Dolphin heads on the beach

When do indigenous hunting rights become a danger to the environment? Do we want whale hunting to become a tourist attraction? Should we eat in a restaurant that primarily serves dolphin meat? So many questions.

As we, along with our friends Elma and Marnix, approached the remote island of Lembata, Thomas and I were highly undecided about whether we wanted to visit Lamalera, the controversial whale hunting village on the south coast of the island.

Visitors to our site know we are very interested in the indigenous peoples of the world. But we are also dedicated wildlife lovers as well as avid divers. Lembata is really the first place where these interests have collided in such a dramatic way.

As we sat in Lemabata’s tiny capital Lewoleba, I was still torn between whether to visit the village or move on and make an ethical statement by skipping it. At moments, bypassing the village seemed silly. At other moments, it felt necessary. I simply couldn’t decide.

Whale meat dries in Lamalera

When we suddenly discovered that, due to the ferry schedule, visiting Lamalera would mean being trapped on Lemabata for eight days, I seemed to have a complete decision-making meltdown. I reflected on video footage of Lamalera hunters beating a dolphin to death (see below) and on an article I had read showing the tribe slicing up a whale shark. Sources suggest Lamalera hunters kill around 25 whales per year as well as hundreds of dolphins, whale sharks, mantas and other pelagics. Some even suggest aggressive hunting by the whale hunters might be having an impact on the population of whale sharks off of Australia’s stunning Ningaloo Reef.

From firsthand experience, we both understood that small-scale indigenous hunting can have a significant impact on the environment. Although Lembata is remote, interest in the whale hunters has caused the Indonesian government to start promoting the Lamalera hunters as a sort of cultural “tourist attraction”. I had read numerous articles on the subject, and in the end, I strongly felt visiting the village was both important and stupid. Hmmm.

Butchering dolphins on the beach

So there we stood with Elma and Marnix waiting to board the truck to make the rugged journey across the island to isolated Lamalera and I suddenly asked myself, do I want to spend a week in a place where everyone is chopping up the animals I love most. For me, the answer was no. Thomas agreed. Suddenly, we stepped back and waved goodbye to our friends, whom we had been traveling with for the last three weeks. Such a strangely abrupt goodbye. In one spontaneous decision, all plans had changed.

Later that day, we met Catherine, a French traveler who had just returned from Lamalera and was boarding our overnight ferry to Alor. (Catherine provided the pictures for this post.) She told a story of slaughtered whales, drying meat, partying villagers, decapitated dolphins, the overwhelming stench of whale flesh, and surviving on a diet of rice and dolphin. It sounded fascinating and horrible at the same time. Somehow, I both envied her and felt a serious sense of relief at not having visited. Perhaps, that dual reaction best encapsulates the complex story of Lamalera. Even after having visited, Catherine seemed to speak in that same dual reaction of fascination and disgust. Perhaps, there is no clear answer to the debate over traditional hunting in Lamalera.

A piece of dolphin meat on the beach

While traditional hunting practices might me debatable, I would suggest that Lamalera whale hunting should not become a tourist attraction and visitors should not encourage hunting by paying for outings. I would also hope that guidebooks would be rewritten to actively discourage whale-hunting tourism. Even while researching a visit to Lamalera, I discovered several blog posts from travelers who had payed to join whale hunting trips and then afterwards urged others not to do the same. I also discovered some thought-provoking videos which I am including below:

Intro to the Whale Hunters

Footage of Dolphin Hunt

So in the end, this is one place we did not visit and one experience we chose not to have. We would love to hear your thoughts on the complex topic of indigenous hunting practices and tourism in the comment section below as well as any personal descriptions of a visit to Lamalera.

We just received this very detailed letter from one of our readers named Johnny, who took the time to update us on the condition of the coral in El Nido on the island of Palawan in the Philippines.

If you were following our blog while we were traveling through Palawan, you might remember that our post 100 Ways to Kill Coral generated some controversy among the locals and we received several informative comments from Lee Goldman at S.E.Asia Kayak Tours.

According to Johnny, not much has improved since then and he even seems to suggest that the situation has worsened. If anyone has any additional opinions (including El Nido locals), we would love to hear them in this post’s comment section.

Here is a copy of Johnny’s letter:

Hello Tony,

Thank you for the report.

I have been to El Nido twice… in November 2010 and more recently, last week. On my first visit, I did island hopping tour A (Miniloc Island and surroundings) and found that most of the coral was dead, and consisted mainly of rubble. The snorkelling sites were shallow and I assumed the rubble was due to the daily stamping of careless tourists.

Last week, I did tour C (Matinloc and Tapuitan Islands). The tour operator collected both the tour fee and Eco Tourism Development Fee (P200) from each person the day before. The operator did not give a briefing on safety or the “Do’s and Don’ts” when visiting coral reefs. This is a common failing with tour operators in SE Asia.

Tour C covers up to 6 snorkelling sites, either in open water or from a beach. At no point during the tour were we asked to show our receipt for the eco fee. At one beach where many visitors were having lunch, I saw a municipal employee collecting litter and putting it on a boat for transportation to El Nido (presumably). And at the same beach, I saw a young boy collecting starfish to show to his family.

No mooring buoys were available at any of the sites. I did see some rotting mooring lines underwater at one of the sites.

At each site, the boatmen used two anchors, one for the bow and another for the stern. When mooring at a beach, the bow anchor would be lodged into the beach and the stern anchor thrown into the water. At the open water sites, both anchors were simply chucked overboard. Maneuvering the boat into place was done by bamboo pole.

At each site, the boat captain would indicate the areas with “good” coral. The captain did not advise poor swimmers to use a life jacket when snorkelling.

I found the coral to be mostly dead at all the sites, consisting of lots of rubble and some intact algae-covered skeletons. Live coral (generally of the same species) could be seen in small isolated patches amongst the sand and rubble. I did not see any crown of thorns last week (or in November 2010).

