Komodo Island, Indonesia The world's largest lizards live on Komodo Island, Indonesia (see map). These giant reptiles often exceed 9 feet in length and can weigh more than 300 pounds.
This amazing dragon is a carnivore and lives mostly on the deer and wild pigs that inhabit the island. They are good swimmers, and quite agile and swift on dry land.
You can't view these creatures unless on a guided tour, accompanied by rangers. The Komodo Dragon can smell blood from many miles away, so visitors are not allowed to bring any food onto the island. And believe it or not, women during their menstrual cycle are discouraged to take the tour.
By Indonesian law the local guides can only carry forked sticks for their defense. Really!
The narrow path through the jungle of Komodo Island, and the question is, where are the dragons?
Two of the friendly local villagers, complete with native dress.
I shot this long-distance photo of Indonesia's Komodo Island from the deck of Holland America's ms Volendam. I would soon go ashore to see the legendary Komodo dragons up close and personal, and I must admit that I was a bit nervous.
The local topography was stunning and I had my binoculars trained on the hills hoping to spot a dragon; no such luck.
Komodo National Park is home to about 3,500 people who live in four villages. The largest settlement is Komodo Village (shown). Most of the people in Komodo National Park make their living out of fishing. Some earn extra income by carving wooden Komodo dragons to sell to visitors. Four locals have been killed by Komodo dragons in the last 35 years
As we were about to start the tour, the group was reminded by our guides to keep as quiet as possible, as dragons have very good hearing. I didn't say a word as Komodo dragons have a fearsome reputation because of their shark-like teeth and poisonous saliva that can kill a person within days of a bite. In addition, they have no fear and are quite fast.
And there they were in the middle of a clearing in the jungle. They may appear docile and slow when lounging on the ground, but they are quick, strong and deadly. In fact, they can reach speeds of up to 18 miles (nearly 30 kilometers) per hour, their legs winding around their low, square shoulders like egg beaters. Frankly, I literally froze in my tracks.
According to one of our guides, this 300 pound male had just eaten a goat. We had numerous guides armed with long forked sticks (no guns), but nevertheless this guy was only 15 feet away and it was a somewhat daunting experience.
This is a profile of a female. The guide estimated her weight at nearly 200 pounds. Her long, jaded teeth are her primary weapons. They deliver deep wounds and the bit venom keeps bleeding and further lowers a victim's blood pressure.
I was happy to return to the ship after a tense 5-hour visit to Komodo Island, but if given the chance, I would go again.
Lombok – an island east of Bali, but less famous than its neighbor. While every year millions of tourists are attracted to Bali, many places on Lombok are still untouched. Over here mass tourism is unknown. Lombok offers many empty and often isolated dream beaches, friendly and interesting people, tasty food and fantastic nature. This year, after a stay of more than two months, Lombok and the Gili islands became my personal favorites – at least so far ;).
In this article you will find a few must-sees…
The Gili islands
3 paradise islands – which seem tiny compared to Lombok – are located only 20 minutes away by boat: Gili Trawangan, the main island, Gili Menoand Gili Air. The Gilis are very popular for scuba diving and snorkeling but also for relaxing, swimming and partying. Backpackers and tourists visit especially Gili Trawangan often. Over here you can feel the lively reggae-ganja-magic-mushroom-vibe ;). The Gili islands are a MUST!!!
View on Lombok from Gili Trawangan
Gili TrawanganGili Meno
Mount Rinjani
The second highest volcano of Indonesia is definitely one of THE highlights of Lombok! You can book multi-day, guided tours to the Crater Lake and even to the top at all touristy spots. The pictures speak for themselves…
Trail to the Mount RinjaniCrater lake “Segara Anak”On the peak of the Rinjani
Senggigi
Most tourists arrive in Senggigi because many hotels are located over here. It’s also great for going out at night or eating. One of the most popular surf spots for locals and tourists alike is Senggigi Beach. At this beach the vendors and locals aren’t pushy at all but you can have a nice small talk if you like (mainly about football since Indonesians love football).
Senggigi Beach
From Senggigi to Pemenang
To explore this road next to the coast it is best to use a scooter, which you can rent for example in Senggigi. One of the highlights is the viewpoint atMalimbu hill. It offers a marvelous view over Malimbu beach and the 3 Gili Islands. Check out the other view points and beaches that you can find on this way as well since they are worth seeing, too.
If you leave Lombok with the public boats to the Gili Islands and would take a taxi from the airport or from Lembar (where the public ferry from Bali arrives) you will probably use the very same road (or you tell the taxi driver your preferred route) since this road goes directly to Bangsal where public boats are leaving.
