The names of certain snakes are enough to strike fear into the heart of any ophidiophobian. It’s extremely common to have a phobia of a reptile that could kill a full-grown human with a single bite.

I traveled to Indonesia to meet Panji, a famous snake expert, and face the world’s largest venomous snake — the King Cobra. While the Inland Taipan (Australia) holds the record for most venomous, the ...