May 3, 2026

PADAR ISLAND, one of the other 3 major islands in Komodo National Park is stunning and unihabited with a walking trail of over 800 steps to the summit, for these amazing views.

I have to admit, I didn't have the energy for the climb! These photo are again courtesy of @BasiaK.blog .  The heat of the day took a big toll on me and I actually opted, with 3 others of our group, to go back to the Odyssey for the night and did not complete our live a board stay. The Odyssey was at anchor right near us,  so after enjoying a swim at the Pink Sand Beach, sadly my exploration of Komodo National Park ended. I needed AC, a refreshing shower and a good night of sleep! It was a blessing that the live a board staff could accommodate this request, and that the Odyssey was so accessible. I felt bad leaving our happy little group, but my body was telling me to go! The Southeast Asia heat can be so draining!

The pink sand gets it's color from broken down red coral, blending with sand and sea.

The next day, back on the ship a fellow shipmate caught these images of upside down rainbows!

So cool Jim Lovell - thanks for sharing!

They are known as CIRCUMZENITHAL ARCS which are quarter circles centered on a point directly above the observer, occurring when the sun is 5 to 32 degrees high.

KOMODO VILLAGE, INDONESIA

By Pat Patrick • May 3, 2026
KOMODO VILLAGE is a small, mainly fishing family population of just 300 to 350 households. It sits on the east end of Komodo Island within the National Park and is a unique community where locals coexist alongside the native Komodo Dragons.

KOMODO ISLAND, INDONESIA

By Pat Patrick • May 2, 2026
KOMODO ISLAND NATIONAL PARK in Indonesia was an unexpected rare twist on this voyage. We had no idea that we would be able to anchor right in the heart of this National Park for 3 days. The National Park is comprised of 3 major islands & 26 smaller ones and is home to the legendary Komodo Dragons! We were suppose to anchor at the coastal town of Labuan Bajo and shuttle into the Park. But hours before docking, the Port Agents directed us to anchor right in the heart of the Park. Captain Val made it possible for our tour vendors, to pull right up to the Odyssey , so we had super easy access to our tours saving us lots of logistics and time.

DILI, TIMOR LESTE

By Pat Patrick • April 23, 2026
We met up with the Ship in Timor Leste or East Timor, one of the youngest countries in the World . This sovereign state just gained their independence on May 20, 2002 from prior Portuguese rule (1515 until 1975) and Indonesian occupation (1975 until 1999). The Ship was anchored off the coastal town of Dili, the capital city with a population of roughly 1.4 million.