Dana Island

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Dana (also called Ndana) is a small, uninhabited island located in the south of Rote Island, East Nusa Tenggara Province. It's about thirty kilometers Southwest of Rai Jua. With an area of 14 km2, this island is the southernmost island of Indonesia. Along with some other nearby small islands, such as Ndao, it forms the regency of Roti Ndao.

Base on Savunese tradition, no one is allowed to visit Dana for any purpose, except for the annual ritual ceremony. Savunese believe that when they die, their spirit reside on Dana.

Local history says that nobody is living there because the entire population was killed during a revenge attack in the 17th century. The small lake on the island was red of all the blood from the victims. Today the island is inhabited only by deer, a large number of bird species and turtles who come to lay their eggs.

Dana Island is one of the Indonesia's outer islands vulnerable to controlled by neighboring countries. Allegedly, this island was several times visited by the Australian Navy. It's also said, that the island with natural beauty and is suitable for surfing, has long been coveted by the Australian

To maintain security in the southernmost island of Indonesia, since 2006, the Army and the Marine Unit of the Navy has made the guard station on the Dana island.