Komodo Island was a destination that came on my radar through one of my office colleagues. Knowing my love for solo travel, she invited me to join her on this trip as her travel buddy. Around the time she asked me, I already had plans to visit Chiang Mai and Langkawi. So, I ended up reluctantly declining her offer yet, Komodo Island remained in my memory.

The photos promised pristine beaches, scenic landscapes, and encounters with dangerous Komodo dragons endemic to the region. But what added to the allure was the remoteness of the destination, which made reaching it an adventure.

Knowing that it was a bit out of my reach only deepened my resolve to visit this stunning archipelago someday.

My first rendezvous with Komodo Island

Months later, as I was planning my next escape from my mundane corporate routine, Komodo Island resurfaced in my thoughts. As sad as it sounds, I often line up a few short trips throughout the year to make myself “look forward” to something. This time, I was searching for places that I could fit in 4-5 days.

Here’s the catch with Komodo: you cannot fly there directly. Komodo Island is part of the Komodo National Park, an archipelago with three major islands of Rinca, Komodo and Padar as well as many smaller islands. So, to see the famed Komodo dragons, you basically need to go for either a liveaboard tour (living on a boat for few days) or take a day trip from Labuan Bajo.

Labuan Bajo is the closest town and gateway to Komodo National Park, and getting there is a journey (at least, it was for me) as there are no direct international flights.

After spending some time looking for ways to execute my plans, I landed on a 3D2N liveaboard experience through Seek Sophie (details on the tour below). Since I was travelling solo, a group tour made more sense, even if it meant sharing a dorm room with strangers for the first time. While I usually prefer private accommodations during my trips, this time I embraced the backpacker spirit to make the trip economical.

So, I booked my liveaboard and my flights on a whim and was very much looking forward to what lay ahead. Mind you, I booked my trip three months in advance.

Finding my way, literally and metaphorically

The day finally arrived. After a major rebooking drama (a story for another blog), and two flights, I finally reached Labuan Bajo. There, I boarded a traditional phinisi boat that would be my home for the next three days, shared with 12 travelers from diverse backgrounds.

I will not lie – the idea of being offline and traveling with strangers (with nowhere to escape) made me anxious. Don’t get me wrong, I love meeting new people and have made many friends along the way, but it was my first time living with people who were not my family or friends. But my nerves quickly melted away, thanks to the friendliness and open-mindedness of my fellow travelers.

Also, the warmth of the boat crew, who showed us next-level hospitality, made this journey special. I’m talking from variety of warm, local food (3x a day) to my personal favorite, Indonesian coffee made by the crew intern, whose friendly demeanor added to the charm of the journey.

The Adventure Begins

Now, where to start? Right from Day 1, from the moment we set foot on the boat, this trip felt like a dream! Call it our luck, but we really did have some of the most amazing encounters.

After having a scrumptious lunch, we headed for our first snorkeling dive to swim with the manta rays. Now I have snorkeled before in Bali’s Nusa Penida, but this dive was something else. We ended up swimming with a school of 12 manta rays! In fact, we ended up going to different locations to chase them and had multiple swims with the rays. While going to one of the locations, we even spotted two dolphins.

The day ended with a stunning sunset from phinisi’s upper deck, followed by stargazing and story-swapping under the night sky.

Among many interesting stories, one that stood out was how the phinisi boats are believed to have a spirit and unique identity. As per the traditions (from what I was told by the boat host), before the build of the phinisi begins, the boatbuilders make a ritual sacrifice to welcome good omen and throw the keel of the boat in the sea. The boat’s spirit guide is determined by whether the keel floats or sinks, indicating if it is male or female. While this certainly necessitates a fact check, nonetheless, the story added a layer of mystique to our journey.

Creating core memories

Day 2 was about hitting all the landmarks, which started off with an early morning (and when I say early – I’m talking about 3am early) hike to the top of Padar Island to catch the sunrise and witness the beautiful panorama of the island. I must say that despite being an early morning, the island was overcrowded with tourists. Although I contribute to the issue as a visitor, I hope this archipelago and its delicate ecosystem are preserved and not compromised by over-tourism.

Next, we visited the famous Pink Beach, its vibrant color created by microscopic organisms called Foraminifera that produce a red pigment on the coral reefs. The crystal-clear waters and soft sand offered the perfect setting to snorkel, relax, and soak up the sun.

Onwards to the most anticipated leg of the trip

Then, we headed to the star location of this journey: Komodo Island, famous for its dinosaur-like Komodo dragons. Many travelers mistakenly believe they can only see these creatures on Komodo Island, but the National Park also includes Rinca and Padar islands, with Rinca providing the highest chances for sightings.

Our boat host described how some visitors grew frustrated when they couldn’t spot dragons, as sightings are never guaranteed. Luckily, we spotted ten of these incredible reptiles during our visit. The key takeaway: stay flexible and open-minded while traveling instead of relying solely on what you’ve read or heard.

This has to be longest piece I have written in ages, but it only shows how awesome this trip was. It might feel exaggerated when I say that this trip was a dream, but it is the truth.

The evening of this day was yet another magical moment for me. Our final stop on the itinerary was Kalong Island, also known as Fruit Bat Island, where we witnessed a stunning sunset. Thousands of bats nest in the island’s mangrove forests. During dawn, these bats take flight in massive groups to forage on nearby islands – a truly spectacular natural show.

Sweet yet painful ending

Reading this far, you must’ve wondered that the title of this article is misleading. (“Why is this girl lying about getting her foot fractured? “)

Rest assured, I didn’t clickbait you—my “sweet yet painful” ending happened on the final day.

The last morning of this liveaboard started beautifully with a short stop to Kanawa Island. While some of us opted for a hike, I decided to wind down at the beach and swim around. While swimming, call it my luck, but I spotted three baby sharks, a very playful stingray and school of vibrantly colored fishes.

It is only after this good start to the day when I met my fate. We had just returned to the boat, when our host host invited us to take one last swim by jumping off. It sounded like the perfect, fun way to end the trip. He even took out his drone to take photos of us jumping from the bow.

While the first jump was exhilarating, on my second time the misfortune struck.

I had joined the other girls at the bow for photos, but while climbing down, I slipped and rammed my foot on a wooden kayak rack. Initially, I thought it was a minor sprain, but by the time we docked, the swelling and pain hit me.

The good thing was that I was flying out to Bali on the same day so I could make my way to a hospital right after landing at the airport to seek medical treatment.

Komodo Island: a personal highlight of this year

While the beginning and the ending of the trip had minor hiccups, in the grand scheme of things, the trip was definitely a highlight for me this year. I never imagined that I would be so lucky to meet amazing people during this excursion and make some of the most memorable experiences in a matter of three days.

If Komodo National Park is on your bucket list, I can’t recommend this journey enough. I booked my 3D-2N liveaboard tour through Seek Sophie (linking the package that I took – https://www.seeksophie.com/experiences/labuan-bajo-komodo-3d2n-komodo-island-liveabord-o97jd8egzg ). Do consider using my referral code ANUKRI40 (https://www.seeksophie.com/invite?code=ANUKRI40) to get $10 off your first booking.

Travel, in my perspective, is the most enriching experiences one can have. It’s not just about seeing beautiful places but also about connecting with people, cultures, and stories that widen your perspective. However, please be mindful and respectful of the delicate natural ecosystem and environment.

I hope you have as much fun as I did – sans the foot injury!