The earliest stories among Westerners of a dragon existing in the region circulated widely and attracted considerable attention. But no Westerner visited the island to check the story until in the early 1910s by Dutch sailors based in Flores in East Nusa Tenggara spread the stories about a dragon which inhabited a small island in the Lesser Sunda Islands. The report said that the creature measured up to seven meters in length with a large body, mouth which constantly breathed fire and the odd creature could fly. Hearing the reports, Lieutenant Steyn van Hensbroek planned a trip to Komodo Island to continue the search himself. After a few days, Hensbroek managed to kill one of the lizards to investigate. Ouwens carried out studies on the samples and concluded that the Komodo dragon was not a flame-thrower but was a type of monitor lizard. Research results were published in 1912. Ouwens named the giant lizard Varanus komodoensis. Realizing the significance of the dragons on Komodo Island as an endangered species, the Dutch government issued a regulation on the protection of the lizards on Komodo Island in 1915.

Get to know Komodo National Park facts below:

1. Komodo dragons only exist in Indonesia and park rangers do not feed the dragons, they let them hunt the animals such as goats and birds, just like in the wild.
2. Up to 5,965 Komodo dragons can be found in Komodo National Park.
3. Newborn Komodos climb trees to avoid predators and survive by eating lizards, small snakes and staying in the trees until they reach 3 to 5 years of age.
4. Over 1.000 species of fish and more than 350 reef-building corals live within Komodo National Park. Lies in the very heart of Coral Triangle, make Komodo National Park is the best spot for diving and snorkeling.
5. Pink Beach is one of the beaches at Komodo National Park which has pink sand and we only have 7 pink beaches on the earth.

Find the best way to reach Komodo National Park from Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali

BY PLANE

Jakarta (CGK) Soekarno Hatta International – Komodo (LBJ) Komodo

Surabaya (SUB) Juanda – Komodo (LBJ) Komodo

Bali (DPS) Ngurah Rai International – Komodo (LBJ) Komodo

Prepare your journey, here is everything you need to pack before visit Komodo National Park

• A light, long-sleeved shirt and loose trousers provide more protection from mosquitos and sunburn.
• Sun protection
• Mosquito repellent
• Personal medicine

KOMODO ISLAND

The island is particularly notable as the natural habitat of the Komodo Dragon as the largest lizard on Earth. Komodo Island has a surface area of 390 square kilometres and the human population who live here is over two thousand. The people of the island are descendants of the former convict who were exiled to the island and also the Bugis ethnic from Sulawesi who came here years before.

PINK BEACH

Inside Komodo National Park you can find the exotic tropical beach and its pink sand, This is one of only seven in the world where you can find pink sand beaches. The sand appears pink because it is a mixture of white sand combined with red sand, formed from pieces of Foraminifera. Pink beach is a delightful dive spot and one of the most popular destinations in the park. The shallow reef begins just by the beach and this spot considered one of the best snorkeling sites in Komodo National park.

PADAR ISLAND

Padar is mostly savannah-covered. The island surrounded by three turquoise bays, and curiously each one of the bays’ beaches has different coloured sand. Pearly white bay and charcoal black bay lies side by side and a very rare baby pink in the other side. It is a rare combination and become a quirk of this unique island. The black-sanded bay has volcanic origin, composed of various dark minerals. The pink bay, one of a few in the world comes from pulverized red coral mixed with white sand.