Taking a winding road through a breathtaking mountain landscape is the second option to get to Bangsal. It’s were one finds the so-called monkey forest, named after the numerous wild monkeys in the jungle and near the street. Feed the hungry and annoying little bastards at the view points if you like :D. But be careful and look for your bags, backpacks and such ;). You can go there by scooter as well, but always “Hati Hati”, like the Indonesian says.
Kuta
After Senggigi, Kuta is probably the second tourist hotspot on Lombok. It offers beautiful beaches as well and lots of accommodation and restaurants. From here you can explore the dream beaches of Mawun, Tanjung Aan and Selong Belanak since they are very close by (see below). Even Kuta beach itself is worth a look.
Kuta
Mawun Beach
Now I will introduce you my three favorite beaches of Lombok. No. 1 is Mawun – simply AWESOME! Depending on the weekday and the time of the day this beach with its soft white sand and turquoise water is mostly deserted. Sometimes the waves are heavier over here. The beach is secluded and located in an almost enclosed bay, which you can easily reach with your scooter as well.
Selong Belanak and viewpoint
I believe I never ever saw such a wide and shallow beach like Selong Belanak! I strongly recommend taking a look at the near viewpoint overlooking the beach and the bay. Not far from here you will find the popular surf spot “Mawi”.
Panorama view over Selong Belanak the surrounding area
Tanjung Aan
Turquoise sea and white sand, the way I love it! Even here you can climb a rock to enjoy a breathtaking view over the bay and beach. A must-see!
Pink Beach
Insiders’ tip! You need a good driver or strong nerves (especially if you go with a scooter) to get to this one! The drive is quite difficult since in my opinion the streets cannot be called streets anymore ;). If you actually make it you will be rewarded with a desolate quiet beach. It is called after its pink sand that consists out of coral. The view from the near viewpoint is marvelous as well and popular Tanjung Ringgit is situated close by.
Pink Beach at sunset
Mosques and Hindu temples
In contrast to Bali, Lombok and the rest of Indonesia are mainly Muslim. That is why you can see and especially HEAR mosques everywhere. If you book your accommodation in advance you should inform yourself if it’s closely located to a mosque. Especially around Ramadan it could become very noisy.
The Balinese minority on Lombok got its temples like Pura Meru, Pura Lingsar, Pura Narmada or Pura Batu Bolong as well. Most of them are located at the western part of the island in and around Mataram/Cakranegara or Senggigi.
Waterfalls
Lombok got numerous waterfalls, mostly in the northern part of the island. Among others, there would be Tiu Teja, Tiu Kelep or Sendang Gile. In the center of Lombok you will find a few decent ones as well, for example the Benang Kelambu or the Benang Stokel. There is no fresher water than this! Drink it, swim or just let the ice cold water hail down your back… superb!
Benang Kelambu
Sasak culture
The Sasak are the indigenous people of this island, which today make about 85% of the total population of Lombok. Their culture is fascinating and as a visitor you definitely need to experience it. Their food known for its spiciness, their handicraft, their music and dances, the typical Sasak houses or a Sasak wedding with (extreme loud) street parade with “Gendang Beleq” musicians you need to experience. There are plenty wedding parades on Lombok, especially on the weekends. Must-see!
By the way, many of the Lombok natives still speak the Sasak language, especially the older. But everyone speaks and understands the official language Bahasa Indonesia. English only helps in tourist spots.
Sasak village in Sade (near Kuta)Traditional Sasak weddingGendang Beleq
Traditional markets
The markets are typical Asian with fresh veggies, spices, fish and so much more. I recommend strongly the traditional market in Ampenan. Every now and then locals look in astonishment at a “Bule” (westerner) since they don’t come often over here ;). There is no cheaper or fresher place to do food shopping even though as a “Bule” you should consider paying more than a local. It is of advantage to speak a little Indonesian.
Counting around 400.000 inhabitants, Mataram is the capital of Lombok. Close by you find places like Cakranegara (short: “Cakra”) and Ampenanwhere one can still find some old Dutch colonial style buildings. In Mataram/Cakra are a few lovely Balinese temples and the Mataram Mall with its numerous shops, bars and restaurants on different levels.
Goa Gajah, literally means 'Elephant Cave”. Although named by 'elephant' it doesn't mean there is any real elephant live or ever live here. The name Goa Gajah derived from 'Lawa Gajah', which is mentioned in the manuscripts that found in this site. This temple complex was built for the first time around 11 century based on epigraph found in this site.
