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Remote Flores

Route: Maumere - Bajawa - Ruteng - Labuhan Bajo

The Catholic island of Flores is the largest island of the eastern part of Nusa Tenggara. It owes its name to the Portuguese pioneers who named the island Cape of Flowers. Tourist numbers to Flores are small, giving the island an untouched, authentic charm. This also means that accommodation isn’t completely developed yet, ranging from basic to very basic.

Flores is dominated by a number of volcanoes, including Kelimutu, towering over the landscape and dividing the island into a number of ethnic groups, many of which still live by traditional means. During this Indonesian tour, you’ll travel from east to west, past plantations, along coastal roads and across rice paddies. You'll also visit small mountain villages where traditional colourful rugs and fabrics (Ikats) are made.

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Duration	6 days / 5 nights	Accommodation	Basic hotels (see our photos here). Comfort level 1/2 (see accommodation).
Price	£405 per person - based on 2 people	Includes	Accommodation with breakfast, transport by air-conditioned car with driver
Transport	Private car with driver	Excludes	Entrance fees

Day 1 - Arrival Maumere

Your Indonesian tour starts as soon as you arrive at Maumere airport, where you’ll be collected by your driver for your journey across beautiful countryside to the picturesque village of Moni. You’ll spend the night at a local homestay, where you'll receive an incredibly warm welcome.

On your arrival you will have the rest of the day of your Indonesian tour to you to relax at your own leisure.

You’ll stay in the guest quarters of the homestay separate from the family for one night in a simple basic room. You’ll have to make do without hot water, but it's completely worth it.

Day 2 - Maumere to Bajawa - Sunrise at Kelimutu volcano

It's day two of this Indonesian tour and before dawn, you’ll set off for the Kelimutu volcano to enjoy a spectacular sunrise across an equally spectacular panorama. On a clear day the Kelimutu is one of the most amazing sights in the world. The three cater lakes change colour every now and again depending on the mineral content in the water. These days they range from turquoise to black to dark green. The three lakes are compared to gemstones and were once an important place for rituals. People believed (and still believe) that the lakes were the final resting place of the dead - one lake for the elderly, another for young people and a third one for witches.

The climb up to the top of the Kelimutu volcano is fairly easy and you'll do most of it by car, leaving you just a steep flight of steps up to the highest point. From here, you can look out across the three crater lakes. Then, your Indonesian tour continues to Bajawa. On the way, you’ll visit a small village with traditional wooden houses and high thatched reed roofs where the Ikats are made - intricately woven fabrics made up of individually dyed threads. You can take a look inside one of the houses to see if anyone’s busy weaving a piece.

After the visit you’ll drive on to Bajawa, arriving in the late afternoon. You’ll stay in the best hotel in town and you’ll probably even have hot water!

Day 3 - Inerie volcano and Soa hot springs

On day three of your Indonesian tour, you’ll walk along the foot of the Inerie volcano, visiting several small villages on the way as you walk in the shade of the towering bamboo forest.

One of the most authentic Ngada villages is Bena, where the little houses with straw roofs are built in two rows along a line of megalithic stones. These stones are still used for sacrifice to the spirits. Traditional rituals are upheld here more than anywhere else on Flores and you can still witness ceremonies being carried out at the “bhaga” (ritual houses) and “ngadhu”, a carved wooden sacrifice pole, usually to honour the ancestors.

In the afternoon, you’ll visit the hot springs at Soa where you can wallow in the warm water. The water from the spring is 40c and mixes with the cooler water of a mountain stream just below the waterfall - so that’s the best place to take a dip. You won’t be the only one swimming here as many locals people wash and scrub themselves in the springs. For many people, particularly the guides and drivers, this is only place on Flores where they can find hot water.

Later today you’ll continue your Indonesian tour as you drive back to Bajawa, where you’ll spend another night in the basic hotel.

Day 4 - Bajawa to Ruteng

Next, your Indonesian tour continues from Bajawa to Ruteng. You’ll travel through some isolated areas on the way and if you want to see the area in more detail you can do parts of the route on foot. Your driver can drop you off and simply pick you up further down the road. You’ll travel part of the way along the south coast for example, where you can get and walk along the volcanic beach for a while.

You’ll arrive in the cool town of Ruteng in the afternoon, which leaves you time to explore the town on foot and visit the lively market where you can buy colourful embroidered sarongs. You’ll stay in a simple hotel in Ruteng which - despite being one of the best in town - is still very basic.

Day 5 - Ruteng to Labuhan Bajo

It's day five of your Indonesian tour and today you'll travel mainly downhill to Labuhan Bajo, a small fishing village in a beautiful bay. The sunsets are wonderful here with views across the tiny islands between Flores and Komodo.

You'll stay in a charming bungalow with sea views, and there's also a swimming pool.

Day 6 - Labuhan Bajo Departure

Your Indonesian tour ends in Labuhan Bajo today. This is also the departure point for a Komodo tour at Komodo National Park, home to the famous Komodo dragon. We offer an exciting day trip to go dragon-spotting on Komodo, as well as Rinca, where you actually have a greater chance of seeing the giant lizard than on Komodo Island.

If dragons aren't your cup of tea, you can also skip Komodo and Rinca and fly directly from Labuhan Bajo to Bali to try some of our Bali tours.

Indonesian tour accommodation (Click to enlarge)

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