Filming in Komodo National Park
Komodo national park along with its amazing underwater marine world as well as scenery and the Komodo dragon itself, also offer a sports fishing shooting.Recently we have finished shooting in Labuan Bajo, shoot for the sports fishing in Komodo National park, a method that known for preserving the resources, catch and release.
Komodo National Park, a 51 minutes flying from Denpasar Bali is one of Indonesia’s 51 national parks. This National park uniquely because of the Komodo dragon, a giant monitor lizard that isolated by the nature of strong current around the island chain and evolve since thousands years ago, the largest monitor lizard alive in the world.
The park has 2 most popular destination to see the komodos, the Rinca island an dthe Komodo island itself, named after the dragon. The Komodo national park, consist of 80 islands chain, from a big island like Rinca and Padar to the tiny island. The other place that has Komodo park rarely visited is the southern part, where the Komodo not really used to have visitor, they are still in the early state of interact with human. They can swim to come to the prey, and wandering around on the beach.
The Makassar straits also offer a unique Manta ray cleaning station, and any given days snorkeler or diver will meet them stopping by. A bit off the park, at Sangeang mountain, an active sea volcano, you can dive and see the bulbous seabed due to volcanic gas activity. There also a spot for black tip shark, and occasionally whale sharks. Orca are very rarely show in the area, though some people witness them on the northern straits in July.
In Komodo national park, a breathtaking views from upper hill of Gili Lawa Darat are one of the favorite places to visit and the pink beach, which its sand mixed from white sand with the granules of red coral, naturally form a pink lookalike beach.
Filming the dragon, at their den is possible with a guide of ranger, a trekking guide will show and arrange a safe place for us to do the shooting. Last time we manage to interview with the ranger that unfortunately bitten by the small Komodo, when the Komodo entering their office. Now all the safety precaution are upgraded and offer more security for everyone, the number of the trained ranger are more than previous year, makes the island safe to film and visit for everyone.
In the island of Komodo, there is Komodo village. People here believe they come from the female Komodo, and they prefer to make Komodo statue as their respect to the Komodo goddess. The island of Messa is the island of Sea gypsies that settled in the island. They are still a great free divers, even children can perhaps free dive better than you. They still make their own diving goggle from carved wooden, and plastic or bottom back of the coca cola bottle to glued in as the glasses. They can free-dive to take sea-cucumber and making slat sun-dried fish and sea cucumber to sell and consume.
In the main port and local cultures, Melo village, 30 minutes drive offer a dance of Flores traditional warrior dance, with their whip as weapon. Imitating their ancient ancestor when preparing the war. When we go further west, Wera is the village of new settlement Bugis people, that well-known for their sea voyage and mastering the making of wooden boat called Phinisi.
Phinisi has unique sails signature with 3 jibs, 2 main sail and 2 minor sails, and 2 rudder on the stern outside that was controlled by human power with chain attached to the steering wheel to direct the boat. At any given time, we can see the built of 18 meters to the 42 meters boat in Wera without any modern tools, just a power hand tools. The unique is the make the super structure frames later after they built the outer hull. This also done in Tanjung Bira Sulawesi that done also by Bugis boat maker. For some 6 hours drive there are traditional highland village, Bena. In maumere we can also see the 3 colored carter lake of Kelilmutu. Flores island chain has a lot of cultural and documentary for filming.