A seven-meters deep cave with a shape of T-letter is the major attraction of this Bedulu village's local temple. The cave it self is carved in a solid stone hill of the river valley. The main figure of the carving at the cave entrance is 'boma', a barong face, accompanied with big clapping fingers on its side. Leaf, flower, and some horror figures can be noticed if we give more attention look to the rest of the carving. Some holes that are considered to be used as meditation or sleeping quarters can be found in the wall of the cave. Nowadays, those holes are used to place offerings whenever there is ceremonies taking place. On the left end side of the cave is Ganesha statue, believe it as 'the God of knowledge'. Meanwhile on the right end side can be found three 'linggas', that each of them dedicated to the three common God manifestations in Bali, Brahma, Wisnu, and Siwa. There are other three stone carvings in the centre wall, one of them figuring head and face.
Three other statues of Ganesha, demons and Men Brayut, a legendary lady with her beloved children, are placed on a high building located on the left side of cave entrance. It is considered that these statues are 1000 years old. In the middle of the complex, in front of the cave, there is bathing place that is not any longer used by the local people. The angle figures within the bathing complex are about similar to common figures found in India. On the south part of the complex, there are along flight of step leads down the lower part of the valley. After crossing a bridge above a small creek and follow another flight of steps up to eastern side of the valley, a headless sitting Buddha statue can be seen. This is the evident of a close relationship between the two religions.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of Bali's kayangan jagat (directional temples) and guards Bali from evil spirits from the SW, in which dwell major deities, in Uluwatu's case; Bhatara Rudra, God of the elements and of cosmic force majeures. Bali's most spectacular temples located high on a cliff top at the edge of a plateau 250 feet above the waves of the Indian Ocean. Uluwatu lies at the southern tip of Bali in Badung Regency. Dedicated to the spirits of the sea, the famous Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple is an architectural wonder in black coral rock, beautifully designed with spectacular views. This is a popular place to enjoy the sunset. Famous not only for its unique position, Uluwatu also boasts one of the oldest temples in Bali, Pura Uluwatu. Most of Bali's regencies have Pura Luhur (literally high temples or ascension temples) which become the focus for massive pilgrimages during three or five day odalan anniversaries. The photogenic Tanah Lot and the Bat Cave temple, Goa Lawah, is also Pura Luhur. Not all Pura Luhur are on the coast, however but all have inspiring locations, overlooking large bodies of water.
Pura Uluwatu is located on the cliff top close to the famous surf break on the SW of the Bukit peninsula. Empu Kuturan, a Javanese Hindu priest who built the tiered meru, founded the temple in the 10th century and a shrine here as well as at other key locations longs the Balinese coast. In the 15th Century the great pilgrim priest Dhang Hyang Dwijendra, who established the present form of Hindu-Dharma religion, chose Pura Uluwatu as his last earthly abode: history records that Dwijendra achieved moksa (oneness with the godhead, in a flash of blazing light) while meditating at Uluwatu. The temple is regarded, by Brahman's island wide, as his holy 'tomb'. Legend also tells us that Dwijendra was the architect of the beautiful temple, as well as many other major temples on Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa. In the 17th century Niratha also from Java came to Bali and built temples, adding to Uluwatu.
Behind the main pagoda of Pura Uluwatu's small inner sanctum, a limestone statue of a Brahman priest surveys the Indian Ocean-it is said the statue represents the founding priest Dwijendra. Another shrine within the complex represents the boat on which Dwijendra traveled from, then, Hindu Java. According to legend he arrived at Pura Peti Tenget, north of Kuta.
Uluwatu Beach is known for its surf and, in nearby hostelries, its full moon rage parties. It rages at the temple too but in an orderly way, thanks to the royal house of Puri Agung Jero Kuta, Denpasar, who are the temple's hereditary pangemong (custodians). Hundreds of nobles from this family, and many 'devotees' (pengayah) and village pemangku priests from nearby hamlets, ensure that every seven months (on Anggar Kasih Medangsya by the Wuku Calendar, to be exact) the festival is run efficiently, and most elegantly. The palace is proud of its ancestral role: it manages the awesome logistics with fitting dignity.
Being a popular surfing spot for the very experienced, Uluwatu offers a wonderful vantage point to view a spectacular sunset. Warungs or small restaurants perched on the cliff offer a comfortable spot to survey the vast Indian Ocean beyond and below the 100-meter-high cliffs with panorama on three sides. Monkeys inhabit the temple and cliff face hoping for a banana or some peanuts from the visitors.