When I remarked to the captain that most of the coral was dead and asked if the fishermen were using dynamite, he simply shrugged and said nothing. I think the tour operators and their boatmen are reluctant to get into the water to see the current state of the coral for themselves.

After the tour, I discussed the reasons for the dead coral with the tour operator. She confirmed my suspicion about dynamite fishing and said that crown of thorns were also a problem. She agreed that the snorkeling sites needed mooring buoys.

El Nido has grown a lot since my first visit. There is a new marine port and several new hotels plus a few more being built. The town is much busier with pedi-cabs, motorbikes, tour vans, private cars and pedestrians all competing for space on the narrow streets.

The number of visitors has increased significantly, especially so for Chinese New Year last week. All the hotels were fully booked and some El Nido residents took to renting out rooms in their homes to tourists. I also heard that some tourists had to camp out in a basketball court.

In my opinion, tourism in El Nido will continue to grow regardless of whether the coral survives or not. El Nido is attracting the type of mass tourism that is more common to Boracay and many businesses are getting very rich.

Most tourists will leave with happy memories having seen the famous El Nido scenery and a few colourful fish in the crystal clear waters. The average tourist cannot tell the difference between live and dead coral, and some even believe that coral is nothing more than rock.

The eco fee of P200 is not pittance in the Philippines; it is equivalent to a day’s salary for many Filipinos. For P200, you can buy a hearty meal with drinks for two people at a local eatery.

The El Nido authorities collect this eco fee from almost every visitor. It amounts to a lot of capital and more transparency in how they are spending our money would be appreciated.

I think that conservation alone is no longer enough to save the corals at the El Nido tour sites, there is not enough live coral left for it to recover (unless man was to suddenly disappear for a very long time).

Hands-on coral restoration (e.g., Biorock), a proper sewage system and education (for tourists and locals alike) to promote respect and care for this valuable resource are needed. And I would like to see the eco money going to this end.

Third-world visas are the bane of our existence. Here in Indonesia, many regional immigration offices have a reputation for bureaucracy, corruption, incompetence, and downright meanness. The office here in Maumere is among the worst. For weeks, I’ve been dreading the thought of trying to extend our visa here, but to continue on to the end of Nusa Tenggara, an extension was essential.

Their requirements for an extension felt like the ultimate banana republic scavenger hunt. Using a template given to us by the immigration office, we had to type up two letters in Indonesian adapting them to our own personal situation. (Thank god for Google translation.) We had to find a local to “sponsor” us, get that local to sign our extension request letters as well as convince them to allow us to make multiple copies of their personal ID card to hand out to every bureaucrat under the Indonesian sun. Finally, we scrambled to find and purchase an Indonesian “authentication stamp” to stick next to our signatures, which in some way is meant to “prove” that our request letters were “official.” Geez. (I’d like to formally thank Jonny who runs that roadside Internet cafe / xerox copy / printout / web design / buy-what-you-need hut for his assistance in getting us that “authentication stamp.”)

After jumping through a hundred hoops, we submitted our grab bag of useless crap to the immigration office. The comatose bureaucratress, annoyed that we were disrupting her daily soap operas, smirk-screeched that our visa might be available in as little as four to five days, advising us to check back each day just to be sure. As we were staying over an hour by car from the office, we pleaded to see if the useless staff of 20 – who appeared to be doing absolutely nothing but watching TV, drinking coffee, dozing and removing lint from their navels – might be able to finish the process within the day.

Worried that our insistence was going to cost her TV-time, she reluctantly said she would try, adding, “It might be hard because many people will have to sign it.” She told us to walk around town and come back at the end of the day.

Yeah, right.

We politely stated that we did not know Maumere and had nowhere to go, so we would sit quietly and wait for the process to be completed. The queen of visa extensions was not amused. We then proceeded to stare at her with the most insidiously stupid expressions on our faces as she “did her work.” We stared at her through the soap operas, the karaoke contests, the talk shows, and still more soap operas. For SIX SOLID HOURS we stared with sappy smiles like dogs begging for food – the food, of course, being our visas. In the sixth hour, exhausted by our goofy, zombie-like expressions, she finally stood up with our passports, got the signatures, and gave us our extensions. Man, I hope that five minutes of work didn’t wear you out, lady.

Now here’s the clincher: none of this was even necessary. All the hoops that we had to jump through haven’t been required by the Indonesian government in over a year! The office in Maumere is just so in love with the crap, they refuse to give it up. Welcome to Indonesia.

Our latest foray into the tribal cultural of Flores was a visit to Wologai, a traditional Lionese village situated on a beautifully forested volcanic ridge an hour past Ende. (The topography of Flores is phenomenal.)

Wologai is one of the few villages in the Ende district with well preserved Lionese art and architecture. Because of its adherence to traditional building practices, the village serves as the location for several of the Lio tribe’s celebrations.

The villagers were friendly yet shy, and quite adamant that we follow certain rules while walking through Wologai. We were allowed to walk through the circle of huts around the central terraced platform, but they asked us not to enter the tall ceremonial house. The cermonial house is said to contain several sacred objects including a ritual drum made of human skin. (Yikes!)

The huts themselves were quite interesting. Many window frames and major beams were carved with interesting animal, plant and abstract motifs. As with most tribes in Flores, although the Lio tribe describe themselves as Catholics, their architecture tells a much more complex story.

Lio villages have masculine houses keda kanga and female houses sao ria, each featuring unique layout, orientation, and design. Sao ria feature a very large pair of carved breasts near the entrance. The layout of the sao ria metaphorically represents a mother’s body, the door being the entrance to the womb. There’s a lot going on here which is not immediately obvious to the casual visitor, but animism and fertility rituals are most certainly an ongoing part of Lionese culture. Anthropology buffs can read more about the culture here (PDF).

