Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris
Unveiling Sulawesi and Komodo:A Journey through Indonesia’s Wild Heart
Sulawesi and Komodo
July 6 to 19, 2024
Exploring Wallacea
Indonesia is a land of extraordinary biodiversity, where ancient forests and deep blue seas intertwine to create one of the most unique ecological landscapes on Earth. Our July 2024 expedition to Sulawesi and Komodo, led by the expert naturalist Charlie Ryan, was nothing short of spectacular. From encountering endemic species in remote jungles to witnessing the iconic Komodo Dragon in its natural habitat, this journey was a celebration of life in all its wild and untamed beauty. The detailed daily summaries and impressive species list that follow are courtesy of Charlie Ryan, whose knowledge and passion brought this adventure to life.
Highlights
- Hiked Tangkoko National Park for three full days, finding over 60 bird species, cuscus, spectral tarsiers, and black crested macaques.
- Spent two mornings searching for and finding Komodo dragons, including a mating pair.
- Watched thousands of island flying foxes leaving their mangrove island roost at sunset.
- Snorkeled at the lodge reef and other wonderful spots around Komodo, finding and swimming with manta rays.
“Cheesemans Ecology Safaris knocked it out of the park with Sulawesi/Komodo! I felt enlightened and fulfilled, my heart bursting with joy at multiple points during this journey. Releasing baby leatherback turtles, watching tarsiers calling to each other as they emerged from trees at dusk, hiking through the jungle at night during a rainstorm, snorkeling with mantas and posing with Komodo dragons, all in one trip! And of course, snorkeling the house reef at the dive resort’s pristine beach. Wow, so many wow moments! Charlie Ryan is one of the finest guides on the planet. His depth of knowledge is vast on both land and sea. Also, I was fortunate enough to room with Krista. Such a fine woman! She would make Gail and Doug proud. I’ve been a CES fan since 2007 and hope to continue with the finest travel company on the planet. Good job, CES!”
-Vicki Cooper
July 8, 2024: Manado Airport – Tangkoko National Park
It was time to start the Sulawesi adventure! Everyone arrived, and we made the driving journey to Tangkoko National Park, situated between 4 volcanoes and facing the Molluca Sea. Everyone was keen for some activities, so we got ready and headed in for our first visit to explore the diverse ecosystem of Sulawesi’s coastal forests. Upon entering the park, the endemic and beautiful black-crested macaques were waiting to greet us. Troop 1’s territory is the front of the park, and they have several favorite sleeping trees near the parking lot of the national park. A highlight of our first experience was getting a very rare opportunity to release leatherback sea turtle hatchlings into the sea, as led by local rangers. An incredible experience that very few people have been able to experience globally. As we continued on our walk, Maddy and Mensur, our local guides, worked hard to point out a few bird species, but overall the forest was a bit quiet due to the overcast weather. Even Alfred Russell Wallace, the pioneering naturalist who spent extensive time in Sulawesi and developed here his contributions to the theory of natural selection, had a few quiet days. We knew tomorrow would bring more discoveries.
July 9, 2024: Tangkoko National Park
As we rose early, we entered the park and started walking towards a known Sulawesi Knobbed Hornbill nest site in hopes of seeing the male or female cleaning the nest in preparation for the nesting. Along the way, we saw our first Green-backed Kingfisher (female), which was very cooperative and allowed everyone to get some great views. A few steps further and the male was sitting on a low branch which also just stayed sitting for us to enjoy. Because of the lack of predators, forest-dwelling species in Tangkoko are not afraid of humans and allow for very close and clear sightings. Along the way, we had our first sighting of a spectral tarsier that was sitting on the outside of a strangling fig as we approached. Incredible to see such a unique species. Our patience at the hornbill nest site did not pay off this morning. There was so much hornbill activity in the surrounding forest, but none wanted to visit the nest hole. We decided to come back and check another day. Mensur managed to find an Ochre-bellied Boobook, so we traversed the foothills to where it was sitting in a low branch. With finding the right position, everyone got some great looks at these cute owls. We returned to the park in the afternoon and explored the areas nearer to the park entrance because the weather was threatening rain. At the field, we got great views of Yellow-billed Malkoha, White-faced Cuckoo Dove, Sahul Sunbird, Purple-winged Roller, and Sulawesi Drongo to name a few.
