Kanawa Island, Indonesia

Introduction:
About an hour away from the more touristy Labuan Bajo is the pristine little island of Kanawa. Turquoise water, clear undersea views, mesmerizing sunsets with purple hues and breathtaking panorama from the hilltops characterize this island. The absence of packed crowd adds to its serene beauty. So far, only one resort is present in the island, making the prices a bit higher, but this is a good option to enjoy a secluded and relaxed retreat, combined with abundant swimming and snorkeling options, which Labuan Bajo town sure lacks in, with limited activities to do.

Kanawa island: Captured by Soumya Pachigolla

Getting there:

Ferry from Labuan Bajo departs once daily around 12 pm - 1 pm for Kanawa island. Tickets are available with the Kanawa Island Resorts office in the Labuan Bajo town center.

In case you miss that ferry, you can have charter arrangement with tour operators, or book group tours covering Kanawa island and get dropped off there. Alternately, you can go to the Bajo village at the northern end of Labuan Bajo and try to make deal with the local fishermen there to take you to Kanawa.

The ride from Labuan Bajo to Kanawa should take around 1 hour.

Kanawa Island

Getting around:

Getting around the island is by foot. There are tours operating to the Komodos with pick up from Kanawa. Hence, Kanawa could be a more secluded (and expensive) alternative base for the trips to the Komodos rather than the more popular Labuan Bajo.

Accommodation:

Kanawa Island Resort offers bungalows for 6.000.00 IDR/night. Although expensive, but promising getaway, that Kanawa offers, is totally worth it.

Note: If you are not staying in the resort, admission fees is chargeable for going to the beach in Kanawa island. Snorkeling only is, however, non chargeable.

Activities in Kanawa:

Swimming and Snorkeling: The clear turquoise water makes it perfect for swimming and snorkeling. What is even more exciting is the fact that the water around Kanawa has some amazing snorkeling opportunities with diversified undersea life.

The water around Kanawa has a very good visibility and lovely views to offer

Sunbathing: The lovely beach is all yours to stroll around or sunbathe or simply relax on the beach chairs.

Beach chair to relax and enjoy the lovely view

Sunset view: The sunset view in Kanawa is believed to be one of the loveliest around the region. But unfortunately, we did not stay here long enough to watch it here.

Stargazing: Our boat halted for the night somewhere nearby Kanawa, so I can say that on a clear night, this place spells magic. The sky dazzles with stars and I can only imagine how lovely stargazing would be, sitting by the sea!

Stargazing

Visit the Komodos: Daily trips depart for the Komodo National Park which is near the Kanawa island.

Komodos

Read On: Sleeping under the stars in the Komodos, Spotting the Komodo Dragons, Mount Kelimutu

Spotting the Komodo Dragons

Introduction:

Since the moment you step on the island of Rinca, an air of serene calmness surrounds you. Vast stretch of land, with surrounding highlands at a distance, least to no noise to be heard - you proceed to meet your ranger, who, from now on, is your guide, leading you through the jungle trails to spot the largest living species of lizard: the Komodo dragon.

Komodo National Park, famous for being home to the Komodo dragon, constitutes three major islands, namely Rinca, Komodo and Padar, and numerous smaller islands. Other than the dragons, these islands also offer lovely panorama of savannas and rain forests, together with beautiful corals and sea views. The Komodo waters are known to be among the top diving spots around the world.

Komodo dragons in Rinca

View after trekking in Rinca island

About Komodo Dragons:

A member of monitor lizard family Varanidae, Komodo dragons are now vulnerable species. The largest living species of lizard, they can grow up to 3 meters and weigh up to 90 kilograms. Their size helps them to dominate the ecosystem where they live.

Komodo dragon in Rinca

Komodo dragons are carnivores. They prey on animals and birds, but mostly feed on carcasses. They occasionally attack humans as well. They have venomous bite and their strong tails can knock down large pigs and deer!

Komodo dragons hunt in the afternoon but remain under shades during the hottest parts of the day

The mother dragon (the biggest one) will make multiple holes in the ground at different places, but lay all her eggs in one of them. This is done confuse the birds who try to attack the eggs and the hatchlings. When the hatchlings come out, they need to protect themselves not only from the other predators but from their mother as well!

One of the holes for laying eggs

Mother Dragon

The smaller Komodo dragons, although faster in speed, but lesser dangerous than the bigger ones.

A small komodo dragon

Where to spot the Komodo Dragons:

Although the entire Komodo National Park is their home, Komodo dragons can mostly be spotted in the islands of Rinca and Komodo. Padar, on the other hand, is more about the breathtaking landscape views and the sunset.

Getting there:

Daily boat trips depart from the fisherman town of Labuan bajo to the Komodo islands. Live aboard trips are also available.

Note: Entry fees are applicable per day basis to visit Komodo and Rinca islands. Exact price depends on the activities you intend to do. You may refer to this link for details:

http://www.floreskomodoexpedition.com/travel-information/national-park-fees.html

Getting around:

Getting around these two islands is simply by feet. In Komodo Island, you need to Mt. Ara, a trek which usually take 3-4 hours, depending on your fitness level. In Rinca, the trek is relatively shorter, with a duration of 1.5 hours.

