Things to do in  East Nusa Tenggara

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Komodo National Park (Taman Nasional Komodo) pairs volcanic islands with pristine ocean and covers an area about the same size as the US Virgin Islands. Its attractions are threefold: lush reefs, spectacular landscapes, and Komodo dragons. Besides the world’s largest lizard, wildlife includes boars, bats, deer, monkeys, wild horses, and water buffalo on land, plus turtles, whales, dugongs, sharks, and manta rays at sea.

One of several pink beaches in Komodo National Park, Pink Beach (Pantai Merah Muda) is a sandy strand on Komodo Island. While edited photos often overplay its color, the beach does have a rosy tint, particularly at the shoreline, courtesy of tiny fragments of scarlet marine organisms that mingle with the white sands.

The second largest island in Komodo National Park, Rinca Island (Pulau Rinca) is home to more Komodo dragons than Komodo Island—not to mention deer, wild boar, and monkeys. In addition to short and extended dragon-spotting hikes—including a new elevated walkway—it offers white sand beaches, a café, souvenir stalls, and the Niang Komodo Museum.

A mangrove-clad islet in Komodo National Park, Kalong Island (Pulau Kalong) is formally known as Koaba Island. But everyone apart from mapmakers calls it Kalong Island (Bat Island) because of its star attraction: a colony of flying foxes, which clouds the sky at sunset as the bats take wing for nearby Flores in search of food.

A popular attraction for visitors to Labuan Bajo on the Indonesian island of Flores, Batu Cermin (Mirror Rock) Cave takes its name from the light that shines through a small gap in the rock and bounces off its silica walls. Though it has some interesting marine fossils, stalactites, stalagmites, and bats, it’s the light effects that make this small cave special.

One of the smaller islands in Komodo National Park, Padar Island’s rugged green promontories, white sand beaches, and turquoise waters make social media magic. A hike to the island-top viewpoint is an essential stop on most Komodo National Park tours, while one of the park’s pink beaches is tucked into a bay on the north coast.

A cluster of seven conical thatched huts amid forested volcanic hills, Wae Rebo Village is one of the most beautiful of Flores’ traditional Manggarai villages. Locals in this farming community still practice traditional rituals and live very simply: You can only reach Wae Rebo by hiking, and electricity only operates for a short part of the evening.

A cluster of uninhabited islets off Flores’ northern coast, 17 Islands Marine Park offers deserted white sand beaches and rich marine life, including manta rays. Mangrove-clad Ontoloe Island plays home to a vast colony of flying foxes—and Komodo dragons. Despite its name, the park includes more than 20 different islands.

One of Sumba’s most mesmerizing sights, Waikuri Lagoon (Weekuri Lake) is a postcard-perfect spot, thanks to sparkling, gin-clear waters that are shallow enough to swim, rugged rocks, and tropical greenery. At the western end of the lagoon, Indian Ocean waves pound low cliffs. The waters mix salt from the ocean with fresh water from hidden springs.

A highlight of any visit to Flores, Kelimutu National Park centers on Mt. Kelimutu, a rugged volcano with three vivid crater lakes that look as slick as oil paint. The color of the lakes changes over time with their chemical composition, but often one is turquoise blue, one jade green, and the third deep chocolate, dark green, or black.