15 Oct 2022

Komodo Dragons, Snorkelling Pink Beach and Flying Fish

Gustily raises his hand, stopping us in our tracks as a large male Komodo Dragon rounds the corner on the same path walking towards us. We're on Indonesia's famed Komodo Island, land of dragons, on Heritage Expeditions maiden voyage Indonesian Explorer aboard our luxurious new expedition ship Heritage Adventurer. It's our fifth encounter with a Komodo Dragon this morning, and the Jurassic Park moment we've been waiting for.

We're not fooled by its methodical, slinking gait having seen footage at last night's lecture of a dragon chasing a water buffalo at 20 kilometres an hour, and watch as our guide adjusts the forked stick protection he's carrying. The Komodo's strong claws send up puffs of dust with each step and flicks out its forked tongue trying to determine what we are as it approaches.

Stepping into its path, our guide and ranger at Komodo National Park leads the colossal reptile off the track at stick's length as we watch in awe as a relic of another time passes us by. It's pure bucket list material, and one of many on our 15-day voyage from Bali to Madang. Having already visited ancient temples and explored remote villages, we take to the candy-hued shores of world-famous Pink Beach next and marvel as the gentle lap of the ocean swirls the tiny pink coral particles along the expanse of shoreline.

Below the turquoise water, a colourful coral garden and its neon-lit inhabitants provides our first snorkelling experience and introduction to Indonesia's rock star reef credentials followed by an Indonesian picnic on the beach. Back on board our resplendent expedition vessel guests up in the Bridge observe a pod of Pilot Whales, and watch flying fish take to the air off our bow as we sail impossibly blue waters to our next destination, Wakatobi National Park.

Image (c) F. Wardle