Note: You must stick to the instructions of the rangers in order to avoid any undesirable situations

Read On: Kanawa Island, Sleeping under the stars in the Komodos, Mount Kelimutu

Mount Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia

Characteristics:

The Blue and green lakes

The black lake

Kelimutu means "the boiling lake". There are three lakes on the mountain sharing the same name, each having its own color and local name. Sometimes, the colors are blue, black and green, while some other time, they turn white, red and blue. The exact color that they will exhibit at a certain time is hard to predict in advance. All the lakes are believed to be resting place of departed souls.

Cost summary:		Review (out of 5)
Bali – Maumere (per head one way via Garuda)	8.61.000 IDR	5
Maumere airport – bus stand for Moni	30.000 – 50.000 IDR	3
Bus to Moni (per head one way)	30.000 – 50.000 IDR	3.5
Hotel in Moni	1.50.000 IDR approx.	3.5
Ojek ride from Moni to Kelimutu (one way)	50.000 – 75.000 IDR	4
Food in Moni / Maumere / Ende	$	3.5
Kelimutu entry fees for foreigners (public holidays and Sundays / Monday - Saturday)	2.25.000 / 1.50.000 IDR	-

Good to know:

You must carry warm clothing as it is quite cold before sunrise

Entry fees to Kelimutu National Park varies based on the weekdays / Sunday / public holidays. Please lookup the list of holidays in Indonesia before visiting to avoid surprise situations

Try to leave Moni by 4:00 – 4:30 am to catch the sunrise without hurrying your way up

Try to take the flight from Bali to Maumere as it is very scenic

Local foods to try: Bakso, Soto Ayam (chicken), traditional Moni dinner

Local drinks to try (alcoholic): Arak, Moke

Shopping ideas: Try looking for the local Ikat sarongs and scarfs

Getting Here:

The base for visiting Mount Kelimutu is at the small village of Moni. When I say small, I mean literally walkable from one end to the other. Moni is accessible from both Ende and Maumere (nearest airports) via public buses, shared cars and privately rented cars. You can reach here from Bajawa and Riung (break at Ende) as well, but the journey time is much longer and more expensive.

Tips: Public buses, though a bit hectic, is the cheapest option.

Ende and Maumere are, in turn, connected to Bali and Jakarta via domestic flights operated by multiple airlines.

Tips: When opting for domestic flights, the cheapest option is Bali. Also, I would recommend to take the flight to Maumere as the route is very scenic with the low flying small airplanes giving you the glimpse of literally all the islands and mountains on the way. The small airport at Maumere is also very scenic and cute.

Scenic little airport of Maumere

Aerial view of Mount Rinjani from the flight

Getting around:

You can walk around to see the village of Moni. For visiting Lake Kelimutu, you can rent an ojek or a car to take you up to the starting point for the trek to Kelimutu lake.

Tips: You can opt for the vehicle on your way up and trek on your way down, enjoying the sceneries.

Weather in Moni / Kelimutu:

The weather is quite pleasant in Moni. It gets cooler by the night. For the sunrise trek, you must carry warm clothing.

Accommodation in Moni:

There are quite a few accommodation options available in Moni. You can stroll around, compare the rooms and the rates (mostly negotiable) and choose where you wish to stay. Most of the accommodations come with complimentary breakfast option.

Note: Don’t expect very strong wifi signals here. Consider this as more of a nature retreat away from digital signals.

Food in Moni:

There are quite a few restaurants in Moni having local as well as western food options. These are mostly the accommodation restaurants but they welcome walk in customers as well. There are also few warungs (small local café, restaurant or casual shop) in the area offering cheap and tasty foods. Try the local bakso or soto ayam, or look out for traditional Moni dinner.

Ideal time commitment:

2-3 days including journey time.

Rough itinerary:

Day 1: Fly from Bali to Maumere. Take a taxi from Maumere airport to the bus stand (negotiate on the price). Check the bus timing and accordingly have your lunch nearby. The bus journey should take around 3-4 hours. Once you reach Moni, look for accommodation. Keep the day free and easy, stroll around, try some local foods and drinks like Arak or Moke.

Day 2: Start your day early to catch the spectacular sunrise over Mount Kelimutu. Hire an ojek on your way up and trek thereafter. Have some hot noodles and coffee or tea from the local vendors up there as you enjoy your view.

Mystic sunrise over Mount Kelimutu

Trekking to the top

Spend as much of time there as you like because the views keep changing as the sunlight gets stronger. Then, trek down to Moni. Visit the hot springs, the neighbouring village and waterfalls on the way. Then, you can opt to stay overnight or proceed to your onwards journey to Maumere or Ende.

Recommended detour:

From Ende, continue to the west. By road, make a stop at Ruteng. From Ruteng, you can have a no. of places to visit which includes the spider web rice fields at Cancar, the Liang Bua cave, where archaeologists discovered skeletons of world’s singular hobbits, and Wae Rebo village, where you can get a glimpse of the megalithic culture. Then, you can continue further west to Labuan Bajo to visit the famous Komodo dragons. Continuous road trip from Ende to Labuan Bajo could be too much exhausting and totally not recommended. However, if you break into visiting different places like mentioned, it is worth it (although time consuming).

