Banu Nggulung is a dried-up riverbed on Komodo Island and the best place in the national park to encounter Komodo dragons in the wild. The watering hole at the end of the valley draws deer and water buffalo, which in turn draws the dragons. Rangers guide visitors in small groups along the riverbed, stopping when dragons are spotted — which they usually are.
The walk from the boat landing takes about 20 minutes through savanna and forest. The rangers carry forked wooden poles for protection, though attacks on visitors are extremely rare. The dry season (April to October) is when dragons are most active and sightings most reliable; the wet season sees them move to higher ground and become harder to find. Stay behind the rangers, don't approach the dragons, and resist the urge to run if one notices you.