Pura Tirta Empul is the temple of Tampak Siring, built around a sacred spring. Tampak Siring is an inscription dates the spring all the way back to 926AD; and there are fine carvings and Garudas on the courtyard buildings. The temple and its two bathing spots have been used by the Balinese for over a thousand years for good health and prosperity; as the spring water really does have the power to cure. Regular purification ceremonies also take place here.
A little off the main road in Tampaksiring is Mount Kawi with its group of large stone memorials cut into cliffs on either side of a picturesque river valley. It is believed to date from 11th century; one is of Bali's most impressive sights. Tampak Siring artists produce marvelous bone and ivory carvings. Both sites open daily. By public transport from Ubud, catch a bemo north to Tampaksiring from the junction in Bedulu, which is southeast of Ubud.
An archaeological complex lies on gorge of Pakerisan River. To reach the complex visitors must walk about 600 meters from the parking area to the ticket counter than walked down on 315 stone steps. Before take a cross on the bridge at the bottom of the valley make a turn to the left to see the first stone monument. Another group of stone monument is located on the left side of the main temple across of the river.
The monuments are hewn in relief on a solid rock hill commonly called candi (temple). There are shaped like burial towers found all over Central and East Java. However, there are many theories telling identity of the royal personages honored here. One very credible theory suggests the five temple in the main group were built for King Udayana, his Javanese queen Gunapriya, his concubine, his illustrious eldest son Airlangga who ruled over East Java, and his youngest son Anak Wungsu. Reigning over Bali from AD 1050 to 1077, Anak Wungsu is believed to have given up his kingdom to become a religious hermit.
In the right of the main ensemble of temples is a cloister with five cells carved out of rock. The cloister inmates most likely were caretakers of the temple. There's a second hermitage near the main cloister, consisting of niches around a central courtyard, which might have served as sleeping quarters for visiting pilgrims. To get into this part of the temple visitors must take of their shoes. A walk up north of the temple complex could be a short nice walking along the rice field and river stream. The path leads to a small waterfall after 800 meters away and about 1,5 kilometers to Mengening Temple.
Tanah Lot is located about 12 kilometers from Tabanan City and 20 kilometers from Denpasar. The area comprises a wondrous mixture of natural beauty and sheer human effort. Here lies an idyllic white sand beach with crashing waves, complemented by a small yet majestic temple. This temple, known as Pura Tanah Lot, juts out to sea on a rocky background. Tanah Lot attracts throngs of both locals and tourists daily. Most come here longing to catch a glimpse of the romantic Tanah Lot sunsets, a regular occurrence during the dry season (April to November).
The royal Taman Ayun temple was built by one of the last priests to come to Bali from Java in the 16th century. The temple stands on the top of a huge rock, surrounded by the sea and is one of Bali's most important sea temples. Tanah Lot pays homage to the guardian spirits of the sea. Ancient rituals pay homage to the guardian spirits of the sea. Poisonous sea snakes found in the caves at the base of the rocky island are believed to be guardians of the temple, standing Virgil against evil spirits and intruders. At the base of the rocky island are poisonous sea snakes believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. The best time to see Tanah Lot is in the late afternoon when the temple is in silhouette.
Over a thousand years old, Besakih Temple is known as the "Mother Temple of Bali" Perched on the slopes of Mount Agung, at a lofty 1,000 meters (3,000 feet). Besakih is the biggest and holiest of all the Balinese temples. Bali's mother temple stands against a stupendous mountain backdrop on the southeastern slopes of Mount Agung. Named after the Dragon God believed to inhabit the mountain, it's said to be the only temple where a Hindu of any caste can worship.
Eighteen separate sanctuaries belonging to different regencies and caste groups surround the three main temples dedicated to Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. To the Balinese, visiting the temple sanctuaries is a special pilgrimage. The mountain top setting gives it an almost mystical quality. The largest on the island, this massive complex of 35 small temples attracts staggering numbers each year, being the main point of pilgrimage for Balinese Hindus. Steps ascend through split gates to the main courtyard where the Trinity shrines, dedicated to Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu, are wrapped in cloth and decorated with flower offerings. There are number of temples but many of their inner courtyards are closed to visitors. Tracing its origins to prehistoric times, the complex was untouched by the great 1963 eruption of Mount Agung, which wiped out surrounding villages. The complex also houses the oldest remaining gamelan instrument in Bali called selonding. The temple ceremony (odalan) falls on the 10th month of the Balinese calendar, in April. If traveling, try to reach Pura Besakih before 9am, when many tourist buses start to arrive, so that we can take in the lovely temple in the quiet Balinese morning.
