walk along the beach.

When we reached a large rock wall, Per decided to climb up the hill next to it to see the view. I stayed behind for a bit, gripped by my fear of heights, but he eventually convinced me to join him. From the top, we could see both sides of Pink Beach. The side we were on had much more vibrant pink sand, while the other side, visible from the hill, stretched out into a much larger beach.

After a while, we decided to head back to the group, carefully making our way down. As we reached the bottom, some of the others came toward us, asking what the view was like. They started scrambling up the hill, only for the guide to suddenly appear, shouting at them to come down. Apparently, we weren’t supposed to be up there. Oops.

Pink Beach also offered some fantastic snorkeling. I stayed in the water longer than the others, who preferred to relax in the shade with some drinks. I, on the other hand, was having a blast free diving to the various bommies, searching for different types of nudibranchs.

Padar Peak

After leaving Pink Beach, we sailed for a few hours before reaching the final destination of the day—Padar Peak. This famous lookout was absolutely stunning. We arrived at the island just before sunset, giving us enough time to hike up to the top. We took a small dingy over to the island and were able to start hiking as soon as we stepped off the tiny boat. The hike took about an hour and there were quite a few steep sections that required some effort to climb. Many in the group stopped a few times to catch their breath. I continued up on my own however leaving Per and a few others down below. we still had plenty of time to relax and watch the sun dip below the horizon. This part of the trip felt a lot less private. Our group, along with a few others, had gathered at the top. Some people were noisy, while others sat quietly, taking in the scenery. Regardless, the view of the beaches from the peak was absolutely breathtaking a fantastic end to the third day.

Shark Beach

The next morning, we spent a little over an hour sailing to a small beach where we were promised sharks. The snorkeling there turned out to be some of the best I’ve ever experienced. The reef was incredibly healthy, teeming with life at every turn. In some areas, the water was shallow, which made it a bit tricky to avoid scraping against the coral.

It only took about 30 minutes of snorkeling before I started spotting little blacktip shark pups darting around the reef, hunting for crustaceans and small fish. They were small but incredibly agile—like little fighter jets, cutting through the water with speed and precision.

Along the way, I also spotted some eels and a mantis shrimp. Per even pointed out a stingray hiding under some coral, which was a cool find.

Labuan Bajo

We spent the entire morning at the beach, staying until around 10:30 before heading back to the boat. By then, we were all sunburned, hot, and a bit dehydrated. After a much-needed lunch, we set sail for our final destination: Labuan Bajo, on the island of Flores.

We finally arrived in Labuan Bajo around noon. Despite the unforgettable moments and memories that I would treasure forever, I was ready to get off the boat for good. It might have been because I’d spent the past year working on a liveaboard and had grown a little tired of sleeping on boats with minimal privacy. Regardless, I was eager for this adventure to end so the next phase of my Indonesia trip could begin. The crew helped us off the boat, and we said our farewells to some of the other guests we’d gotten to know along the way. We then headed to our accommodation, ready for a real shower and relaxation.