MAP & TRAVEL SUGGESTIONS
Need a good map of Flores?
Flores Travel Map, ISBN 978-3-9523834-4-5
The most complete map of Flores (2012) with maps of the small towns and some trekking areas.
WHEN?
The driest month are May to September when it is supposed to be not too rainy. It’s not the rain itself but a heavy and long shower can cause floods and sometimes landslides and potholes as the drainage system is not adequate enough. Trekkings are more difficult or even not possible at all and the sea between Labuan Bajo and Sumbawa and off the southcoast can be rough and boats sometimes don’t run. However a shower now and then keeps Flores green and clean. These days the weather is hardly to predict like anywhere in the world. In January 2016 the mountains around on the westcoast and on the islands off the coast of Labuan Bajo hardly turned back to green again due to (too) little rain since October last year. Most tourists come in June, July and August.
WHERE AND WHAT?
Highlights on the island are Kelimutu Lake, Komodo National Park the adat villages around Bajawa, Wae Rebo, Riung Marine park, and diving and snorkelling. Flores is not yet as famous as parts of Kalimantan and Sumatera when it comes to (volcano)trekking but it is definitely competitive with other islands. And, the nature on Flores is a highlight itself.
People come to Flores for:
- Kelimutu lakes
- traditional villages
- diving & snorkeling
- Komodo dragons
- traditional villages and ceremonies
- unspoilt beaches
- volcanos for hiking
See also the separate regencies
and
HOW?
You can travel by plane (but you will miss the beauty of the island).
Or by bus together with the locals and everything they carry including chickens, freezers, huge baskets with eggs, a new mattress they bought in town and everything one can imagine.
Or by travel, a kind of shared taxi, mostly a big car or a minibus, a bit more expensive than the bus but more comfortable and faster.
Or you can hire a car with driver so you can stop whenever you want to.
See all kinds of transportation in the regencysections of East Flores, Central Flores or West Flores and the special about transportation on Flores.
HOW LONG?
Let me tell you first that Flores deserves more than a 4 four day trip to Labuan Bajo for diving and see the komododragons by chance. Flores has a diversity of attractions.
If you only visit Labuan Bajo for Komodo National Park and diving/snorkeling 4 days will be enough, but you will miss the wonderful interior. Said that while Labuan Bajo has become more and more touristy, heading east you will have Flores mostly for yourself. If travelling overland the classic tour starts in Maumere and ends in Labuan Bajo and will be at least 8 days, more comfortable are two weeks or even more. Even better is to start in Larantuka (maybe even a sidetrip to Solor and Adonara). Three to four weeks will give you the most complete impression of Flores.
TRAVEL SUGGESTIONS
Below you will find some travelsuggestions depending on time you want to spend and your interests including the most important highlights like Komodo National Park, Kelimutu lakes and the traditional villages around Bajawa.
Note: the trips here below are not yet detailed but they cover the highlights. For more tailored trips, questions or comments: floressurgakita@gmail.com
Denpasar (Bali) or Kupang (Timor) are the most convenient airports to start your trip to Flores. If you want to combine your holiday with Sumba, Timor or Alor there are also connections with airports on Flores (check the transport section).
The pdf docs here below cover most demands and are counted in full days, thus they don't include your day of departure. The routes are just examples. Send me an email and I can make you a tailored trip.
I am still working on detailed trips including Wae Rebo. Be patient. They will online at the end of Juni 2018.
The trips below do not cover trekkings to volcanos like Inerie, Mbeling, Ebulobo or Lewotobi.
See also I see your true colours
Fly to Labuan Bajo. Next day at 5:30 am your day will start with the magic sunrise. Enjoy the boattrip and the views on Padar hill. Well... just go there.
