I was in Labuan Bajo following a whim. I wanted to see the Komodo Dragons. It was the year of 2008 and I mention it for no particular reason.
The beginning
When I boarded the old 30-seater plane at Bali, it did occur to me that for a holiday, I was seeking some kind of a thrill, but then no one said that adrenaline rush was bad, right?
This trip was going to cost me USD400 despite the fact that I was sharing the boat with a Latvian family of four. I was OK with it. Although I was not sure how I was going to talk to my co-passengers if they spoke no English, I was eager to go.
When I landed at Labuan Bajo, after a scary, yet uneventful flight, I knew I had made the right decision. I had managed to get some videos of small islands dotting the sea (the planes don’t fly very high and if the weather holds on a clear day, with a really good cam, you can shoot clear pictures of the islands).
Thirty people descended from the aircraft, claimed their baggage that rested in the cockpit (!!) and I wasn’t surprised that I was the only Indian woman among the other pleasure seekers that included Latvians, Poles, Russians, British and Germans. My first picture was shot by a Pole, traveling in a group of two and visiting Labuan Bajo for dragons and diving. Since then, I have always loved Poles.
Arriving in LBJ
LBJ airport was the smallest airport I had seen and also the most convenient – no queuing up, no security checks, no waiting to claim to baggage…just walk through the single big hall and out into the arms of your guide waiting to escort you – in my case Mathias. (This is part of the tour if you have booked one – advisable too considering the limited accommodation in LBJ)
Then I met my co-travelers for the Komodo Island trip. Amanda with her parents and their friend named Peteris from Latvia. Past the lovely green countryside, we bumped over narrow roads to arrive at the port, where our fishing boat-turned-house boat stood.
We stopped briefly at the tourism office, a smallish room with few maps, a table, no chair for visitors to sit down and some brochures advertising diving/snorkeling trips. I suppose people didn’t stop by for too long here and if they did stop at all, it was only to seek directions or get information about hiring diving gear.
After the customary stop, we headed to the Port. I remembered later that I should have had the good sense to pack snacks for the trip, but seeing that it was an all-included trip I decided against this, determined to survive on what was given. If there was nothing, I would do with nothing.
How to get thereFrom Denpasar, Bali, fly Indonesia Air Transport (IAT), Merpati Airlines or Lionair to Labuan Bajo in West Flores. At LBJ airport you must pay domestic departure tax of Rp 10,000. Don’t expect to be able to buy a ticket last minute. Book at least a day in advance. |
The Voyage begins
Mathias, three young boys who made up the crew, the Latvian family and I were going to be stuck together for the next few days, through rain and storm and Komodos… The morning was clear, the sea calm and anticipation high.
The wooden boat, that like its furniture on board had seen better days, took off, amidst the roar of the engine.
We settled down on the wooden benches, placed around the wooden table (which was to serve as the ‘dining’ table). Mathias began his narration but finding no interested audience, quickly shut up and began to look around for coffee. Ever since I stepped on Indonesian soil several days before, I had come to change my idea about coffee.
I now believed that if coffee was to have a decent place among Indonesian beverage, then it had to be really strong, black and bitter…not like the Bintang, but worse. I sat on the bow, sipping the bitter concoction, getting used to the boat’s rhythm, balancing myself quite well while Amanda and her mother applied sun tan lotion. I found that particularly interesting.
I was convinced that brown skin never tanned and the sun couldn’t affect it in any way. I managed to smile to myself too and then busied myself with the scenery unfolding in front of me. This was going to be fun, so long as there was coffee, the boat moved over the waters and skies remained clear, I could handle the churning and the rolling. I am a water person! Small picturesque islands dotted the sea. Mathias told us that they were not habited, due to the lack of fresh water.
The islands only served as a “decorations” in the sea, he joked. However, among the numerous islands in West Flores, Rinca and Komodo Island had few inhabitants. Fresh water was scanty but they survived.