I really wish we had had more time at Wologai. The thrill of a visit to this remarkable village was in the tiny, mysterious details. And, sometimes, in the not-so-tiny details. One house had an amazing open-armed carving – I have no idea if it was just a piece of art or whether it had some symbolic meaning. More time at Wologai would also have meant more access. Casual visitors are not allowed to enter the ceremonial house, but visitors who stay a day and offer a goat for sacrifice can, apparently, enter this mysterious hut and view the sacred objects. To be honest, although I am curious, I’m not sure I would want to kill an animal to check it out.

Info on Visiting Wologai

Wologai is not automatically included on every Flores tour, so if you want to experience Lionese culture, you will have to make sure it is included on your itinerary. Wologai is about 36km from Ende and is accessible by public transportation. Ask in hotels in Ende for the latest details.

Most guidebooks and online resources suggest that the range of the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is limited to Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang, Gili Dasami, and the mainland of Flores just opposite Rinca. So imagine our surprise when we discovered a population of “dragons” here in the Riung archipelago as well.

What?

Apparently, locals have known for some time that large monitors inhabit the shores of northern Flores to the west of Riung as well as some of the offshore islands. Locals suggest the government is only now taking notice of the Riung dragons’ existence. For centuries, colonists and travelers have been passing through Flores and, somehow, they seem to have missed the dragons of Riung. Could that be possible? After 30 years of dragon tourism in Komodo and several years of inflated tourist boat prices, wouldn’t the people of Riung have gotten in on the act?

I did some research online and there are very few references to the Riung dragons to be found. Almost all of the search results lead into Indonesian tour company websites. Many of these sites reference the animal as Varanus riungensis. I searched for this scientific name in several wildlife databases, but found no credible references. The few online pictures claiming to be Varanus riungensis looked exactly like small Komodo dragons, water monitors or smaller land monitors.

However, while we were viewing the flying foxes at Pantai Ontoloe, there was a government boat anchored in the bay supposedly working with Riung’s hidden dragons. Our boat captain told us that rangers of Seventeen Island Marine Park were feeding the dragons to “keep them alive.” I prefer to think that they were baiting the dragons to count them. We asked if we could go watch the feeding, but the captain responded that the dragons were “too dangerous because they weren’t used to people.” Hmmm.

Varanus komodoensis (photographed in Rinca)

I had my suspicions about these Riung dragons. I was wondering if the people of Riung were poaching dragons from Komodo or Rinca and introducing them to Riung in an attempt to stake their claim in dragon tourism. Or perhaps, locals might be showing unsuspecting tourists large water monitors or land monitors and claiming they were a new species.

But it appears that these Riung dragons do indeed exist and they are actually endemic to the area. Although the Komodo dragon page at NationalGeographic.com writes that the animal’s range is limited to the immediate area around Komodo, I noticed a small info-graphic which showed the range extended into northern Flores as well. This caused me to go back and look again. Wikipedia makes vague reference to the newly created Wolo Tado Reserve, which I discovered is a small, relatively unknown reserve inland from Riung. How exciting! When I Googled Wolo Tado, I discovered another article in National Geographic confirming the dragons do exist in Wolo Tado. I guess National Geographic needs to consolidate its own information. I have no idea where tour companies are getting the term Varanus riungensis. If anyone knows, please let us know in the comment section below.

So why did I spend so much time worrying about whether these dragons were truly endemic to the region around Riung? Because this traveler wanted to know if this was just another tourist scam, or whether the twenty-first century could still leave us an area where giant lizards roam wild without a complete tourist infrastructure. It appears there are still many interesting things to discover out there.

Tell Congress not to censor the web

Neila and Gregorius

One of the highlights of any trip to Flores is certainly a visit to the Ngada tribal villages near Bajawa. As with the Sasak tribe in Lombok, the Ngada are struggling to balance their ancient traditions with the curiosity of outsiders and gradual modernization.

We visited Luba and Bena to get a taste of Ngada culture. Unlike Sade in Lombok, the Ngada villages do not have a local guide system in place, which can make visiting the villages somewhat awkward. And for some reason, Frans left us to enter the village on our own. (I’m not sure what was going on there.)

Most visitors come to the villages to experience their impressive tribal art and architecture. But you really can’t just wander around staring at people’s houses, eying their carvings and sticking your head in their doors. (At least in my world you can’t.) In reality, that’s precisely what a lot of tourists do and it’s a real shame because the people can be quite hospitable, especially in smaller villages like Luba.

Thomas with Lucia and Neila

Feeling awkward when I first entered Luba, I walked up to an old woman selling ikats, the traditional hand-woven tribal sarongs, and blurted out in Indonesian, “Nama saya Tony.” My name is Tony. She started cracking up and, with a big smile, said, “Nama saya Lucia.” Somehow touched by my goofy introduction, Lucia seemed to forget her goal of selling me an ikat and, instead, introduced me to her neighbors Gregorius and Neila. We spent the next half hour chatting with these amazing people laughing hysterically at our own inability to communicate in Indonesian. (Older Ngada aren’t especially fluent in Indonesian either.)

It’s pretty clear by their names that Catholic missionaries have had their influence on the Ngada as well as the other tribal peoples of Flores. But a quick look around Luba and neighboring Bena immediately reveals that many of their animist traditions are still very much intact. Ancient megalithic tomb structures, many with offerings, decorate the terraced village squares. Along the stone-walled terraces, families erect ngadu, thatched umbrella structures representing the male, and bhaga, small thatched huts representing the female. Apparently ngadu and bhaga are used in rituals relating to ancestor worship. Additionally, stacks of water buffalo skulls reveal the importance of ritual buffalo sacrifice to the Ngada. Let’s just say, the Pope would not be amused.

