Rinca is the second largest island in the Komodo National Park and it’s a grassy and windswept environment that is one of the few places to be able to spot Komodo dragons in the wild (while accompanied by an official park guide). Look out for watering holes where these wild creatures hunt for prey.Compact and picturesque, Padar Island is a volcanic landform where no Komodo Dragons reside. What Padar does have is one of the most spectacular natural vistas on Earth that’s also easily accessible. The hike to the viewpoint across the Park’s distinctive savannah terrain takes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on your fitness. Either way, Padar’s perfectly curved bays and beaches flanking both side of the island, framed by the cobalt blue of the surrounding sea, is an unbelievably breathtaking sight and a photographer’s dream.

Located in between Bali and Komodo National Park, the secluded island of Moyo is an unspoiled paradise. It sits at the mouth of Saleh Bay off the northern coast of Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara, and offers the explorer sparkling coastlines, a wealth of underwater life and a photogenic cascading waterfall in its interior that is accessible with a short trek. Along the way to the waterfall, the wildlife of Moyo reveals itself, from butterflies with wild oxen.Moyo Island is also a paradise for bird lovers. Of the 124 bird species found in Sumbawa, 86 are found on the island. Among the rarer bird species are yellow-headed parrots and megapodes. The latter is a chicken-like bird unique for building a large mound of debris to incubate its eggs, aided with the heat of decomposing matter within the debris.

At Saleh Bay, the local government in Sumbawa has discovered 50 semi-permanent whale sharks who had befriended fisherman in the area. Local squid boats had attracted the whale sharks with their bulging hauls, and explorers who visit Saleh Bay might just catch these marine “thieves” in action as they try to suck squid out of the boats’ fishing nets! Swimming with these gentle whale sharks is an unforgettable experience in its own right.

Here, water from the Indian Ocean meets the Flores Sea. The convergence results in a nutrient-rich, life-giving concoction that that gives life to marine creatures. Some of the most famous dive sites in Komodo National Park lie within the Linta Strait.Linta Strait is also dotted with islands large and small, as well as the Karang Makassar reef complex on the west side of the strait. Here’s a great place to come face-to-face with the gentle manta rays. At Mauan Island, a manta ray cleaning station can be found alongside some beautiful beaches. Reaching 7m in length and weighing up to 3,500lbs (1,600 kilograms), manta rays are majestic creatures of the sea that can often be visible a short distance beneath the water surface, at times even coming close to shore.

Nowhere in the Komodo National Park is the feeling of being in “Jurassic Park” more apparent than in the iconic Horseshoe Bay. Located at the far southern reaches of Rinca Island, this terrain is in fact the remains of an ancient volcanic caldera. Almost entirely surrounded by land, the waters here are also remarkably calm and tranquil. Horseshoe Bay offers some of the signature diving experiences of the Park, with several well-known dive sites such as Cannibal Rock and the Yellow Wall of Texas.From the soaring mist-covered peaks that encircle this horseshoe-shaped bay, to the Komodo Dragons pacing along the bay’s black sand beaches, the entire area pulsates with primordial energy. For terrestrial animal encounters, this is by far the best area in Komodo National Park: monkeys, deer, wild pigs, and of course the endemic Komodo Dragon can be observed prowling the small beaches at all times of the day. Away from the untamed shoreline, swimming can be an exceptional experience near to the moored Aqua Blu as kites and sea eagles soar proudly above.

Consisting of two small islets, Gili Lawa Darat and Gili Lawa Laut, just north of Komodo Island, the Gili Lawa Islands offer a relaxed atmosphere to engage in snorkeling, swimming, and diving. This is also one of the best islands in Komodo National Park to witness a sunset, with Gili Lawa Daut particularly notable for its fine white beach with wide areas of sand and fringed with a reef. There are also trekking opportunities with great views back towards Komodo National Park.

One of the seven pink beaches on the planet, the aptly named Pink Beach on Komodo Island gets its characteristic color from microscopic creatures called foraminifera that produce a red pigment, which then gets left behind on coral reef. Over time, tiny fragments of the red coral get washed up and combine with the white sands of the beach to produce a soft pink hue that is particularly beautiful in the evening light, where the Aqua Blu will anchor. The Komodo National Park itinerary ensures that guests enjoy Pink Beach at its quietest and most tranquil; under a moonlit sky and constellations, this promises to be one of the most magical nights of your life.Pink Beach is also one of the best spots in Komodo National Park for snorkeling and diving.