This won’t make me popular, but I do like 2020 a lot. While the rest of the world is mired in Covid misery, all this drama isn’t affecting my personal life. Instead, it’s providing great opportunities to visit and see places in a way we’ll never be able to experience again. The scenery may feel apocalyptic without the crowds, but it is always wondrous.

LABUAN BAJO

Probably, the Komodo dragons were here first. Then, the Bajo people colonized the islands. Labuan Bajo is a fishing village that has grown into one of Indonesia’s major tourist ports. You can arrive by liveaboard, take a very slow Pelni boat, or most conveniently, fly (the airport is tiny and basically within walking distance to the center).

The main profile of the town is serving tourism, so it’s set with everything you need. I stayed at Seaesta Komodo and highly recommend it. The staff is friendly and helpful, the rooms are comfy, the showers are surprisingly spacious, and there’s a pool, billiard, bar, and restaurant. It’s a lovely spot for sunset and a busy meeting point to discuss your Komodo trip.

As I visited in the middle of the Covid chaos, many cafés and restaurants were closed. Of course, local food is available everywhere, although I don’t always feel like nasi campur. Carpenter Café is good for breakfast, and Happy Banana for lunch or dinner. For sunset, sit in Escape Bajo or Paradise Bar.

One of the reasons I love Indonesia is the coffee, and Flores excels at it. If you visit this country, please skip the usual flat white and try different local beans. The cafés generally serve good blacks, but you should also visit Kopi Mane – here you can smell and taste the different Flores beans, and your choice will be freshly ground and packaged, making it a perfect souvenir.

Badjo is called the city of sunset, which is pretty accurate. It lies on the west coast of Flores and has heaps of stunning viewpoints. I suggest trekking to the sunset point on the hill next to the airport to get a gorg 360-degree view.

KOMODO NATIONAL PARK

Since I’m not into diving, multi-day or liveaboard trips were out of my interest. I was more keen on the archipelago, and a day trip was perfect for me. The one-day trips are all the same; they take you to the same spots, so the difference in price and departure time are the only factors when choosing a tour. The fixed route during my visit was Pulau Padar (including THE pink beach) – Pulau Komodo – Pulau Kelor. And here’s a hint: Choose a boat that departs early – by early, I mean around 3 am. This way, you’ll reach the sites in a good rhythm and have a little time to enjoy the scenery before others arrive.

Padar Island is why everyone puts a Komodo trip on their travel list. You know what I mean:

After a short climb up the stairs, you’ll be presented with the famous and exquisite view (which I was lucky enough to enjoy without people waiting in line). And once you have all the mandatory photos, go for a swim and watch the cute deer on the beach.

Padar is also where you find the Pink Beach (there’s another pink beach on Komodo Island, but this one is the ONE), which is indeed insanely pink. This beautiful colour comes from the foraminifera, and it’s so tempting to bring some sand with you. However (at least by air), you cannot bring it out from Labuan Bajo – there’s always a way where there’s a will.. but leave the sand where it belongs.

Komodo Island is the home of the dragons. After the boat drops you off, you get an hour to walk around and find your lizards (an additional fee applies). I was pretty wasted from the lack of sleep, and the midday heat only made it worse, so I just chilled at the entrance with the locals and waited for the dragons to come to me.. which actually happened. Even though they were kinda baby-dragons, it still counts.

Kelor Island was our last stop for snorkelling and sunset. The view from the top is incredible (and bloody sweaty), and this small island is such a perfect place to end the (any) day.

BEYOND BADJO

Flores is a big island and begs to be explored. I only spent four days here in the west corner, so I didn’t have time for a long road trip, but I couldn’t imagine it without a mini one.

There are great viewpoints to the north (Bukit Amelia Sea, Bukit Cinta Elora) and south of the town, and nice beaches along the coast, so you definitely need a vehicle. Renting a scooter was more challenging than expected, tho. I ended up getting a shitty 110cc Beat for 75k IDR/day, which also stopped twice (of course, in the middle of nowhere and when the storm clouds were coming). Despite all, the roads are breathtaking and worth some risk and struggle.

Visiting Rangko Cave is a fun trip. To get there, head to Desa Tanjung Boleng, which is about 15 km from the town. There, you just need to find a local guy with a boat, agree on the price, and set off to the cave (ca. 15 minutes on the water). The reasonable price for the boat is 250k IDR, and they’ll wait at the pier to take you back, too. I went there on a cloudy Tuesday, alone in the kinda spooky cave, and floating in crystal-clear water was quite epic.

I surely will return for an extended adventure, but for now, I’ve checked the Komodo trip off my bucket list and am incredibly grateful for the circumstances under which it happened.

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