And while he might not be amused, UNESCO certainly is. The artistic and architectural heritage of the Ngada tribe has gained the attention of UNESCO which is working to maintain the architectural integrity of villages such as Luba and Bena. Most Westerners would never guess it, but those thatched roofs are incredibly expensive. Many Ngada have had to switch to tin roofs because they can no longer afford to buy the expensive grass used to make traditional roofs. UNESCO is offering funds to pay for that grass as well as cobbling village walkways.

So far UNESCO’s work seems to be paying off, especially in beautiful Bena. The view as you approach Bena feels like a scene out of an Indiana Jones movie. Rows of tall, thatched huts rise out of the forest framing the ultimate Ngada square. Not a single tin roof. Bena’s perfect stone-walled terraces are decorated with many ngadu and bhaga as well as some of the most impressive megalithic tombs in the Ngada region. Between the ngadu and bhaga, cobs of bright yellow corn lay drying in the sun.

As we walked up the cobbled paths under the shade of the huts, old women sat on their terraces selling beautifully woven ikat. The women were more business-like here than in neighboring Luba, but they were welcoming. A young girl returning from church ran by in her pink Sunday dress gawking at us as if we were aliens emerging from a UFO.

The young girl, who looked a bit like one of those contestants in a child beauty pageant, sat on one of the megalithic tombs nearby and eyed us curiously as we moved up to a view point near the top of the village. The view point provided a remarkable 360 degree view over the village, a series of volcanic valleys leading to the coast, and the steep walls of Inerie, the volcano which backs Bena. It’s an atmosphere from another age, an atmosphere very worth preserving. And to add to that atmosphere a bit, I’m including another old, open-source photo below of the Ngada way back when.

Info on Visiting Ngada Villages

The Ngada villages are included on most tours between Labuanbajo and Kelimutu/Maumere. Independent travelers can visit the villages from Bajawa. There are literally dozens of traditional villages in the area including some very remote villages which are only accessible by foot. Local cultural guides and trekking guides can be found through hotels in Bajawa. Some villages are accessible by public bemos, but independent travelers will find it easier to really get out and explore the area by hired car or motorbike.

After four and a half years in Asia, I really thought that we had seen just about every conceivable form of rice terrace known to man. From the Dragon’s Backbone in China to Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit to the terraces of Northern Luzon – I thought we had seen it all. Apparently not.

The Manggarai tribe of western Flores lays out their rice terraces in an incredible spiderweb design. Locals explain that the unique patterns evolved out of the need to subdivide fields to pass them on to children. (Couldn’t you just do that with squares?)

Clearly, the Manggarai have a certain flair for design. Their tall, conical clan houses are also quite impressive despite the fact that the European colonists pressured them to alter the designs because, as we all know, civilized people need walls.

Or do they? After centuries of architectural oppression, a single, extremely isolated village, Waerebo, has maintained the original design of their enormous multi-family huts (click here for picture). Good for you Waerebo, don’t let those colonists dampen your artistic vision.

Unfortunately, we only discovered the location of Waerebo once we had started our tour. So here’s the first disadvantage of a tour, you can’t suddenly change directions when you discover a hidden treasure. But that disadvantage was countered by another advantage. When we first went to the viewpoint over the terraces, a thunderstorm broke out blocking the view. Never fear, fantastic Frans actually drove us all the way back the next morning to see them in the sun. Now that’s service!

Our first stop leaving Ruteng was the Liang Bua cave, which made headlines around the world in 2003 for the discovery of tiny Homo floresiensis, otherwise known by the media as the “Flores hobbit”. Since their discovery, the bones of H. floresiensis have been the subject of intense scientific debate: does this population of three-foot-high people represent a species distinct from modern humans, or do they represent a population of humans with unique genetic characteristics or disorders?

As of 2012, the general scientific consensus seems to be that the Flores hobbit represents a distinct species. Archaeological evidence shows that the mysterious Flores hobbit lived until 12,000 years ago making it the last non-modern human to walk the planet. Beyond archaeological evidence, legends of the Ebu Gogo people, a tribe of tiny, hairy, linguistically challenged people, who are said to have survived in remote parts of Flores until the late 19th century, kick imaginations into overdrive. This is some pretty cool stuff.

So it’s, perhaps, not surprising that the Liang Bua cave has become somewhat of a pilgrimage site for science buffs. We showed up hoping for the inside scoop on one of the 21st century’s ultimate science stories. Instead, we got a short course in Indonesian incompetence and dysfunction. Upon arrival, we were made to pay a “donation” and hire “a guide”, who led us 100 ft (30m) along a road to the cave, pointed at the dirt, and said, “They found the hobbit there.” The end. No information, no display, just a hefty $10 charge. (Or at least that’s what they wanted us to pay.)

What the guide ended up getting was a GRAND Tony lecture on the importance of the site and the absurdity of not being able to do anything but charge a fee. (The lecture was loud, involved visuals, and lasted 10 minutes.) I could not understand why such an important site would be so neglected – until I did a little research.

The discoveries at Liang Bua and the resulting debate and scandal don’t paint a pretty picture of Indonesia. The concept that H. floresiensis was a distinct species was vocally opposed by Teuku Jacob, an influential Indonesian paleoanthropologist and nationalist who had been an active participant in the Indonesian revolution. Jacob argued that H. floresiensis was actually a population of microcephalic humans and not a new species. In 2004, Jacob removed the H. floresiensis remains from Jakarta’s National Research Center of Archaeology for his own research, some suggest without proper permission. Three months later, the remains were returned with serious damage including long, deep cuts caused by a knife used to remove a rubber mold and, most incredibly, the jaw bone which had been snapped off and glued back on.

Beyond the damage to the remains, in 2005 the Liang Bua cave was closed to researchers. BBC reports on the closure suggest that the Indonesian government had closed the caves to prevent foreign researchers from disproving Teuku Jacob’s theories on the Flores hobbit. Wow, that certainly explains the complete lack of archaeological information offered up to us by guides at the cave.

