YOU may have read my column last week when I wrote about photographing "dragons" in Indonesia's famed Komodo National Park. The trip was not just about the giant lizards since scuba diving is another highlight of the region.
This area is rich not just in terrestrial flora and fauna but its marine life is equally fabulous.
In most places, it is pristine and virtually untouched, thanks to the remoteness of the area.
The Komodo National Park is situated in West Flores of the Indonesian Province of Nusa Tenggara Barat. It consists of the three main islands of Komodo, Rinca and Padar.
The park was established in 1980 to protect the unique Komodo Dragon that is found only here and nowhere else.
In 1986, the park was also declared a Unesco World Heritage Site as well as a Man and Biosphere Reserve. These declarations are indications of the unique and sensitive biodiversity found here.
The Park has since expanded its jurisdiction to protect the surrounding marine environment as well.
I have dived in many wonderful places but most pale in comparison to the colour and splendour of the marine life found here in West Flores.
Most of the reefs we dived on were in immaculate conditions. The corals are healthy, relatively unaffected by human infringement.
Clown fish like this colourful specimen seem to grow bigger here than elsewhere.
Most of the dive sites are within the protected boundaries of the National Park, thereby preventing incursions by unscrupulous fishermen who use explosives for fishing and cyanide for the live fish trade.
The National Park also prevents major developments like sprawling resorts or golf courses from spoiling the natural beauty.
I was quite surprised to discover that vegetation is sparse on most of the islands in the area. Although they may be situated in a tropical climate, these islands have very few trees and are mostly covered with dry grasses.
Lush green rainforest, however, thrives on the main island of Flores where jungle trekking is popular with tourists who go there to see the numerous waterfalls, caves and volcanic crater lakes.
I was more interested, however, in the diving in West Flores, particularly in the Komodo National Park.
There are so many dive sites here that it is impossible to see them all in one trip.
We dove just four sites and these were the four most amazing dives I have ever done, with the visibility at these sites far exceeding 30m.
Whitetip reef sharks are abundant in the Komodo National Park.
There are reef fish of every the colour all over the place. Big pelagics like Giant Trevally, Dogtooth Tuna, Snapper and Mackerel can also be seen, along with Giant Mantas and Spotted Eagle Rays.
Depending on the season, there may also be Whale Sharks.
I also saw huge Napoleon Wrasse, a species unfortunately most sought after by Chinese restaurateurs and gourmands.
The corals here are a mixture of hard and the more colourful soft corals, and all are in impeccable condition.
Strong currents affect some of the dive sites and you should be well qualified or experienced enough for drift diving. Novice divers should be particularly wary of the currents and always follow the instructions of the local dive masters.
A safety "sausage" or surface marker buoy (SMB) is an essential part of your gear, likewise a whistle or a DiveAlert air horn to attract the boatman if he doesn't see you after you surface.
The water temperature normally varies between 27 and 30 C but may drop below that in certain circumstances so a 3mm wetsuit is recommended.
A shot of the sunset from the hotel beach.
Getting to the remote area is an adventure in itself. Most flights originate from Bali, so you have to overnight here before catching a flight the following day to Labuan Bajo in West Flores.
Arriving around noon, you will have enough time to check into the hotel and maybe do a check-out dive.
We stayed at the Bintang Flores, the first multi-storey four-star hotel in Labuan Bajo. One can catch some of the nicest sunsets from the hotel beachfront while languishing at the adjacent swimming pool.
If you are not in a hurry to get to the National Park you may board one of the many traditional boats from Labuan Bajo harbour.
Yos Marine Adventures, the dive centre at the hotel, will make all your arrangements for diving and visiting the National Park.
The boat ride takes over an hour but there are many scenic islands along the way for you to look at and take pictures. The scenery is also quite picturesque as you depart Labuan Bajo harbour with many traditional Indonesian twin-masted schooners anchored in the sheltered waters.
Yos Marine will soon have at least four speedboats for impatient divers eager to get wet. These will cut down travel time to less than 45 minutes.
My relatively short time in West Flores had been an eye-opener. This isolated corner of Indonesia, which has escaped the ravages of urban development, is certainly an ideal place to get in touch with nature once again.
The little town of Labuan Bajo is reminiscent of our own small towns of yesteryear with its unhurried way of life. Here is a place ideally suited to those who need to slow down and take a breather.
For more information on dive trips to west Flores, visit www.mythasia.com and www.globalscuba.com.my. You can also catch the last day of the Malaysia International Dive Expo (MIDE) 2008 at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur today.