July 10, 2024: Night Walks and Nocturnal Wonders
This morning we embarked on small boats and followed the coastline to explore the mangroves up the coast. Along the way, we had sightings of White-bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kites, and a cooperative Collared Kingfisher. Near the caves on the rocky coast, we saw the Great-billed Kingfisher, which was one of the main targets to see of all of the endemic kingfishers of this region. The tide was high so we could easily enter the mangroves. Some of the birds we saw were Sulawesi Triller, Pink-necked Green Pigeons, Pied Imperial Pigeons, and we heard the interesting call of Channel-billed Cuckoos. We came back, and everyone was still up for activity, and this attempt on the Red-knobbed Hornbill was a success! We had a lucky bonus of a Ruddy Kingfisher waiting for us at the parking lot along the small river. On the trail to the nest, we encountered 5 bear cuscus, and everyone got clear views as this nocturnal species rested in the trees. Finally we arrived at the hornbill nest. After 15 minutes of waiting, the beautiful male came in and spent about 1 minute inspecting the nest hole and doing some cleaning. What an incredible view to watch such a stunning hornbill species on a nest hole! On the way back, we were treated to our first look at the Lilac Kingfisher, another endemic. In the afternoon, we continued back into the park for more exploration. In the afternoon, the weather was looking like rain, so we focused near the entrance again. We picked up another Lilac Kingfisher, Great-billed Parrots in flight, and had a great view of a group of Yellow-billed Malkohas. We waited at the tarsier tree further into the forest and watched the small family wake up and leave for the evening to terrorize their prey. Even though there was quite a few people at the tree, it was still amazing to have clear views and watch them for over an hour. Our walk back to the lodge was wet with heavy rain, giving us a true tropical rainforest experience. It didn’t deter us from animal watching, and we were able to see some cool amphibians and earth tarantulas. After dinner, some of us called in a Sulawesi Scops Owl which was very cooperative. It came in fast and then sat on the same open branch until we went back to the rooms. Great to see another owl species that is endemic to the island.
July 11, 2024: Morning with the Celebes Crested Macaques and Sulawesi Pitta
This morning we focused on the hilly area of Timbuan. The bird activity was great, and we added a lot of beautiful species to our list. From our first stop, we had great views of Sulawesi Knobbed Hornbill, White-necked Mynas, Yellow-breasted Racket-tail, Fiery-browed Mynas, Sulawesi-hanging Parrots, White-rumped Triller, and more. We started to walk along the road and saw some other beautiful species, including White-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Grey-sided Flowerpecker, Black-sided Flowerpecker, and a large group of Knobbed Hornbills. On a quick stop on the way down the hill, we finally all got to see the Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, which we had been looking for. While watching the hornbill, a few of us saw a Sulawesi Serpent Eagle flying through the valley. Next stop, find the Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher. We came back down to near Tangkoko Hill and entered a small trail that goes through farmland. The guides quickly found the Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, but by the time we got there it had flown again. After more searching, find again, and then it flies, and then we find. This went on for about 30 minutes but eventually everyone got a good look at it and some photos. Since 2 people had missed the leatherback release, we arranged to release 3 more turtle hatchlings in the afternoon, which the park rangers helped us make possible.
July 12, 2024: Birding and Biodiversity
This morning some people went for a boat trip to look for dolphins. Unfortunately, the dolphins decided they didn’t want to be in this area today, but the boat ride was still beautiful (although rolly with the ocean swell), and some flying fish were spotted. The people who went into the park focused mostly on getting better photos of Green-backed Kingfisher, Lilac Kingfisher, and we spent more time with the Black-crested Macaques as the troop was sitting in a nice patch of forest. We all packed up and had lunch before departing back to Manado. Our last stop for birding in Timbuan was hampered by rain, which pushed us back into the vehicle and on the road back to Manado. Dinner this night was fun to try all the different local dishes, and eat some excellent fish with some incredibly spicy dabu dabu (a chile paste with lots of variations). The most flavorful is the one that is cooked in coconut oil, which brings the sweet flavor of coconut, followed by intense heat from the chilis!
“Had a wonderful time taking pictures of all the new birds & wildlife we encountered. Snorkeling the wonderful reefs we saw, as well as experiencing various fish & underwater creatures was a big bonus. The flying foxes at sunset was a surreal experience.” -Brenda Coleman
July 13, 2024: Arrival at Komodo National Park
An early departure from the Novotel started us on our 7-hour journey and 3 planes to arrive in Komodo National Park. The travel day went smoothly, and we arrived at Sebayur Besar Island and got settled into Komodo Resort. Our first snorkel on the house reef was incredible and teeming with schooling fish. Some of the highlights were white-tipped reef shark, black-tipped reef shark, green sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, and razor fish. Near the jetty, Donna found a broadclub cuttlefish that was in shallow water and amazing to watch. The speed they change colors blew us away.
Playlist
July 14, 2024: Up Close with Komodo Dragons
After breakfast, we headed out to two snorkel locations – Sebayur Kecil Island and Sebayur Rock. Seabuyur Kecil had an incredible hard coral garden that extended as far as the eye could see. Conditions were calm, and the water clarity was at least 60 feet. There were some big triton triggerfish swimming across the reefs throughout the snorkel. When we finished our snorkel, we switched to Sebayur Rock and were treated to many more fish in the water and a nice combination of hard and soft corals. Aldo, the snorkeling guide, found a scorpion fish, which was very cool to see how well camouflaged it was in the environment. After returning to the resort for lunch, we set out to search for the infamous Komodo dragons on Rinca Island. We managed to see 4 different dragons, including a mating pair. Watching these prehistoric reptiles is always something that is special.
