Super complicated issues and I appreciate your usual thorough presentation of the facts. Personally, I'm not bothered by the high cost of admission, in that this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and if I can afford to haul my cookies all the way there from wherever, I can in truth afford the higher admission cost, even if I don't like it. What bothers me is who benefits the most from these activities in the first place and how the higher admission costs will disproportionately harm smaller, locally owned businesses. And if it isn't too radical, I might also suggest for discussion that Komodo Dragons shouldn't be a tourist attraction and maybe nobody should be going there just for those purposes...
What an astonishing read, not just because of the new entry price to the Komodo National Park but the big changes to Labuan Bajo. We visited five years ago. Thanks again for your Thoughtful, in-depth reporting, Stuart.
my first visit to Komodo and Labuan Bajo in 1999. Since then I always come to these places at least twice a year. in 1999 everything in Labuan Bajo was still very simple, no big hotels, just small and medium size with fan and very few with airconditioned and most of them owned or run by local people in Labuan Bajo. Nowadays is a big change, hotel labeled with few stars, and there is a new hotel in Labuan Bajo is labeled as Santorini. Labuan Bajo and its surroundings have attracted land brokers.
New tourism complex as central government's project near Labuan Bajo is under construction. This project is to support Labuan Bajo as Super Premium Tourism destination. But sadly this project has sacrificed forest area that is actually one of the water catchment areas in Labuan Bajo. Protest by local people and environment organization popping up but like other protests it will disappear blown by the wind.
Perhaps not many people from outside Labuan Bajo know if Labuan Bajo has big problem regarding to the fresh water. Fresh water supply from state owned water company is very unreliable. When the tab is opened only air coming out. All big hotels in Labuan Bajo get fresh water supply from water truck.
Super complicated issues and I appreciate your usual thorough presentation of the facts. Personally, I'm not bothered by the high cost of admission, in that this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and if I can afford to haul my cookies all the way there from wherever, I can in truth afford the higher admission cost, even if I don't like it. What bothers me is who benefits the most from these activities in the first place and how the higher admission costs will disproportionately harm smaller, locally owned businesses. And if it isn't too radical, I might also suggest for discussion that Komodo Dragons shouldn't be a tourist attraction and maybe nobody should be going there just for those purposes...
What an astonishing read, not just because of the new entry price to the Komodo National Park but the big changes to Labuan Bajo. We visited five years ago. Thanks again for your Thoughtful, in-depth reporting, Stuart.
Good read, thanks for this! In Ubud now trying to figure out if I can squeeze in a trip here
my first visit to Komodo and Labuan Bajo in 1999. Since then I always come to these places at least twice a year. in 1999 everything in Labuan Bajo was still very simple, no big hotels, just small and medium size with fan and very few with airconditioned and most of them owned or run by local people in Labuan Bajo. Nowadays is a big change, hotel labeled with few stars, and there is a new hotel in Labuan Bajo is labeled as Santorini. Labuan Bajo and its surroundings have attracted land brokers.
New tourism complex as central government's project near Labuan Bajo is under construction. This project is to support Labuan Bajo as Super Premium Tourism destination. But sadly this project has sacrificed forest area that is actually one of the water catchment areas in Labuan Bajo. Protest by local people and environment organization popping up but like other protests it will disappear blown by the wind.
Perhaps not many people from outside Labuan Bajo know if Labuan Bajo has big problem regarding to the fresh water. Fresh water supply from state owned water company is very unreliable. When the tab is opened only air coming out. All big hotels in Labuan Bajo get fresh water supply from water truck.