The debate, the science, and the scandal read like something out of a Michael Crichton novel – it’s immensely interesting. Definitely take a peek at Wikipedia’s extensive and very up-to-date article on H. floresiensis.

And no, we did not pay $10 for the visit to the caves.

The benefits of taking a tour became QUITE apparent today, and this is only day one. Perhaps, the main attraction of Flores is simply driving through the island’s spectacular mountainous landscape – every turn is absolutely stunning.

Frans took us off the main highway for miles along very small (and potholed) one-lane road into a jungle-filled side valley to visit the beautiful waterfall Cunca Rami. Getting here independently would have required A LOT of effort. (Perhaps, too much effort.) But rolling up to the trailhead in an air-conditioned SUV was pure luxury. Am I getting spoiled? Perhaps.

But I was happy to be a little spoiled when heavy rainstorms broke out in the second half of the day. I kept imagining Marnix, Elma, Thomas and me walking the streets of Ruteng looking for hotels in the downpour. Instead, we just had to run ten feet from the car to the guest house. I may never take a chicken bus again. (I wish!!!)

Even for backpackers and budget travelers, tours can, on occasion, prove to be the best option. In some situations, they might actually be the only option. From our journey into Western Tibet to our cruise through the backwaters of Kerala to our recent overnight visit to Komodo, we have often opted for organized trips. The key is to understand what you are getting as well as what you are giving up when you join such an excursion.

Faced with a deadline imposed by our soon to expire Indonesian visa, the time-consuming process of working our way independently across Flores while taking in the spectacular island’s natural and cultural attractions had us a bit worried. The more we researched the route, the more we realized we might benefit from something a little more “organized”.

Again our goal was not to step blindly into a tour, but rather sit down with someone and work out a route that met our goals. We researched various options until we had the extraordinary luck to happen upon Frans, a knowledgeable and professional Flores guide who we booked through Komodo Mega Tours Indonesia (contact info below).

Working together with Frans, we agreed upon a six-day tour from Labuanbajo to Ankermi Happy Dive Resort (located 30 km past Maumere) via Ruteng, Bajawa, Riung, and Kelimutu. Splitting costs with friends Marnix and Elma, whom we met in Kanawa, the transport and guide costs will come to about $85 US per person. That’s not too shabby for six days on the road in an air-conditioned SUV with an experienced English-speaking guide/driver. Actually, when you take into considerations the cost of public transportation as well as the need to hire local cars or ojeks to drive you out to rural attractions, that $85 might just be cheaper than doing it on your own, not to mention the sheer luxury of a private, air-conditioned car with the option to stop anywhere along the way.

Itinerary highlights include:

* Cunca Rami (waterfall)
* Golo Cara spiderweb rice terraces
* Ruteng town
* Liang Bua cave – The Flores Hobbit Cave
* Mano village rice terraces
* Ranamese crater Lake
* Arak making villages near Aimere
* Bajawa town
* Luba and Bena villages (Ngada tribe)
* Hot water springs near Soa
* Riung town (2 nights)
* Cruise to visit 17 Islands Marine Park including the flying foxes at Pulau Ontoloe, snorkeling and seafood BBQ at Pulau Tiga as well as snorkeling at other locations
* Blue stone beach
* Wologai village (Lio tribe)
* Moni town
* Kelimutu at sunrise
* Lunch on Paga beach
* Visit old church in Sika

NOTE: Tour costs are for transportation and guide only. Hotel costs, entry fees, and Riung cruise costs are separate. Frans will help us bargain out the costs along the way, which is nice because the people in Flores don’t seem to like to bargain.

Contact Info
Contact Frans directly through his website Komodo Park and Flores Indonesia

However this particular incident pans out, we have encountered numerous travelers, including one we met in Bali, who have gotten severe infections from tattoos or piercings they have gotten on the road. It still always surprises us that anyone would be looking for discount body art in the developing world, but it seems to be an increasing trend. Take it from the cheapest of cheapos, there are some things you DON’T want a discount on.

It’s another steamy, dreamy equatorial Christmas in 2011, but next year’s picture might look a little different. Season greetings to all our friends, family and fans all around the world. Don’t forget to have some eggnog or gluehwein for us.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens don’t get you very far in the middle of the Himalayas or the jungles of Borneo. Our favorite things are of a decidedly more practical nature. But what treasures lurk in the dark recesses of our overloaded backpacks? This is a list of the items – some of them perhaps rather odd – which have proven most useful during our travels. There is no product placement going on here, we are recommending specific brands here because we love them and use them.

Packtowel

For long-term travelers, Packtowel is a godsend. These quick-drying, chamois-like towels dry in even the most absurdly cold or humid locations. We never could have spent 11 months along the Tibetan plateau without a Packtowel. And don’t even think of stepping into the rainforest without one. Sounds like I’m writing an ad, but I love these towels SO much.

Sea to Summit Dry Bags, Ocean Packs and Ziplocs

Years ago while we were traveling through Madagascar, we watched as a freak wave crashed over the side of a boat and took out a traveler’s thousand-dollar camera. Ever since that day, we have been devoted Sea to Summit fans.

I almost feel like I should sit down and write the makers of Sea to Summit dry bags a thank-you letter. These waterproof bags have saved us on so many occasions that we are now carrying three Sea to Summits each (and I still secretly want more). We use them to protect camera equipment, laptops, clothes, sleeping bags and more. We also carry heavier Ocean Pack dry bags for beach trips, white water rafting and water-hiking.

Beyond the more expensive hiking bags, real Ziploc bags are pure gold in our world, especially the larger bags. We use them for everything from storing leaky shampoo bottles to protecting our Canon G12 from sand at the beach. Getting Western-quality bags is not easy in the developing world, so we wash and reuse the ones we brought from the U.S.