So did the dragon and the other wild animals that lived on the island.
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Enter The Komodo Dragon
Few instances can match the excitement of seeing the famed Komodo Dragons in their natural habitat. The giant lizards with their snake-like tongue dripping with poisonous, bacteria infected saliva, though not pretty to look at, were definitely jaw-dropping.
My small group of Latvians and I clicked away – the dragons, probably used to these alien sounds, didn’t mind too much. Instead, with the swish of their long tail, made their way into the forest, lost to sight. Our guide was excited. We weren’t. We hadn’t had enough of the dragons….I kept my camera rolling, hoping to catch any movement, anything.
The guide egged us on, telling us we would surely see more of them near the watering hole! Surely he wasn’t lying, but the watering hole can be reached only after marching in a single file, long and hard, through brushes, skipping over rocks, sweating under the blue sky visible through the huge palm trees dotting the landscape.
This fellow was deliberately annoyed
But I held on. Maybe, maybe the ferocious dragon that I had focused my attention on, would appear…in another minute…maybe…and voila, it did. He (I am assuming it to be a male), turned his beautiful head in my direction. Even looking through the video screen, I was mesmerized. He seemed close…I stepped back a little, only to remember that I had zoomed in…!
He held his head in place…staring into the camera, then rolled out his long, snake-like tongue….
I fled.
Only later when I saw the pictures Peteris had shot of me filming the dragon, did I realize that I hadn’t been too far away from death’s door. He could have had me in one stride! We walked in a single file, led by a ranger carrying a long, forked stick which, he explained, was to stop any dragon if they decided to attack….they Y end of the stick would lock their front legs (same as how they use a similar stick to capture snakes), while we could make our escape.
Night on the boat
That night we stayed on the boat. Our ‘dining’ table was moved to a side and we spread out our sheets and turned in. Out at sea, anchored near an unnamed island, surrounded by thick mangrove forests, and thus mosquitoes, the sea hitting against the wooden boats, the sound of some night birds and crickets….was a night to remember. I don’t remember spending a more comfortable night as I did that night, among strangers, completely at the mercy of nature…
Mathias, our guide had alerted us for unpredictable spells, adding that if such a thing happened, we would probably have a bad night, for the sea would churn and rock the boat.
No such thing happened. I spent a lot of time staring into the darkness, while Peteris snored beside me…it was heartwarming to know that tired people didn’t fuss too much about their beds…!! I must have dozed off at mid night and woke up right after…at pre-dawn, thoroughly refreshed. It must have been the air, I wouldn’t know what it was, but it was great.
The boat, as I mentioned before, has a toilet (that empties straight into the sea!), roughly three by three and you cant do anything else but sit down and head out. You get excess of sea water for everything. The crew pulls up sea water to wash the dishes, the deck, the kitchen and the toilet….so you get an idea.
A while later, I hauled myself to the top of the boat where the crew slept. The morning was dawning when they stirred to life, surprised to find me there! I watched the horizon for traces of the sun…few things match the beauty of watching the sun rise from between the hills.
Useful Information
Labuan Bajo
A tiny fishing village few years ago, today it is the hub of tourism. Being the starting point of trips to Rinca and Komodo Island. This little one-horse town is rapidly gearing up to cater to the hordes of adventure tourists (diving and snorkeling among the hot favourites), but often there is not enough rooms around town to fill the demands. Book early.
Golo Hilltop is a great place (I swear by it), with fantastic views of the sea. The hotel’s restaurant has good food though expensive compared to the many little eateries around town. There are few Indonesian, Chinese and Western restaurants.
Must D0
If you have had your fill of Komodos, try diving or snorkeling, visit the caves and surrounding beaches.
What to buy
Plenty of small shops selling all things Komodo; trinkets, postcards, local clothes (sarongs) or wood carvings (usually always Komodo). There are plenty of ATMs in the town.
