Padar Island trek: the ridge above three bays, and how King Cirox 2 gets you there

Allow 25 to 45 minutes from the landing to the main viewpoint. The upper ridge beyond it takes longer. The walk is moderate, and the difficulty is the ground, not the distance: parts of the path are steep and loose, so sturdy shoes matter more than fitness.

At the top, the classic view looks over three bays, each with sand of a different colour. It is the view most Komodo photographs show, and the reason the ridge is crowded in July, August and December.

Padar is not a dragon island. There are no Komodo dragons on Padar, and the dragons on this route are seen with a ranger on Komodo or Rinca later the same day. It is not a beach stop either; the point of landing is the ridge. Pack shoes with grip, a hat and water for an hour on your feet. The table below sets out the effort, the best window and the crowd months in one place.

Padar is the first stop of day two on the overnight routes. A sunrise climb is something you ask for when you book, and we confirm it in writing.

The boat's booklet prints Padar first on day two and gives no clock time for it, and on the open trip the park quota can swap Padar for Gili Lawa. That is why the climb is a request we confirm, not a promise printed here. On a whole-boat charter you can put it in the written brief.

If the light matters to you, tell us the month and that you want a sunrise climb when you book. We pass it on to the crew with your name.

Four of the boat's five routes reach Padar, all on day two. The 2D1N, the 4D3N and the 5D4N print it without an alternative. The 3D2N open trip prints it as Padar or Gili Lawa, with the note: choose one, subject to quota availability. You state your preference when you book; if the park's daily quota for Padar is full on the day, you climb Gili Lawa, also a trek to a viewpoint.

The fifth route, the full-day charter, is a sample day of Kelor, Rinca and Manjarite. It does not include Padar. Because the full-day route is agreed with us before the deposit, you can ask for Padar in it, and we confirm in writing what the day can hold.

After Padar the 3D2N goes on to the dragons, Pink Beach, Manta Point and Taka Makassar, so day two is the long one. Eat breakfast, carry water and keep sunscreen in your pocket. The open trip leaves every Monday & Friday from IDR 3,350,000 (≈ USD 206); the leg table below shows how the day is spent moving between stops.