Bed And Breakfast Beyond Bali

Amenities at AYANA Komodo Resort, Waecicu Beach in Indonesia’s Flores Island are fivestar, as are the hotel’s offerings. Think swimming in a ‘secret cave’ and photographing Komodo dragons

- Pooja Naik

White sand scrunches under my feet when I alight the boat, on Indonesia’s Gusung Island. It is part of the larger Flores Island

where I’m staying at the AYANA Komodo Resort, Waecicu Beach.

I first tread a water-washed pathway studded with creepers and low-hanging branches and then descend a wooden ladder to enter Gua Rangko, or Rangko Cave. Inside, stalactites in green, rust and purple ring the roof, and tourists heartily splash around in the cold waters of the natural pool. I instantly regret not taking my swimming lessons seriously, for I had now found myself at the mercy of a life jacket in the 16-foot-deep waterbody. It is, however, in moments of adversity that I’m often compelled to step out of my comfort zone, and this was no different. A few failed attempts later, I shed both, my life jacket and inhibitions, navigating the circumference whilst floating on my back, unfazed by a colony of bats hanging above.

The ancient-looking cave was discovered by locals only a few decades ago and I’m glad I signed up for its exploration—a 30-minute, scenic car ride from AYANA to the fishing village of Rangko, and then another 20 minutes on the ferry, where I was treated to a split-screen view of ominous clouds on one side and bright sunshine on the other.