Komodo National Park

The park lies in the Wallacea transition zone between the Asian and Australian ecosystems, and its islands are all volcanic in origin. Komodo Island was protected as a wildlife reserve in 1965; the area was accepted as a biosphere reserve in 1977, declared a national park in 1980 and later extended to its present size of about 219,322 hectares of land and sea. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 1991 for its exceptional natural beauty and as the habitat of the Komodo dragon.

Human communities are part of the story too. Komodo Village on Komodo Island was inhabited before the park was created, and fishing villages still live within the park. In recent years the authorities have focused on balancing rising visitor numbers with conservation, introducing a single combined entry ticket in 2024 and a daily visitor quota in 2026.

The people of the park's villages have lived alongside the dragons for generations, and local stories regard the animals with respect rather than fear. Fishing remains central to life, and many residents now also work as rangers, boat crew, guides or craft sellers. Ask before photographing people in the villages, buy carvings and textiles directly from local makers where you can, and dress modestly when walking through settlements.