Nusa Tengarra (Komodo Region)
Denise Nielsen Tackett & Larry Tackett
Liveaboards Operating in Komodo National Park
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West Nusa Tenggara, with its main islands of Lombok and Sumbawa, is the area between Bali and Komodo. Komodo and Rinca islands are in East Nusa Tenggara. This area sits squarely in Wallacea and as one travels east from Bali the landscape changes from lush Asian greenery to dry brown hills with sparse vegetation reminiscent of Australia.
West Nusa Tenggara, with its main islands of Lombok and Sumbawa, is the area between Bali and Komodo. Komodo and Rinca islands are in East Nusa Tenggara.
Lombok and Sumbawa
Mt. Renjani dominates Lombok. At 3726m (12100 ft), it's Indonesia's third-highest volcanic peak. West-Central Lombok is inhabited by Balinese familiar with its wet, fertile conditions. South and east Lombok is drier, less fertile and inhabited by Muslim Sasaks, Chinese and Arab settlers. Sumbawa, the next large island, has volcanic craters and a convoluted coastline. Inhabitants subsist by fishing and limited farming. Mt. Tambora volcano, 2851m (9265 ft), dominates north Sumbawa with a base diameter of 60km (37mi) and a caldera 6km (4mi) wide. When it erupted in 1815, it was the largest volcanic eruption ever recorded – even greater than Krakotoa. Mt. Tambora lost over 1000m (3250 ft) in height and spewed ash 44km (27mi) high and 1300km (~800mi) from its center. Over 90,000 people were killed. 1816 was dubbed the "year without a summer" due to low temperatures caused by volcanic debris in the atmosphere. It last erupted in 1967. Satonda island, northwest of Mt. Tambora, has impressive views of the volcano.
Every evening at dusk, thousands of fruit bats leave their Satonda roosts and fly toward Sumbawa in search of food. Dive charters generally arrange to reach Satonda in time to view this spectacle. There is no infrastructure for tourism on Sumbawa. Bima, the main town in east Sumbawa, is the only one visitors are likely to see. Its residents have little interaction with outsiders but it's an interesting place to visit if you have the opportunity. Woven cloth from Bima has unique patterns. The market is large and busy. Although flights run from Bali to Bima, they are unreliable therefore most liveaboard trips begin and end in Bali, with a few going one-way between Bali and Kupang via Flores. Further east, Sangiang island leads to the Sape Strait, separating East and West Nusa Tenggara. Sumbawa is on one side of the strait, Komodo is on the other.
View Nusa Tengarra (Komodo National Park) in a larger map
backKomodo National Park
Home of the Dragon & Prehistoric Landscapes
Komodo Dragons are giant monitor lizards found only on the islands of Komodo & Rinca.
Komodo National Park (750 sq km or ~500 sq mi), a World Heritage Site, is home to the famous Komodo dragon, the world's largest lizard. Park rangers on Komodo lead "dragon walks" so visitors can view the reptiles in their natural habitat. The paths are clear and an easy walk often turns up local deer, pigs, and a variety of birds and butterflies. Villagers sell local pearls, shell jewelry, masks and t-shirts at the park entrance. Like with most vendors in Indonesia, they can be persistent. Komodo Dragons are giant monitor lizards found only on the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Padar and western Flores in Indonesia. As the world's largest lizards they can reach 3m (10ft) in length and up to 135kg (300lbs) although 50-70kg (110-150lbs) is more common. Komodo Dragons have massive jaws, long powerful tails and can run surprisingly fast for short periods. They're cannibalistic, often eating younger dragons and occasionally other adults and they've been known to attack humans. Although they aren't poisonous, they harbor bacteria between their teeth which are easily transferred to their next victim. These bacteria lead to infections that kill the victim if the dragon doesn't. Dragons ambush their prey by lying in wait and pouncing when the time is right. Their diet consists of small animals and carrion which they sense with their long, forked tongues. When not hunting or mating, the dragons are generally lethargic. Mating season is May to August which makes it a more difficult time to observe them. During this time males are known to rise up on their rear legs and fight one another. In September, females lay their eggs in deep burrows, tending them until they hatch several months later. Baby dragons are 45cm (18in) long and live in trees where they feed on insects, small reptiles and birds. The park boundary extends underwater . International conservation organizations and the local government administer the park to preserve its extraordinary reefs from destructive fishing practices.
About the Authors
Larry and Denise Tackett are the authors of all of our Indonesian dive site and regional descriptions. They are professional photographers specializing in underwater and terrestrial natural history and travel subjects. They are represented by stock photo agencies in the US and United Kingdom and their photographs have been widely published in books and magazines worldwide. Their work has appeared in magazines such as National Wildlife, Islands, BBC Wildlife, Ocean Realm, Asian Diver, Unterwasser, Tauchen, Canadian Wildlife, Popular Science, Sport Diver, National Geographic Kids, Geo, and many others.
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