A Unique Vacation in Kalong Island, Flores

When it comes to a distinct vacation in Flores, you have many options. For example, there is Kalong Island. This small island belongs to Komodo National Park. It is located between Papagarang and Rinca Island. As the name cited, it is the home of “Kalong” or bats. That means you can witness thousands of bats in this island. These unique creatures hang on the mangroves at noon. They start flying around in the afternoon and night. Overall, it is a worthy sight for visitors.

The Nuance
Kalong Island is quite small. Most of the land is covered by mangroves. These are the home of tons of bats, after all. Their size is quite big. No worries. They don’t cause harm to human. Apart from the bats, the island features other attractions. This includes the beach. The waves are a little bit strong. That means you should not carelessly play in the water. As mentioned earlier, mangroves are the major part of Kalong Island. Due to this reason, it is a little bit difficult to get around the island.

Exploring Kalong Island
The best time to get around the island is in the evening. Lots of bats start looking for foods. They leave their nest and fly in a group. No wonder, the sky is will be covered by these creatures. They are quite majestic. Another great time to witness these bats is in the morning. At this time, they come back to their nest. You can witness this moment from your boat. Since the island is covered by the mangroves, you aren’t able to explore it by foot. Not to mention there is no pier.

No one knows where the bats look for their foods. Even tour guides have no information regarding this issue. Here is the thing. The bats will leave their nest in the evening and come back in the morning. These are the best times to observe their movement. All visitors are able to enjoy this unique sight. Kalong Island is a definitely an important checkpoint prior to visiting Komodo and Rinca Island. It is possible to enjoy snorkeling near to this island.

Another attraction is the mangroves. As mentioned before, it is the home of the bats. Due to this reason, the locals take a good care of the mangroves. That means no one is allowed to cut the trees. Moreover, it is prohibited to catch fishes illegally. With these rules, Kalong Island retains its beauty and nature. This explains why foreign tourists are also interested in it. On top of that, there are other attractions nearby.

Nearby Attraction

• Sengge
• Yuwelabaru
• Keerom Regency
• Yafi.

How to Get There
In order to reach Kalong Island, you should visit Labuan Bajo first. From here, you need to rent a speedboat. It takes about 30-50 minutes to reach the island. This short trip is definitely comfortable and fun. You can witness nearby scenery from the boat.

Where to Stay
It is better to rent a room in Labuan Bajo. Some of the good hotels are:

• Angel Island Resort
• Komodo Resort
• The Jayakarta Suites
• Luwansa Beach Resort
• Laprima Hotel
• Hotel Bintang Flores
• Puri Sari Beach Hotel.