Adventurer Journal / October 3, 2019

Komodo Islands Remain Open 2020

Komodo National Park was founded in 1977 to protect the world’s largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, which is only found in this park.  Adult dragons can reach a length up to 3 meter (9 feet), with an average weight of 90 kg (200 lbs). With only 6,000 living lizard in the wild, the Komodo dragon is vulnerable to extinction.

The park consists of three large islands: Komodo, Rinca, and Padar and 100 other smaller islands. Komodo Island has most dragons (1,727), followed by Rinca (1,049), Gili Motang (58), Nusa Kode (57), just south of Rinca, as well as Padar (6).

Komodo dragons are declining because of less prey (wild deer and buffalos), which are subject to illegal poaching. This led the Indonesia government to take action to protect this fragile island by announcing publically early this year to close Komodo Island for visitors for one year (2020), while keeping the other islands within the park open to the public. This plan was later changed and announced in CNN Travel International and various media as the government seeking more fund to protect Komodo by increasing entrance fee for parties who want to visit Komodo Island.

Komodo National Park is best to sail from June to October. The hills are surrounded by scenic pink beaches and blue waters bursting with sea life. Its brilliant pink beaches and the blue waters are home to over 60 dive sites. Here you may see 1,000 species of fish, 260 species of coral reef, 70 species of sponge, 10 species of dolphin, 5 species of sea turtle, and 14 species of whale, as well as dugong, shark, and manta rays.

Plan your Komodo yachting summer or fall holiday on Sequoia. Please contact your yacht broker for details. We look forward to serving you on board Sequoia.