Komodo National Park

This area is made up of three main islands (Komodo, Padar, and Rinca) along with more than 20 smaller islands. Originally declared a nature reserve in 1938 to protect the famous dragons, the level of protection and conservation efforts has slowly expanded over the years to cover 1,733 square kilometers of land and sea with the honor of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Komodo National Park is located in the Lesser Sudan Islands in the south of Indonesia. In this region, you have numerous small straits that are the final checkpoint for the unfathomable amount of water traveling from the Pacific Ocean in the north through Indonesia to the Indian Ocean in the south. Not only does this movement of water give Komodo its famous currents but also a daily supply of fresh nutrients to feed some of the most bio-diverse reefs in the Coral Triangle.

When these nutrient-rich currents meet with the underwater topography of this region, the result is breathtaking. Large schools of fish show their strength in numbers, while the predators show their agility in maneuvering around the school to get a quick snack. Of course, there’s a manta or two effortlessly gliding above.

Though Komodo is famous for its currents, that’s not the only thing we see here. The underwater macro life is as impressive as the dragons themselves. If that’s not enough, there are numerous white-, black- and even pink-sand beaches for a relaxing walk in the sun.