Power Strip with Surge Protector and Universal Adapter with Surge Protector

At first, our ridiculously large power strip with surge protector causes many travelers to laugh when they see us pull it out of the backpack. Right after they stop laughing, they ask us if we have space for them to recharge their iPhones.

Budget hotels often seem to have only one outlet, which I suspect is to limit power usage. All too often, that one outlet is already being used for a fan, lamp, TV or air-conditioner. Our little power strip solves that problem in a jiffy.

Also, we carry a small universal adapter with a built-in surge protector. It is especially important to have an adapter which plugs into any outlet AS WELL AS receives any plug, just in case you buy an electrical device while traveling. You wouldn’t believe the number of different plugs on this planet!!!

Perhaps, this sounds a little like surge protector overload but power surges are a huge problem in the developing world and you need to protect your devices. One power surge in India was SO strong that it blew the fuse and then melted the whole surge protector. Wow, that’s bad!

Silk Cocoon Travel Sheet

Cocoon’s silk version of their travel sheet has proven invaluable during our travels. We used them as sleeping bag liners in the Himalayas, and once we hit the tropics and ditched the bulky bags, the extremely compact travel sheet became our cover of choice.

It’s very useful to have a travel sheet because many Asian hotels do not provide either a top sheet or a blanket. We suspect many air-conditioned hotels do this intentionally to keep Westerners from turning up the air-con for a chilly night of deep sleep. If you carry your own travel sheet, you’re all set.

Good Waterproof 50 Factor Sunblock and 99% Aloe Vera Gel

It’s amazing how many people start traveling with no sunblock or a paltry factor 10. Get waterproof factor 50 (or 60 if you can find it). Whether you’re trekking, temple hopping, or lying on a beach, you need it. And get it before you start traveling; good, inexpensive sunblock in larger bottles is hard to find in the developing world.

We also carry concentrated 99% aloe vera gel. Yes it’s sticky, but you can water it down to treat sunburns or dry skin. And in a pinch, it doubles as hair gel.

Zip-Off Pants

Travel fashionistas will scream in disgust, but zip-off pants are a must, especially for visitors to the tropics. Despite daily temperatures which approach those of the surface of the sun, many tropical religious sites from mosques to Hindu temples to Buddhist monasteries insist on long pants. Zip-offs allow you to zip on those pant legs minutes before you enter the front door.

In addition to religious sites, Artic air-conditioning in third-world buses, malls, government buildings and more may require some temporary full-length pants. And don’t forget, two pairs of zip-offs translate into two pairs of pants and two pairs of shorts. You care less about fashion and more about practicality when you carry your world on your back.

Laptop

Clearly, we work on the road, so our laptops are essential. But any long-term traveler will soon realize how useful a laptop can be. In addition to doing our work, we use them to Skype friends and family, back up pictures, listen to music, read e-books, watch Tv and movies – we literally have hundreds of gigabytes of entertainment with us. It’s also amazing how quickly WiFi is spreading to even the remotest parts of the world. Many budget hotels around the world now offer WiFi for free!

Katadyn Water Filter

We are often in remote areas so a Katadyn backpacking water filter is worth its weight in gold when bottled drinking water is not available. It’s also great for tourist traps where locals jack up the price of drinking water to extortionate rates. (It’s almost worth carrying the filter just to watch greedy locals squirm when you confidently declare you don’t need to buy their bottled water.)

However, we do prefer not to use the filter when traveling in regions where industrial waste or pesticide runoff is a problem.

Unlocked Quad-band Cellphone which Accepts SIM Cards

We fought it for the first two years, but now we realize we were fools. Carrying a good travel cellphone makes life WAY easier. Travelers need to make sure their phones are unlocked and can accept SIM cards to allow them to take advantage of cheap local rates. A tri-band will cover most places, but a quad-band is preferable. It’s especially important for Americans to do their homework before they head out for a trip as most American cellphones will not work abroad.

Combination Padlock and Short Length of Chain

A good padlock is always useful. Some hotels in rural areas will not provide a lock for your door. Other hotels have a lock, but allow visitors to double-lock the door with their own padlock for additional security. Many hotels offer metal lock boxes or lockers to store valuable items. A strong combination padlock is preferable, especially if you are traveling as a pair, because you don’t have to worry about losing or sharing a key.

We also carry about ten inches of steel chain which allows us to turn hotel cabinets, wardrobes etc. (anything with metal handles) into impromptu lock boxes. Clearly this is never as secure as a real locker, but it should prevent hotel staff from easily (or quietly) taking something.

Flashlight

A good flashlight is essential in the developing world. Hardly a week goes by without a power outage. We also carry the flashlight with us in our day pack when we go out at night for poorly lit side streets, power outages in restaurants, or any number of unpredictable events.

We started our trip with headlamps, which are quite useful for caves, climbing, or setting up a tent. But in the meantime, we have switched over to stronger handheld flashlights, mostly because we were sick of having insects fly into our faces.

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries are essential for the 21st century traveler (unless you are traveling without any battery operated devices, in which case congratulations!)

We have tried a number of brands before settling on Eneloop rechargeables which are worth the increased cost.

Universal Sink Stopper

This is one of our secret weapons. A universal sink stopper is a small disk of rubber about the size of a DVD. Few budget and midrange hotels have bathtubs, but when they do, they almost always “forget” or “have lost” the drain stopper making a bath impossible. Similarly, 90% of the sinks in our hotels do not have a functional stopper. A universal sink stopper makes taking a bath, shaving, doing emergency laundry in your room a whole lot easier.

Ear Plugs

The developing world seems to embrace sleepless nights. Ear plugs will help save your sanity. I literally would have lost my mind without them.

