I'd been wanting to go to Komodo Island for some time and it's actually not too far away from Bali - around halfway between Bali and Timor; an hour by plane or countless buses and boats between the inconvenient Indonesian archipelago’s islands.
To get there you need to go through the gateway town of Labuan Bajo on Flores island. It’s kind of like a 1950s Bali. Things are going to ramp up tourism wise because they have a brand new airport that can handle 1.5m passengers compares to 150k before. But for now is dusty and sweaty - air-con isn’t much of a thing so you just have to be happy in sweat. Still, before long I was heading off on a boat around Komodo Island for 5 days to dive with all manner of sea dwellers.
Komodo itself is also one of the most beautiful places I have visited, it feels completely untouched for now - just trees, grass, sand and sea.