Komodo Island, Indonesia 🇲🇨 2025

Date : 23-25th February 2025 

Travelled : 1400 NM from Darwin to Slawi Bay Komodo. 

Visited : Komodo Dragon National Park

Stayed : Holland America’s Zuiderdam

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We slip out of Darwin harbour on the tide just after 6pm. As the Australian mainland settles in the wake behind us, we see nothing but ocean for the next two days. The sea is very calm and settled much to Pam‘s delight. Walking the promenade playing table tennis, swimming divide the meal times.

On the morning of the 25th is bright with scattered cloud as we weave through the Indonesian archipelago and the numerous small islands surrounding Komodo.

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It’s a relatively short tender ride to the pier on Komodo. We meet our guide and we get a safety briefing and lots of facts about Komodo dragons. I had no idea the dragons mucus is venomous.

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We follow along on what we are told is a four kilometre long path that winds its way through the forest. Did I mention it’s hot and humid ! The pleasant breeze close to the visitors centre has gone once we have gone a few hundred metres.

A kilometre later we are rewarded with four dragons sun baking in a clearing. The two smaller ones soon move back into the forest. I would describe them as large goanna size. The larger dragons seem less mobile (like many people on the Zuiderdam) or basically have seen so many tourist in their 40 years they don’t give a rats and just enjoy the sun.

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Trundling on for another couple of kilometres the breeze lifts and we spot the bay. We have had our dragon experience and we are looking forward to coffee back on the Zuiderdam.

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Suddenly out of the forest a small dragon (pictured above) runs out, stops for a quick photo opportunity before running off.

A final photo below and it’s back on the tender for coffee, lunch and a swim. That was our day on Komodo.

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Michael + Pam