Mosquito Net

It’s amazing to me how few people travel with their own mosquito nets. And even more amazing how few people use them even when they do have them. I HATE MOSQUITOS, so this is the single most important item I have in my backpack. To me, sleeping under the protection of a mosquito net is pure joy. By the way, mosquito nets also help keep out rats, mice, frogs, centipedes, spiders, snakes, scorpions, and more. However, they don’t keep out monkeys

A Good First Aid Kit

But then again, a good first aid kit just might merit a whole post of its own – don’t you think?

Again, while these recommendations might look like paid product placements, they are not. Each brand mentioned above is something we have used extensively and believe in wholeheartedly. We have not been paid a cent to write this post.

Known locally as ora, the “Komodo dragons” not only occur on Komodo, but also neighboring Rinca (pronounced reen-cha) and mainland Flores as well as the smaller islands of Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. They are believed to be a relict population of large reptiles that once roamed Indonesia and Australia. The survival of the giant lizard is credited to extreme isolation as well as the unique belief system of the native people of Komodo, who directly linked the survival of the dragons to the survival of the tribe.

Komodo island was, until recently, visited by public ferries, which made visiting the island relatively simple. These days, public ferries no longer stop at Komodo which means visitors must join an organized tour or charter their own boat. (How conveniently expensive!)

One reason it took us so long to visit was our frustration with unappealing cookie-cutter tours which seemed to place greater emphasis on snorkeling and island hopping than actually viewing the dragons. After much research and deliberation, we arranged for our own boat and set up an overnight tour to visit both Rinca and Komodo de-emphasizing snorkeling side trips and allowing us to spend more time viewing dragons. We also requested a 6:00 AM arrival at Komodo to allow us an early morning start for the extended four-hour hike from Loh Liang to Loh Sebita.

As with most two-day trips, because we opted to visit Rinca on our first day, we didn’t get to the island until around 10 AM. Midday heat is not great for dragon spotting, but Mother Nature gifted us with some lucky cooling cloud cover. Within a few minutes, we had spotted a very colorful juvenile daring a quick journey across the ground between trees. (Young dragons like to stick to the trees as they are a favorite snack of the bigger dragons.)

Finding dragons in the wild is tricky business and dragon sightings cannot really be guaranteed. One reason Rinca has become a popular alternative to Komodo is because of its famous (or perhaps notorious) camp kitchen. Although rangers claim not to feed the dragons, large numbers of the animals hang around the kitchen. (Rangers claim it’s due to the smell – yeah, right.)

However questionable camp kitchen practices might be, it is somewhat of a guilty pleasure to see a large number of the impressive beasts lying around mere feet from – well – your feet. The “kitchen Komodos” are used to visitors and don’t usually attempt to take a bite out of travelers, although during our picture session it became quite clear these are not pets. Keep your eyes peeled for quick movements because Komodo dragons don’t need to eat you whole. Even a little bite can be deadly as their saliva is loaded with toxic bacteria. In fact, Komodo dragons hunt larger animals such as deer, wild horses or water buffalo by biting them and then following them until the bacterial infection brings them down. Luckily, park rangers have big sticks to keep the monstrous lizards at bay.

Hiking options on Rinca are relatively limited. We opted for the longer circuit which leads through the forested river beds towards the oft-filmed watering hole up into the palm-studded grassy hills and back down along the mangroves returning to the ranger station. Simply walking through the forested domain of the Komodo dragon is a bit of an adrenalin kick. Every cracking branch or movement in the grass serves to stimulate some primitive lobe in your brain once used to defend yourself from monsters. It’s hard to clear your mind of bone-crushing bites and toxic bacteria as you walk along the narrow paths through forest and knee-high grasses. However, the sight of one of the scaly beasts surging through the brush or eying you from within the forest is worth the limited risk.

Many people have seen the BBC’s coverage on Komodo in the recent Life series. Much of the footage was shot at the watering hole in Rinca, a bizarre place where deer, monkeys, and buffalo mix with dragons on the prowl. As we approached, we discovered the baffling sight of a water buffalo taking a cooling dip in the water right next to a floating Komodo dragon. The buffalo was staring at the dragon as if to say, “What’s that floating in the water?”

We spent more than 45 minutes watching the bizarre scene wondering if the dragon would bite the curious buffalo, but nothing happened. Our guide explained that dragons rarely attack while in the water because the water cools the dragon’s body temperature slowing them down. He also said the dragons usually attack buffalo from behind as they fear the buffalos’ dangerous horns.

Beyond the watering hole, we moved up into the hills. Rinca is a starkly beautiful place which, in the dry season, will best be appreciated by desert lovers and those who see beauty in reds, yellows, and browns. The wild grasslands dotted with palms were straight out of a cheesy 60s dinosaur flick. (The only thing missing was Raquel Welch running by in a fur bikini.) It’s prehistoric and perfect – but rugged Komodo is even better.

Most travel agents and tour guides would have visitors believe that Rinca is THE place to track dragons. But even as we approached Komodo, I began to brush those claims aside. I immediately fell in love with the island. Schools of dolphins accompanied our boat. Wickedly jagged mountains backed a series of pristine white sand beaches. In the distance, we spotted a large herd of Timor deer wading in the sea. It was darkly magical.

We stopped, as do most tours, at Pink Beach to do a little snorkeling. We took in the unusual pink hues of the surreal beach and explored the gardens of soft coral just offshore. In a stroke of luck, the lazy park rangers were off snoozing their day away, so they didn’t come out to collect the extortionate 70,000 rupiah “snorkeling fee.” Or perhaps, they were just sick of tourists complaining about the ludicrous sum. (Komodo has a virtual menu of fees: entry, guide, camera, diving, snorkeling, taxes etc. Soon they’ll be charging you for air.)

We spent the night on the boat near mangroves full of flying foxes. We dined and later slept to a harsh symphony of shrieks and cries. Up early for breakfast, we landed at the ranger station by 6:00 AM and were the first group out for the day.