Alternately, you can directly fly to Labuan Bajo from Ende and keep the rest of the places for the next time.

Songkran celebration

Introduction:

Imagine walking down a busy street packed with people walking with guns loaded, ready to attack anytime and you could be anyone's target; or you could be the one looking for your next target. Sounds scary? Fret not! As the fight is a friendly fight, the guns are water pistols loaded with lots and lots of water, sometimes ice cold ones! Yes! We are talking about the biggest water festival in Thailand: the Songkran!

Songkran is the new year celebration in Thailand. It marks the beginning of the new solar year. This is characterized by the locals visiting friends and family, going to the temples and splashing water at each other. Officially, it is observed for three days; the celebrations, however, often last for a week.

Splashing water and water fights hugely characterize the festival of Songkran

Traditional dance and music performances are held at certain places (this one has been taken at Khao San road)

Significance:

Water guns, garden hose, buckets and anything that can splash water (sometimes ice water) are used

The water splashing signifies the washing off the bad luck of the past year, thus welcoming the new year afresh with a good start.

Where and when:

People dance to the beats of music and beat the heat with water sprays

Traditional dance and music performances are held at certain places (this one has been taken at Khao San road)

Traditional dance and music performances are held at certain places (this one has been taken at Khao San road)

Benjasiri Park, Bangkok: Government sponsored celebrations start April 8 onwards, characterized by traditional customs, music and food as a way of introducing visitors to the festival’s spiritual side. The festivities continue daily from 12pm to 8pm.

Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok: Witness parades running along Sukhumvit Road between Phrom Phong and MBK shopping centre, 5.30pm to 8.30pm, showcasing Thailand’s cultural diversity.

Songkran Wisutkasat, Bangkok: Characterized by water splashing and a traditional beauty contest, under the Rama 8 bridge; April 13-15.

Khao San Road, Bangkok: Wild party with water fight, DJ's, music and dancing; April 13-15; 10am-9pm.

Silom Road, Bangkok: The highlight here is the firetrucks at each intersection with their incredibly powerful water hoses; April 13-15; 12am-10pm.

CentralWorld Shopping Complex, Bangkok: The environment here is more family friendly, characterized by foam party; April 13-15.

Phra Pradeng district: If you want to witness the more traditional celebration, head to Phra Pradaeng district where the Thai-Raman communities live out their Songkran traditions. Enjoy an array of cultural activities, such as the Thai-Raman flag ceremony, ‘saba’ game, Raman dances, boat races, floral floats parade, and many more; April 21-23

Ayutthaya: A unique Songkran celebration involving elephants takes place in front of TAT Ayutthaya Office, April 13-15.

Bang Saen District, Chon Buri: Sand pagoda ceremony and cultural activities, including sand sculpture contests along Bangsaen beach; April 16-17.

Pattaya: Join the celebrations with a range of activities at North, Central and South Pattaya Beaches; April 11-19; 9am-12pm.

Phuket: Join Songkran celebrations at the Patong beach; April 11-13; 10am-10pm.

Hat Yai: Join the locals to welcome the new year in a unique way as the clock strikes midnight at Nipat Uthit 3 Road, Sanehanusorn Road and Wat Mahatta; April 11-15; 10am-11pm.

Ko Samui: Join the celebrations at popular Chaweng Beach; April 12-13; 8am-8pm.

The celebration:

Traditionally, Thais perform the Rod Nam Dum Hua ritual on the first day of Songkran, a traditional way to celebrate with the elders. Most of the locals go back to their hometown to meet their elders on this day, which is officially the National Elderly Day. As a part of the ritual, young people would pour fragrant water into the elders’ palms as a humble gesture asking for their blessings.

On the second day, which is  is officially the National Family Day, families will start their day by giving alms to the monks.

‘Bathing the Buddha image’, that is, performing water pouring on Buddha statues is considered an iconic ritual for this holiday.

Water splashing hugely characterizes the celebration and draws tourists from around the world who come to be a part of this. Major streets are closed to traffic, and are used as arenas for water fights.

Traditional parades are held and in some venues "Miss Songkran" is crowned.” where contestants are clothed in traditional Thai dress.

Wet powder is applied to faces as a symbolism of extending blessings.

Locals dress up in different attires

Wet powder is applied to faces as a symbolism of extending blessings

People dance to the beats of music and beat the heat with water sprays

Mask ready, eye glass working, gun loaded... Ready for attack

Traditional dance and music performances are held at certain places (this one has been taken at Khao San road

Important points to note:

1. During Songkran, if you are in Bangkok, it is better to stay at a hotel that is at walking distance from the celebration areas listed above. The traffic jam is not uncommon during this festival so walking comes handy in such cases.
2. Carry waterproof pouch with you to keep your phone and / or money. Alternately, you can buy one from one of the shops selling water guns.
3. Buy sunglasses from the water guns stalls. This will prevent the water from hitting your eyes directly causing unnecessary irritation.
4. Enjoy to the fullest