Experience the otherworldly – and fearsome – wildlife of Komodo and Moyo
For fans of exotic wildlife, a tailor-made trip to the islands of Komodo and Moyo are a must. These Indonesian islands are home to the world’s largest lizard: the Komodo dragon. Weighing in at around 90kg, with a menacing tongue and a mouth filled with poison, these beasts look like something from another age.
Things get more beautiful in the nearby Angel and Panjang Reefs. The coral gardens beneath the waters here teem with marine life, including longfin bannerfish, triggerfish, batfish, blacktip sharks and the blue-ringed octopus.
As well as the eponymous dragon, Komodo lends its name to the National Park. If you’re lucky, you could see viper, crocodile, sea eagle and turtle here, too. If not, there’s the largely empty pink-sand beaches to enjoy as a consolation prize.
The nature-reserve island of Moyo, just off the northern coast of Sumbawa, offers an unspoilt haven with dense, green vegetation and cascading waterfalls to explore. Take a refreshing dip in the Flores Sea or strap on your snorkel mask to explore the fish and colourful coral. It’s also a great spot for twitchers, with yellow-headed parrot and the Tanimbar megapode nesting on the sandy mounds along the shore.