Indonesia has its natural beauty and talking about it is endless. There are thousands of attractions spread in different provinces and it is hard to choose. The following destinations are prominent and beautiful enough that the country has declared and preserved them as nationally protected areas. That’s why there are some national parks.
Indonesia has several national parks that are worth visiting. Some of them even have endangered species of animals, such as Komodo dragons, one-horned rhino, and Sumatran tigers.
These animals need to be conserved so that they won’t go extinct. Let’s explore these 4 amazing national parks in Indonesia with endangered species.
- Way Kambas National Park
Way Kambas National Park is located in Lampung province in the southern Sumatra. This park is well-known for their Sumatran elephant, but actually there are more than 406 species of birds and 50 different species of mammals. Many of the mammals are critically endangered too, such as Sumatran tiger and rhino.
The national park covers an area of 125,621.30 hectare of swamp and lowland rainforest. Unfortunately, the habitat of those animal species has been degraded by extensive logging in.
The park also has an elephant training center with accommodations nearby. Mangrove areas, freshwater forests and a coastline are also available in this park.
If you wish to visit other national parks, then you can get the complete list of national parks in Sumatra.
- Tanjung Puting National Park
Let’s move to Kalimantan island, specifically in Central Kalimantan. There’s Tanjung Puting National Park which is well known for supporting the abundant wildlife, one of which is orangutans. It is also considered as a wonderful home for orangutans, and other native species, such as bearded pig, pythons and even pitcher plants.
This national park covers an area of 416,000 hectares. It consists of forests, swamps, mangroves and a coastal beach. Wide range of flora and fauna is presented to visitors.
While you’re here, make sure you enjoy the best wildlife viewing. The best spot is from the river. At sunrise, proboscis monkeys will begin their day. You might see one will belly-flop into the water and his webbed toes enabling him to swim against the currents. Birds are also active during these times.
As for the orangutans, there are feeding sessions for these reddish-brown apes daily at one of the three park outposts. The first is Tanjung Harapan, which cares for orphaned infants and new arrivals. This spot also has a visitor information center.
The famous among the three is Camp Leakey. It can be somewhat of a circus during June to August. Visitors can walk down jungle paths to see the shaggy red apes.
If you love watching wildlife, then make sure you put these wildlife destinations in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
- Ujung Kulon National Park
Being one of the UNESCO Natural Heritage Sites, Ujung Kulon National Park is located south of Carita on the southwest tip of Java. This national park covers 420 square kilometers reserve.
It supports the gravely endangered and rarely sighted Javan one-horned rhino, which are fewer than 70 remain and other forest species. You can find other species of animals too, such as hornbills, deer, crocodiles, leaf monkeys, macaques, etc.
Despite the fact that much of the area is dense lowland rainforest, there are some open woodlands and wetlands. These are excellent habitats for birdwatching! Furthermore, Krakatau Island is also part of the park! Do you wish to visit Krakatau Island? Then, make sure you also read these Krakatau day trip for backpacker.
The best time to visit this national park is during the dry season, which is between April to September. Besides visiting the wildlife there, make sure you put these things to do in Ujung Kulon.
- Komodo National Park
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Komodo National Park is located in the strait between Sumbawa and Flores. Furthermore, it is also the natural habitat of the world’s largest reptile, the Komodo dragon. Komodo dragon is one of the oldest species of lizard and a close relative to dinosaurs.
Besides as a natural attraction, Komodo National Park is also one of the most famous conservation area. You will be able to enjoy the exotic panorama of savannah.
When you plan to visit Komodo National Park, make sure you also visit other Pink Beach and know the best time to visit Pink Beach in Komodo Island.
Indonesia has abundant of national parks located in different areas. If you are a nature lover, make sure you put these national parks in West Java and national parks in Kalimantan Island. Get ready for your adventure!