The numerous islands which make up Nusa Tenggara (formerly The Lesser
Sundas) - including Komodo, Flores, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba and Timor - vary
enormously in flora and fauna. Most visitors never make it as far as these
far-flung, little-populated islands - except to visit Komodo and tourism is in
it's infancy. Lombok is visible from Bali, but is completely different. An
arid island, whose centre is an enormous smoking volcano, before visitors
arrived there were only a few scattered fishing communities here and its
development is still 20 years behind Bali. Komodo National Park is a World
Heritage Site best known for it's most ancient inhabitant - the infamous
Komodo Dragon. The world's largest lizard, a unique species found only on
these islands, can grow to 3 metres long and weigh over 150 kg. Young dragons
move fast (they can outrun a dog) and are voracious carrion eaters. The KNP
also has one of the richest fish faunas in the world with an estimated 1000
species.
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