Bali is a holiday makers dream, with scenic mixtures of beaches, jungles and volcanoes along with welcoming smiling faces. You might want to head to the beach to relax and go parasailing, banana boating or reef fishing, but there is so much more to discover here you are spoilt. Most ships will stop at Benoa, Bali on the tip of the Nusa Dua Peninsula with white beaches both sides. But this is a tour from the less regular port of Komodo Island. It is within the Lesser Sunda Islands in the border region between the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggarais. It is perhaps the best known for the Komodo Dragon, the largest lizard in the world and it is a National Park. Like Australia, the inhabitants are mainly descendants of former convicts who were exiled there. On the search for the giant lizard you are more likely to see wild buffalo, deer and wild pigs as well as a wide variety of tropical birds. The park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Padar and Rinca, and 26 smaller ones. The only village there is the east bay coastal village of Kampung Komodo, a fishing village with about 1100 inhabitants. There are thought to be about 2,000 dragons in this remote island. Villagers build their homes on stilts, the local school which was part funded by the Australian government. This is one visit where taking simple things like pens, pads and pencil cases will impress the smiling local children.

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