See all Posts in the Wanderlust – A Travel Blog Series
Ancient map makers had little to go on except their imagination and superstitious seafaring lore when they reached the end of the known world. They sometimes simply labeled unknown areas on their maps “Thar be Dragons” when they could only guess what lay beyond.
In the case of far-off Komodo Island in Indonesia, there actually are dragons. Big ones. And in Borneo, there are orangutans, one of five species in the great ape family (along with chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and humans). Both Komodo Island and Borneo appeal to natural history buffs and eco-tourists for the chance to observe these exotic creatures in their natural habitat.
Komodo Island is a national park, populated by roughly 400 Komodo Dragons and a handful of park rangers. Most visitors fly to nearby Flores Island and take short (one-to-three-day) boat trips to see the dragons. In an effort to preserve the ecosystem and prevent people from being eaten by dragons, park rangers must accompany all visitors to the island.
Komodo dragons are the largest lizards on Earth, growing to more than 12 feet long. They are masters of camouflage, blending easily into their surroundings. And while they are generally observed basking quietly in the sun, they can be surprisingly fast, reaching speeds over 12 miles per hour in short bursts (roughly my top speed as well).
Komodo Island has a distinctive pink sand beach, but alas, Komodo Dragons can swim. Swimming and snorkeling are allowed, as long as you keep one eye open. The dragons feed mainly on wild boar, deer, buffalo and each other. They incubate their eggs for seven months, and job one for newly hatched baby dragons is to scamper up the nearest tree to avoid being eaten by relatives.
Equally remote, but safer, is the island of Borneo, which is about a one-hour flight northeast of the island of Java. Borneo, the third-largest island in the world, is divided into three parts. Malaysian Borneo and the Monarchy of Brunai occupy the northern third, while Indonesian Borneo occupies the southern two-thirds. While much of Indonesian Borneo is open to agriculture and industry, vast areas like the 1,600-square-mile Tanjung Puting National Park are set aside as wildlife reserves and are popular with eco-tourists coming to see the orangutans.
The etymology of the word “orangutan” derives from the Malay words orang, meaning “person,” and hutan, meaning “forest.” Once you have seen these powerful, yet gentle and graceful animals in person, that description of “Forest People” seems wonderfully apt.
Tanjung Puting National Park is the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world. Visitors typically fly from Jakarta to the coastal town of Pangkalan Bun and then take a riverboat into the jungle.
One of the striking characteristics of Pangkalan Bun is the jumble of large, windowless, rectangular concrete buildings lining the riverbank. These are purpose-built buildings designed to replicate the caves favored by Aerodramus Fuciphagus birds (commonly known as swiftlets). They even broadcast swiftlet bird sounds to attract them to the buildings. The birds build nests from their own saliva, which, when harvested, can be sold to the Chinese for thousands of dollars per kilo as the signature ingredient in Bird’s Nest Soup.
The riverboats that ply the jungle are typically two-level, low-draft watercraft with the lower level reserved for the head, the kitchen, and the crew (who, along with their family, may live on board). The upper level serves as an observation deck and dining area. Many of the upper decks also sport mattresses and mosquito netting for open-air sleeping on board.
Our cruise into the dense, tropical jungle felt like we were on the African Queen with Humphrey Bogart. Proboscis monkeys and long-tailed macaques were frequently spotted in the trees along the way. Crocodiles inhabit the river, but make it a point not to be seen. The flamboyant kingfisher was a rare treat, but delightful to see.
Rather than sleep on the boat, we stayed at an eco-lodge in the jungle. Our lodge was a bit rustic, having only had electricity for a year. The area we visited served as a rescue and rehabilitation station for kidnapped and orphaned orangutans for several decades. One feature of this rescue operation was the creation of feeding platforms (along with observation stands at a discreet distance). Once a day, the rangers set out a pile of bananas, sweet potatoes and corn on these platforms. While there was no guarantee that orangutans would show up, we were fortunate enough to be graced by multiple family units at each of the three stations we visited.
The orangutans traverse the jungle mostly from treetop to treetop. We rarely saw them on the ground. Baby orangutans are almost inseparable from their mommas, hanging on like Velcro until they are five to eight years old. As muscular and powerful as they are, these are clearly gentle, and even shy, creatures. It is a joy to watch them eat, play, and interact with each other according to their own personality and place in the family.
If you get a chance, take a night hike with a park ranger through the rainforest. We saw luminescent scorpions, giant ants, praying mantis, walking sticks, sleeping birds, luminous mushrooms and more.
Komodo Island and Borneo are remote, but both offer unique opportunities to explore nature and observe exotic creatures in their natural habitat. Even though the place names on today’s maps are up to date, we can still say that in Indonesia, thar be dragons … and orangutans.
Coming up next, Indonesia part three – Bali, the mystical island.
