KOMODO/Flores/Labuan Bajo - diving & dragons <3

while i have fallen in love with a handful of places on this trip, some have taken me a day or so to warm up. one of my first thoughts on Bali was there is too much traffic and why are there no sidewalks on this street, i’m gonna get swiped by one of these bikes. in Gili i didn’t like my original hostel because there was no wifi in the rooms or toilet paper (first world probs, i know) and there were too many rocks on the beach. LORD KNOWS my love for Rwanda was postponed until after the culture shock wore off.with Flores it was instant.

and the cool thing is i know i wouldn’t have felt that way 4 months ago before i started this trip.being off the beaten path again brought back feelings of Africa and it felt sooo good. the sidewalks are basically stepping stones in between giant cracks, dogs are prancing around the streets, local kids are playing with plastic cups in their bare feet, “construction workers” are using a jackhammer on the street while wearing flip flops and smoking a cigarette.

this is what i mean when i talk about an identity crisis. how can i love 5 star resorts and run-down tin huts with gardens of garbage equally?? who am i??

k getting ahead of myself. Flores is an indonesian island about an hour flight from Bali, located on Komodo National Park which is home to Komodo dragons and world renowned diving. i flew into a little town called Labuan Bajo and stayed at Ciao Hostel which is perched on top of the hill with hourly free shuttles to town. i will recommend this place to ANYONE <3

the view in this town is BREATHTAKING. the most stunning sunsets i have even seen in my life. i know it sounds like i am exaggerating but i will put that on anything. ask me after the trip.

i was recommended to come here by Johanna from Vienna, who i met for like 30 mins in Koh Tao. the thing i love is we always chat on whatsapp like old bffs. some people are just your people, you know? this is what she said:-I couldn’t believe itSeriously, I think Flores has been the best destination in all three monthsA met a girl and she said the same, but was travelling for 6 months!You should really comeThe diving was SO freaking incredible, I freaked out completely. the other spots in indo are NOTHING compared to here, really. I’d say it was as good as on the Seychelles-i was sold immediately and did no further research. i was already coming back to bali for the chance of diving with manta rays in nusa penida, but this would be even better. done.

^^ me in my happy place first day i dove with Blue Marlin Dive (2 dives + lunch for about $120). cruising on that lil boat through the islands and pop-up beaches of Komodo National Park i think i was as happy as i’ve been on this trip. i literally shed a tear on the cruise home cause i was like pinch me, how is this my life right now. i LOVE the dive scene, the locals are sooo fun to joke around with. my guide Fai knew Egy from Blue Marlin Gili! look how cute they are!

the marine life here is INCREDIBLE. ahhhh. so many fish, the reef is gorgeous, saw turtles to the point that i stopped taking pics of them. saw 2 stings rays, an octopus, a reef shark.day 1 i did not see any mantas so had to book day 2 of course, this time with Diver’s Paradise because i wanted to do a combo trip with 2 dives and then the dragons.the dragons were.. giant sleeping lizards lol and Rinca Island was hot af, we did a lil trek to a viewpoint. you have to pay about $17 for the park entrance fee (for divers too or anyone who goes out on the sea) + $6 to see the dragons.now i have seen gorillas, elephants, orangutans, great white sharks, kangaroos, and much more this trip - but dragons were a new one! pretty crazy to know that the only thing between me and death-by-dragon was a stick held by our guide, which he said he would poke on the dragon’s neck if it tried anything lol. the bacteria will kill you in 4-5 days if you dont get treatment, as experienced by 2 people there last year. they were too stubborn to accept the antidote in the Labuan Bajo hospital and paid the price.

okay back to diving and the reason i came - so day 2 dive 2 was at Manta Point, where mantas are supposed to be abundant. we went down, didnt see any, i got swept by the current and actually surfaced after like 10 mins. tried to go back down but my ear was effed and wouldn’t equalize past a few metres.so we hopped on a speedboat (me, my guide, my buddy) and relocated to where we saw a manta in the water, and went back down.bit of a rough start but oh my god. that reward was insane.we knelt down on the ocean floor and a 4 metre wide manta was just circling us, it was like a majestic graceful bat floating and flapping its wings in the water. it’s crazy cause turtles don’t give an f when you swim by, but the manta DEFINITELY takes note. a couple times it was coming at me with its mouth open and i thought it was gonna swallow me whole. you’re supposed to remain calm and let them control the interaction cause they can sense your heartbeat, but i was honestly beside myself with excitement. turns out the natural reaction for excitement is still to cover your mouth with your hands even when you’re underwater.

we saw 4 mantas total and it was so so amazing i am so happy.other recos for Labuan Bajo: La cucina for pizza + i went to Le Pirate rooftop “The Deck” for quesadillas twice, they have an infinity pool and amazinggg sunset views. they also had a projector playing for movie night which was cute.there are some awesome treks, waterfalls, cave, kayaking etc you can do around the island, but i didn’t have much time and my priority was the mantas.otherwise just come for 3 nights and do exactly what i did and you will have the best time of your life. unexpectedly one of my top 3 stops of the trip.back to bali i go!!