You’ve got the whole family ready for the upcoming break, and this time you want some quiet vacation island to spend a true quality time together. Some places that—rather than a crowded and hysteria-inducing destination like the classic Disney Park—actually give the much-needed peace and quality time. One of the best ways to take an unspoiled break for your family is escaping to nature, where you and the kids would enjoy fresh air, beautiful landscapes, and stimulating environment that make the best family vacations. And here, in the eastern frontier of Indonesia, lies the wild and rugged Komodo National Park which primeval terrain has captured the hearts of many.
Dubbed as the lair of the last dragons on earth, travelling to this national park is not complete without visiting the neighbouring islands. You’re gonna take your family to sail in a Komodo liveaboard and get them closer to the long-forgotten nature. However, family travel in Komodo won’t be so easy. You need to prepare the kids’ needs for sailing in a liveaboard, keeping them out of danger, and choose only destinations that would be suitable for children. Here’s our pick on the best places in Komodo for an awesome family holiday.
The Komodo/ Rinca Island
Your children love dinosaurs? Perfect. They will be ecstatic to see the Komodo Dragons on Komodo Island or Rinca. Both islands serve as sanctuary of the dragons in the national park with only a slight difference between the two islands. While Komodo Dragons are definitely not dinosaurs, they are just as prehistoric. They have existed since at least 3.8 million years ago and have been living in Flores since nine hundreds thousands years. Both Komodo Island and Rinca Island make a very adventurous trip for kids that’s just begin to develop their curiosity of the world. Don’t forget to keep the kids close to the park rangers and never let any foot slip out of the trails.
The Padar Island
If you are not travelling with a young toddler or very senior family member, Padar Island could be a great stop. The steep hike to the top of the hills rewards everyone with breathtakingly beautiful landscapes in almost an outlandish manner. From the hilltop you will see three crescent beaches each in black, pink, and white sands and the whole national park landscape spread across the region. Padar is great not only for its postcard view, but also to teach children natural wonders (as of the three colored beaches existing literally next to each other), differences between jungles and savannah, and a bit of topography. The steep hike to the top, however, is probably only appropriate for children age 8 and older.
The Kanawa Island
Looking for the next destination to sail with the Komodo liveaboard? Consider the lesser-visited Kanawa Islands. Not many travelers visit Kanawa on a one day trip, so the island is a bit less crowded than Komodo, Rinca, or Padar. The Kanawa is a lovely little island with super clear blue waters and coral formations peeking from underneath. This island is perfect for introducing the kids to the wonders of underwater worlds. Unlike the rest of Komodo waters, the currents here are slower which make it safer for kids to snorkel. These little bubble-makers would love to see seabed full of corals and teeming with lively fishes of every shape and colour. Younger kids would be happy to build sandcastles on the beach while mommy and daddy enjoy a couple of cold beers on the shades. The Kanawa Island is just perfect for some chill moments after a day packed with adventures on other islands.
The Pink Beach
Another chill space that seemingly just popped out from a dream. The ever-famous Pink Beach. The rosy-hued sands that spread in contrast to bright turquoise ocean waters would get everyone excited without fail. You could show the kids what caused the beach pink and chunks of red corals washed to the shore. The Pink beach is also another great snorkelling spot for the young as the water is shallow, clear and quite calm with an explosion of soft corals on the seabed. It also gives all the dreamy backdrop for endless selfies your teens would absolutely love.
Sunset at Bat Island
Here’s an impressive and perhaps quite dramatic to end a day of your Komodo liveaboard family trip. Talk to your trip operator to watch the sunset in Bat Island (or locally known as Kalong Island) before calling it a day. Your liveaboard captain will tether the boat near the island for a live show from the wilds. Just as the sun begins to set and the sky changes colours, you will see hundreds and hundreds of big bats bursting from the uninhabited Bat Island, flying and screeching in pursuit of foods in the neighbouring island. Seeing the wildlife up close reinforces positive insights to the young minds to appreciate nature and sparks their curiosity. The scorching sounds of the bats, however, might scare the young ones, so make sure you are present to make them feel safe.
It’s not everyday you can take your family for an awesome escapade to the corner of the world. But when you do, it has to be special. With proper preparation and considerate destination picking, a Komodo liveaboard trip to this ‘Lost World’ could be the best trip for your little family ever.