TOP 5 TRAVEL DESTINATIONS

Members of the EK team recall their experiences, as we take a look at the perfect holiday locations for herping backpackers.

With travel restrictions slowly being lifted across the world, many of us are eager to explore new places. Providing this is done safely and in accordance with guidelines, now is a great time to start thinking about that next big trip. If that place happens to be full of incredible reptiles and amphibians, even better. Right?

1. East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (Komodo and Rinca National Park)

Two words: Komodo dragons. East Nusa Tenggara and more specifically the town of Labuan Bajo relies almost entirely on Komodo and Rinca National Park. The promise of giant prehistoric reptiles is sure to entice any reptile fanatic, but it is the regions pristine coral reefs and critically endangered bird life that bolsters this destination in top place.

Getting to Labuan Bajo is relatively straightforward providing the season is right. During the dry season, regular flights and week-long boat trips run from Bali. However, during the wet season, boat trips stop entirely, and flights are much less frequent. Therefore, a trip to Komodo should be planned and always flexible. This is do-able for backpackers, but those planning their holidays should certainly expect some hiccups along the road.

Boat trips to Komodo and Rinca leave daily from

Labuan Bajo. Despite dozens of tour operators making up the bulk of the town, boats will be filled on a ‘first come first served’ basis. This means we were on the same boat with people who paid almost triple the price of the tour. Again, brilliant for backpackers, but less so for holidaymakers.

Of course, the experience of visiting somewhere like Komodo is truly priceless. Marine life is exceptional, with manta rays (Mobula alfredi), white tipped reef sharks (Trianodon obesus), blue spotted stingrays (Taeniura lymma) and countless numbers of fish being extremely common sights. In fact, all could be seen in a single dive or snorkelling trip.

Being sites of such significance (and literally guarded by dragons), a tour guide is required for anyone stepping foot on Komodo or Rinca. This makes searching for specific wildlife quite difficult. Critically endangered, yellow-crested cockatoos (Cacatua sulphurea) have a stronghold in these protected forests after years of illegal smuggling from nearby islands. Around 500 adult birds live here, making up most of the remaining wild population.

Various skinks can be spotted throughout walks through the forest. We were also lucky enough to see a green pit viper (Trimeresurus .sp) on one walk, but it was too high in the canopy to identify. However, for those looking to go out and do some real herping, Indonesia is rich in national parks and other locations. In fact, just around the accommodation it is possible to spot Tokay geckos (Gekko gecko), Asian water monitors (Varanus salvator) and various forest agamids.

For those looking for a more authentic experience, there are a whole host of different islands in Indonesia that can be explored very easily. Furthermore, the volcanic nature of Indonesia’s landscape means that different altitudes and biomes can be explored within a couple of days.

With a total of 12 national parks, Java is a brilliant island to explore and flying into Jakarta is extremely straightforward. There are 91 species of snake on the island with bronzebacks (Dendrelaphis .sp), keelbacks (Rhabdophis .sp) and pit vipers being most commonly spotted. However, king cobras (Ophiophagus hannah), dragon snakes (Xenodermus javanicus) and reticulated pythons (Malayopython reticulatus) also call this part of the world home.