This is part of an ongoing series. In the original feature I explain why you should sit down and map out a multi-year travel plan to make sure you get to see and do all the things that are most important to you. Read this guide, “Why Right Now is the Best Time to Plan Your Travel Bucket List” here.
In this follow up series, I present 30 different curated Once in a Lifetime experiences and destinations for you to consider. Obviously everyone’s dream list will be different, and whatever it is that you feel you really want or need to do should be at the top of your list, but with the help of experts and my 25-years experience as an award-winning travel journalist I’ve put together some great highlights to consider. Each day I’ll present a different option (see them all here):
Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Why? Tropical islands are always popular getaways, and interest in wildlife viewing has soared over the past decade. Most of the world’s popular animals can only be viewed in limited places, but you usually still have options: gorgeous creatures like elephants live in multiple spots around the globe, and even with something as specialized as polar bears, you still have your choice of countries and continents.
But this is certainly not the case for the world’s largest lizard, and the closest thing we have left to dinosaurs. The Komodo Dragon lives on only four isolated islands in Indonesia, and viewing them was the pick of one of the nation’s most acclaimed travel advisors, Shawna Huffman Owen of top tier travel agency Huffman Travel. A renowned expert, Owen sits on the Travel Advisory Board for Travel + Leisure Magazine as well as on the Advisory Board for Abercrombie & Kent.
“The raw beauty of this incredible archipelago is something one must witness at least once to gain even more respect for our planet,” said Owen.
Komodo Dragons can reach ten feet in length and tip the scales at 150 pounds, They’ve only been known to mankind for 110 years, but are believed to be fairly direct descendants of giant lizards that prowled Australasia as far back as nearly 4,000,000 years ago.
Owen also noted that in addition to the main event, the Dragons, visitors can enjoy a wide range of watersports here such as diving, snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and waterskiing, including a visit to Makassar Reef, world famous for snorkeling with Manta rays. There are also stunning beaches, including rare pink sand beaches, short but rewarding hikes to peaks with panoramic views of the unspoiled archipelago, and amazing nocturnal stargazing.
Where?: One Indonesian National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is the only place in the world where you can see the Dragons in the wild, and it is comprised of three islands studded with beautiful crescent bays and incredibly green sharp mountains that rise steeply from sea level, topped by razor thin ridges – exactly the way you imagine King Kong’s fictional Skull Island looking, equal parts beautiful, remote and forbidding. Besides the majestic Dragons, you can see monkeys, flying lizards, water buffalo, wild boar, and a vast array of birdlife.
Because three islands comprise Komodo National Park, and many of the other attractions are aquatic – Owen notes that the sea around the park is famous for its rich and diverse tropical underwater environments, with more than 1,000 species of fish and 260 types of coral – the best way to do this trip is by boat. “Being onboard allows you to experience a variety of ecosystems in one day, and to visit areas that are completely off-the-grid”
Who? Owen recommends Rascal Voyages, thanks to its “Amazing crew, friendly, energetic, and local,” plus all the amenities. Rascal uses a 30-meter handcrafted teak yacht, with just five en suite cabins boasting everything from flatscreens to Sonos to high-thread count sheets, a gathering lounge, rooftop sundeck with chaise and hot tub, day beds around the boat and so on and so on. Food is amazing, lunch and dinner are served on-deck most nights, they use tenders for the short trips to the beach or shore for wildlife viewing and explorations. Highlights include an unforgettable beach BBQ dinner on Rinca island against the be backdrop of the active volcano on Sangeang Island smoldering in the distance.
Owen points out that Rascal also welcomes researchers and naturalists on select cruises, and works with environmental groups to study and protect the amazing ecosystem of the Indonesian archipelago. All of this adds to the experience of the very few leisure passengers.
Besides, options around the Park are few, and there are, “Not any hotels here to speak of …The park sees a lot of tourists so what’s nice is to get away from the crowds on a boat.”
Of course, Indonesia is already on many travelers’ Bucket List because of Bali, and the two can be combined into one longer – and very different – trip. Personally, having been to Bali 20-plus years ago and again very recently, I think it has sadly lost its luster do to overdevelopment and over-tourism, but it has what is probably the densest concentration of truly exceptional luxury hotels on the planet, and some people feel they just have to see it. I think once you have, you will find the unspoiled Komodo National Park a welcome change.
When?: March to November.
Travel Agents: Savvy experts can help you sort out when to go, how to get there, add-ons and all the important details. This is why when planning these kind of Bucket List trips I always recommend using a good travel agent or travel advisor. In addition to making sure you get it right, they can often save you money or get you upgrades and more bang for the buck. For more on why you want to use a travel agent and how to go about it, read my earlier article on this topic here.