From Rinca, we departed to Kalong, a small mangrove island off of the coast of Flores. As sunset approached and the island flying foxes emerged, everyone was left in awe as the sky became filled with thousands of fruit bats with wingspans up to 4 feet. The sky turned bright orange and the sight of thousands of bats on the burning sunset was breathtaking. It is interesting that these fruit bats do not use sonar like most bat species, and rely on eye sight for finding food.
July 15, 2024: Snorkeling and Wildlife in Komodo’s Reefs
We set off on the speedboat to explore Komodo Island this morning. We first started walking, and a green jungle fowl greeted us just off the beach. It is so cool to see the ‘OG chicken’ in its native habitat. Red jungle fowl are found throughout Asia, but the green jungle fowl are restricted from Bali heading east into the Lesser Sunda islands. In our search for more dragons, we got good views of Yellow-crested Cockatoos, Golden Whistler, Spice Imperial Pigeon, and a few more. When we were walking back, we had great looks at a male and female Komodo dragon at the watering hole. It was nice that there weren’t other people around, so we got to spend a nice amount of time observing them. We had lunch at the beach and then continued by boat to Makassar Reef. A highlight of the drifting was seeing a cowtail ray right before getting back on the boat. We jumped in twice and let the strong current fly us across the reef while searching for mantas. Unfortunately, no mantas came to say hello today, so we packed up and moved over to Tattawa Besar, a small island with an incredible reef. When we first jumped in, some were swept into the current so we reorganized, re-positioned, and tried again. The reef and fish life here was amazing. There were tons of reef sharks, big schools of fusiliers, and a number of green sea turtles. It was our best snorkel site yet, and we still had a few days! We returned to Komodo Resort, and some opted to head out for an afternoon snorkel on the house reef, which is always filled with life. Then a few of us went to the top of the hill to do some sunset photography. The sky didn’t disappoint with its intense yellows, oranges, reds, and purples silhouetting volcanoes in the distance.
July 16, 2024: Dragons and Dramatic Landscapes
This morning we headed for Padar Island in the south of Komodo National Park. We saw some Crested Terns and Whiskered Terns along the way feeding in the shallow reef and sand patches. We had a nice walk and took in an amazing view of the islands below. I think everyone learned what it is like to be a social media influencer as the selfie game was strong at the top! We finished up and then headed towards Makassar Reef. After checking around and seeing no mantas from the surface, we made our way towards Turtle City at the island of Siaba Besar. The very shallow (sometimes almost too shallow) reef was a perfect place for careful snorkeling. The corals close to the water’s surface were so vibrant, and you could look closely into anemones and see the clown fish just in front of your face. Even though the snorkeling site is called Turtle City, we only saw one turtle on this snorkel session. In the afternoon, people took a rest, and then we met at dusk to head out for a night snorkel. Snorkeling at night is such an incredible experience and so different than the daytime. Some of the cool creatures that we saw included decorator shrimp, morey eels, a bamboo shark, an octopus, and tons of cool large hermit crabs.
July 17, 2024: The Hidden Gems of Komodo
We made our third trip to Makassar Reef, leaving earlier at 7:30am. As soon as we arrived, we could see a manta feeding on the surface, and the excitement kicked in. We spent 20-30 minutes swimming with the manta watching it glide along the surface and make periodic turns and spins. We also were able to snorkel with another manta that showed up near the end of this half hour. Once other boats caught on to what we were doing, we were happy everyone was agreeable to leave the craziness and head for our next spot. We moved to a snorkel site called Matt’s Wall, and we think that this was the best reef that we snorkeled on. The reef was in perfect condition; the fish life was overwhelming, and we had great turtle (hawksbill and green) sightings. Seeing a large eagle ray coming off the top reef was a real highlight. One of the other impressive sightings was an adult Napoleon wrasse, which is a beautiful fish and rarely-spotted large specimen. We came back to the resort for lunch and had another afternoon dive on the north side of the house reef in near-perfect conditions. The water was so clear, and the fish were so abundant. There was another eagle ray, a white-tipped reef shark, and plenty of fish.
July 18, 2024: Reflections and Farewell Dinner
It is always nice to do a sunrise snorkel, and today was no different. In the early morning, fish had just started their morning feeding, and the activity was always so busy. The large schools of fish were everywhere, and we enjoyed watching the large school of adult batfish that lives under the jetty. We packed our bags and headed to the airport after an incredible journey.
July 19, 2024: Arrive Home
Participants arrive home, filled with memories of their Sulawesi & Komodo journey.
“Everything was very well organized and detailed. Cheeseman’s team did a great job explaining everything before the trip started and then followed up by doing everything they promised while on the trip. Always felt safe & secure throughout the trip.” -Vickey Cooper
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