KOMODO
Among the many thousands of islands on which one of the largest republics of Southeast Asia – Indonesia is located, there is a small island of Komodo, located east of the island of Java. Now its name is known to all geographers and zoogeographers of the globe, since the rarest and most mysterious animals have survived and live here – the descendants of prehistoric predatory lizards that died out on earth 160 million years ago. These are the largest amphibious giant lizards – monitor lizards.
The first to tell the astonished world about the world’s largest lizards, unknown to science, was a pilot who made an emergency landing on Komodo Island in 1912. Then it turned out that dragons also inhabit the neighboring islands of Rinja and Padar, as well as the tip of the large island of Flores across the strait (giant lizards easily swim across this strait).
Despite its impressive size, the Komodo dragon is surprisingly fast and agile. Wild boars, deer, feral horses and even buffaloes become its prey. But they are by no means squeamish about carrion. Possessing a highly developed sense of smell, they find it very quickly and here again gather in large groups. The dragon has a difficult relationship with a man. For the most part, monitor lizards invariably turn aside and give way when they meet. However, the captured monitor lizard behaves completely differently. The animal is ferocious and can easily knock down a person with its tail blows, and cause serious injuries with its terrible jaws. According to the testimony of the inhabitants of one small village in the eastern part of Komodo, there were cases of a monitor lizard attacking a person: the monitor lizard attacked three boys walking from the village and, having overtaken, killed one of them. Another time, a monitor lizard attacked two adult men, carrying a dead deer, and one of them was badly wounded. However, such cases are rare. When kept in captivity, giant monitor lizards quickly get used to humans and become completely tame. One of them, who lived in the London Zoo, responded to the nickname, took food from the hands of a person and ran on the heels of his overseer.
According to allcitycodes, the only population on the island is a fishing village called Komodo, whose inhabitants, in addition to fishing, are engaged in breeding goats, which are used as food for monitor lizards.
Komodo is now a national park. In addition to lizards, rare species of birds, deer, wild boars are found here. The sea surrounding Komodo Island is famous for its crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches and abundance of fish.
LOMBOK
Lombok is a small island to the east of Bali, separated from it by a narrow strait. Lombok, like Bali, belongs to the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia. Lombok Island is one of the best resort islands in Indonesia. The landscapes of Lombok with its jungles and thickets, coral islands and long clean beaches are beautiful.
Lombok is where the transition from western to eastern Indonesia begins, with its flora and fauna changing more and more as you move further east. The northern part of the island is hilly and covered with greenery of tall trees and shrubs. South – barren, arid land, savannah. The dry seasons are getting longer here, so corn and sago are replacing rice as the main ingredient in most dishes. The name Lombok comes from the local chili pepper (lombok).
Most of the population is made up of Sasaks, people from northern India who inhabited Indonesia centuries ago. The inhabitants there also lead their traditional way of life, and in the south of the island you can visit picturesque villages. The main difference and advantage of Lombok is that there are much fewer tourists than in Bali. Nature lovers will be delighted with the scenery of the southern coast of the island and the beauties of Mount Rinjani (volcano with a crater lake). On Lombok, the rhythm of life may seem somewhat slow, the service in rare restaurants is less efficient, but it is here that you can hear the sound of silence in the mountains, feel peace and tranquility.
Lombok can be promoted as a place of pilgrimage for honeymooners. This type of hotel is quite common here as a boutique hotel – a completely isolated accommodation, just for those who want to enjoy each other’s company. Or villas in which there is a separate access to the beach, to the pool, and their own servants. In general, the level of hotels is very high, quite comparable to Bali.
Lombok – Known as a virgin island, ideal for travel and relaxation, white sandy, quiet beaches, mountains, pristine villages, tropical vegetation and the rich culture of Indonesia.
The three main cities of Lombok – Ampenan, Mataram and Chakranegara – are located close to each other, within a six-kilometer strip stretching from the western coast of the island to the east. Of all the cities, Chakranegara, which lies a little further to the east, is rightfully considered the most interesting. Until the beginning of the 20th century, it was the royal capital, and today it serves as the main market center of Lombok.
Nestled near Lombok are the three tiny Gili Islands, famous for their dazzling white sand beaches, crystal clear water coves and coral reefs. The rhythm of life on these islands is so leisurely that the only mode of transport here is pony-drawn carriages.