Komodo’s lush valleys are full of wildlife. Almost immediately, we spotted herds of Timor deer and several wild boar. Twenty minutes in, we  found two very large dragons. (No buildup here.) It became immediately apparent why they are called Komodo dragons. For some reason, dragons grow much larger on Komodo than they do on Rinca or the other islands. The two massive beasts were impressively intimidating. One stomped out of the forest directly at us, its huge clawed feet crushing branches and lacerated the earth along the way. Thomas and I snapped away (picture below) like crazy until we realized these animals can sprint up to 18km an hour – so we jumped behind a tree. The scaly beast’s lengthy tongue shot in and out taking in its surroundings. The second dragon grunted its way over to the first where the two 21st century dinosaurs posed in the sun. Simply awesome.

Equally awesome is the birdlife on Komodo. Several birds of prey – perhaps eagles – soared above. A few meters off the path, we found the huge mound-like nest of the megapode, a strange chicken-like ground bird which spends months building its fortress of a nest. (I guess a ground bird needs a fortress-nest on Komodo.)

Tony and our guide stand atop an abandoned megapode nest

As we climbed towards the mountains, Thomas called my attention to parrot-like sounds in the trees. “Oh my god, are those cockatoos,” he asked hopefully.

“Yes,” our guide answered nonchalantly as if it had never occurred to him that cockatoos might be of interest.

In fact, it was flocks of cockatoos. Perfect, white cockatoos with pale yellow combs… everywhere. (And I thought I was coming here just for dragons.) With megapodes and cockatoos, nature was telling us that we had most definitely reached the other side of the Wallace Line. But that fact had already been confirmed underwater.

Moving up into the steep mountains of Komodo, the lush forests gave way to drier grasslands dotted with palms such as those in Rinca. The views out over the turquoise waters and the surrounding islands were mind-blowing. Along the path we found the grave of Randolph von Reding, a 79-year-old man who went missing and was presumed eaten in 1974 (a reminder that Komodo dragons do indeed eat people). We sat near the grave site with its phenomenal views out over the sea and contemplated von Reding’s demise. It’s a terrible way to go, but you can’t beat the location.

As we moved across the mountains back into the orchid-filled forests towards Loh Sebita, our rather comatose guide suddenly announced that there were exactly 1282 dragons on Komodo. When I asked how he had such an exact number, he proudly answered, “The San Diego Zoo counted them.”

Well, as a native of San Diego, California and a devoted fan of the San Diego Zoo, I’m glad to hear that those ever increasing ticket prices are actually doing some good abroad.

Both Komodo and Rinca are absolutely stunning destinations and a visit to both islands is highly recommended. There is much more to Komodo National Park than just the dragons: stunning coral, phenomenal birdlife, herds of deer wading in the sea, and panoramic views at every turn. That’s probably why Komodo was just selected one of the New 7 World Wonders – and it actually deserves that title.

Melanie, Rolf and Tony enjoy lunch

Back on the boat at the end of our hike on our way to snorkel with the mantas at Makkasar Reef, I asked our boat captain why he thought everyone suggested Rinca as the preferred dragon viewing location – especially since dragons grow larger on Komodo. Hilariously, he admitted that the strong currents on the way to Loh Liang eat up gasoline and that boat captains prefer to go to Rinca to save on gas costs. Well, there you go.

More Info on Visiting Komodo (And Warning)

Tours out of nearby Labuanbajo, Flores are really the most economical option for visiting Komodo National Park. Many backpackers also visit on inexpensive budget boat trips from Lombok to Labuanbajo. Most tours stick to shorter hikes at both Rinca and Komodo. If you want to do longer hikes, you must chose your tour carefully. Tours may promise longer hikes and then break their promises once at Komodo claiming that unexpected time restraints make the longer hikes impossible.

You can also do as we did and charter your own boat with the specific condition that longer hikes be part of the trip. If you want to do the hike from Loh Liang to Loh Sebita, make it clear that the pickup at Loh Sebita is included in the price. You can easily combine a pickup from Loh Sebita with snorkeling with the mantas at Makkassar Reef, which is very close to Loh Sebita. Don’t let captains convince you that a pickup at Loh Sebita and snorkeling with the mantas should dramatically increase the cost of the trip – it shouldn’t.

We went to the national park office in Labuanbajo to ask about other options for visiting Komodo National Park including alternative hikes and staying on the islands. The park office is completely useless and seemed baffled that we should expect any information from them at all. Most of the staff appear to be sitting around reading newspapers or taking a nap.

Once on Rinca and Komodo, we were told that there is accommodation for visitors (prices seemed to change by the minute), but hiking options in the park are VERY limited.

On Rinca, you can do a one-hour circuit, a two-hour circuit, or a four-hour hike to see wild horses (you are not likely to see more dragons on the four-hour hike). Our guide on Rinca was nice and offered information on the dragons, although he did not seem to have good tracking skills. In fact, he walked within a few feet of two dragons without even noticing them.

On Komodo, you can arrange several shorter hikes around the area near the ranger station, a five-hour hike up a mountain, or the four-hour hike to Loh Sebita. If you have a specific plan, you might be able to hire a guide to do that, but don’t come here expecting suggestions and good advice from the staff. Our guide was very unprofessional on Komodo. He seemed most focused on getting from A to B as fast as possible. Other travelers report similar experiences. Insist on going slowly and taking your time with wildlife. Ask the guide if he knows the location of any dragons and insist on visiting them. Our ridiculous guide actually began the hike by asking us if we had enough water for the trip. Two hours into the hike, he asked to drink our water because he “had not had enough time to get some” before we left. Honestly, don’t they have any requirements to be a guide?

WARNING

Unbelievably, fortnightly P & O Cruises are now stopping directly at Komodo National Park. If you show up on the wrong day, you’ll have to share the dragons with 1200 of your closest friends. Seriously, 1200 passengers being dumped on a national park at the same time?! Doesn’t anyone have a brain anymore?