Visiting Komodo National Park, home to the world's largest lizards, the Komodo dragons, will soon come at a hefty price of $500 per person per year, according to the governor of East Nusa Tenggara province.

The move aims to preserve the habitat of the endangered species and promote responsible tourism practices. Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat emphasized the need to strike a balance between tourism and conservation efforts. Visitors would be required to purchase an annual pass to access the park. The collected funds would support conservation programs and local communities living in the vicinity.

Environmentalists expressed mixed views on the decision.