RECOMMENDED
RECOMMENDED
RECOMMENDED
THINGS TO SEE AND DO FROM EAST TO WEST
The Flores alphabet (roads and places from A to Z)
A. Larantuka
Cathedral Rheina Rosari
Chapel Tuan Ana
Trip to Adonara island 1 to 4 days
Trip to Solor island, 1 day as there is no accomodation on Solor
Tanjung Bunga
Lake Asmara
Ile Padung (traditional village)
Trekking ile Mandiri
Trekking ile Lewotobi
Diving and snorkling
Semana Santa (from Wednesday before Eastern untill Saturday including good Friday; bookings need to made far in advance, at least 6 month before)
B. Larantuka to Maumere
Lewokluok, weaving village; every Thursday or on request
Great views along the coastline with views on Adonara, Solor and Konga
Detour Nobo to Boru around the twin volcanos Lewotobi Laki2 and Perempuan
Trekking Lewotobi
Babi island for diving
Watublapi, weaving village
Dokar, weaving village
C. Maumere
Wuring, muslim village on stilts
Alok Market
Nilo hill with statue of Mother Maria with views on Maumere
Doreng Beach
D. Maumere to Detusoko, via Maurole on North Coast
Wuring, muslim village on stilts
Wair Nokerua
Ricefields near Magepanda
Tiwu Bowu (lake)
E. Maumere to Moni
Nilo (hill with statue of Mother Maria with views on Maumere)
Sikka, old church
Paga Beach
Koka Beach
F. Moni
Kelimutu NP, the three coloured lakes
Woloaru, traditional village
Waterfall
G. Moni to Ende
Wologai, traditional village
Detusoko ricefields
Rock with mark Floresweg (Trans Flores, made by the Dutch in 1925)
H. Ende
Former house of Soekarno 1st president of Indonesia
Coast east from Ende
Wolotopo, traditional village
Grilled fish at the seaside (Pantai Ria)
Sunset
I. Ende to Bajawa
Great views along the coastline
Blue stone beach near Nangapanda
Mulakoli (starting point for climbing mount Ebulobo)
Wogo, traditional village
Wolobobo (hill with view on mount Inerie)
J. Ende to Mbay
Great views along the coastline
Blue stone beach near Nanagapanda
Great views on Mbay 10 km before Mbay
K. South Coast Nagekeo
Wajo traditional village
Coast around Mauponggo
L. Mbay
Marapokot harbour
Rii Taa island (1 hour from the harbour)
Ricefields north of Mbay
Japanese caves
Kotojogo Beach
Also possible to visit Riung Marine national park 17 islands from Mbay
M. Mbay to Riung
Strange but beautiful shaped mountains on the right side on the scenic road Mbay-Riung
Rii Taa island (1 hour from the harbour)
N. Mbay to Bajawa via Boawae
One of the most beautiful roads (jalan tengah) on Flores with views on mount Ebulobo
Batu kodok
Tutubhada, traditional village
Wogo, traditional village
Wolobobo (hill with view on mount Inerie)
O. Riung
Riung Marine National Park 17 islands
North coast Riung to Pota, spectaculair coast
P. Riung to Bajawa
Road through the dense forest (direct but bad road)
Soa hotsprings
Q. Riung to Reo
Spectaculair coastline, 45 minutes from Riung
Ricefields, rivers near Pota
The beautiful Reo river
Sunset in Dampek east of Reo
R. Bajawa
Bena, Gurusina, Tololela, Bela, Langa, Luba (traditional villages)
Malanage hotspring
Soa hotspring
Statue Mother Maria in the mountains and view on the valley
Wolobobo hill, view on mount Inerie
Wawo Muda, brown red coloured lake
Oji waterfall
Market Bajawa
Trekking mount Inerie
Trekking to Belaraghi (traditional village, possibility to overnight)
Area north east of Bajawa
S. Bajawa to Ruteng
Belaraghi (traditional village, by car)
Arrack production in Aimere
Mbalata beach, with views on Mount Inerie
Watu Cepi Beach
Danau Ranamese (lake)
Countryside east from Ruteng (just pick a road and be surprised; views, forest, ricefields, villages)
T. Ruteng
Market
Cathedral
Curu hill
Liang Bua (site of homo floriensis, 45 minutes drive from town)
Tangkulese waterfall
Road Ruteng Reo vv (views), Reo river
Countryside east, west and south from Ruteng (just pick a road and be surprised; views, forest, ricefields, villages)
Northwest of Ruteng (views, villages)
U. Ruteng to Iteng
Take the road between the two huge mountains and continue through dense forest (national park) and ricefields all the way to Iteng (this is also an alternative road to get to Wae Rebo)
V. Reo to Lemarang
Beaches near Robek, pantai Keteb (not possible to continue to Terang and Labuan Bajo as the bridge has been collapsed (May 2018)
W. Ruteng to Wae Rebo (the classic road via Todo)
Cancar (spiderweb ricefields)
Countryside west from Ruteng (just pick a road and be surprised; views, forest, ricefields, villages)
Todo, traditional village
Wae Rebo, the icon of the traditional villages/partly trekking
X. Ruteng to Labuan Bajo
Cancar for the famous spiderweb ricefields
Nangalili Beach (40 minutes off the main road near Lembor)
Lembor ricefields
Toda, traditional village
Cunca Rami (waterfall, but best visited from Labuan Bajo on a day trip)
Sanggoang lake, but best visited from Labuan Bajo on a day trip
Cunca Wulang (waterfall and canyon) but best visited from Labuan Bajo on a day trip
Y. Labuan Bajo (trips)
Pulau Rinca (komodo dragons, nature)
Padar Island (magnificient view)
Pink Beach
Pulau Komodo (komodo dragons)
Manta Point for diving
The many islands west and north of Labuan Bajo
Batu Cermin cave
Sunset at Paradise Bar or Pede Beach
Sano Nggoang lake (accomodation)
Cunca Wulang (waterfall and canyon)
Cunca Rami (waterfall)
Warloka, ancient site best reached by boat from Labuan Bajo or via a bad road with fwd only
Tobedo (petrified wood)
Kaca (petrified wood)
Terang, for nice views
20 kilometers east of Labuan Bajo, views over Komodo National Park (sunset!)
Z. North and South from Labuan Bajo
Sano Nggoang lake (accomodation)
Mount Mbeliling (trekking, bird watching)
And ....across the island coffee plantations, cashew nut trees, cacao plantations, lontar trees for arrack production, vanilla, bambu forests, candlenut trees.
SELAMAT JALAN!
HAVE A NICE TRIP!