Indonesia

A luxury launch pad to Indonesia’s wildest side, writes JENNY HEWETT

IHAVE to get something off my chest.

The first time I saw a Komodo dragon, I freaked out.

It wasn’t the menacing glare that got me. Or the flitting, forked tongue, sensitive enough to sense prey kilometres away.

The final straw was a bark so guttural, for a second I thought the scaly beast had grown fur. My flight or fight response kicked in.

Shamefully, the shock was so severe that I instinctively grabbed onto the stranger next to me and threw myself behind them, placing a human shield between myself and one of the world’s deadliest reptiles. I’m not proud. In fact, I was mortified.

But can you blame me? Endemic to only a handful of islands within Indonesia’s UNESCO-listed Komodo National Park, these powerful predators can weigh up to 70kg and grow up to three metres.

Their venom is so toxic and their bite so fatal, you’re a goner if they get you. But despite my reaction, there was no real cause for alarm.

Under the protective guard of pitchfork-clutching rangers and the team at the luxe new Ayana Komodo resort, ain’t no lizard going to make a meal out of me. Or you.

Earlier that morning, I had boarded one of the hotel boats to Komodo National Park’s Rinca Island, leaving the luxurious digs of the new Ayana Komodo in my wake in search of dragons.

One of Indonesia’s upcoming destinations, this pristine Indian Ocean pocket is protected and famed for its mythical creatures, both on ground and below the sea.

Yes, it’s the habitat of the world’s largest lizard,

but it also offers top-drawer diving, snorkelling and marine life.

Best accessed via the small fishing town of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores, up until recently the only way to explore Komodo National Park comfortably was on-board a liveaboard boat. Sister to the sprawling Ayana Bali, the beach-chic Ayana Komodo is the first luxury hotel to open on the doorstep of this far-flung destination.

So precious are this area’s natural jewels that further lengths are now being taken to help conserve and preserve Komodo’s wildlife.

Following in the footsteps of the Philippines and Thailand, the park has made headlines recently, with the Indonesian government announcing it plans to close one of the isles, Komodo Island, at the beginning of next year.

The goal is to help increase the population of its dragons, which is reported to be about 5000, and stop the illegal smuggling of the lizards. But that will have little effect on tourism; the rest of the park, and this faraway resort, remain yours to explore.

BEYOND BALI

With its rugged island setting on the hillside of Waecicu Beach, the tranquil Ayana Komodo might feel like the type of place that’s hard to get to, but it isn’t. Flores is two islands east of Bali and its capital, Labuan Bajo, is just a 75-minute hop from Denpasar. It’s the flora I notice first. Bali’s familiar lush jungle is replaced with dry, arid brush and the ocean is an intense turquoise.

The sun is drenching every inch of it when I’m welcomed into Ayana Komodo’s open-air lobby and feast my eyes on the vistas for the first time.

Cleverly cut into the hillside, the hotel’s highrise design works in reverse with the lobby on top and rooms underneath.

Subtlety adorned in neutral tones of grey, stone and bone, the 11th floor check-in reveals a beachside pool, a conical islet that accessorises the dazzling sunsets and a serpentine pier.

BEACH CHIC

Each of the 201 rooms at Ayana Komodo are afforded uninterrupted ocean views and are soaked in sun.

In fact, the sun was so intense at the time we visited it was difficult to cool the space, but AC maintenance was quick to rectify the situation.

The stylish, unobtrusive, neutral theme extends into the guest rooms and suites, which feature beach-chic appointments such as coral, fish and cane chairs on the balconies, the facade inspired by the scaly skin of the Komodo dragon.

In the ensuite, the light and airy mood continues.

From the bath, a curved glass window in the centre of the room ensures that those views don’t go to waste, even when bathing.

It’s joined by a rainshower and a hi-tech toilet.

AHOY, THERE

Guests can snorkel in the area near the hotel but the quality of marine life is better in Komodo National Park.

Luckily, the hotel has a small fleet of boats on hand to make day trips at extra cost, including a half-day trip to Menjerite, where you can hang out with tropical reef fish, or a trip to Rinca Island to see the dragons and Padar’s famous pink-sand beach.

Snorkelling gear is included in activities but, back at the resort, it’s $US5 (about $7) an hour to hire, so if you’re a serious snorkeller, it’s worthwhile bringing your own.

The creme-de-la creme of its fleet is the luxurious Lako di’a, a pimped out, traditional Indonesian phinisi that features nine cabins and can be hired for bespoke cruising.

SEAFOOD AND SUNSETS

As far as food experiences go, nothing really compares to tucking into freshly grilled lobster on the beach by candlelight with the ocean almost lapping at your feet.

Kisik Grill is the hotel’s standout dining outlet, with a seafood feast barbecued right there on the shoreline.

The hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Rinca, has a range of international and Western buffet options, plus an extensive breakfast.

There’s also Japanese restaurant HonZen, which offers teppanyaki, sushi and sashimi.

Sunsets are pretty special in most places but at Waecicu Beach, they’re on another level.

Kick back 11 floors up on the comfy, circular lounges at UNIQUE Rooftop Bar and watch the kaleidoscopes unfold, or head closer to the action at Naga Bar on the end of the pier.