The tiny island of Rinca, off the coast of Flores, Indonesia is one of only a handful of islands in the world (all in Indonesia) where you can still hope to find Komodo Dragons in the wild. While its larger sibling, Komodo Island, gets all the press and a majority of the tourists, you have a better chance of spotting the elusive dragons on nearby Rinca.
Rinca is part of the Komodo National Park and has become a World Heritage Site in order to protect the dragons. The island is a scorched and desolate place, is crawling with poisonous things that could ruin your day, and is protected by some of the most dangerous currents in that part of the world. Luckily, tourism is less structured here and you may have the opportunity to get off the beaten path and even stay overnight.
If this sounds like your kind of place, here is how you can join the lucky few that go there!
Getting there:
First, you need to take a short Airplane ticket or a multi-day boat to the village of Labuanbajo which sits on the far west end of Flores in Indonesia. The tiny airport has at least one domestic flight in and out a day.
In Labuanbajo, you need to purchase a 3 day pass to the National Park. The US $15 fee goes for conservation efforts and is required to visit the islands or do any of the world class diving in the area.
Next, there are no regular boats or ferries that go to the island so you must negotiate your own passage. Your best bet is to spend time in the sprawling Gardena hostel, connect with other travelers to lower the cost, and then either book a boat through the hostel desk (which will add a hefty commission) or go down to the waterfront to speak to the boat captains directly. Depending on the time of year and amount of tourists, expect to pay as much as US $40 per boat for the three hour trip. There is a canteen offering drinks and snacks on the island, but you will need to take your own food.
On the island:
Upon docking, you will be required to buy an entrance fee and hire a guide which will cost you around US $20. If you are placed in a large group, wait for the next – in my case it was only my guide and I armed with long walking sticks, and he was willing to take us off the trails. Because there were only two of us, he stayed in the bush as long as I wanted.
The island is unbelievably hot, take lots of water, and realistically you will only be able to spend a couple of hours in the forest. While some of the larger groups only spotted a couple of dragons in the wild, we were able to see a dozen before returning back to camp. There are a few lazy dragons that hang around the camp area looking for handouts, so you are pretty much guaranteed to at least see a few.
Along with Komodos, you will be able to see buffalo, deer, wild pigs, turkeys, and eagles that all call the island home.
The Komodo Dragon:
Stay on your toes! It was recently discovered that Komodo Dragons are indeed venomous and don’t let their awkward walk fool you, they can run down a buffalo (their favorite meal) with a burst of sudden speed. Keep your distance, listen to your guide, and pay close attention as you walk through the tall grass. Stay clear of nesting areas that look like several large holes burrowed into the dirt – the females can be very defensive.
The island is also home to poisonous snakes including cobras, which cause far more fatalities than the dragons themselves, but they are not active during the heat of the day.
In Conclusion:
There is very basic bungalow accommodation on the island, but I was able to spend the night on the deck of my boat for free under the stars before returning back to Labuanbajo the next day.
If your guide took good care of you, you can offer a small tip or at the least buy him a cold drink back at camp. The locals are friendly and excited about sharing their knowledge and stories about life with the dragons.
Rinca is an adventurous and rough alternative to Komodo Island and the feeling of getting there yourself and exploring this wild place can’t be beat.
Author’s Bio: Trish is a blogger at onetravelbloggers & is associated with OneTravel which avails you cheap Flights to Indonesia & gives great offers on Condor Airlines, Singapore Airlines & many more.
