Nothing beats waking up to a view from a boat and had yummie breakfast with people you love with a view of Padar Island. This is why I love sailing in Komodi island. The experience is different Vs if you just take day trip form Labuan Bajo.
After breakfast, Captain told us that he would make the move to long beach together with other boats because the wind was still very strong and it was good to sail together with other boats so we can help each other if bad things happen.
Long Beach
Long beach is located in Padar Island west of Flores Island. It’s the longest red beach in Komodo National Park, and 2 hours by boat from Labuan Bajo port in a normal sea condition. Long Beach is famous with red sand beach just like pink beach in Komodo National Park.
The uniqueness of Long Beach is reddish pink sand beach, clear sea water and the beautiful under water life. Reddish pink color happen because most of the corals here is pink color, which broke hit under the waves and being dragged onto the beach. But other sources said that pink color comes from microorganisms named foraminifera. Foraminifera is orange color and mixed with the sand on the beach so that is turns pink. The expanse of savanna hills and natural panorama around it can spoil your eyes.
We managed to reach Long Beach in 20 minutes and past the Sydney opera look alike. As we approached Long Beach, we could see many deers on the left side of the beach. All of us are so elated when we touched down because Long beach is gorgeous beyond belief and one of the most beautiful beach I have ever seen!
We spend all morning snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing, playing and just sit still in bliss admiring nature. The crystal clear sea water was so inviting and the beautiful corals with lots of colorful fish was only a swim away from the beach. We brought our beach tent and put it up so Alyssa can stay there is she got tired but she was busy playing sand and swimming.
We didn’t want to leave long beach but we had to go back to ship for lunch and sail to Taka Makasar.
Taka Makasar
Taka Makasar or Makasar Reef is a tiny island in Komodo National Park which has a peculiar shape of a drop, with white sand mixed with pink sand. This perfect sand dunes, with a size smaller than a football field, has clear blue waters with gradation of light and dark blue. It only comes up during the time when the seawater is receding. When the sea level rises, it will submerge underwater. Taka Makassar is also known as the longest reef in the Komodo National Park.
Taka Makasar reminds me of Ngurtafur beach in Kei kecil island which was also a sand dunes. I am elated that we would be able to visit Taka Makasar today because I couldn’t go there back in 2010 because the sea as choppy and and raining and the beach had submerges underwater.
Our Lunch
Have I mentioned how the boat crews are really good at cooking? Never throughout my two times doing liveaboard in Komodo I had a bad food. All the breakfast, lunch and dinner are always five star.
Manta Point
Taka Makasar is located very close to Manta Point, the favorite place for Manta Rays to gather, with shallow water area but a very strong current. I only spotted a glimpse of one Manta from above the boat back in 2010 and I really hope this time I can swim and spot some Manta as the weather has been good.
There are already several boats in Manta point and everybody are looking for Manta. Hubby and I had our gears and ready to jump when boat crew told us to jump. The water was around 4 meters deep, but the current is strong because that’s what these Manta like. So we only jumped to the water when see some Manta. I spotted one Manta on on my first jump in the water but she was too far for a picture. I got lucky on my second jump, and got to see 4 mantas and managed to take some pictures. Holding underwater camera and trying to focus on capturing these manta while trying to myself float in the strong current ain’t an easy feat to be honest lol. These pictures I took aren’t the best but I am proud of myself.
Satisfied to finally see Manta from the water with my own eyes, we finally sailed to Pulau Kanawa where we’re going to dock for the night.
Sunset in Kanawa Island
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