Treks and Excursions
The full day's walk to the top of Gunung Ara from the PHPA camp, the highest point on the island, doesn't promise dragon sightings, but is absolutely extraordinary. It's an arduous, excruciatingly hot march, but you'll see scores of unusual plants, animals and birdlife, such as sulphur-crested cockatoos, brush turkeys, and the megapode bird , which builds huge ground nests where its eggs are incubated in warm dung. Bring water and wear decent boots. There are also regular walks from the PHPA camp, daily at 11am and 2pm, to Banunggulung , the river bed where the dragons used to be fed fresh goats daily, for the benefit of tourists. This practice has been discontinued, and dragons now only get fed weekly, though the forty-minute walk will usually be rewarded with a sighting or two. The guided walk costs Rp2500 per person. The seas around Komodo, though home to spectacular coral reefs and an abundance of fish, are a far cry from the Gili Islands or Bali, and riptides, whirlpools, sea snakes, sea-wasp jellyfish and a healthy shark population make these waters potentially dangerous, so stick to recommended snorkelling locations such as the excellent Pantai Merah . A day's boat trip can be bargained down to around Rp10,000 a day per person if you have a group of six or more; the staff at the PHPA camp restaurant in Loh Liang can usually put you in touch with a boat owner.
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